Blogger Review: Laing and The Memory Thieves Blow the Cork Out of the Vineyard

Hey North Fork Mamas and Papas!

It was with mixed emotions as I landed back at my homesite, and into the 24-7 driver seat, aka “Mom”, last night after a long rockin’ weekend spent at the

Always the multitasker, I managed to reward my boys for their understanding of my weekend-long absence from our summer weekend routine with a gift of drumsticks ablaze with his signature penned a few hours before. These were only one of many sets of sticks Laing used during his brilliant performance as part of a multi-dimensional band,. The Thieves are a brainstorm group of way too talented musicians and vocalists woven a pleasing pattern by leadman and North Fork native Josh Horton. 

Frankly, Laing’s performance, along with his infectious charm, blew the buttocks off the audience at NOFO yesterday from the first moment his sticks hit their target.   And, oh yes, I discovered that Josh Horton has progressed from the marginal lead voice (an observation I base on his vocal debut at the the Dory on Shelter Island a few seasons back) into a kick-your-butt lead vocalist with an impressive range. 

Before taking the assignment to cover this year’s NOFO fest, I had been on a very long hiatus from big live music venues. My parental responsibilities had assumed total control over the past 10 years of what little free time I had to spend on adult recreational pursuits. I had inadvertently allowed my life long love of live music to be lulled to sleep and my musical upbringing to be filed in the archives.  Aside from a growing up in the music business, I had attended many of the great shows that rocked New York City in the 1970s, '80s and '90s.  

Venues such as the Palladium (Elvis Costello), Madison Square Garden (Michael Jackson, “Off The Wall” Tour and the Bob Dylan tribute show), Radio City Music Hall (one of Ella Fitzgerald's last performances), the Supper Club (Pete Townsend), were some of the places, faces and voices I remember well.

My hiatus is now ended. NOFO Fest 2011, featuring Corky Laing and the Memory Thieves, jerked me back to music reality.  I have to thank Josh Horton’s evolving artistic brilliance, Corky Laing’s talent and energy, and the band of thieves for this moment of enlightenment. I am now a fan, a very big fan in the most North Fork, yet “a Mama first," sense of the word.