All of the articles I write for the Gazette include my e-mail and phone number, presumably so readers can contact me with their concerns, questions and comments. Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s impossible to tell which stories will elicit a response, although I’ve observed that stories about animals in need tend to be popular. One of the greatest — and most unexpected — responses I’ve gotten was to a story about two local filmmakers, Penny Lane and Annmarie Lanesey, and the documentary they were making about Mame Faye.

Mame Faye, I learned in my research, operated an upscale brothel in Troy. Though few people under the age of 60 have heard of her, she’s still fondly remembered by older Capital Region residents; Lanesey and Lane were inundated with calls from residents who wanted to share memories and anecdotes of Mame Faye. The women considered the film something of a feminist project. “It was this unknown women’s history,” Lanesey told me in an interview.

After my article about the documentary, titled “Sittin’ on a Million,” ran in the Gazette, I got a little taste of what Lanesey and Lane had experienced. People — mostly men — began to call. One man wanted to know where he could bring his elderly father to see the film. Another man wanted to tell me about the time he attended a party and met a woman who claimed to have worked for Mame Faye as one of her girls. Last August I attended a screening of a rough cut of “Sittin’ on a Million” at the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, and the place was packed. The version of the film I saw was entertaining; a mix of humorous anecdotes, local history and footage of Lanesey and Lane searching for Mame Faye’s forgotten grave.

This weekend the finished version of “Sittin’ on a Million” will screen in Troy. I won’t be able to attend, but it’s an interesting project and I would go if I could. The two screenings on Saturday are sold out, but a third screening has been scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday at The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy. To learn more, go to www.mamefaye.com.

Also worth seeing: The Scientific Maps

I’ve caught this clever Albany indie pop rock band a couple of times during the past month. I was familiar with one of their songs, “Spread the Acrimony” — and how great a title is that? — because it’s included on 97.7’s fine compilation of local music, the Local 518 CD.

The Scientific Maps put on a nice show at the Lark Tavern a few weeks ago, and on Thursday I caught a stripped down show — guitarist/lead vocalist Aaron Smith and trumpeter Donna Baird, sans the other members of the band — at Amrose Sable Gallery in Albany. They were cheerful and fun (I don’t know who to compare them to — a more upbeat Pavement, maybe?) and even their stage banter was entertaining. You can listen to the Maps here. They play at Valentine’s in Albany on Saturday night. Again, I can’t go, but I would if I could.

For me, the Lark Tavern Scientific Maps show was highlighted not by the music, but by my conversation with a local librarian who happened to be attending the show:

Librarian: “Have you ever read “The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” by Michael Chabon?
Me: I’m reading it right now.
Librarian: Right now? You’re reading “Kavalier & Clay” right now?
Me: Yes. I’m reading it right now. It’s the book I’m reading.
Librarian: Did you know that the drummer for the Maps drew the cover art for “Kavalier & Clay.”
Me: The cover art for the book I’m reading? The drummer did that?
Librarian: Well, for the paperback version. What version are you reading?
Me: The paperback version.
Librarian: Well, Phil drew that.

For some reason, this whole conversation struck me as completely crazy, but later on I was introduced to Phillip Pascuzzo, the drummer, and, yes, he draws cover art for books. And not cheap, lame books, either. Pulitzer-prize winning books, like “The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.” So that’s pretty cool, in my opinion.