In our crazy Canuck climate, summer, as usual, flies by far too quickly. All fall, winter and spring we dream of a multitude of great things we’re going to do over the upcoming summer and, depending on how early the weather gods’ decide to let us get into our shorts and birks, we rush off, franticly trying to fit all those dreams in what is really a few scant weeks.
Stewart Park Festival again drew hordes of people from all over. A tremendous Thank You goes out to all the committee members, but especially the great group of Volunteers who showed up, ran around in the rain most of Thursday and Friday to help get the park ready. Everyone’s positive vibes and energy was rewarded with the rain ceasing about 3pm so we could get acts up and running @ 4pm. What you won’t know was we were about 15 minutes away from calling off Friday’s mainstage events due to the amount of water. But luck was with us and we were able to welcome home James McKenty who presented a great set, Ottawa’s Fiftymen, Jim Bryson and Lynn Miles carrying us musically into a wonderful clear night of After Hours.
It was wonderful to get the Acoustic Stage up and running on Saturday after it was rained out on Friday. Thanks to Perth Cabinet Company and Giant Tiger we now have a good size stage to present the magic that always happens when various players get a chance to jam together. These are the “one of ” events that often make festivals so memorable and it appears an ever increasing crowd is finding this magical oasis every year. Other notable acts for me were Mihirangi, Justin Rutledge, Kellylee Evans and of course Alexander’s Big Time Band, who played in memory of “Mitch”, Wendy Laut’s mom. Music …. Mmmmmmm….. Good!!!
I trust people will continue to support our festival by buying the Festival Compilation CD that is available from the www.stewartparkfestival.ca website. What a great way to share the memories of the festival with friends and family for birthdays and Christmas, while quantities last.
Those who know me know that following the festival my family and I retire to our secluded camp to remember our names, rest up sitting around the ol’ campfire and getting in some major R & R. Our site doesn’t have power so we sparingly run a couple of lights off a rechargeable battery, as well as a small stereo. While sitting by the fire late one night I was reminded of just what constantly improving technology was allowing me to do.
A couple of years ago I found a couple of cassette tapes in a back drawer of the bar band Doc Savage, whom I’d gone to high school with and had recorded through their sound board some 33 years previous. Another high school crony, Keith White has a small recording studio outside Barrie where he and his nephew Roman took the tapes, ran them through electronic wizardry and put 3 cleaned up cuts onto a CD which I was able to put into my disc man and be transported back 33 years by Doc Savage’s creative juices. Talk about taking me back. What music will do ….
Speaking of “old times”, my far better half and I attended Festival of Friends in Hamilton for their first 25 years, it being an annual event our kids grew up on, hearing great singer / songwriters. One of the first free folk festivals, it always had a great giving spirit, hosted in a large downtown park, with multiple stages, great artisan craft areas, a kids area and international foods. We would meet our old friends and their kids yearly there from the Niagara, Hamilton, Burlington and Toronto area’s, often over 40 people grouping together, sharing food, child care responsibilities, the past years’ events while enjoying feature acts under the stars at the main stage.
This year my kids and I attended their 32 Annual event and, my, how things have changed. Somehow that “free spirit” feeling was erased quickly by corporate hubbubs hocking phones, credit cards, a noisy midway, a karaoke area who’s sound nearly overtook the main stage, a “craft area” virtually devoid of artisans, now replaced with copious amounts of imports. Picture ice cream trucks parked on either side of the main stage area, their refrigeration units growling, in stereo and in competition with sound from the acts on stage. In spite of this, our own Kate Weekes and herYukon based trio treated folks beautifully as did David Francey and Lynn Miles. I did get to see Don McLean perform American Pie and Vincent, two of my favourites from his catalogue. A solid writer. Our group slipped to only 8 and, as one proud mother friend showed me her son’s wedding pictures between sets, I was reminded how things just don’t stay the same.
From my vantage point on Saturday, it appears as though many Perthites braved the cool temperatures and attended the first Westport Music Festival where nine bands performed on three stages throughout the town. Stage locations were beautiful, maximizing views of the water at two of them, while tucking an acoustic venue subtly off the beaten path for quiet enjoyment. I thoroughly enjoyed the energy and set list of Spencer Evans Trio who I understand play on Thursday evenings at The Cove. It was a treat as well to hear our old friend Georgette Fry and her trio of stand up bass and piano. She’s got a stellar new CD out called “Back In a Moment” that proves she just keeps getting better. A couple of her tunes left many a damp eye. Congratulations to the Westport Arts Council. Impressive.
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