The festival switched over from it's longest weekday schedule, to it's last weekend schedule... The mainstage opened up for the first time in 5 days.. One almost forgets about the difference in ambience while enjoying the midweek energy.
Sorry for no report last night, my energy was being diverted from this little black box they call a computer.. (and that can be a good thing...) Didn't get to sleep (oh, is that what they call it) until 6..
This last weekend is markedly different from the previous two. People are not coming onto the ranch for the next 11 days... Long stayers have already arrived, but there are lots of people in attandance who haven't been here before... Lots of kerrvirgins losing their kerrvirginity.. (and probably some non-kerrvirgins also
) Last night about 2, a crowd of about 100 spontaneously assembled on the upper heights of the great meadow. Chris Chandler and Laura (Yes, i finally rememberd her first name) Freeman were holding court alternating songs along with another 2 people who while very good, in this environment were an accessory to the fact, nothing more.. As i stood/swayed/enjoyed (grooved for those of you on senior citizens e-mail discount programs) chris and laura, i looked around the circle at the people around me... There were about 1/4 familiar faces enjoying chris for the wonder that he is, and the other 3/4 were strangers, kerrvirgins, people who had just arrived... Imagine the wonder going through these virgin minds as they are exposed to chandler for the first time... The expressions were an experience unto themselves...
The afternoon's ballad tree session was hosted by Suzanne Sherwin (who performed wed night at threadgill), and Beppe Gambetta, a spectacular guitar player, who's limited english was enjoyed by all..
One totally unexpected surprise... The previous evening i was thinking to myself that i had never met anybody at kerrville that i knew from another portion (non-music) of my life... While walking arond chapel hill during the ballad tree session, a gy walks up to me and says: "Brian, is that you "?? Steve Sutherlin, who i worked with at Biscaye Medical Center (now aventura something or other) in 1979 when i first moved down to florida and his wife ann have been living in texas for a few years, and are moving back to st cloud...
For those Jack Hardy fans out there, his 10CD retrospective is hot off the press... I hope to bring one home with me... Tonight's a surprise celebration/release party at camp coho...
Mainstage began tonight with Michael McNevin, the Etch-a-sketch kid... A special guest in the audience was a girl who grew up on the same block as michael in california, and contacted him after hearing his song about a specific nasty neighbor on a 10 watt station out of st Louis..
Next was Karen taylor-good. Nice stuff, but too commercially oriented.. (You know you're not a true folkie if you're successfull
).. Valdy then brought us his wonderful sense of earth and energy, followed by a real nice set from Kate Wallace and Michael Camp. Michael Johnson was up next (he was in that great threadgill show last monday). After that, Josh White Jr was up next (one of my favorites).. While he doesn't seem to do as much political stuff as he used to, and much of his set is unchanged from the last 10 years worth of performances i've seen, he's still wonderful, and a voice of reason and conscience for us all.. His father, woody guthrie, leadbelly, and one other folkie will be on stamps released june 26th. I encourage you all to go to your post office and use these stamps exclusively for the time they're available. Maybe one kid somewhere will see one of the stamps, get curious, get an education on some of these people and show up at some folk festival in 5 or 10 years with a guitar on his or her back...
The evening finished up with Bill and Bonnie Hearne at their 27th (every one of them) kerrvile festival.
Campfires were late getting started.. Cuisine was low energy, nashville was dark, SinKerrnicity was lit, but it was a case of lights on, nobody's home.. Coho was running all night with good stuff, and non-camps, or free-standing groups were very much in the forefront.. Nickie Lehman, Louise Taylor, Franny (from LA), john mcvey, chuck brodsky were all putting out tunes in a small floating circle..
This is such a special place... Last night, i had a friend who was in stress. Hugging here, not only allows you to transfer your energy to someone in need, it also alows you to channel the tremendous amount of positive energy flowing all around you.
There is some melancholy hanging around, people are starting to talk about exit plans, and more emphasis is being made on keeping in touch.. so there is a little less of "in the moment", but that's all part of the life of this festival...
Oh well, 3/4 of a bottle of amaretto to finish, and not much time left to accomplish my task... It's a tough job....
Ooof... just thought about the separation depression that hits somewhere down the road... Oh well, i'm heading home to a great bunch of friends when this is over... Just remember, hug line forms on the left
.. Looking forward to today's music, staff concert, john mcvey, chenille sisters, susan werner ray wylie hubbard and lots of others...
Now for nicole,
>OK - Picture this. Not only has our fearless leader spent 2 weeks >re-learning how to be one with the universe but now, he's focused on the >yin/yang of interpersonal relationships. Someone needs to break it to him >that he is returning to 2 pre-menopausal women with PMS and one hormonally >challenged pregnant lady. Any efforts to get us to sit in a circle with >candle light and incense while listening to the 250 cds he bought will >result in emasculation, decapitation and possible mutiny.
Message from Karen Baker... Jump into the pool...it'll take care of the pms.. THEN, and ONLY THEN will i consider coming home
Also, i'm bringin home "special" candles and incense, along with a very sturdy protective cup...
Also, before i make my final determination about whether i'll come home at all, regarding : emasculation, decapitation and possible mutiny; In exactly what order were these things going to take place ???
>Did you say CHOCOLATE?????
no, i said choclate.
Brian (Breadman) Wolfsohn http://www.cus.com
CUS Business Systems Ft.Lauderdale,FL
Software for Auctioneers (954) 565-5600 Email:blw@cus.com