2003
Kerrville Folk Festival Ramblings -- First Hand Reviews and Photos2003
Kerrville Folk Festival Ramblings -- First Hand Reviews and Photos
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K'ville 2003 Day 2 & 3 Ramblings |
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Friends and family continue to arrive.. It's a special feeling, sitting at mainstage, and looking over to the dance pit, and seeing another familiar face.. John Flynn and Albert and Gage were the highlights of the evening, although Gary Nicholson, the parnells, and Jay Boy Adams were sending out real nice high energy.. Dalis is letting acts go longer than Rod did in previous years. It remains to be seen if this will continue long-term, or is part of the process.. I listened to the end of the mainstage evening from our campsite at the foot of Chapel Hill.. The last 3 mainstage hours were mostly rock & roll (real good stuff) and blues (good,but not why i came to kerrville... they crossed that "overmodulated line"") (it's 2:30AM, and Stephanie Corby is still not sleeping) John Flynn's I Will Not Fear brought this year's first kerr-tears along, and got me almost all the way into this year's kerr-sperience.. It takes awhile before one can let go the trappings of the outside world, and allow oneself to be immersed in the energy of the ranch. I'd like to tell you about all the campfires friday night. Susan Werner mentioned that she spent some time at Camp Stupid.. But, after stopping by a friend's campsite for some refreshments, my night ended shortly after midnight, as I just laid down for "a few minutes", but woke up well after 3AM, when EllenB camp back to the camp.. Perfect, ever so slightly cool weather continued through the night, and into the morning. The heat didn't begin to wake us up until after 9:30. We joined the Rouses for a breakfast of coffee, bagels, and music.. So much talent was there, i don't even know where to begin.. The highlights of the breakfast were EllenB's Menapause song and John Flynn with 2 great, funny songs.. One of them was Roadkill Cafe, with the up-and-over line "direct from your grill to grill".. Sounds like a perfect potential cover for the New Last Rights.. It had just the right amount of irreverance (total).. Greenberg, get in line.. EllenB's got first dibs.. My afternoon was a continuation of sleep catch-up, while Ellen did New Folk.. Per the Rouses, New Folk was a very strong field this year.. If kerrville is home, then this evening's mainstage had to be heaven.. It's hard to remember a more spectacular evening.. (& i'm too tired to re-read all the itcanbethiswayalways.com ramblings from previous years to find one..) From the first performer of the evening, Aengus Finnan, and the second , Rachael Bissex, the evening was shaping up in fine fashion.. Then came eric.. In one of his best performances that i've seen, Eric Schwartz just brought down the house.. Nothing less.. He pushed the envelope, and didn't even get a paper cut.. Through 2 encores, he had people laughing, jaws dropping, and complete control... Eric's encores included Come out of the Closet, with the part of the chinese delivery boy played by Richard Hsu from DaVinci's Notebook.. He came out on stage, bicycle on his shoulder affected chinese accent and all.. Standing ovation can only begin to describe it.. Eric finished up with "Jenny" (correct name?), one of his most touching and poignant ballads.. No time to catch your breath, because: Then came DaVinci's Notebook.. In their first (and most certainly not last) Kerrville Appearance, I didn't think it was possible to continue the energy level that Eric had created, but they did that and then some.. Eric returned the bit-part favor by appearing in a dress and tie-dye bandana to Play the Karla Bonoff (?) part to DaVinci's Meatloaf send-up of Paradise by the DashBoard Light. I'm sure it's not the first time Eric's been in a dress, (he looked VERY at home), but it's the first time I've been around when he had a dress on.. I think Ellen got some pictures of eric in the dress, to go along with the rest of the compromising shots we have... If he ever makes it "Barry Manilow" big , we'll be able to retire on just the monthly blackmail money.. Susan Werner and Shawn Colvin continued the remarkable evening.. Susan was her usual captivating self, with a wide range of older and newer stuff.. I don't remember seeing Shawn before. She was received as long-lost family by the texas crowd, and had her daughter and her daughter's friend accompany her with interpretive dance.. (the kids are about 4).. Her concentration was amazing, as she didn't miss a beat, despite the kids catapulting each other all over the stage.. Completely exhausted by then, i listened to the first 2 songs from Shake Russell & SXSW, then trekked up to the coffee bar to inject some caffeine.. Lots of activity at the campfires tonight.. I heard a cover tune coming from Camp Coho, Singkerrnicity had a circle. you could hear applause From Cuisine up at Threadgill, Nashville has 50 - 60 people surrounding it, dozens more were by the teepees and schoolbuses in the meadow.. Ellen & I wandered up to Jack Motley's camp Camponthis. So, we sat-on-it with about 8 or 9 people, when in comes Eric Schwartz, playing hit and run tour guide to DaVinci's Notebook and about 25 accompanying wanderers.... DaVinci did one of their song's that wouldn't fly on mainstage; "Enormous Penis", and Eric did "Don't Ask me what I'm Doin'".. 2 songs, and off they went to the next campsite.... It's 4AM, & 3 more loaves are set to come out of the ovens.. Time to head up to the RV park... All done editing, it's 4:40AM, and i have no idea if Stephanie Corby is sleeping or not... Brian (Breadman)
Wolfsohn
blw@cus.com |
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