# Bananafish at the Back Room, February 21, 2020

[the Back Room](https://backroommusic.com/events-1/2016/10/29/barry-the-fish-melton-and-banana-y5l2c) presents _Bananafish_ featuring [Barry Melton](http://counterculture.net/thefish) & [Banana](http://www.lowelllevinger.com/)  
[1984 Bonita Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1984+Bonita+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA+94704+USA&hl=en)  
8:00 PM, Friday, February 21, 2020

[[2020-02-20|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2020|Up to the 2020 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2020#February_events|Up to the 2020 event list!]] ☸ [[2020-02-22|On to the next event!]]

[{{:2020:2020-02:20200221_poster.jpg?200|Tonight's poster}}]

## Set One

[8:13 PM; lights down; introduction by Sam Rudin; Banana out with his 5-string]

01. [8:18 PM] _Voice on the Wind_
02. [8:21 PM] _Bully of the Town_
03. [8:25 PM] _Millionaire_
04. [8:31 PM] _Pretty Saro_  
[8:35 PM; add Barry Melton; Banana stays onstage, but only listens]
05. [8:36 PM] _Wayfaring Stranger_
06. [8:41 PM] _Break a Heart_  
[8:46 PM; add Banana and the Irish News Boys]
07. [8:49 PM] _Red Is the Rose_  
[8:53 PM; drop the Irish News Boys]
08. [8:54 PM] _Wild About My Lovin'_
09. [9:01 PM] _Franklin D. Roosevelt's Back Again_  
[set ends 9:06 PM]

## Set Two

[9:25 PM; lights down; Barry out; story about getting busted in Colorado in the 60's]

01. [9:27 PM] _Colorado Town_  
[9:34 PM; Story about hanging out with Mickey Hart in FL]
02. [9:35 PM] _Marshmellow Road_  
[9:39 PM; add Banana; sales pitch time!]
03. [9:43 PM] _Hippie From Olema_  
[9:52 PM; add Sam Rudin: piano]
04. [9:52 PM] _I Can't Dance_
05. [9:59 PM] _San Francisco Bay Blues_ (false start)
06. [10:01 PM] _San Francisco Bay Blues_  
[10:04 PM; drop Sam; return of the Irish Newsboys]
07. [10:07 PM] _the Leaving of Liverpool_
08. [10:11 PM] _Get Together_  
[set ends 10:17 PM; That's all? Yep -- Barry's done! Thanks! Lights up, no encore]


## Performers

* [Banana AKA Vecchio Nanner AKA Lowell Levinger](http://www.lowelllevinger.com/): 2010 Corrado Giacomel [Modele Banana](https://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/modelbananafulpage.html) 5-string acoustic tenor guitar, lead & harmony vox;
* [Barry "the Fish" Melton](http://counterculture.net/thefish): acoustic guitar, lead & harmony vox.

### Special Guests

* [Sam Rudin](https://www.facebook.com/samrudin3015): piano.

[the Irish Newsboys](https://www.facebook.com/groups/415543328585545/):

* [Kevin Fagan](http://www.findingfable.com/): harmony vox;
* Jay “The Hat” Johnson: lead & harmony vox;
* Steve Rubenstein: harmonica;
* Catherine McSharry: lead & harmony vox.

## Notes

The vibe for tonight's show was generally kinda heavy, as Barbara Langer, Barry's wife of 48 yrs, passed away about a week ago. I was surprised that the show wasn't cancelled or postponed, but maybe Barry felt like it would be good to get out and see friends?

I hadn't been keeping up with Barry's recent musical activity, so I was surprised by the appearance of the Irish Newsboys, but after learning that Barry founded the band (with Jay and Kevin) in 2011, it makes more sense to me that they'd show up to support him tonight.

If you'd like to hear it, Richard Selleseth posted his audio recording of the show to the [live music archive](https://archive.org/details/BananaFish2020-02-21.m300s.selleseth.flac16); thanks Richard!.

## Photos

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

{{gallery>:2020:2020-02?20200221-*.jpg}}

{{:wip.png?nolink}}  **Whoa!**  This section is incomplete for now, sorry! {{:wip.png?nolink}}

{{tag>music Barry_Melton Banana the_Back_Room Barry_"the_Fish"_Melton Lowell_Levinger Sam_Rudin the_Irish_Newsboys Kevin_Fagan Jay_Johnson Steve_Rubenstein Sinéad_Silver}}

[[2020-02-20|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2020|Up to the 2020 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2020#February_events|Up to the 2020 event list!]] ☸ [[2020-02-22|On to the next event!]]