Chicken Wars Reconsidered

This whole chicken thing has got a few new wrinkles in it. Namely, due to the glut of rogue birds at the Chicken Store they will no longer accept any of our collars. And as added insurance to their new quota system, they kept our trap that we had rented from them.
Moreover, the trap positioned outside the bar, baited with freshly popped popcorn, has inspired trolley-loads of gawkers looking for A Real Key West Photo op, not unlike those on photo safari being trucked out to some Serenghetti watering hole for a glimpse of wild beasts in their natural setting. So the sidewalk outside our front door is in danger of becoming some sort of bizarre poultry-oriented Lion Country Safari with all the gawkers perched safely inside their orange trollies.
In a nutshell, is it really worth having a truckload of shutterbugs disturbing the Wa of those inside the bar just to rid ourselves of the occasional nuisance hen or rooster.
I dont know, probably not.
For now there's kind of an uneasy armistice on the corner.
But just in case any chickens check the blog: the popcorn machine is still a non-negotiable demand and remains off limits and we bought our own trap.

"It's On"

Scotty pulls up and prepares to provide transport for the third bird captured since this skirmish began a few days ago, but not before Kate comes out of the bar and positively ID's the bird as the very same one that precipitated all this bullshit by flying over her shoulder and into the popcorn machine (that's right, flew INTO the popcorn machine) while she made popcorn for our Happy Hour patrons on Friday. This act not only seriously violating Green Parrot airspace but irreparably breaching the Poultry-Parrot Etiquette Code. Sadly, there's no turning back now. "It's on".

Parrots 2- Chickens 0

It's up, up, and away for chicken #2 as Scott Morris prepares to hand deliver the errant fowl to the Chicken store.
In lower photo, Buco, no stranger himself to Poultry Relocation Programs looks on approvingly.

Pirates in Paradise sans Alice

I was talking to Tom Robinson and Dr. Steve, excuse me, that would be Ranger Steve, at the weekly Alice Foundation meeting yesterday and it seems Alice is off on another walkabout, this time off to Memphis for a few days with Alice Foundation member and Key West Mayor's Assistant Jay Gewin.
I was hoping that since this was Pirates in Paradise week we would get to see Alice the Wench make an appearance but no such luck as she's busy carousing on Beale Street with Jay in tow.
Anyway, here's a few images that popped up from our archives that seemed to fit Alice and the events going on around town this week. I think these images are from those hilarious Mop Monkey days.

Alberta Adams

Just a reminder that Detroit's Queen of Blues, Alberta Adams, will be appearing this weekend at The Green Parrot.
She began her career in the late 1930's, touring with lumineries such as Duke Ellington and Loius Jordan. It give me goosbumps just to type those names in here. Alberta is pictured here onstage at the Parrot last year with here neice, who, with great devotion and attention to detail, rarely leaves her side.

The Final Frontier

Touche

The Main Tool

The Plan

The Enemy

Terry Hanck:West Coast Jump

Terry Hanck, formerly Elvin Bishop's "wild man on the sax" for a decade or more, brought his band of West Coast Jump Blues and R & B to The Parrot last night.

Harper: From Hoodoo to Dijeradoo to Boogaloo

Australian Bluesman Harper, the first non-american to sign with the prestigious independent Blind Pig Blues label had them dancing in the streets tonight with his steamy vocals and extremely multi-cultural instrumentals.
Recently named male vocalist of the year down under, Harper left little doubt as to why as he belted out tune after soulful tune to a packed Thansgiving-eve house. From straight-up blues to dijeradoo-driven drones to R & B, Harper had them crowding the stage from the start.
Look for Harper to return sometime in April.

No Snivelling While Schlepping

From today's Key West Citizen, The Parrot's Own....

"Volunteer Scott Morris, center, helps unload the first of three shipments containing 750 Fraser firs Tuesday morning at the Harris School on Southard Street. The 22nd annual MARC House Christmas tree sale runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until the trees are gone. More volunteers are needed; call (305) 304-8039 to help." Photo by: ROB O'NEAL/The Citizen

UPDATE: I see Mike Fatica, of the Fabulous Peppers of Key West is performing yeoman's duty up there in the truck. Where's our favorite Media Cowboy, Luna? Camera shy?

Kate and Tegan

Experiencing more of a working holiday than just another outing, Tegan seems to be taking it all in stride. She did however cause a bit of a stir among staff and patrons. In the first frame Frankie Mo looks on approvingly.

Kenny Stands Tall(er)

Back to work at nearly his former pace, card-carrying Hipster Kenny stands tall (by about and inch and a half more, we hear) for his first full Sunday shift. That following his first full Saturday night shift. Good work and welcome back Kenny.

Mo's poised for MARC House Tree Sale

Vicki will be pleased to know that the wheels are in motion and Scotty and the Parrot regulars are ready to leap into action bright and early on Tuesday morning and help those MARC house folks unload their first delivery of christmas trees.
Fueled only by altruism and perhaps a free drink card or two, rest assured that the boys will not rest until that last fir or pine is delivered safely.

Local Color

Here's colorfully-garbed local woodcarver/cabinetmaker Rudy Prazen whiling a way a happy hour with a colorfully-inked friend.

Guy and Frankie

Equally colorful, Guy and Frankie Mo get tuned up for last summer's square dance.

Snorkeling Parrot

On the the other door, not the "sorry we're open" door is Steve Huell's snorkeling parrot.

Tishamingo

I walked up to the corner to mail a few letters and it just popped into my head that we have Tishamingo coming in for three nights in January. Specifically, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 6,7, and 8

WTF

Saturday Night

Offshore Powerboats Invade Key West

The Budweiser Select Superboat dwarfs the bar.

The Fins

Benny Hi Fi along with Eric Addio and Angelo Mancuso, kicks off a night of Jump Blues and Swing with the Fins, one of Jersey's top party bands.

Sorry We're Open

ReNewOrleans

Trombonist Craig Klein displays a his hope for the future on the bell of his instrument.

Packin' it in

Here's the scene in the Green Parrot bandhouse as the boys from New orleans get ready to head up US 1 for their show at the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth.
Guitarist Bert Cotton prepares to sign the Parrot's vintage telecaster, as many other road warriors have before him.
Fueled by cuban coffee from the deli across the street, Bonerama founders Craig Klein and Mark Mullins, along with Sousaphonist Matt Perrine show their high tech edge as they print out charts from their laptop for their next show. I don't know when we've had a band that had as much fun themselves and yet behind the scenes they're a fine tuned machine.
Pictured below, drummer Eric Bolivar displays the aforementioned Telecaster that's destined to hang on the wall in the bar.

NOLA musicians give a little more back

At the invitation of Key west high band leader Mike Truhan, all seven members of Bonerama offered, with evident enthusiasm, to put on a clinic at the High School on Monday afternoon.
It was so well received that many of Key West's budding musicians, properly chaperoned of course, turned out for the first set of their Green Parrot gig. The musicians did this all with great pleasure and took the time to chat with many of the kids before the show, drawing them out with questions about what instruments they played and where their musical interests lie.
So on top of the primo music these guys laid out, they gave something a little extra. They are real musical ambassadors, not just for New Orleans, but for musicians everywhere. Hey, that's just the kind of hairpins these guys are.

"pulp ambience"

You can file this one under "go figure", because once again a national publication has singled the Green Parrot out in their much sought after pages.
This time it was the recent issue of Details, the testosterone-drenched glossy in the Conde Nast stable.
In a sidebar noting roadside jewels not to be missed along US 1 in Florida, Details selected The Parrot as the one Watering Hole to be sampled on this road trip. Painting it as kind of a throwback and lauding us for our "salty characters and pulp ambience", Details urged readers to forgo other gin mills for us and for that we thank them

Bonerama: "This ain't Herb Alpert"

Bonerama, the New Orleans-based trombone blitzkreig began their thunderous two-night funk attack last night with a full house out front and pure horn muscle on the bandstand.
For those front and center in the audience the sound waves from the brass just thumped off your chest.
And trust me on this one folks, this was NOLA funk comin' from those horns and not your parent's Herb Alpert vinyl.
One more night of this tonight if you are out and about.

Pistol Pete

A fixture on the Chicago blues scene, Pistol Pete was flown in by fellow Chicagoans Dick and Robin to celebrate their first anniversary. Not too shabby.
Pete blew the roof off the joint last night and is in the process of doing the same right now.
Note that Pete does not limit himself to the confines of the Parrot stage.
Pete played till the wee hours in The Parrot last night, hit the road early this morning to do an afternoon set at The Riverwalk Blues Fest in Ft. Lauderdale and drove back to Key West for his 10 PM gig at The Parrot. All in a day's work for a guy called Pistol.