TCB

Por Favor

Currently "going crazy" organizing next Thursday's Por Vida bash at the Paramount, manager Heinz Geissler says the evening's honoree, Alejandro Escovedo, is doing well. "He did great," says Geissler of Escovedo's two-night stand at the Texas Union Theater earlier this month. "He was definitely inspired by the crowd's reaction. They just loved him." Geissler says the Por Vida album has sold around 17,000 copies since its July release, bolstered by glowing reviews and all the proceeds going to help Escovedo battle hepatitis C. "It's doing really well considering that everyone is sick of tribute albums," Geissler acknowledges. Por Vida performers, including Los Lonely Boys, John Cale (see "Insecure," p.74), Calexico, Ruben Ramos, Tres Chicas, and Caitlin Cary, were only too happy to sign on for the show. Charlie Sexton will anchor the backing band, with Jon Dee Graham and Lenny Kaye, among others, sitting in. Careful not to get too far ahead of himself, Geissler says there's already been talk of making this an annual event, and possibly having shows in New York and San Francisco. Thursday's concert (tickets are still available), also marks the establishment of the Alejandro Fund, which in the future will help other musicians stricken with hep C. "It's the one good thing to come out of all this bad," Geissler says. See www.alejandrofund.com for more.