OAKLAND -- A few months ago, I saw Tom Waits on The Daily Show. I had heard only the name, and I had no idea what kind of music he played. As it turns out, he's incredibly eclectic, having written and performed dozens of kinds of (mostly experimental) music over the last thirty years. At the end of the show, he played a tremendous version of "The Day After Tomorrow," from his last album.

Yesterday, I got a call from a friend who told me that three different local bands were playing Tom Waits songs on strange instruments at 21 Grand in Oakland. Would I like to go?

Of course!

At 8:30 PM (more or less), we arrived at 21 Grand, paid $10, and watched as three different bands -- all dressed in 1940s-era clothing -- played Tom Waits songs on ukelele, mandolin, kazoo, guitar, organ, and accordion. During one song, they simulated the crackling and popping noises of an old record by crinkling a plastic candy wrapper in front of the microphone. Brilliant! The only problem is that they didn't play my favorite song, "Eggs and Sausage," from his first album (back in 1970-something), Nighthawks at the Diner.