FloydFeast

FloydFeast...an aptly coined title that I can't claim but will use to start this year's look back at what's evolved into a lovingly-crafted treat for all the senses near milepost 170 on the Blue Ridge Parkway every July.  Kris Hodges and his partner-in-dreams Erika Johnson have conceived and brilliantly executed this mountaintop celebration of music and its singular capacity for removing the walls that divide us to reveal the ties that bind.  Over four days on seven stages, the tunes pour out from players of all stripes, a dizzying accomplishment of scouting and scheduling on the part of the fully-engaged Mr. Hodges, his dedicated staff and legions of volunteers.  If you haven't, do take a look at the Website to peruse the rich list of performers. FloydFest is a time of discovery...of music you've never experienced that resonates with what you inherently recognize as well done.  And a generous helping of the familiar favorites.   Throw in the splendid scenery, the blissed-out fans, the creative campsites and the most mouthwatering array of festival food you'll ever find, and you have FloydFest 8...the Revival.  And even though I had to bug out before it was over this year, I'm still full to the brim with great memories and deep admiration and gratitude for all who made it happen.

Much of this year's event was captured in HD by a crew shooting for the Virginia Department of Tourism for a promotional video and maybe a documentary on the phenomenon that is FloydFest.  After a dust settling downpour the night before things got started, the weather was summer-perfect and the festers showed up in big numbers.  Leftover Salmon and String Cheese survivors respectively,Drew Emmitt and Bill Nershi  and their bandmates pulled a fine first-day set on the Dreaming Creek main stage as did Chapel Hill rockers and Floyd-faves The Old Ceremony with front man Django Haskins serving up the proper mix of thoughtful lyrics and rock & roll attitude.  Last year's top popular vote getter among a fertile field of emerging artists, William Walter & Company worked the Hill Holler stage and the main over the weekend.  With tasteful support from lead guitarist Tucker Rogers, bandleader Willie Walter played the crowd like a harp, tossing out t-shirts, CDs and even scanty logo wear just for the ladies.  And the boys can PLAY.  They'll be at Sine here in Richmond on August 21st.  But there are other kinds of front men...

...like the remarkable reverend from the Little David Old Regular Baptist Church just outside of Haysi, Virginia, elder Frank Newsome.  A former coal miner with black lung, he still sings a capella praises to The Lord from his dog-eared songbook with riveting clarity and power.  The Rev. Mr. Newsome sang and talked with old friend Jon Lohman on the Virginia Folklife porch stage and will be coming to share more testimony with us at our Richmond Folk Festival October 9th-11th.

And from my old hometown of Staunton came last year's Telluride Troubadour winner Nathan Moore with a couple of gentle sets of self-made story songs.

New York's stylish and sassy Smart Brothers, Jay and Lou were crowd pleasers with their youthful exuberance and their retro-sounding repertoire.

One of my top discoveries this year was Toronto-based brother band The Sadies, a kind of alt-country Gram Parsons-inspired quartet led by Dallas and Travis Good.  Sporting tailored western-cut suits, they easily proved there was substance as well as style.  Travis' vintage Telecaster even sported a Scruggs-style tuner to facilitate the twang.

I'm realizing I've been ignoring the distaff side of the lineup, so here's daughter of rock-royalty, Levon's daughter Amy Helm with the most excellent group Olabelle, who did a couple of choice tunes penned by their namesake Ola Belle Reed including "High On A Mountain Top" and "I've Endured,"  both popularized by Tim O'Brien.  

Adrienne Young left Little Sadie behind and was back at FloydFest with her new band Old Faithful comprised of Andre Eglevsky on bass, Oliver Craven on fiddle and vocals and another notable offspring, John Starling's son Jay on Dobro.  Her caring spirit shines through all that she does including a coming event celebrating rural ingenuity and craftsmanship starting this Friday called the Backyard Revolution up in Albemarle County.  Click here for more details.  And The Duhks flew south once more from Winnipeg to render a few more of their inspired and ultra-musical sets with Sarah Dugas' soaring vocals and confident stage presence.  Here she shares a knowing smile with banjoist/vocalist Leonard Podolak, who, incidentally was also smiling...trust me.  These guys also packed the Va. Folklife Porch for an informal sit-down set to the delight of the care- and hair-free fans of all ages. 

Another first for me was witnessing the sultry showpersonship (new word too) of Grace Potter.  With her hot band The Nocturnals from the great state of Vermont, Grace rocked through a strong set on the main stage, after waiting for the lights to come back on...literally.  We had a site-wide power outage near the end of Grupo Fantasma's preceding Friday night set and it took nearly two hours to find the off-site breaker responsible.   All stages continued in the old acoustic way.  The whole thing was handled with great aplomb thanks to savvy scrambling by the crew led by production director John McBroom and main stage manager J. P. O'Connor.  A well-oiled machine indeed.

So many logistics, so many talented people executing so well both on stage and off.  And I left out so much.

FloydFest is a living monument to what a good idea can become with proper nourishment.  And it's set to happen again the last weekend in July, 2010.  I hope I'll see you on the Parkway for Love Potion # 9.  Can I get a witness?

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Back down in River City, I'd like to give you some save-the-dates for our JAMinc offerings upcoming:

As Peter, Paul & Mary prepare for what could be a final bow at Wolftrap next month, their two loyal sidemen, bassist Dick Kniss and multi-instrumentalist Paul Prestopino have agreed to re-join old fan and friend George Turman for our first summertime Studio Concert at In Your Ear Recording on August 21st.  Some other special guests you might hope for are in the wings as well.  This should be a memorable evening on many levels and reservations will be available online probably this week.  Check back. 

In September, we've booked harmonica titan Howard Levy, who helped Bela Fleck get the Flecktones started two decades ago (whew!) and is currently dazzling audiences with his musical diversity.  That's on Thursday, the 24th. 

Then in October, we've got two things...on Saturday, the 17th JAMinc and the Virginia Historical Society proudly present Music From the Crooked Road with the Dixie Bee-Liners plus Wayne Henderson & Helen White.  Wayne and Helen played back to back sold out shows for us last year at In Your Ear.  This fall, one of the top contemporary bluegrass bands in the country join the bill in VHS' beautiful Robins Family Forum auditorium on The Boulevard.  And former MerleFest songwriting contest winner Wil Maring and her singer/stringman Robert Bowlin play our In Your Ear Studio Concert Series on Friday, October 30th.

One more...on November 19th at In Your Ear, JAMinc welcomes the winners of Prairie Home Companion's "Great American Duet Sing-Off" held this past spring, Anne & Pete Sibley from the foot of the Tetons out in Wyoming to IYE.  A footnote...autoharpist Bryan Bowers who graced our stage last November underwent successful prostate surgery early this month and is mending nicely.  As we wish him many more years on the road, tune in to Page Wilson's Out O' The Blue Radio Revue this coming Saturday night from 8-10 on WCVE 88.9 FM and hear a generous segment of that magical evening.  Or streaming live here.

This Sunday at Cafe Diem, 600 North Sheppard, some of our best will play tribute to one of their own, our too-soon-departed Gary Gerloff.  Proceeds will benefit an education fund for his two fine kids.  Here's the lineup with times:

        1. Just Dessert 1:00 p.m.

        2. Page Wilson & Reckless Abandon 1:50 p.m.

        3. Dominic Carpin & Armistead Wellford  2:35 p.m.

        4. Terry Garland & Bruce Corson  3:10 p.m.

        5. The Revinyls 3:50 p.m.

        6. DJ Willams Projek 4:25 p.m.

        7. Little Ronnie & Grandukes 5:10 p.m.

        8. Gayle McGee & Nocturns 5:50 p.m.

        9. Charles Arthur Trio 6:30 p.m.

      10. Billy Ray Hatley & The Show Dogs 7:05 p.m.

      11. The Big Guys 7:45 p.m.

      12. The Taters 8:25 p.m.

      13. The Janet Martin Band 9:05 p.m.

      14. Manny Green & Members of the Gary Gerloff band  

Times won't be exact but come early and stay late. 

$15 cover.  There'll be a lot of love in the room, for sure.

And one last thing...noted string player/instructor Adam Larrabee went to his car last week behind Key Signatures on Grove Avenue to get his banjo out of the back seat.  To his surprise the rear passenger window had been broken out and there were now two banjos in there.    So he's selling the extra one.  But seriously folks, Adam does have a nice Stelling five-string for sale at a bargain price.  Contact him at alarrabee@earthlink.net if you're interested, or if you have one you've been trying to ditch.  His back window's still not fixed.

Peace out...T