Ann Arbor Folk Festival (part 2)

The 30th Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival is in the books. As was promised in the Folk Festival website, the show tonight featured the heart of folk, of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Here's a brief run down of tonight's events.

1. Jeff Daniels was, again, in wonderful form. I was not aware of what a great guitar player and songwriter he is. His performance as MC inspired me to pick up his Live & Unplugged to Benefit the Purple Rose Theatre CD. [*****]

2. Daisy May - A local girl (Big Rapids, MI). She was very fun to listen to both during her songs and during her between song comments. A very humble and talented young lady. [****]

3. Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines - Couple of Texans who entertained us up here in the frozen north. I enjoyed Terri's music. Interesting note: Lloyd is the father of Natalie Maines (of the Dixie Chicks). [***]

4. Paul Thorn - Best thing to come out of Tupelo, Mississippi since the King. This guy is a real treat to watch/listen to. When he came out, he proceeded to tell us that his guitar had been stolen earlier in the day and that he was using John Prine's guitar. Then he says that he was singing this first song for whoever stole his guitar. Title? It's a Great Day to Whup Somebody's Ass. And it got better from there. Dude's stage personality is hilarious. I got to meet him after his set and get a signature on his CD/DVD. Real good guy. He made a total killing there, btw. The lady running his merch table could not take people's money fast enough. [*****]

5. Over the Rhine - Some of you may know this Ohio outfit. Karin, Linford and the boys were dressed to kill and played just as well. I remember the songs they played, but am a little fuzzy on the exact order.

Born
Trouble
North Pole Man
I Don't Want to Waste Your Time
Orphan Girl
Nothing Is Innocent Now
Devil is in the Details
If a Song Could Be President

Needless to say, the reference to John Prine in If a Song Could Be President was a big hit. Mickey was up to his usual shenanigans during North Pole Man, although I'm not sure the unfamiliar crowd appreciated it as much as an OTR crowd. I did, however, see some folks standing and applauding as the band left the stage. [*****]

6. Bill Staines - Those of you who have followed American music for many years may know this guy. He's been around since the late 60's. We were glad to have him here in Michigan for the weekend. Loved the songs River, Roseville Fair and Child of Mine. [*****]

7. Mountain Heart - These boys can flat out pick. That is all. [****]

8. John Prine - Felt like I was witnessing history on this one. This guy has been around what seems to be forever. And he can still bring it. He had a great bass player and lead guitar player with him. With a collection of songs like his, it was amazing to hear him choose an hour's worth of music to play. He did my favorite, Angel from Montgomery, so that was cool. Fish and Whistle, Souvenirs and That's the Way That The World Goes Round were also in the set. As you might imagine, Sam Stone and Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore got rousing ovations. Prine's voice was strong given his surgery a few years back (I actually prefer his voice now over his early years). And his stage presence..... well, he hasn't stayed in business all these years for nothin'.

At the end of his set, he brought out all the musicians from the night to accompany him on Paradise. Paul Thorn played Prine's acoustic and sang a couple of the verses. K & L and the boys were part of the chorus. Mickey's drumming (brushes on his red strapped snare) gave the song a nice feel.

Dude is a legend. 'nuff said. [*****]


A truly great weekend of music. Was a special treat to witness all this great music with Jen and Rach.

Ann Arbor Folk Festival (part 1)

Just got home from the Friday night show. My observations (and official star rating), for what they're worth. We missed Millish and the first couple songs of Ember Swift.

1. Jeff Daniels killed as MC. He nearly stole the show IMO. His song Are You As Excited About Me As I Am had the crowd both laughing and spellbound. [*****]

2. Ember Swift - We arrived late and only saw a couple songs of hers, but I was impressed with her energy, vocals and the band. Great band! Plus, she's got a really distinct way of holding her acoustic guitar when she plays it! Very different. [***]

3. Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams - These folks really impressed me. Their new album is called Flapjacks from the Sky. I highly recommend the song Sunday in the Rain. Plus, their frontman Joziah really cracked me up. Kinda reminded me of Captain Jack Sparrow... Savvy?[****]

4. Martha Wainright - Great vocal talent, but I could've lived without her and her foot stomping. Her mother came out and played piano on a couple songs to start out, but nothing Martha did really impressed me at all. [*]

5. Jackie Greene - I don't know where this guy has been hiding, but I'm on to anything he produces. He is a consumate musician and singer with a tinge of the blues in everything he does. Very easy going too. Nothing rattles him. New album is American Myth. [*****]

6. Kiyoshi Nagata Ensemble - Think "Oriental Stomp" and you have a picture of this group. I would like to have seen more of these folks (well, technically one of the guys was nearly naked), but the format doesn't allow. I was just starting to get into the swing of it when they had to stop. Hypnotizing. [***]

7. Rufus Wainwright - Not a fan. We were bored to tears and left after about four of his songs. The guy is a magnificent musician/songwriter to be sure, but just not our style. He and his sister Martha did a nice duet, but this seemed like something I'd expect to see in Vegas, not the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. His banter between songs was some of the worst/annoying I've heard from an artist. He strikes me as being very impressed with his own vocal ability. [**]

Really looking forward to tomorrow!

Part 2

The Calm After...

We had some rain, freezing rain, cold temps the past few days. Wish I would've had my camera with me yesterday, but I took it today and still managed to find a few remnants of the amazing show that brightened my day yesterday! Enjoy.
J

[click on these photos for more detail]

Prescription - Filled!

Days like today get me through winter. The sun came out! All day long I got to drive around the city and witness the amazing light show that nature put on! Everywhere I went (especially when heading south) the sun was twinkling through the ice which was still coating all the trees. It was like driving down a "diamond tree" lined path. About the only thing that could've made today better would've been to get a ride in. Alas, work prevented.

So, I got my required dose of UV rays and winter beauty today. And I didn't have to wait in a "waiting room" for an hour to get it.

*breathes*

(btw, that photo was taken by a late friend of mine last year in Alaska. It was cold.)

Perspective

So yesterday's post was a sort of rant about the cruddy weather we've been having in Michigan and its effect on me (this is MY blog, after all). Even though I haven't seen a single ray of sunshine in what seems like forever, I'm feeling a bit better about this whole winter thing tonight.

I think the reason is perspective.

The dictionary defines perspective as follows:

per·spec·tive (pər-spěk'tĭv)
n.
1. A view or vista.
2. A mental view or outlook: "It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present" (Fabian Linden).
3. The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole: a perspective of history; a need to view the problem in the proper perspective.
4. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view: the perspective of the displaced homemaker.
5. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.

So what is it that has changed my perspective on this whole winter blah thing? I think it's movement. I know I've mentioned this kind of thing before, but bear with me. Movement... Not in the sense that I'm in another place. But in the sense that I've taken the time to move these past few days. I had not gotten the chance to run or cycle all week this week, but Saturday and Sunday I managed to get 65 miles in on the bike. Outside (which, I believe, is important). So how does riding a bike 65 miles in freezing temperatures change one's perspective on winter?

Even though I ended up in the exact same place physically each time, my sense of perspective has changed. My mind is not in the same place it was Friday. I don't believe this is something permanent, btw. After a few days, I'll likely be back to my grouchy, impatient self.

And it will be time to get away. To the place I started. All over again.
J

Steve Miller Was Right...

"Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'... into the future."

Gray skies suck the life right out of me. I should be smarter than the sky. I should be able to overcome some lack of UV rays! I'm the most intelligent lifeform on the planet and a few days of gray skies have got me down??? I don't remember seeing racoons and possum moping around in the overcast. They seem to adjust fine!

Seems that most of my life is spent in the dark these days. Nothing worse than leaving for work in the dark and arriving back home in the same. I've been trying to motivate myself by contemplating that there are only 52 weeks in a year. Here we are two weeks into the new year. Fifty weeks left. Time seems to fly when I think in these terms.

A few weeks ago, I set a couple goals for myself. One was to ride 4000 miles this year. A daunting number at first blush. But when you break it down, it is well within my capability. I'd need to average about 77 miles per week. Last week, I managed 140 miles in fairly decent weather. This week has not been so kind to me. Even if I fall a bit behind in these first three months, I should make it up beginning in April. Ah, April. When the temps begin to rise, the sun is not quite as shy and I can feel the warmth of the rays as they hit my face! April!

Three months... 13 weeks. And two of those weeks are already past. It's funny, but the thought of winter doesn't seem quite so daunting when I think about it in those terms. "Eleven weeks to go". I can do this. Gray skies be damned, I can DO THIS!

But a little sunshine would help.
J

Pickin' and a Grinnin'

Spent the evening over a friend's house tonight. There were three of us that had come to play some guitar together. None of us are truly spectacular, but we had a blast. Mike has a nice Breedlove 12 string. Charlie wasn't planning on playing (recent surgery on one of his fingers), but he plucked away until the pain made him stop. I played my Martin and sang a few of the songs I've written over the last few years. The songs were received warmly. After eating too much salsa and chocolate, we decided to try it again in two weeks.

Hopefully Charlie's hand will have healed up right by then.
J

Hello Stranger...

Left the house around 2pm for a nice ride this afternoon. Planned to do the Dixboro Loop (which is about 40 miles). When I left the house the temperature was about 41. As I got along 7 mile (about the 10 mile mark) it started to rain steadily. Once I got to Pontiac Trail (about 15 miles) it was freezing rain and the temperature had dipped to 34. When I got to the intersection of PT and North Territorial (the 20 mile mark) I was having trouble feeling my feet and decided to call it a day. I called Karen and she came out to rescue me.

While I was waiting, I entered the party store on the corner there. This is where my day got really interesting. I noticed two men as I entered. One was a latin looking older man (around 60?) and the other was a much older man (around 85?) with a John Deere cap. The former was working behind the counter and the latter was holding up a shelving unit. They both looked me over and Mike (the owner of the store, apparently) asked me if I had had enough. We started small talking.

The two gentlemen could not have been more fascinating. Mike knew every customer that entered by name. Every time a customer would exit, Mike and the "old-timer" (I didn't get his name) would talk about them. Things like where they lived ("the old farm on 6 mile"), who was their mother and father ("it was the great grandfather that originally owned all the land"), wife/husband/son/daugher ("his son played for the Kansas City Royals"), what piece of land they owned or had sold ("three million... he GAVE IT AWAY... but he was in debt, so he had to sell... gave it away"). Each time someone entered, Mike would greet them by name and shake their hand.

The old-timer began to relate to me how he remembered when North Territorial had been a dirt road. And that he was a young man in '37 when they paved it. He gave me great details about how they did it. What it looked like and even smelled like. He talked about how the people "from the city" would come out North Territorial each weekend in their model A's to go to the lakes out west. The two men continued to talk about the various roads in the area and when they had been paved. I was completely captivated by the whole conversation. Cold... but captivated.

After a few more customers came in and out (greeted each time by name) I said to Mike "is there ANYONE THAT COMES IN THIS STORE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW?" He thinks for a second and then says "you, but we've taken care of that now haven't we?". I proceed to completely introduce myself to him and he says "I've been standing in this spot for 31 years now. I figure I'd know a few of these folks by now".

As Karen drove into the lot, I extended my hand to my new friends and bid them goodbye. As Mike shook my hand he looked in my eyes and repeated "John... Nice to meet you." I said the same and promised him I'd stop in again during one of my Dixboro loop rides.

The whole way home I just felt like I had experienced something special. Now, a few hours later, I'm sure I did.

And I wished I had asked that old-timer his name.
J