A belated retrospective of the past week of enhanced musical adventures, starting a week ago tonight when we were thankfully persuaded to make the Mekong scene ostensibly to celebrate the West Broad Vietnamese eatery’s 14th anniversary with a beer-soaked bash to remember, even though mine’s a bit hazy. The draw was all the Belgian draft beer, wings and spring rolls you could consume, a commemorative glass and t-shirt (above) and the clincher, a beefed-up version of Richmond’s potent Modern Grove Syndicate, with Daniel Clarke back on keys and guest sax solos from Samson Trinh. (A side note: Samson’s big band take on the Beatles’ Abbey Road, at least what I’ve heard of it, is remarkable…it’ll be well worth the long wait.) It was a big night on all levels, especially the brew which I wasn’t quite prepared for…the Grande Reserve Chimay Ale for example weighs in at 9% alcohol. Bottom line…the stuff’ll sneak up on you…it took many of us by surprise…I was grateful to have a designated driver. Mekong’s selection of Belgian and world beers is said to be the best in town…behold but beware.
A healing ride up 64 to Staunton on Thursday meant a rendezvous with sister Robyn who was already headed there for Lee High School’s 40th class reunion, and an intimate evening with Middlebrook residents 
Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Group in a cozy black box of a theater on the campus of my sister’s alma mater Mary Baldwin College. Robin and Linda were taping a live DVD with bandmates Jim Watson, Jimmy Gaudreau and Dr. Chris Brashear. Robyn and Tim were enjoying re-discovering their old hometown. The Williamses covered lots of musical turf including a lovingly revived “High Atmosphere,” their m
oving impression of seeing “Maybelle’s Guitar and Monroe’s Mandolin” in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and some heroic homage to Hank Williams thanks to Robin’s take on “Ramblin’ Man” with his bluesy harp work and a stunning mando solo by Mr. Gaudreau. The camaraderie and close harmony that ideally comes with more than 30 years of marriage shone brightly and the performance will be worth anticipating…the DVD is due out by year’s end.
We heard a lot of buzz from Stauntonians in the audience that night about the new upscale restaurant/music hall being carved out of an old downtown corner building. Robyn and I 
stumbled on the construction zone on West Beverley during a post-breakfast walk the next morning and were excited to find the Mockingbird, billed as offering “Artisan Fare and Roots Music” well underway. We got to talk with owner/proprietor Wade Luhn who was cagey about the level of talent he’s planning to book, but with a 160-seat dedicated listening room (above) and former Richmond chef Lee Gregory (Six Burner) in the kitchen, my gut says this guy’s gonna do things right and there may be a good many Queen City road trips in our future. Breaking news…a fire starting in a trash can in the music hall on Sunday did some serious damage that will set back the opening but some hard work and insurance money should keep things on track. And a chocolate malted for the road from Wright’s Dairy Rite was the perfect postlude.
We had to get back to set up for our 7th sold-out JAMinc/In Your Ear Studio Concert in a row, as seasoned PP&M players Dick Kniss and Paul Prestopino made th
eir tedious way south on I-95 to join George Turman and Daniel Clarke once again for an emotional tribute to the folk legends who would likely do their last command performance at Wolf Trap the next night, sans Mary Travers. Enduring friend Libby Dunton was also on hand to add her signature harmonies. If you missed the music and the memories, stay tuned for a replay on Page Wilson’s Saturday night show down the road.
The finale to our four-day t
our meant another run west up to the Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company near Wintergreen for the 1st annual Brew Ridge Trail Music Festival. If you remember, Saturday was a bit soggy and a steady drizzle when we rolled in and the realization that you could see and hear the main stage from the terrace of the very nice and dry restaurant nearby, moved us to sit under an umbrella sipping craft brew and nibbling on nachos and wings all day. William W
alter and his guitar man Tucker Rogers, along with Jesse Harper, Darrell Muller & Trey Pollard and the Infamous Stringdusters (right) were in top form as the crowd grew throughout the day and the rain went away. The solo CD Jesse Harper & His Best Intentions is finally out and in a generous marketing gesture, he’s letting us download it for whatever we want to pay…let your conscience be your guide. Click here for details and follow the golden rule.
Conserving sufficient energy for our final stop wasn’t easy, but thanks to my perennially patient road pal, with some difficulty we found Bel Rio on Monticello Road (not Avenue), a new place in the up-and-coming Belmont section of Charlottesville, where newgrass rockers Cadillac Sky were holding forth. The boys came to play and the crowd
was more than appreciative. They have a new 5-song EP entitled Weary Angel that you can get for free here with a t-shirt order. And you can watch their latest video, a cover of Death Cab For Cutie’s, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” here. We’re working on getting them back to R’town in November.
More breaking news…good news this time: the Robbin Thompson Band is reuniting for a handful of shows to 
reprise their breakthrough album Two B’s Please from almost 30 years ago, starting at the National on November 27th. RT plus Velpo Robertson, Eric Heiberg, Audie Stanley and Bob “Rico” Antonelli are honing their highly-evolved skills to perform the best-selling project in its entirety…in its original sequence. As solid as “Brite Eyes,” “Candy Apple Red,” and yes, “Sweet Virginia Breeze” were back then, it should be a powerful experience to hear what these songs have become with all that accumulated musical wisdom. We’ll let you know when tickets go on sale.
Here’s a save the date…they’re inducting the inimitable Sammy Shelor into the VFMA’s Hall of Fame at the Chesterfield Fairgrounds on September 18. It’s a well-deserved honor for Virginia’s five-string stylist who’s guided the Lonesome River Band back into the bluegrass limelight. Details to come. And don’t miss the cool corn maze that Sam and wife Sue have created again this year up near Meadows of Dan. It opens September 5th.
We’re well into our second hundred posts here and we’re grateful for your readership, input and nice words. They mean a lot…TT
(Turman & Friends photos by Charlie Dunton. The awesome early Robin & Linda photo from their personal collection)
