WPMF2

The music festival I produce on the last Saturday of July each year has come and gone. It was a resounding success.

This year there was a generator for microphones, and it allowed for a bass guitar for the first two acts, and keyboards for the second. Check out the official blog here, and see below for a selection of photos from the five performances:
The performers from top to bottom are:

1. Elizabeth Lorrey (with Kris Lucander on bass)
2. The Rafters (Miki & Dave, with Glenn on keyboards)
3. Almanac Mountain
4. Vanessa Kafka
5. Abbie Barrett

If you ever get the chance to see any (or all) of these amazing musicians live I highly recommend it. Meanwhile, the 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest was even better than the inaugural year's event!

A New Beginning

I broke out the guitar today. I only messed around with it for a few minutes, but the amazingness that occurred at the Wyman's Pond Music Fest I produced has inspired me to be ready to goof around at the beginning of next year's event! I am going to try to practice regularly, beginning this week...

pictured (l to r): Kenneth Budka, me, Vanessa Kafka, Brian Sargent, Carl Puglisi

Zero

The only time I have touched my guitar since I moved on May 30th, was that day: when I packed it into my car at the old place, and then unloaded it here at my new place.

:::hangs head in shame:::

On a kick-ass note: my Wyman's Pond Music Fest has five acts, and is only 5 weeks away! Apparently I am destined to have more success as a festival producer than as a performing musician...

Weekly Update

I practiced Sunday and Monday this past week. Not bad...

Also, I did a ton of work on the Music Fest today. Vanessa Kafka had seen a post I'd made about it and sent me a note, and because she has an open date she asked if she could perform! In addition to making my jaw drop, this toppled several dominoes: E-mails back & forth with her (she is going to play as a duo with her guitarist); I sent invites to Dan Blakeslee and Elizabeth Lorrey; I confirmed Christopher Anthony Cote (under his Almanac Mountain moniker); and it reallllly makes me want to have a song or three ready to go by then (July 31st). Another update next week...

Spring Fever

Over the last few days I'd been thinking about how lax I've been lately with my guitar, and today I finally turned off the TV, and picked it up for a good two hours of practice. It was like I'd never put it down, and I think the time away may have actually done me some good. My chord transitions are smoother, and I even picked up "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" with just a few practice runs. The closer my music festival gets, the more I want to play for a little bit, even if it's just a couple of songs I make up. And finally, I am going to endeavor to practice every day this week, to get a productive rhythm going again. What a good feeling it is, to have not lost any progress...