The Merlefest
This year it was a beautiful weekend for the MerleFest-the big bluegrass festival that is held across the creek from our front yard every year. A few years ago the Fest managers pumped $40,000 into the sound system so now we can practically hear the whole thing from our bedroom. A few years ago I told everyone that I had had Dolly Parton in the bedroom. It sure sounded like it. The Fest starts on Thursday night and goes until late Sunday afternoon. MFH says that when it stops you suddenly think you are deaf. Sunday morning as I got up I could hear Doc Watson himself singing and talking. He's about 80 now and we don't know how much longer he can go. May he have long life!
This year I waited until Sunday to go with my friend Rosemary, her friend Jerry and another couple. It was overcast, which made it chilly, which was the way I like it. I met Jerry and Rosemary at the sand sculpture - this time it was of bears playing musical instruments and acting silly. It was called 'The Big Bad Burly Bear Band.' A big bad blow for alliteration in everyday life.
First we all went to hear Allison Brown, whom I'd never heard of. She is a banjo player and very good. It was at one of the smaller venues so we could set up close - in fact it was hard to avoid it. After that we went to hear Pete Seeger. I thought he was dead, and had been for some years, but he is still alive and pickin' at 87. His grandson, a tall handsome man with a good voice, performed with him. Then I went off on my own to hear John Craven and his ad hoc jazz band. I think I enjoyed them the most since they were funny, and very very good. Again, I was only about 25 feet from the stage on a hillside steep enough that I was looking down on the band. Later I wandered around and listened to some little bands where I could sit close and practically shake hands with the players. For the finale I sat out at the big Watson Stage and listened to Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. This included Mr Futureman and his amazing electronic percussion section that he wears strapped to his chest like a warped electric quitar. It has all kinds of weird lights on it blinking and flashing.
Got back home, got MHF and then went off to El Chile Verde with the others. We were going to Monte de Rey, but the daughter of the Rosemary's friend works for the health dept and advised us against it. Something about the last kitchen inspection.
It was all a lot of fun. Last year the MerleFest dropped something like $14 million into the local economy and this year it was about $16 million, a record. We certainly needed it.
This year I waited until Sunday to go with my friend Rosemary, her friend Jerry and another couple. It was overcast, which made it chilly, which was the way I like it. I met Jerry and Rosemary at the sand sculpture - this time it was of bears playing musical instruments and acting silly. It was called 'The Big Bad Burly Bear Band.' A big bad blow for alliteration in everyday life.
First we all went to hear Allison Brown, whom I'd never heard of. She is a banjo player and very good. It was at one of the smaller venues so we could set up close - in fact it was hard to avoid it. After that we went to hear Pete Seeger. I thought he was dead, and had been for some years, but he is still alive and pickin' at 87. His grandson, a tall handsome man with a good voice, performed with him. Then I went off on my own to hear John Craven and his ad hoc jazz band. I think I enjoyed them the most since they were funny, and very very good. Again, I was only about 25 feet from the stage on a hillside steep enough that I was looking down on the band. Later I wandered around and listened to some little bands where I could sit close and practically shake hands with the players. For the finale I sat out at the big Watson Stage and listened to Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. This included Mr Futureman and his amazing electronic percussion section that he wears strapped to his chest like a warped electric quitar. It has all kinds of weird lights on it blinking and flashing.
Got back home, got MHF and then went off to El Chile Verde with the others. We were going to Monte de Rey, but the daughter of the Rosemary's friend works for the health dept and advised us against it. Something about the last kitchen inspection.
It was all a lot of fun. Last year the MerleFest dropped something like $14 million into the local economy and this year it was about $16 million, a record. We certainly needed it.
posted by Clemens | 2:07 PM
2 Comments:
You can also use your XM radio tuned to Bluegrass Junction to hear it ;)
"Bad Bad Blow for alliteration in everyday life" LOL!
--Joey
No no. I only listen to classical music, soundtracks, and French Canadian stuff. None of that Bluegrass stuff. It only sounds great live
(though I may get the EmyLou Harris/Mark Knopfler CD).
MFH, on the other hand, likes the old comedy stattion and NPR. Probably too liberal for you. (Is there an anarchist station?)
Glad to see you made it back from the wilds of Europe - eventually.
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