New show next Monday: time for the annual sighting of that rare animal - me solo acoustic (although Ian will also be part of this songwriters-in-the-round evening, so expect some duo-sity and a few stripped down versions of Larch songs). Also playing: the fantastic John Pinamonti , Dan Sallitt (former songwriter/frontman Blow This Nightclub , promises to debut two songs co-written with Love Camp 7's Dann Baker), and wild card finger picker Bob Prince. The action starts around 8:30 at Bar on A - Avenue A @ 11th St. No cover/minimum. There is a kitchen. What could be better than end of July bar snacks, weeknight cocktails and inventive music? The next Liza & the WonderWheels show will be 10:30 Saturday Aug. 4th at Freddy's . Meanwhile, as Plastic Beef we played a private party in New Jersey over the weekend along with our psychedelic pals the Puppetheads . Beautiful weather, friendly family. Alan and James played with us - guitar mostly and some theremin. Diane sang with us which I enjoyed, and between us we covered the B 52's, Janis, Grace Slick, Cyndi and with Andy loads of harmony on everything from the Talking Heads to the Grateful Dead. It was a really nice day. Although also in a way everything is kind of in the shit right now because of our poor dear sick cat. You might have met him actually: there is a photo of Chinaski the WonderCat in the disk tray of our second record MEET THE ANIMAL. He was always such a robust little man in an all black cat suit. A big ole Tom, a twenty pounder, Mister Gorilla. We'd come home to find him sprawled out on top of the refrigerator at Ian's old place. And he was one of those cats who mostly felt like coming over when you called and was so warm and furry and purry, with such a cute belly. You get the picture. I am extremely in love with this cat, and although we pulled through the diabetes/shooting him up with insulin 2x a day period of two months ago, the last 10 days have been extremely grim and I'm afraid he's not getting any better. The poor thing is struggling to breathe and the vet told us several things it's not and two things it could be so we're dosing him on steroids and anti-biotics, but as yet to produce a turn-around... it's not looking good. The prospect of losing my Noodle Soup Cat-Baby casts a sad and unsettled pall. So here are more good things: - Had a good day recording harmony vocals for the new Larch record which is shaping up to be one amazing set of tunes. Best one yet. - This keeps me on my toes, and I scheduled time to finish the third Wheels album in August. - Thinking Larch & the WonderWheels compilation from some of this new material to come with us on... - October 2007 Larch & the WonderWheels UK tour - our best booked yet, and shaping up to be another fantastic time. Congratulations to KW & MK who recently tied the knot. I wish you a long life of making happy music together. Thanks to Dan Herman of Radio Crystal Blue for playing "After Last Night" and "Where Is My Robot Maid?" on his July 8 show. These were field recordings of unreleased songs captured live at the Parkside Lounge show. Very cool!