Kerrville Ramblings

Day 6

Now that the madness is over (memorial day weekend) the real magic can begin.... Last night began the magic as Rick Beresford and friends opened up the wonderful threadgill theatre for it's first evening performance of the '99 festival. I much prefer the intimate atmosphere of threadgill to the mainstage. It seats about 300 - 350 including overflow, although the
overflow area seems to be growing each year.. This year, more and more people are seated out on the approach road way over on stage left near and beyond the cd booth.. chairs are being plopped down in row formation back and back and back.. Tonight, i'd say the place was about 80% full.. The sound at threadgill also seems much sweeter to me, and the incidents of
sound problems seems to be much lower than mainstage..

There are lots of great seats here, but 4 or 5 of them are absolutely perfect seats.. Threadgill is actually cut into the side of the hill, so it's a naturally downward slope for the seating.. The "orchestra section" is about 8 - 10 rows deep. Then you have a 3 - 4 foot wall, with more
seating ("balcony").. The lower level has benches you can sit on, or place a chair over. The upper level has nothing other then what you bring... The first row of the upper level, is only about 40 feet from the stage, you're sitting with your head about 2 feet or so higher then the
performer, and you have a direct line, with nothing in the way.. If a performer wants to sing directly to you, they CAN see you, and can sing right to you.. I know, as rachel bissex sang "dancing with my mother" to me last year (or was it the year before??).. It was to me, only me, i
know.. trust me.. <gg>

Without a doubt, it's my favorite place in the whole world to watch a performance (even better then the first row at heather's)... There are 4 or 5 great spots in that front row, with 2 of those spots jst perfection..

Rick was followed by Dick Goodwin, the "song doctor". He plays one of the sweetest trumpets(?) you've ever heard.. & you could go to sleep, (or make love for days) to his sugar blues.. Gail Davies followed, and brought up cindy greene, kate wallace, and Kristen Dewitt spontaneously to join her in a great song she does on the original women of kerrville album.. (ozzie, help me out with the name of the song pls..) Kate & Cindy had to drag a reluctant Kristen up to the stage.. Why she was reluctant this time i don't know... She's on stage more than anyone else at the festival with her marvelous voice providing harmony that dar (one of the harmony whores herself) should be dying for.. (Yo Dar!! You listening ??)

Rex foster finished up the evening with some great spirit, including one song (i think it was "i think about bob dylan") with some very dylanesque tines..

The concert finished up shortly after 9, and the first non-mainstage night began.. Kerrville is like two (or 200) different festivals.. On those nights which are mainstage oriented, campfires don't usually get rolling until 1 or 2 in the morning.. On weekday nights, where the sundown
concerts finish up about 9 - 9:30, there's plenty of time to wander around, see old friends, and catch a lot more campfire music..

Some of the sights and sounds from last night:

Coming across Steve Seskin, Michael McNevin, and 2 ladies with guitars (CRS) trading tunes in the middle of the road.. Thanks goodness Steve didn't play Don't laugh at me.. What he did play was just as high up the WOW scale as anything, but i didn't need to cry for 30 minutes afterwards...

Tom Kimmel and Ellis paul wandering by without guitars.. Are they just strolling and ejoying the music ?? Or... were they just headed to the mens rooms 150 feet down the road ??

Still on the hill having fun over at cuisine..

Singkerrnicity in full bloom despite Lynn & Rob's departure that morning..

Megan's calling out "What do you have for us tonight, Snackmaster??" let me jump in with some fresh from the oven honey raisin bread... It's the first time i've been able to hand out FRESH bread in the 7 years i've been coming.. Usually it's 2 or 3 days old (still fresh, just not oven fresh)

Chris williams using my back for a drum.. (and anyone who happened to get in the way <g>) I've never been played quite like that...

Hearing Richard Berman sing "The fortune Told" for the 2nd or 3rd straight year, and STILL having the hairs on my arm stand up for the last half of the song...

Watching everyone else's mouth at camp nashville drop at the song's conclusion.. (Even if, like me, thay've heard it quite a few times, the effect is still the same...) The song is on his dreamer's album... I asked richard which cd's he had with him, he said he had all 3, so that's what i
got.. What a fantastic writer.. When you get this album, do yourself a favor.. Do NOT read the lyrics bewfore you hear the song.. Turn down the lights, make sure the house is quiet, turn up the volume, and have the smelling salts ready just in case..

Rob Wolff who visited with us at the SFFF arrived on sunday i think..

Coho was a big circle last night, Jack Hardy, Gary Martin, Al Day (?) small potatoes, and many many (CRS) others..

Watching a 20-ish youngster with lots of talent sit in at the nashville circle, and, after he played, eyes wide open (very wide open), in full learning mode, just listen and watch as the songs moved around the circle..

Starting to actually "hear" some of the new people who are here this year.. As time permits and you hear the 3rd, 4th, or 10th song from one person, you start to look upon them as an individual, not as just another face in the circle, and you can start to appreciate and understand their music even more...

Tonight, Jim Savarino and Barton & Sweeney are playing the threadgill.

Threadgill nights have lots of magic in them...

Coming to you direct from the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas

Brian (Breadman) Wolfsohn blw@cus.com
CUS Business Systems - Websites for folkies Fort Lauderdale, FL
Visit the Kerrville Ramblings Website: http://auctions.cus.com/kerrville