Well, to update:  Every member of Yid Vicious who went on the New York trip not only survived but ultimately returned home.  We at YVAELLC consider this an unprecedented achievement!

Unfortunately, the band subsequently lost their saxophonist Melissa to some sort of "Fulbright" scheme that's taken her to Senegal for the next nine months.  HOWEVER, another saxophonist, Matt, has agreed to fill in in her lengthy absence.  In a bizarre coincidence, this Matt fellow lives in the same house as Melissa!  It makes one wonder, How many saxophonists are stashed, willy-nilly, in various residences about town, stuffed into crawl-spaces and attics, frightening the mice with their wild jazz stylings.

In any case, Yid Vicious is lucky to have Matt, who is an excellent musician, join their ranks.  But one question remains:  will he be good in a fight?  As good as Melissa, that is?  Of the two, Matt has the benefit of greater size and upper-body strength.  However, it must be remembered that Melissa is from Texas.  All will be revealed during the next klezmer rumble.  These occur about every two months.  Then all will be revealed.

Klezmatics:  consider yourselves SERVED.

-Urban Van Hoof 

A rainy day in Brooklyn. 

We passed an outdoor still life, a surreal entourage of stuffed animals joy riding in an abandoned car on a fenced in street corner.  The lion, sadly, didn’t make it – a casualty of too much carousing.  He lies face down in front of the car’s grill, languishing.  The dolphin, an unfortunate paraplegic with golf club prostheses propping him up, leans against the car, longing to get inside.  But the happy-go-lucky animals inside seem to be laughing cruelly at his fate as the outsider looking in.

Meanwhile, Spiderman and a disgruntled cow sit in lawn chairs discussing politics.  An abandoned desk remains unused – evidence of work left undone.

Did these creatures notice when Yid Vicious cooly strutted by last night, on their way to perform at Spike Hill?  Did they longingly look through the fence holes wishing that they could be as cool as this mysterious band from Wisconsin?  Did they hear the intoxicating rhythms of the band and secretly tap their feet, or fins?  We’ll never know.

 …….

Yid Vicious has many things to be proud about these days.  For one, many among us can now say that we have walked across the East River via the Williamsburg Bridge.  (Add to this that we’ve also traversed the widest street in the world – in Buenos Aires – and you can conclude that Yid Vicious is pretty badass).  We’ve watched the sun rise from atop a Brooklyn roof, watched the irridescent light dancing across the Chrysler Building.  Daithi got called an asshole.  We’ve consumed our fair share of knishes, borscht, egg creams, and pastrami sandwiches.  And, of course, we’ve rocked the very core of the klezmer scene here in New York.  Damn straight.

At The Hitching Post (see photo) in Dubois, PA, we were fed what we were told was deep-fried alligator, and also a dish that combines the funnel cake and the frenched fry.  Finally, we had found a reason to live. After the funnel fries, there's really no need to travel on to New York, but we probably will anyway.  More updates to follow.    

We look forward to future adventures which will present themselves on the trail. 

-Dave Spies

Said journey shall not be without its trials and tribulations. Yet the members of Yid Vicious are up to the task, with light heart, heavy eyelids, a general excitment abounding, and a singleness of purpose; mainly, to bring KLEZMER GOODNESS from America's Dairyland to THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS!

After all, the exquisite Wisconsin Big Cheese YID VICIOUS compliments the Big Apple most aptly...a bite which both satisfies and tantalizes. Yearning for MORE, YES, MORE KLEZMER GOODNESS, fans from the Empire State will find that once they have sampled the offerings of this fine Klezmer ensemble, they will become insatiated. Never will just ONE performance be enough for these devotees of Wisconsin Klezmer; they must sample the entire smorgasboard!

Experience for yourself the unique and robust musical feast that is YID VICIOUS!

WHAT....have we learned?

First, we learned that numbers are hard.  We learned that time passes whether you're paying attention or not.  Maybe we even learned a little bit about ourselves?

Ha ha ha!  Just kidding!  Yid Vicious has learned NOTHING!  Because Yid Vicious doesn't need no fancy learning to for make klezmer the good!  No, this countdown, amazing and riveting as it's been, hasn't been about Yid Vicious at all.  Rather, its purpose is to give the good people of old New York town fair warning that a tornado of klezmer is headed for their fair city.  TAKE COVER, NEW YORKERS; YOU HAVE ONE DAY BEFORE THE KLEZMER INVASION!  YOU HAVE BEEN FAIRLY WARNED!

Yid Vicious am bring excitement klezmer all New York way!

-Urban Van Hoof

Some have found it very interesting that President Obama visits Madison within 48 hours before Yid Vicious departs for exotic ports of call.

Prior to YV's embarking for Argentina by 48 hours in 2009, President Obama came to Madison to promote his Race to the Top program.

Now, with 36 hours left until YV's Drive Time to NYC (The Big Apple, The City that NEVER SLEEPS), the President of the United States has made the first appearance by a sitting US President on the UW-Madison campus in over 60 years.

So, you may wonder, why it is that there is this unusually coincidental occurrence between President Obama's visits to Madison and YV's travels to large metropolitan areas remote from the capitol of the Badger State?

Counseling for foreign policy matters? Urban renewal strategies? Are members of Yid Vicious foreign and interstate operatives?

We shall now let you in on the secret...it's the OBAMA-SIGNAL!

(Cue 1960's-era "Batman" dizzying segue music)

On nights where there is a full moon, if you look really closely at the face of the moon, you will see a faint stencil-looking outline of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Obama (more readily located by wearing your special Yid Vicious Moon Goggles-sold separately). When YV is in need of the Audacity of Hope, they flick the secret MOON SWITCH, which, if you are wearing your special Yid Vicious Moon Goggles with the appropriate filters, allows the stencil Obama silhouette to appear in alternating hues of red and blue.

Once the OBAMA-SIGNAL is activated, it generates a nearly instantaneous response from the White House. Obama often disguises his trips to Yid Vicious by padding his itinerary with side visits to other inconspicuous locations (such as New Mexico this week). But make no mistake, once the OBAMA-SIGNAL is sent, Obama heeds the call!

So, the next time you see a full moon, fetch your Yid Vicious Moon Goggles (with the appropriate filters, of course) to determine if President Obama is Badger State-bound and YV is off to generate vicissitudinous musical activity in distant lands.

YV out. Peace!"

Whew, that was exhausting.  I guess in the big city you have to have a lot of energy just to get through the day.  I only hope Yid Vicious is up for it.  Does YV possess the necessary bustle?  Or will Gotham's relentlessness grind them down into a quivering heap?  Soon, Dear Reader, soon enough we'll find out what Yid Vicious is really made of. 

It may not be pretty.  But then THE TRUTH rarely is!

Yid Vicious:  The Truth is Rarely Pretty.

-Urban Van Hoof

Hopefully we'll recover our faculties in time for our Thursday departure.  Otherwise, if the highways are still named after numbers, this could end badly.

-Urban Van Hoof