Yet another Folk Festival is being packed up, as I type. The highlight has to be Calexico - those guys rock! I've been listening to their music for years now, but this was the first chance I've had to hear them live. I got a chance to have most of them sign the autograph bear, and I have to say that they are really nice too! The other highlight was Stuart coming for three of the evening stages - my lifelong dream of having a boyfriend willing attend Folk Fest with me has come true.
Wendy McNeill was another great performer. She did most of my favs (missing out on Black Angus) and she also signed the bear. In the great new (to me!) band category, I have to include the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Los Straitjackets, Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet and The Consonant C.
Unfortunately, the Weakerthans and Great Lake Swimmers turned out to be just other versions of Death Cab for Cutie. They are all ok songs individually, but after about 3 in a row I either tune out or go insane. The Sam Roberts Band was also disappointing; one of the multitudes that seem to require that ol' studio magic to sound good.
The weather was also mixed. Despite forecasts earlier in the week calling for warm and dry, we ended up with thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday. The one Sunday afternoon was the best. The lightening strike was so close that just the light made everyone jump and just as we were all laughing at our silliness... KA-BOOM! Thunder so loud that it was like a sonic boom. Everything vibrated. And then the hail came. Wheee!
Overall, I have to say that this festival didn't live up to past events. The evening line-ups were a blatant attempt to attract the young folks and their money. It was more like an alt-rock concert with some folk bands thrown in for justification. On the plus side, none of us was impressed with Conor Oberst and we weren't planning to stay for Ani DiFranco anyway, so at least we got a bit of sleep last night.
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