TDA's Wall of Wheeze

40 Years of Sesame Street

2009-11-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

As TDA celebrates 20 years, a staple of childhood is celebrating double that. Sesame Street first aired in 1969 as a pilot with a less muppety format. As Muppet Wiki explains,
Before Sesame Street began regular production, five test pilots were produced and shown to children. In these pilots, Ernie and Bert were the only Muppets present, and they didn't interact on the Street with the humans. Segments from these pilots include a sketch in which Ernie talks about what parts of the body he has two of, Batman appearing on Ernie and Bert's TV set, telling them to take turns watching TV, and the original version of the song "Rubber Duckie".

Since Sesame Street has been such a staple in so many people's developing years, it's no surprise that there's been so many homages. There's the creepy spin on Snuffy and the touching theme song cover that wraps up a hit television show episode. Sesame Street itself has released some items that rival any homage; Team TDA's favorites being the 1979 disco track "Me Lost Me Cookie," and the eventually banned track "I Want A Monster."

As we toast a glass of milk to Jim Henson, we ask what's your favorite Sesame Street moment?

Photo: Flickr/MarkJSebastian

Those Darn Accordions Wind It Up In SF

2009-10-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

If you've been looking for a reason to fly to San Francisco, we've got one for you! Those Darn Accordions wind up the 2009 tour at the Cafe du Nord in SF on Nov 5.
TDA has spawned several other bands and a few of them will be joining us in a TDA Reunion Accordion Blowout. First up is original TDA'er Tom Torigglia's "Bella Ciao" followed by TDA founder Big Lou and her "Casserole". Then present day TDA takes the stage for a set, before we all join together for a re-creation of some old TDA favorites. We are also planning a special tribute to our dearly missed Clyde Forsman.
So c'mon, hit the skies or the road and head for SF. It's going to be a blast!

TDA at 142 Throckmorton

2009-10-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a few photos for you to enjoy, fresh from the balcony at tonight's TDA concert at the 142 Throckmorton Theatre.

We're wrapping up our 20 City Tour & would love to see photos you've taken so far - add a link in the comments below to your favorite TDA pix.
If you haven't made it to a show this tour, there's still time!

Jim Rothermel guesting on Sax & Clarinet!

Discovery in Loch Ness - Golf Balls

2009-10-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

When a U.S. research team was looking for proof of the loch ness monster, they made a discovery. Unfortunately the discovery was of thousands of golf balls. Originally, researcher Mike O'Brien thought "...they were mushrooms, there were so many. But when we lowered the camera, we were surprised to see that they were in fact golf balls."

CNN has more details & a murky video here.

Have you discovered TDA's song about the Loch Ness Monster fraud? Check out "Deathbed Confession" here.

Photo (of just an old anchor) courtesy: Flickr/Pudekamp

Young Accordionist Shreds Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"

2009-10-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Ukranian kid Aleksandr Hrustevich is making the inbox rounds with his playing of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." A typically violin based piece, Hrustevich tears it up on a bayan accordion.

You can see more of his mastery at on his YouTube page here.

Oktoberfest Etiquette Tips

2009-09-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

Tips for surviving the beerfest nearest you: Get beer wise with the Oktoberfest etiquette primer from Wired.com.

This will come in handy, I'm sure, for everybody headed to the two remaining Oktoberfests we'll be playing this year: Oktoberfest at The Village at Mammoth in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 3; and Oktoberfest Northwest in Puyallup, Wash., on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10.

Photo by Flickr user a4gpa

Related how-to's:

Cook Beer Brats

Make Sauerkraut

Tap a Keg

Barbecued Oysters, Brats And Beer!

2009-09-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

MMMMMM! It must be time for the Seaside Oktoberfest. This has become one of our favorite Oktoberfests and we were quick to add it to our 20th Anniversary Tour. Not only is the food great and the beer better, but the folks at the Seaside Elks are wonderful. It also doesn't hurt that it's located in beautiful Seaside, OR. I got a call today telling me that the phone has been ringing like crazy and they expect to have a big crowd this year. Looks like it's time to party in Seaside! We are playing 3 sets, so this is a chance to get a full dose of TDA. The fun begins this Saturday, Sept 19 at 12 noon. See you there!

TDA's 20 City Tour Rolls Into Oregon

2009-09-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Coming up on the halfway mark of our epic 20 year/ 20 city tour. Oregon, you are next! We hope to see lots of folks at our 4 upcoming shows this week. Here's the schedule:

Thursday, Sept 17 Cozmic Pizza
Friday, Sept 18 Mississippi Pizza
Saturday, Sept 19 Seaside Oktoberfest, Seaside
Sunday Sept 20 Bend

See all you Oregonians soon!

The Hamster Ball Derby is On!

2009-09-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

Maybe we should sponsor one of these Hamster Ball Derbys before every show.

Those Darn Accordions and The Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, WA

2009-09-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

Two exciting events are taking place in Port Townsend, WA this weekend. The annual Wooden Boat Festival starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday. Over 200 beautiful vintage boats and lots of activities for kids and adults. On Friday night @ 8 pm, Those Darn Accordions take the stage at the historic Joseph Wheeler Theater in Fort Worden, just around the corner from the Wooden Boat Festival. Why not make a weekend of it and come up Port Townsend to see some amazing boats and hear some amazing music!

New Pix From TDA's 20th Anniversary Tour

2009-09-01T12:41:00.001-07:00

If you've been following us on Twitter, or have attended any of the shows on our 20th anniversary tour, you may have heard of the fabulous accordion-shaped casserole (pictured) cooked up by our pal Al in Wisconsin.

Served with refreshing Polish beer provided by Gary, it made for an unbelievably awesome meal after our massive "Beer Barrel Polka" finale in Oshkosh.

See more tour photos -- including the feisty-yet-doomed Somonauk Crawdad -- on the TDA multimedia page.

Fun Times In Oshkosh

2009-08-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

We had a ball in Oshkosh last night. What a great crowd. It was an Accordion Blowout and we finished with a rousing rendition of Beer Barrel Polka. Nothing like a Wisconsin crowd to get things stirred up. Now it's on to Illinois. Hope they're ready!

'My Accordion' Tells Life Story of Carmen Vitanza

2009-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Carmen Vitanza who sent me his book, "My Accordion: The Music of My Life." It's a wonderful look back over 60 years of this virtuoso's life. Any fan of the accordion will enjoy it.

Video: TDA Alumni at Cotati Accordion Festival

2009-08-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

For the big ending to Saturday's 20th anniversary set at the Cotati Accordion Festival, former Those Darn Accordions members joined the current lineup for several songs.

In the first clip, Big Lou and Art Peterson sing "Hotsy Totsy Polka" and original TDA drummer Bill Schwartz sings "Low Rider."

In the second, Ron Muriera sings "It's Not Unusual" before Tom Torriglia and the rest of the TDA alumni reunite onstage for "We're An Accordion Band."

Follow TDA Tour on Twitter, Win Road Swag

2009-08-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

If you're not already following us on Twitter, now would be a good time to start. We'll be tweeting like mad as we drive across the country and get down to business playing gigs in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Check out the official Those Darn Accordions Twitter page and be sure to follow @TDAccordions for updates, including the times and locations of TDA Roadside Giveaways: Some lucky winners will receive TDA merch, including the new Accordion Bots shirts.

To Cotati and beyond!

Here Comes TDA

2009-08-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Show #1 of 20 was in Alameda, CA. A nice warm up for Cotati Accordion Festival on Saturday. Come early and hear some great accordion playing, drink beer and eat some great food! We go on at 6:25 PM and will have lots of special guests from the early years of TDA. See ya there!

A Toast To Those Darn Accordions

2009-08-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

In the secluded studios of the TDA graphic arts department, a special commemorative pint glass is being prepared. Rumor has it that the TDA van will be making a diversion on its trip across the United States to pick them up at a secret location known only to a few select band members and the 100 or so employees that work there and their other customers and I guess anyone else who knows how to Google. Stay tuned for more info and how you might be able to procure one of these limited-edition glasses.

Big Lou Plays 'Chicken Dance' in Africa

2009-08-11T07:28:00.001-07:00

Those Darn Accordions founder Big Lou, aka the Accordion Princess, plays the "Chicken Dance" with the Maru a Pula Marimba band (and Lou's husband David Golia on bass) at the Ladies Number One Opera House in Gaborone, Botswana. Weirdest instrumentation yet?

A little closer to home, Big Lou's Polka Casserole plays Schroeder's Cafe in downtown San Francisco this Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.

She'll also be joining TDA during our big reunion set at the 2009 Cotati Accordion Festival.

New TDA "Bot" T's Are Here

2009-08-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Oh No! Oh Yes! The Flying TDA Bots are about to conquer the world. Only those wearing the protective Bot T-shirt will be spared! There's no time to lose. Get to the TDA store and save yourself! Then check out artist Frank Samuelson, who drew the art for the shirt.

More Great Lakes Marine Life

2009-07-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

If you've never tasted a fresh Walleye pan fried in a light batter with butter, well, you're really missing something! Delicious!

Great Lakes Marine Life

2009-07-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

I spent the last two weeks in Northern Michigan on Lake Michigan. There's nothing like swimming in the clear, cold water to relax and forget your troubles. Of course, that first plunge can be a bit of a shock.

Just Added 3 More TDA Covers to the List

2009-07-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

"Walk This Way," "Dance to the Music" and "Dancing Queen."

Wow, that's a lot of tunes we've learned (and mostly forgotten) -- nearly 40 over the years. But then, when you've been rocking the squeezebox for two decades, that's only a couple of new covers a year.

Check out the full list and leave us a comment about what songs you'd most like to hear when we hit the road later this summer.

So far it seems like "Frankenstein" is a must-play. (I'm rooting for "Godzilla.")

Links:

TDA Covers: 20 Years of Accordion-Fueled Rock 'n' Roll

Curious where we'll be playing? Check out confirmed tour dates.

Amazing Photo From The MJ Memorial

2009-07-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Bryan Chan of the LA Times put together this amazing panorama of the Michael Jackson Memorial at Staples Center. It's almost like standing in the middle of the huge crowd and slowly spinning around.

Photo Shoot Sneak Peak

2009-07-07T09:21:00.001-07:00

Are you following TDA's official twitter - Twitter.com/TDAccordions? If so, this past Sunday you may have read of a photo shoot that involved Suzanne, Carri, & Susie.

We're excited to share the final photo with everybody & we'll be divulging more details as soon as we can, so stay tuned!

AOL Radio Launches It's Polka Channel!

2009-07-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

AOL Radio launches it's Polka Channel today and I'm honored that they asked TDA to be a part of it. The channel will feature all different styles of polka. Here's some easy to follow instructions I received from AOL on how to tune in.

"You do not have to be a subscriber to AOL to listen and there is no charge to you to listen. It is free to all plus we have a great tuner app for iPhones.
Here’s how you tune in from your computer.
Point your Internet browser to: www.aolradio.com and you’ll see a button on the page that says “Listen Now.” Click that and a player pops up. There will be a big column on the left hand side that says “Stations By Category.” Polka will be in the category “World/International” at the bottom of the alphabetical category listing. For a short time it will also be listed in “What’s New” at the top of the column.

Be sure to rate the songs you like, because that's how they decide which ones to keep playing. (Hint,hint)

Who knows, this could be the first step to bringing back the Polka Grammy!