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January 8, 2007
Hot Stove, Cool Times
BOSTON — Rockin’ chick Kay Hanley, formerly of Letters to Cleo, was one of many highlights at Sunday’s “Hot Stove, Cool Music� concert at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston.
While some in the audience were obviously impressed by the petite blonde’s good looks, her vocals and guitar work were off the charts. Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to any veteran Hot Stover — Hanley’s been a mainstay in Peter Gammons’ charity concert series. Hanley also sung the National Anthem before the Pats-Jets playoff game on Sunday.
Organizers expect to raise about $80,000 during last weekend’s two concerts and roundtable baseball discussion that featured the likes of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and Gammons. The funds go towards the Foundation to Be Named Later, which benefits underprivileged youth. Theo and his brother, Paul Epstein, started the charity in 2005.
Nashua, N.H.’s Mike O’Malley (“Yes, Dear�) emceed the seventh annual installment and was his usual funny self. He recently played a clueless cop in an episode of NBC’s “My Name is Earl� that parodied Fox’s “Cops.� It was truly hilarious, arguably the best episode of the series. “A lot of people have told me that,� O’Malley said after I suggested it was Earl’s finest half hour.
O’Malley will be back on TV soon enough. He’s got a deal with CBS and is working on one with TBS to develop comedy shows for both networks. With two young children (and one on the way) O’Malley hinted this might be the last time he hosts Hot Stove. “I can’t leave my wife with three young children,� he said. The couple lives in Los Angeles.
Peter Gammons appeared downright giddy to be playing live music again. The former Groton resident, who suffered a brain aneurysm last June, returned to the stage for the first time last weekend. Of course, it only took him 2 1/2 months to return to his gig on ESPN. What a remarkable, nice guy.
I started talking about my favorite band, Pearl Jam, with Peter (he’s a well-known fan, too) before Sunday’s show and he told a story about how all five members of the band wrote him “get well� letters. “They (Pearl Jam) are so professionally honest,� said Gammons. I couldn’t agree more.
I also wanted to give a shout out to Eli “Paperboy� Reed, 23, of Brookline, who opened Sunday’s concert with a rockin’ blues set. Check him out here.
Posted by Andy Ravens at January 8, 2007 1:48 PM
Comments
I love your blog. Your writing is great. Did Gammons tell you anything else about PJ?
Posted by: Lisa at February 21, 2007 5:23 PM