Happy BDay Tom! Hoist that Rag!

Looking for something to do to Celebrate Tom Wait's birthday tomorrow?

I thought I would put this out there for any Chicago denizens that may or may not (and I am sure it's more on the may not) read this blog.  Looks like tomorrow night there is a cover band at Lincoln Hall called  Big T1me (Frank's Wild Years) ORRRR there is a typo and they are playing Big Time the movie.  Not quite sure and can't really tell which is completely and unbelievably apropos!  The ambiguity is completely awesome.

Sadly it seems that this is the only venue in the US that is doing anything to mark the date. 

F and I are trying to come up with something ourselves. The joy of being in Denver though is that we are able to actually go to some places, well some locations that warmed Mr. Waits either with liquor or with soul.  We are thinking about starting the night off at the Terminal Bar, which is now Jax Fish House.  The Terminal used to be a dive bar on the edge of lower larimer here in Denver.  Not a safe or good part of town for sure.  Of course that has all changed.  Jax owns the building, they have a television star on their staff (some guy who went on Top Chef and won I guess????), and the place is cleaned up.  Honestly the last time I was in there the place was a dump with broken bar stools, regulars drinking dollar shots of whiskey from heavy bottomed shot glasses that you can only find in bars where the weight of the glass steadies the patrons while they are at the bar.  It was a postal service hang out. People who worked at the Terminal Annex of the Post Office would go in off shift.  We would go down there because we didn't get questioned about anything and being in film school, having been inspired by Bukowski, Kerouac and all that it seemed only right.  Now it's an amusement park to oysters. 

Never-the-less.  Tribute must be paid so we will possibly go and have $10 whiskey shots walk up the street and go to the 7-11 where Ebbetts Field used to be where Tom Waits would play (and sometimes sleep) when he lived in our fair city. 

I wish that our Downtown wasn't as gentrified as it is. Certainly it's great for the economy because the bar scene is lively and active, but it's kind of boring.  I mean there is a Titled Kilt for goodness sake.  Disney Irish bar.  It's like Fridays for those that drink black and tans. 

Denver has a little slice of history so I am so very much saddened that there isn't anything commemorating Tom Waits birthday in this town.  Oy well... we will make our own fun I do hope.  Either way...listen to some "SwordFishTrombones" or "Black Rider" tomorrow and take a moment to celebrate the birthday of Tom Waits.  He would for yours.  You never know... he might already.