For the December New Moon Solsticial celebration, the Possum Family Singers will be warming the south-west corner of Chester’s Bayview Cafe Bar and Restaurant. Somewhere in the general area of 7 or 7:30 Pm, until shortly after 9, we sing, play, amuse ourselves with general jocularity, and you are welcome to be a part of it. 1508 Walnut Street between Cedar and Vine, in the rustic old Peet’s complex in North Berkeley, CA. No cover charge, a charming, blinking tip jar, and the indulgent ministrations of Nina and Hugh round out the edges. Enjoy! Last show of 2011!
Thursday September 23 we went to Chester’s to find the street lined with giant trucks and cherry pickers and the power out. A new pole was being sistered in including huge wires snapping against the Eucalyptus bark overhead. Matt was playing mandolin with his case set out, and Ann came with her toy accordion. As the sun set and the evening waned, the Chester family opened the doors, candles appeared and less-than-cold beer was poured by the good folks in the bar. The lights came up sometime after 7:30, and a great gig and tasty food was shared all around. Troopers!
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UPDATED oCTOBER 15, 2011
pOSSUM fAMILY sINGERS AND A COUPLE OF MINKS–
EACH AND EVERY SATURDAY EVENING from 5-7 PM (when the evening
band shows up) . . .
plough, stars, clock, flag Cymru
At the World Famous Starry Plough at 3101 Shattuck Avenue on the Berkeley/Oakland border . . .
we conjoin with our peeps to play a round for beer and tips, and chips.
Here’s where we work out new tunes against a backdrop of tv-watchin’ pint-nursers
Bring an instrument or a handful of bills and chip in one way or another. We love chips! And fish!
” I had a great time.And I LOVED your music. Your group really has a beautiful synergy to it. 🙂 Teresa”
Update November 27, 2011
Possum Family Singers semi-open mic at the Baltic, second Thursday of each month–next up, December 8, around 8 PM. Uh Oh! watch out for the Optimator!
We return to Chester’s Bayview Cafe Thursday, December 21, 1508 Walnut at Vine, near North Shattuck in Berkeley, 7:30 or so, two hours of fine music, covers and originals.
Every SATURDAY we play a jam-in-the-round at the World-famous Starry Plough, 5-7 PM with a gaggle of guests and pests. That’s at 3101 Shattuck Avenue at Prince Street in Berkeley. Gratitude.
OMG! a picture of a card about a blog about the Possum Family Singers!
Be sure not to leave valuables in your car . . . Funny I should mention that.
The New Possy Minstrels on (and off) the road
The name “opossum” is derived from an Algonquian Indian word “apasum”, meaning white animal. While there are over 65 species of opossums, only one, the Didelphis virginiana, more commonly known as the Virginia opossum, is native to North America. Didelphis means double womb and refers to the pouch as a secondary place of development for the infant opossums. Virginiana refers to the state of Virginia where the opossum was first observed by early English colonists. However, opossums today can be found throughout most of the United States and portions of Canada and Mexico.
The opossum has many interesting features. It has 50 teeth, more than any North American land mammal. Its hairless tail is prehensile and is used for grasping branches, balancing and carrying nesting material. The opossum does not hang upside down by the tail, a common misconception. The opossum also has opposable thumbs on its hind feet for holding onto branches.
Whether rural, residential or in the wilderness, opossums are a benefit to any area they inhabit. Their diet includes all types of bugs and insects including cockroaches, crickets and beetles. They love snails. They also eat mice and rats. The nocturnal opossum is attracted to our neighborhoods by the availability of water, pet food left out at night and overripe, rotting fruit that has fallen from trees. The opossum in turn helps keep our neighborhoods clean and free of unwanted, harmful garden pests and rodents, which may carry diseases. The opossum has earned the title of “Nature’s Little Sanitation Engineer.”
From our Friend Jack Frost:
“I saw the following excerpt in Gary Bogue’s nature column in the Sunday, April 24 West County Times.
Dear Gary: I saw a creature I’d never seen before in Berkeley, on Shattuck Avenue near Ashby (busy streets!) near a house. It was small, furry and blond, with black ears and a long skinny tail. It peeked at me, stopped, slowly backtracked and hid between two trash bins. I stopped and peeked at it, and thought it might be an opossum. I thought they were gray furred creatures, so could it be someone’s blond pet? –Colleen Houlihan, Berkeley.
Dear Colleen: Sounds like a white opossum. They’re around the Bay Area. Their fur varies from white to blond with black ears. It’s not a pet.
Thanks Jack–this should comfort the people who question the veracity of my Possum At Night portrait. –Laurie <“m~ family singers
graphics copyright and courtesy batcactus.wordpress.com
Saturday, July 2, 2011 we played the Black Butte River Ranch Fourth of July party, opening for Strange Angel Blues Band (.com) and Covelo’s own HotShots… Always a great weekend with a giant potluck and BBQ, camping, and swimming in the sublime confluence waters of the Eel and Black Butte Rivers. About 200 miles from Berkeley–check it out.
34985 Etsel Ridge Road, Covelo, CA (707) 983-9438
Thursday, September 8, 2011, we will return to host the show at The Baltic Bar and Restaurant, with our own Matt Parker doing sound.
A historic venue at 135 Park Place in Point Richmond, Californian; near the Richmond Natatorium and the Up and Under.
We give the floor up after about half an hour or so– come early, queue up and get a spot.
Show starts at 8, with the Possum Family Singers, followed by guests, Strange Angels, and Many Others.
Photo by Chris Hanson
Thanks to Greg Pratt and LaWanda Ultan for sharing their precious jewel, the Second Thursday Revue, at this Amazing place. Such Ambiance! The food is great, too. We are humbled, and hungry.
Sometimes smiling, sometimes snarling, always singing, possum family photos. I credit where I can.
Hello everyone! Possums are cute!
Ann, Matt, Steve, Laurie, John, Jack (ears only), Laurie C. Ron, and Kurt at the Starry Plough, January 22, 2011
Often it's just four or five of us--Steve, Matt, Ann, Laurie--and some buddy
Tra-la-la-la!
No snarling--except in fun!
We can all get along!
Time for a rest . . . thanks everybody
Possum Family Singers 