Turner and Kirwan of Wexford at To-Morrow's

Years before he became famous as the head of Black 47, Larry Kirwan was performing as part of an unusual folk rock duo that used to play at a Brooklyn Bar called "To-Morrows" (named for its owner, Tommy Morrow).

When you first walked into a TKW show you would think that a larger band was playing. Kirwan sat with an acoustic guitar, working a bass drum and hi-hat with his feet, while Turner played a mini Moog synthesizer and percussion. Both sang. They were very tight, and quite loud.

TKW did a great deal of cover tunes, including the Kinks' "Lola," The Bonzo Dog Band's "Urban Space Man" and a 50's spoof entitled "Why Must I Be a Teenager on Drugs?." The audience would hoot as they made reference to Bliss Park, a well-known hangout for dealers.

To-Morrow's was hardly a fashionable venue. Essentially it was one of a zillion bars in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn with a few tables in the back. I think that the cover charge was $3. There was a cheap bagel store across the street where we'd often go to have something to mix with the beer we consumed. The crowd could also get a bit wild. This never happened when I was at a TKW show, but several other times my friends and I would be in the back by the band when the power to the PA would suddenly be cut and the lights put on. Tommy would yell "All right, they're closin' me up!," and we'd file out onto the street, passing a couple of cops who had broken up a fight by the bar.

You'll often find used TKW LPs for sale on the web.