Kentucky Bluegrass Festival

It's about a hundred degrees with 99% humidity this weekend.  I almost didn't make it out last night because my friend didn't want to battle the heat.

In a bold move, I ventured out on my own to the Kentucky Bluegrass & Burgoo (like a hamburger chili) Festival down at the Water Tower.  I plaited my hair in a braid, laid down my blanket, and took off my shoes, so hungry to hear the music that reminds me of home.  When a banjo and mandolin play together in harmony, it makes my heart want to dance.

I sent a quick text to a new friend who was a bluegrass novice and he came out to see what thrills so many people about this genre of music.  I started by telling him that it's not country.  And more than anything, there's a mentality that goes along with bluegrass.  It's very natural and organic, built on Southern Hospitality, and encompasses a sense of peace and happiness to live simply.  His friend lamented that he didn't know how to dance to bluegrass so I pointed out the fans at the stage.  This is not a sixth grade dance where you have to do the Dougie (or in my case, the butterfly) perfectly and no one is going to make fun of you when you dance.  Look at that girl, her head is swaying side to side, her arms look like she's about to take off, and her feet are doing a little jig.  Or take that girl, I'm afraid she's going to trip over one of her feet clogging around like that, but she's got it under control and you can tell she's having a good time.  Or take those girls over there, they've got drinks in hand and are really just running in place.  You do whatever the music moves you to do.

Lucky me, I got to hear my old high school friend Bobby Britt play fiddle with Town Mountain, a band out of Asheville, North Carolina.  I caught up with Bobby after the show and we chit chatted about Chapel Hill, Louisville, and the journeys we've been on since we last caught up in the spring.

Come on out the rest of the labor day weekend for more great bluegrass and food!  Tickets are $7 before 6 pm and $10 after.
Sunday:
Custom Made Bluegrass- 5 pm
Relic- 6:15 pm
Hog Operation- 7:30 pm
The Fiddleheads- 9:30 pm

Monday:
Fresh Cut Grass- 1 pm
New Town- 3 pm
The Cumberlands- 5 pm

Chapel Hill townies playing at Jessee's Friday night

A note from one of my good friends, Rob, on upcoming music in town this weekend. He is incredibly talented, as is our friend Dave, and you would be lucky to hear the melodious plucking of strings in their presence. I will be out of town, so that's all the more reason for you to head out and listen to these Chapel Hill boys.

Dear friends,
I hope you are all well and warm these days. Just in case you haven't seen the fliers or read the front-page articles about this in the Independent and New York Times, I wanted to let you know I'll be sharing some music this Friday (February 4th) at Jessee's Coffee and Bar in Carrboro... I think things will start 8:30-9 pm...
Time to go..
Much love,
Rob

Who: Rob Meeker and David Hamilton
What: playing banjo and mandolin
When: Friday Feb 4, 8:30 pm
Where: Jessee's in Carrboro
Why: because they are incredibly talented
How: by foot, by car, by bus, by bike... however you can get there!

Saxapahaw Rivermill Summer Music Series

When town life starts getting too busy and you need to escape to a simpler way of life, just head down Hwy 54 W about 10 miles, take a right, and you'll find yourself in Saxapahaw, NC.
This historic village on the banks of the Haw River is host to Saturdays in Saxapahaw where you can sample the best of the Farmer's Market (including local organic produce, meat, and wineries) and sit on the lawn for the week's best bluegrass band.

Richard & I were fortunate enough to learn our colors, letters, and science lesson form Jimmy Magoo & the Paperhand Puppet band. The kids were bouncing around the lawn like fleas and after about 45 minutes of kiddie songs (read: I like to wear my red pajamas), the mood switched to more of a jam band. My buddy Austin is a very talented percussionist for the Paperhand Puppet band as well as a number of other local bands (in a post near you very soon), so it was nice to support him.
The Carrboro connection is strong out there as I saw several people I know and the instinct to sit and visit comes naturally. Here's the quick & dirty on Saturdays in Saxapahaw.

Yearly on Saturdays - First Weekend of May thru end of August
Farmer's Market 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Music 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sorry No Dogs Allowed
Bring your own food, beverages (koozies to cover up any illicit labels), and blanket/chairs.
There are vendors for BBQ, the crepe ladies, kid's activities (bubbles, a water slide).

Just save me a patch of grass.

Friday on the Front Porch

The quinticential Chapel Hill way to spend your Friday Happy Hour in the summer is at The Carolina Inn for FOFP (Friday on the Front Porch). It's a fairly recent happening in town that started when I was a junior in college. Instead of the typical watering hole, a bluegrass band plays for the hippy children dancing on the lawn, the yo-po's (young professional) fresh off work, the wealthy alumni that don't need to work, and the occassional toolbag resident physician that wears their scrubs out of the hospital (my personal pet peeve-- it's gross-- please don't do it med school and nurse friends!).

I intentionally blocked my work schedule so I could start my weekend off right. Some pretty big moments have happened at FOFP.

- I shared my first FOFP with my beloved college best, Biz (Alicia), which became a weekly staple.
In college we would get home from class and prepare our special concoction of Cheerwine and take the long hike up Cameron Ave to the porch. Sweat dripping from out legs, we always arrived to a packed house, literally standing room only. It's the perfect catapult to a night on Franklin-- start with dinner outside (think Los Pos, R&R, TopO) and stay cool in the night air (weather pending) (think He's Not, Lucy's, Goldie's).

- I wished Chapel Hill good-bye before heading up to New England for a summer. Meet Nasty (Andrew). He's the Starsky to my Hutch, the Blue Steel to my Zoolander, the Lilo to my Stich.

- I officially met Meg, whose friendship would change my way of life in a big way. Keep a look out for our friendiversary coming up.

I remember when we first hung out and after a few short minutes, we both thought, "Um. Why are we not friends yet? That will have to change. This is kind of a big deal."

- Celebrated my first LDOC from Dook. I know, I know. But let's be serious. I'd rather hang out in Chapel Hill than with the antisocialites of Dook.

-Reunion with D.C. after his long drive home. I had no clue what I was in for.

You too could experience Southern culture at its towniest. 5 pm, every Friday. Bring a blanket and an empty belly.