Accordion-Crazy, uploaded by zydepunks
This photo made me think of our own house — especially the pile of accordions in our living room. I think we have four accordions there right now, plus another in a closet, which yields an accordion-to-person ratio of 2.5 to 1 in our household. What about you — how many accordions do you have hanging around your house?
Galanti 1948
uploaded by Al Q“Tried the rest? Now try the Best!” I love this vintage (circa 1948) Galanti Accordion ad. With a name like “Super Dominator”, you could take on anything with this accordion. A Pietro Frosini solo? No problem. A vicious street gang? I’m not worried — I’ve got my “Super Dominator”!
Galanti Accordions was founded by Antonio Galanti in the late 19th century in Mondaino, Italy. His sons Domenico, Egidio and Robusto carried on their father’s work, building an accordion factory (“Fratelli Galanti”), and then later bringing the accordions to America (hence the “R. Galanti and Bro., Inc, New York” on the ad). According to this history, as musical tastes changed, the company turned their focus to electronic instruments (organs, even electric guitars) in the late 1950s.
acordian man [sic], uploaded by nerdvin
Ice sculptures are the hallmark of any good winter festival and the annual Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, Canada, is no exception. Each year, the festival hosts an “International Snow Sculpting Symposium” where artists from around the world express themselves through snow. This shot depicts a larger-than-life accordion player sitting in the back of a canoe. Must be hard to move those bellows when they’re made of ice…
low down accordion blues, uploaded by aokeh
A man passionately playing the accordion in his underwear, another guy looking incredibly bored, an ironing board covered with newspapers, food, and what appears to be a bottle of gin… I have no idea what’s going on in this photo, but I love it.
What do you call it when hundreds of crazy Santas — often fueled by “high octane egg nog” — roam the streets en masse, spreading holiday cheer? It’s not anarchy; it’s Santarchy, an annual tradition that’s grown to include gatherings from Berlin to Tokyo, and numerous places in-between.
The Santas invaded San Francisco on Saturday and, while my suit didn’t make it back from the cleaners in time, I was happy to see these accordion-toting Santas in attendance. Jingle Bells Polka, anyone?
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How to Play Rock ‘N’ Roll Accordion
uploaded by Jan TonnesenHere’s a blast from the past: this 1967 Palmer-Hughes accordion instruction book promises “all you need to know to play Rock ‘n’ Roll solos or play with a Rock ‘n’ Roll combo!” And if you put on 3-D glasses, you’ll discover the guy on the cover is actually playing “Paint It Black” backwards! Groovy!
Interestingly, this isn’t the only rock accordion lesson book out there. Palmer-Hughes has another book called Easy Rock ‘n’ Roll that appears to have first been published in the early 1960s. And with imaginative song titles like “Red Hot Rock”, “Soda Pop Rock”, “Juke Box Rock”, and “Injun Rock” (really!), it’s hard to see why more kids weren’t ditching their guitars for accordions. Shocking, really.
Still, I’m guessing Those Darn Accordions didn’t learn from either of these books…
Classic Texas Accordion
uploaded by -DonsWhile I can’t to make it to this year’s Wurstfest, I can live vicariously through this excellent slideshow I found on Flickr. For a minute, I thought I was actually in New Braunfels, TX — listening to the accordions and tubas, watching the dancers in their authentic German garb, and eating all of that tasty, tasty sausage. Mmm…
He’s got mad accordion skills
uploaded by Don’t Wake Me, I Plan On Sleeping InWe’ve mentioned Daniel Handler’s accordion prowess here before, but now we have photographic evidence! I found a great Flickr photoset of a recent Lemony Snicket book signing in Seattle and there are plenty of accordion action shots. (You can catch a glimpse of fellow Gothic Archie, Stephin Merritt, too.) The book tour continues through mid-November, so check the official Lemony Snicket site for tour dates.
from where i work
uploaded by otrocalpeLast week we saw the inside of a 1960s era concertina factory; this week we get a glimpse inside a modern-day accordion factory. Flickr user otrocalpe took this photo, which shows a workstation inside the accordion factory where he works in Castelfidardo, Italy. (Castelfidardo is the legendary center of the Italian accordion industry and home to an accordion museum.) Apparently, this factory was built by his grandfather sixty years ago!
Art’s Concertina Bar
uploaded by Five-Boro Camphone
We’ve mentioned Art’s Concertina Bar in Milwaukee here before, but for those (like me) who haven’t yet made the pilgrimage, Flickr user Five-Boro Camphone has a cool photoset taken at the bar. Proudly dubbed the “Only Concertina Bar in the USA”, the walls are lined with mementos and photos featuring the owner, Art Altenburg, his music, and this history of concertina and polka music. The bar also holds Art’s collection of nearly 60 concertinas. There are live bands and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a “Concertina Jam Session Nite” on Thursdays. Definitely a “must see” for any accordion lovers passing through the Milwaukee area.