Late night open thread

Johnny expects your homework to be done by morning. Show all work.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SMASHING PUMPKINS!

Tonight is the 'Johnny's peepers are closing and fast' version of the Music Series. Not a lot of talking. Let's start with Billy the Ice Cream Man and 'Today'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARSHALL CRENSHAW!

It's a shame Marshall Crenshaw never made it bigger than he did. From 1982 it's 'Someday, Someway'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SUPERTRAMP!

Always a good listen when Supertramp comes on. Johnny doesn't remember which summer but they sure were the soundtrack to one of them. 'Dreamer' getting you your way on this Good Friday.

Late night open thread

Since it's Johnny's birthday, it's his open thread tonight to treat himself as he sees fit. Here goes:

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The house goes on the market today; It will not be a local move

Well friends, frienemies, haters, and devoted readers, today marks what you may call the beginning of the end of Johnny's time in Jersey City. He's having the same real estate agent who sold Johnny and his wife this condo come over and be the one who lists it. Johnny won't even say it's bittersweet to be heading back to Michigan, where the family and friends structure are, it's awful. He never wanted any of this to happen this way; certainly not his wonderful wife passing in February. He'd have been content to stay in Jersey City until it was time for dual retirements down the road one day. But, this thing called life never seems to cooperate in the ways you'd like. So, here we are, on Johnny's birthday, and he's listing his home and isn't that just a little sad.

Unless the place sells frighteningly quickly (which would be both good and horrifying), we'll still have time for a Music Series or three, and some more commentary on where Johnny sees Jersey City heading and he'll also have a nice love note to all the people who have been so wonderful and kind during this last couple months. Make sure to catch that. The Jersey City Desk may not survive but Johnny will always be on Twitter as long as there is Twitter to be on.

Late night open thread

If you're looking for your lost hairnet, it's in a tree outside The One on First St.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BILLY JOEL!

So many great songs to choose from so Johnny tried to not overthink things. 'Big Shot' leading off tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS!

There was a short period in the 1980's where the music was indeed good. The period from 1980-1983 inclusive. Past that, well Johnny's just not going to vouch for a lot of that mess. He'll sure vouch for this song, 'Love My Way' by the Psychedelic Furs, circa 1982.

Sorry kids, Johnny's just not as enamored with the later 80's like so many are...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with CHAKA KHAN!

Guess who is having a birthday today? No, not Johnny. Try again. No, not Sonja Henne either. How about if Johnny spills it and just tells you it's Chaka Khan's birthday today. In honor of that, here she is, finishing off yet another great Music Series with 'Ain't Nobody.'

Late night open thread

Wrapping up another wonderful St. Patrick's Day with FourWinds and a quite spirited version of 'The Flags of Dublin'

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Such a wonderful piece of music, The Chieftains and 'O'Sullivan's March'

Speaking of Ann Arbor, we mentioned Conor O'Neill's below but as Johnny recalls he had many a lunch at a greasy spoon called O' Sullivan's. Funny how that works out.

This image is celebrating it's ten year anniversary today

Taken outside Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor. Taken from Johnny's then office at a media/PR firm. It was taken at 12:30 in the afternoon for those scoring at home.

Feels like now would be a good time for 'Molly Ban'

The Chieftains and Alison Krauss with this yearly treat.

We're gonna start the official party on this side of noon

Just a wee bit early. Our first pub type singalong and call to tap the first keg of Guinness, The Dubliners and The Pogues with the timeless 'The Irish Rover'

You didn't think we'd have reels without jigs did you?

Morrison's Jig from the wonderful Katy Adelson

How about a few Irish reels to keep the morning going

Méabh O'Hare, Connor Byrne and Gerard Thompson playing some lovely reels for you to enjoy with morning coffee.

St. Patrick's Day dawns with The Chieftains and Sinead O'Connor

'The Foggy Dew' kind of sets and early mood and gets us going on St. Patrick's Day 2018.

Late night open thread

If tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day the Jersey City desk is open for some fine Irish music. Make sure to come on back.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BLONDIE!

Remember when NYC was cool?

Uh-oh, here come the comments. Johnny said cool, not comfortable. Where's the buzz on the streets? Who is the next big band or group of bands? Is the cronut the best the city that never sleeps can do anymore? Some of you know what Johnny is talking about. For the others, here, a history lesson from 'Hanging on the Telephone'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MISSING PERSONS!

Johnny's gonna go out on a limb here. He's just gonna guess that nobody walks in L.A. He can't remember for the life of him where he's heard that before but take this as a public service announcement before you get caught out 'Walking in L.A.'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with QUEEN!

So, song three tonight and here comes your out the door earworm, something nice from Freddie and the boys, 'Somebody to Love'

Late night open thread

Florence Italy checking in tonight...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

A couple good reads over coffee this morning

Agustin C. Torres takes a very in-depth look at the implosion of the Hudson County Democratic Party over Mayors Fulop, Stack, Bhalla, and Roque all gunning to replace current county chair Tom DeGise with new blood and DeGise telling them to bring a flashlight and pack a lunch. Good stuff.

Also on your reading list, Earl Morgan makes the fair observation that maybe next year Ward F will hear what Mayor Fulop did and not just what he's still planning to do. Plus, Mr. Earl Morgan used the word surfeit. You can feel those bonus word scores piling up.

Late night open thread

Just an FYI, things will be a bit different around the Jersey City Desk. It won't be an everyday thing most likely. Johnny will use it for more long-form issues and complaints or compliments that take more than 140 characters on Twitter. We're still having a Music Series every Friday and big news as it breaks. The rest we'll figure out as we get to it.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROXY MUSIC!

The lights are back on in the Jersey City Desk offices. A couple Friday nights Johnny has wanted to run a Music Series but the time just didn't feel right. Tonight it did. We're not turning tonight's Music Series into any kind of memorial for Mrs Johnny, there's no hidden or deeper meaning in the songs tonight. Just good ones.

Let's get things back to going with an awesome Roxy Music standard, 'Both Ends Burning'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with CAROLE KING!

God bless she's grand. Johnny just loves this song. Always has. 'Jazzman' batting second tonight but first in our hearts. If Johnny was ever so lucky as to meet Carole King he'd more than likely pull a Wayne and Garth, "We're not worthy" by getting on his knees and genuflecting.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOHN STEWART!

How often do you get Stevie Nicks to sing backup on your song? How often do you get Lindsay Buckingham to play his unique sounding guitar on your song? How often is Johnny going to keep sub-referencing?

John Stewart with 'Gold'