WOW!!!
although monday night turned out to be a quiet night at the campfires (only nashville was buzzing, and it was a low buzz), the show at the threadgill was spectacular... One of the best shows i've ever seen there ...
Under the unassuming title of rick beresford and friends (nashville), a dynamite lineup was sprung on a somewhat unsuspecting audience.. There were about 200-250 people in attendance (at the start of the evening, only about 40).
Rick runs the songwriting school (for the past 5 years), and had a number of the instructors as guests..
the evening started with rick for 30 minutes of nice stuff, but hardly a hint at what was to come.. (no, don't get your hopes up... it wasn't jackson browne)..
Steve seksin was up next. He's a staff writer for a nashville house, and just blew everyone away with some of his songs... He unfairly finished with a song that has not been recorded: "Don't laugh at me", dealing with the issues that many of us face growing up and being picked on.. My handkerchief is still wet, and i'm crying again just thinking about it now, 6 hours later... I told him it was "unfair" to play that if we couldn't take it home... The song has been picked up by peter paul and mary, and will be part of their summer tour... if you go, be prepared to completely break down... (& if they're going to be around, let me know...I'll bring the extra handkerchiefs)..
oh, forgot... while rick was on, peter yarrow walked in with his daughter (who is a compulsive backup singer (and it's beautiful) from her audience seat near the backrow, in the lower section of threadgill.. They're about 4 rows ahead of me (i'm in my usual first row top raised section chair). as soon as steve announced that pp&m had picked up the song, peter snuck out of his chair, and by the time the second chorus started, had sneaked up on stage behind steve, and split the mike on the vocals.. at least i think he did... i really couldn't see too clearly through the handkerchief... when peter wasn't sneaking up, he and his daughter were thoroughly enjoying themselves in the audience, to the delight of all of us within ear and eyeshot. they really are special.. Steve wondered what would happen, if, after being given a 20 minute set, you just kept on playing and didn't get off... What could they do ??? Maybe we could set a threadgill record by running over... WAY over... He had never, of course, done something like that, but maybe, tonight's the night... While rod kennedy sat stone still in his chair, john ims and michael johnson came on and dragged him off (a little). he finished up with another song and we moved on...
Steve was followed by rex foster then michael johnson.. each was excellent in his own right... Michael did a song about two people living in houses 1 mile apart. one in el paso, and the other in juarez.. one with a pool, Jacuzzi, etc, and the other with a dirt floor and no plumbing.. Yet they can see each other's house...
Dick goodwin was up next, and just blew everyone away with his trumpet... it was a jazzy low key (but super intense) performance that again ended with a standing o (as did most of the performers tonight).. They were then followed by chuck pyle.. Those of you who have listened to music i play around the house, or have driven any distance with me, knows chuck's music very well.. his camel rock album is one of my all time favorite, and it wears well...
Somewhere in the preceding paragraph, John Ims was a surprise performer.. WHERE IS THAT DAMN DAT MACHINE I WANTED TO BUY LAST WEEK!!! I had walked over to john early in rick's set, and told him how much i enjoyed his performance on mainstage the first weekend. Knowing that he has no recording, i tried a different tack, and asked him: What are the 3 best ways to go about purchasing your recordings ? He laughed, but it didn't get me anywhere... (yet)
Rick then went out on a limb... There has been some political crap following chris chandler around at this festival.. My understanding is (3rd or 10th hand): He was kicked off staff for some unspecified thing, then apologies were issued, but then he was barred from any formal appearances on mainstage and threadgill... Caroline aiken is supposed to have gotten in hot water for including a performance by chris in her mainstage set. There are petitions being circulated calling for formal rescissions, and no punitive measures, etc etc etc... Well, rick, who holds a pretty steep position as director of the song school, brought up chris to a standing ovation BEFORE he played anything. He did one of his older numbers about the graveyard in the atlanta airport, and it was lower energy than i'm used to seeing from him, but he did get in some political shots about the current situation to the great delight and applause of the audience. Rick's introduction of chris (including the term genious) was far and away the strongest intro he gave to ANY of the people on the show...
One of the players from jabbering trout was on next, then peter yarrow finished up the evening with the great mandala and we are the sunshine, or we be the sunshine, or something like that. He considers the great mandala the most important song he ever wrote.. He was also not feeling very well, and coughed repeatedly through his performance.. Be well, peter... rest up...
wow... what a show...
observations...
last night, an interesting thing happened.. but first, the beginning of the story.. I was driving back to the motel friday(?) night, and stopped at circle k to pick up my 3am coffee (which reminds me, dummy, why don't you drink that one you bought an hour ago... it's almost cold by now). Another kerrvert was in there, and we exchanged greeting, names and home towns. CRS, the details don't matter anyway.. I think his name was steve. his second (or 4th) time at the festival; seemed like a nice guy, just another festival goer. Next day sunday (oh, that means it was sat night), i see him a the newfolk, and we again say hello, where you sitting, have some watermelon (go back and read yesterday's ramblings for watermelon details), that's it... regular guy, just another kerrvert.. anyway... (jeez, another "anyway", can't this guy keep his stories organized...)
Nooooooo....
anyway...
When peter was calling his group of 100 up to the stage for sunday finale, i see this guy going up... today i ask him what part of the picture did i miss ??? what was his connection... turns out he's long time friends with peter's son chris. (who is standing there as i ask steve what's da scoop)... anyway... maybe it was one of those "ya had to be there" things... So, if ya had to be there, get there.. oh, i mean here... still time to make those reservations
fyi, chris has the same wonderful peacfullness about his that surrounds peter and bethany(sp) his daughter As tonight's concert was starting, i looked out to the downward sloping hillside off to the left of the thee-A-ter (hope i don't have to explain THAT one again).. People were playing frisbee where tents upon tents were set-up over the weekend... And the life of the festival ebbs and flows...
Got an interesting note from one list member.. She's forwarding copies of some of this stuff out to her other folkie friends not on the list... That's ok, no problem there with my stuff. The way the net goes, there could be thousands of copies of these ramblings out there by 10am tomorrow.. (insert picture of needle being stuck in head to relieve excess pressure and swelling
.) that's all for now... Unless i remember something else...
Oh, i remember... Rod's really talking up the SFFF which starts just when the carribean cruise ends... I've had some people who are gonna be taking the cruise speak with me about possibly camping.. (instead of motels to cut down expenses). I told them there my be some locals who won't be camping, but would be glad to set up their tents & stuff for use by some of the kerrville cruisers... seems like a hospitable thing to do... any feedback on this ??
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