We did our show last night at Kent Stage in Kent, Ohio in honor of the four students killed by the Ohio National Guard on May 4, 1970 and it was the best show Zero Defex has ever done. Incredibly, there was actually a very good sound mix on stage and I could hear everything. That is the first time that's happened. The Beachland Ballroom also provided good sound, so I shouldn't slight them. But the sound at the Kent Stage was exceedingly well done. The show as also a lot of fun. The Screaming Smoldering Butt Bitches were in fine form, especially on their song "Zero Defex Eat My Ass, Zero Defex Don't Eat My Ass." You'll have to ask them what that one is about. I wore my Buddhist robes on stage. I'll put up a photo as soon as I get one. That should make plenty of people mad.
The previous night we played Pat's in the Flats, again with the Butt Bitches as well as This Moment in Black History and The Unholy Two. That was also a fun, fun, fun show. Word to the wise, if you play at Pat's do not use the drum riser. We were similarly warned, but we used it anyway and we paid the price. If you use the riser the drummer can't hear anything the rest of the band does and the sound of the drums just goes rattling around the room like a big clatter that the rest of the band can't possibly decipher.
On Sunday morning I sat with my first teacher, Tim. That was a lot of fun. Tim shares my concern that the current movement to standardize Soto Zen practice in the USA could result in a lot of good teachers being declared "inauthentic" because they didn't jump through the proper hoops. Even if this happens I'm not sure how much it will matter. I agree we have to guard against just anyone who feels the urge being able to declare themselves a Zen Master. But I'm a little concerned about the direction the drive for "authenticity" seems to be taking.
I'm not being terribly coherent here, I know. If you'd like a more coherent statement of this concern go to this page about Kobun Chino and click on "Letter from Angie Boissevain." This is a serious issue that needs to be raised and looked at carefully.
Here's the remaining gigs:
On Friday May 10th Zero Defex will play an in-store show at Square Records in Akron's Highland Square with The Horns. Starts at 7:00.
Saturday May 10th at 7 PM I'll do a book signing and talk at Visible Voice Books in Cleveland, Ohio’s Tremont neighborhood.
On May 17th and 18th I'll lead a 2-day retreat at the Milwaukee Zen Center.
I'll be one of the teachers at this year's Great Sky Zen Sesshin August 9-16. Check out their webpage for details.
The annual Dogen Sangha retreat in Shizuoka, Japan will be September 20-23.
