Dogbury diary

Your superior correspondents were hardly surprised last week when it was announced that Philip Giordano, the mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, had been arrested for "using an interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity." This is apparently cop-talk for "chicken-hawking over the Internet." As our old friend (and Waterbury native), Professor Trav of the URI Sociology Department noted back in the '60s, "Waterbury is the Pawtucket of Connecticut."

Former Mayor Joseph Santopietro did six years in the clink after a 1992 conviction for accepting bribes and kickbacks while another former mayor, Edward Bergin Jr., was arrested, but eventually acquitted, for allegedly taking towing contract bribes (sound familiar?) in 1988. Waterbury is currently facing a $62 million budget deficit -- a situation that led Giordano to announce earlier this year that he wouldn't be seeking re-election. Many speculate that prosecutors stumbled onto his alleged cradle robbing as part of an investigation of corruption at City Hall.

Waterbury may no longer be the brass manufacturing capital of the world, but brass balls still seem to be a popular item there.

While P&J have frequently enjoyed Waterbury's Holyland (although passing this place off as a "religious theme park" is comparable to confusing the original Met Café with Park Avenue's Colony Club), as well as the many fine bowling establishments in that metropolitan area, Jorge has what we'd like to call "some Waterbury issues."

Back in the 1970s, when Jorge was on the road with one of the most dubious bands in the Northeast, Waterbury was one of our least favorite towns to visit (the guys in Roomful of Blues used to call it "Dogbury"). This could have something to do with the time when Jorge got a phone call from his pal Doc Pomus, the late songwriter, informing him that Chris Blackwell, head ramrod of Island Records, was coming to Boston to hear the Young Adults play. When Blackwell failed to materialize at the show that night, Jorge called back Doc, who told him Blackwell had gotten their schedule from some booking agents in New London and found out the Young Adults were playing in Dogbury the next evening.

Since Blackwell was in Manhattan, the short stretch limo trek to Waterbury appeared more appealing than the hassle of a flight to Boston. Needless to say, seeing the Young Adults in front of a drunken strip mall crowd in Dogbury was quite different from hearing the band before a packed and enthusiastic audience in Boston. The record contract never materialized. Then there was the night when the Waterbury motel that the band was booked into came up short a couple of rooms, but we won't get into that.

Suffice to say that we wonder what James Griffin, president of the Greater Waterbury NAACP, was talking about when he responded to Giordano's recent arrest, saying, "This really tarnishes the city's image, to the point where people who might have thought about coming to Waterbury won't come." What, did they cancel the Junkie Car Thieves Road Rally?

Six degrees of Steve Dubois

Set aside the date of Monday, August 13. That's the night when a large group of some of Rhode Island's finest bands will get together to honor one of their own. As you know, Steve Dubois passed away from cancer only a few weeks ago. The financial burden for his family has been substantial, and the proceeds from this evening will help to ease this.

This event is at the Green Room on Clifford Street in the Jewelry District, and the line-up of bands is, in keeping with Steve's own eclecticism, represents a wide assortment of styles and sounds: Big Nazo; Jon Campbell; the Dino Club (Cutler, Tanaka & Giusti); Paul Everett; "Chicago Vin" Earnshaw; Kevin Fallon; the Neo-'90s Dance Band; Providence Wholebellies; the Smoking Jackets; and Jeff "Beyond Iconoclasm" Thomas; as well as a reunion of Steve's brilliant ad hoc rock band, The Words (John Rufo, Manny Silva and the ubiquitous Bob Guisti); and a special appearance by old Trinity Rep hand and local boy-made-good-in-Hollywood, Dan Von Bargen, plus others.

The music starts at 6 p.m., and there's a suggested donation of $20. Needless to say, this will be a memorable evening that you won't want to miss. We suggest you come early to make sure you'll get in.

Festival time

One thing that P&J don't want to hear anyone kvetching about this summer is that "there's nothing to do." The real story in Vo Dilun is so many festivals, so little time. Of particular note was last week's Providence International Mandolin Festival. Thousands came out to see the various mandolin orchestras at the special WaterFire last Saturday, July 28, but the festival wrap-up a day later, at Bishop McVinney Auditorium in Providence, was truly something to behold.

Most surprising was the fact that the bands were so different from each other. The Brazilian trio Quintessencia featured three virtuosos playing everything from Django/Grappelli-like jazz to snatches of Bach and Astor Piazzolla. Munich's Ensemble Roggenstein was austere with some original compositions that led one to think that they had listened to a lot of Philip Glass and Steven Reich. The Italian group Citta di Brescia was also loaded with bravado musicians, while the large Portuguese contingent, VicenTuna, highlighted top-notch entertainers with a strong folk music orientation.

Our own Providence Mandolin Orchestra acquitted itself well with another entertaining program. Three cheers for Mark Davis, the PMO head ramrod, for a fabulous musical event that did our capital city proud.

Coming up this week is the Rhode Island International Film Festival. While the folks who put this on don't have the deep pockets or sterling connections of the earlier-in-the-season Newport event, they make up for it with a lot of hard work and a huge selection of films. You'll find the scheduling and locations in this week's Phoenix. Especially noteworthy is the tribute to director Blake Edwards, who will be in attendance along with his wife, the iconic Julie Andrews.

Animal crackers

Here's a little word to the wise. Some time ago, P&J sent in a number of Animal Crackers (by Nabisco) box tops in order to receive their "Commemorative Snack Set Offering." Yes, your superior correspondents like nothing better than to laze around in the giant Casa Diablo canopied four-poster and watch Diagnosis Murder reruns while munching on Animal Crackers, so we thought we'd send away for the little bowl and spoon set with the cookie logo on it.

A month later, instead of receiving our goodies, we get a form letter back -- along with our box tops -- from the consumer affairs department of Nabisco, informing us that they were "unable to process our request as received." Our apparent sin was that we filled out only three of the four box tops with our name and address. We were instructed to "recheck the offer for the exact requirements." Then, they inform us that "resubmitted requests must be returned within seven days from receipt of this letter."

Since when has the Nabisco consumer affairs department become so hung up on procedure? You'd think you were dealing with some sort of government background check. We will, of course, fill out the final box top and re-send them for our Commemorative Snack Set Offering, but we want to warn everyone else that the Nabisco people are playing tough with their Animal Cracker bowls and spoons. We'll let you know when we finally receive ours, but woe unto those who make one itty-bitty mistake in trying to deal with these people.

RIP, Peter Clarke

The flag is once again at half-staff at Casa Diablo, as we acknowledge the passing of Peter Clarke, one of Jamestown's best-known and best-liked figures. He was far too young. We will miss him.

Update on election reform

Your superior correspondents want to squelch rumors that some of the most intriguing suggestions offered by the election reform panel, led by former Presidents Ford and Carter, were left off the list. We know that there are a lot of conspiracy theories out there (mainly because we start many of them), but believe us, there is no truth to the line that Ford was upset when his idea -- that polls be set up at local golf courses, so that golfing voters aren't inconvenienced -- was rejected by Democratic members of the commission, who insisted on a quid pro quo for dog tracks. Nor is there anything to the rumor that Carter suggested at one point that complimentary bags of peanuts be passed out by poll workers to all qualified voters.

A tip of the sombrero . . .

. . . to US Representative Jim Langevin for showing the courage to take on the unholy wrath of the organized anti-abortion movement by supporting embryonic stem cell research. There is, of course, more than a little evidence to suggest that the research in question will be effective in helping those, like Jim, with spinal cord injuries. In spite of his current disability, Jim is standing tall.

. . . to Governor Bigfoot for materializing on the governor's Bay Day to once again claim that he's seriously considering a run against Representative Patrick Kennedy. Right! And there won't be any cost overruns in the DOT budget this year. Speaking of the DOT, Banquet Bill Ankner looks like he's been trimming down lately and, if so, good for him. It might have something to do with sweating out all the criticism about the moronic retainer wall (or whatever that is) that the DOT and our tax dollars have been building for months now on Interstate 95 in Cranston. Or perhaps it was the revelation about the need for a new Sakonnet Bridge.

Of course, there will be plenty of kudos and congrats for DOT a few more weeks into the Washington Bridge repairs on Interstate 195 east. Hey, Bill, what's up with the old Jamestown Bridge? Found any Hollywood directors to blow it up yet?

Send scrapple, pork butt, and Pulitzer-grade tips to p&j[a]phx.com.

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