Not even close! Weekend before last I ran around between volunteering for Art of Sound, and listening to the performances of as many as I could fit in. I missed a few that I really wanted to see or heard about from other folks.
My biggest surprise was The Old Ceremony from Chapel Hill. I guess it would be labeled as Indie Rock, but those guys were alternately soft and lyrical or loud and driving fast. There were marimbas, and I bet they called it a violin instead of a fiddle. I especially liked that they were performing in Blanton Hall at First National.
I did get to listen to my old favorites Slate Mountain Ramblers and traveled back to my homeplace and childhood through music with the Bowman family that I’ve been hearing for the better part of my life it seems. If I hadn’t been raised by seriously sober minded Quakers and Baptists I’d probably have been dancing. But Shelby was spared that awful spectacle.
I’m hoping we can keep the quality of the music performers this high going forward and get the word out so more folks will take advantage of the variety and fun this festival brings to town.
Now, this past weekend was a completely different celebration. The Shelby Fall Festival & Liver Mush Expo combine our own Uptown Shelby Association and the folks at Travel & Tourism to create what turned out to be a really nice day of fun, kid-sized spectacles, tasty treats, farmers market and more.
The day began with clouds, but things warmed up and folks came out in good numbers. I’m going to say that we had almost 2,000 folks in total. Mayor Ted Alexander delivered the Liver Mush Proclamation for the City of Shelby, and we even had major national media present. Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods on Travel Channel was here to sample our local delicacies, and we’re hoping to see Shelby on TV sometime early in 2009. There was old fashioned ice cream from a paddle-style maker that was powered by an old John Deere motor. Plus Sundrop and Cheerwine. We ran the popcorn popper and gave away a few hundred bags to kids of all ages.
I think we’re already feeling in our bones that next year’s Liver Mush Expo will be bigger and better, and we’re always ready to expand the fun crafts for children and make pets a part of the show. I saw some fine looking dogs Uptown on Saturday. Maybe next year I can bring mine.
Now it’s time to do another newsletter, get ready to enjoy the Art Gallery Crawl on Thursday and then Hog Happenin’ on the weekend. Never a dull moment it seems!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Too many temptations, but the music wins out!
October can be the cruelest month, with apologies to T.S. Elliott. It’s not the kind of cruelty to be dreaded or cause me to hide out. No the cruelty in October is the weather and all the things to do with our dwindling time. And great events too. Seems like every time I turn around or answer the phone there’s something else really interesting but it’s the same weekend as something else I’ve got to [gladly] attend.
There are several things this weekend all over the western third of NC that could tempt me out, but I won’t have to drive any. Instead, three blocks into Uptown and I’ll be in the middle of Art of Sound. Some of the artists will be new to me, others like Acoustic Syndicate, Michael Reno Harrel and Jim Lauderdale I’ve been hearing on radio and in concert for quite a while. But well over 22 artists I’ve never heard! It’ll be good for the ears.
I’m especially looking forward to hearing the Slate Mountain Ramblers who hail from the ‘hills and hollers’ around my hometown of Mt. Airy. A local friend tells me most folks around here have probably not heard much of what gets labeled Old Time String Band that took root up that way before and after the Civil War. That’s when we had all kinds of Scots-Irish, British, African, German Moravians, city-folk and country dwellers, all bumping into each other in that boisterous period. It took a few decades to brew a more refined thing like the early Bluegrass sound that began here, in Galax and Bristol in Virginia, Mt. Airy and then somehow got on to records and then radio in Nashville.
So, even when there’s a great little wine festival up in the northern foothills, I’ll dodge the cruelty of schedules and fall colors and great weather to stay home and feed the soul with some great listening. It's all in the streets, landmark buildings, and minds of folks here in Uptown Shelby. See y’all there!
There are several things this weekend all over the western third of NC that could tempt me out, but I won’t have to drive any. Instead, three blocks into Uptown and I’ll be in the middle of Art of Sound. Some of the artists will be new to me, others like Acoustic Syndicate, Michael Reno Harrel and Jim Lauderdale I’ve been hearing on radio and in concert for quite a while. But well over 22 artists I’ve never heard! It’ll be good for the ears.
I’m especially looking forward to hearing the Slate Mountain Ramblers who hail from the ‘hills and hollers’ around my hometown of Mt. Airy. A local friend tells me most folks around here have probably not heard much of what gets labeled Old Time String Band that took root up that way before and after the Civil War. That’s when we had all kinds of Scots-Irish, British, African, German Moravians, city-folk and country dwellers, all bumping into each other in that boisterous period. It took a few decades to brew a more refined thing like the early Bluegrass sound that began here, in Galax and Bristol in Virginia, Mt. Airy and then somehow got on to records and then radio in Nashville.
So, even when there’s a great little wine festival up in the northern foothills, I’ll dodge the cruelty of schedules and fall colors and great weather to stay home and feed the soul with some great listening. It's all in the streets, landmark buildings, and minds of folks here in Uptown Shelby. See y’all there!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hump Day?
Wednesday—is it hump day or the low point? Rainy and dreary, good and bad, like life alright.
We were out briefly with Mayor Alexander this afternoon, on the west side of Uptown Shelby, and decided to go by New Jerusalem Church. One TV news crew was on site when we arrived and another arrived a few minutes later. The Mayor spoke with both about the tragedy of the fire, something he feels doubly as a working preservationist and civic leader. He spoke of the need for churches to come together in times like this, as the central role of churches is being leaned upon more heavily in most communities here.
I think we’re beginning to see that working together is going to be a stronger theme in the months ahead, whether it’s the work we do here at Uptown Shelby Association, neighborhood revitalization, school improvements, or business recruitment. I’m ready. I don’t think I’m too far ahead of the trends on this one either.
The next few days ought to be looking up a bit with the return of cool, clear fall weather. That and some good food for thought with the Destination Cleveland County presentation of initial findings for the Earl Scruggs Center-Music and Stories of the Carolina Foothills on Sunday at the Arts Council on Court Square. That ought to be a great warm-up for Art of Sound the following week. Now that will be something to liven up my ears!
We were out briefly with Mayor Alexander this afternoon, on the west side of Uptown Shelby, and decided to go by New Jerusalem Church. One TV news crew was on site when we arrived and another arrived a few minutes later. The Mayor spoke with both about the tragedy of the fire, something he feels doubly as a working preservationist and civic leader. He spoke of the need for churches to come together in times like this, as the central role of churches is being leaned upon more heavily in most communities here.
I think we’re beginning to see that working together is going to be a stronger theme in the months ahead, whether it’s the work we do here at Uptown Shelby Association, neighborhood revitalization, school improvements, or business recruitment. I’m ready. I don’t think I’m too far ahead of the trends on this one either.
The next few days ought to be looking up a bit with the return of cool, clear fall weather. That and some good food for thought with the Destination Cleveland County presentation of initial findings for the Earl Scruggs Center-Music and Stories of the Carolina Foothills on Sunday at the Arts Council on Court Square. That ought to be a great warm-up for Art of Sound the following week. Now that will be something to liven up my ears!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday morning
Returned from the Rural Center's annual forum in Raleigh, and it confirmed I was at home. I'm still seeing things that I love, things that I'd love to polish up a little, and a few things that really need some work. No, I'm not talking about my home! But I still felt better about being back than on the road. That's a good sign.
Some ideas that floated to the top at the conference were creation of a bakery (breads, bagels, pretzels, cookies, and maybe even cakes) with goods to be sold in stores throughout the county. And do it on a scale that puts between 10 and 20 people to work.
Another idea is to develop an alternative energy operation of some sort. Perhaps a solar wafer manufacturing plant, or maybe a plant that manufactures wind turbines. I would like for us to be playing a role in the development of energy altnernatives, and I think it helps spur along the adoption rate for new technology bya wider range of people.
One idea many people don't seem to be exploring much outside Asheville and the surrounding zone of cool towns is live music as a way to make a place more interesting and vital. It doesn't need to be a saloon, but a listening room would make a great addition to our local scene, Anyone want to help on that?
Be well.
Wade
Some ideas that floated to the top at the conference were creation of a bakery (breads, bagels, pretzels, cookies, and maybe even cakes) with goods to be sold in stores throughout the county. And do it on a scale that puts between 10 and 20 people to work.
Another idea is to develop an alternative energy operation of some sort. Perhaps a solar wafer manufacturing plant, or maybe a plant that manufactures wind turbines. I would like for us to be playing a role in the development of energy altnernatives, and I think it helps spur along the adoption rate for new technology bya wider range of people.
One idea many people don't seem to be exploring much outside Asheville and the surrounding zone of cool towns is live music as a way to make a place more interesting and vital. It doesn't need to be a saloon, but a listening room would make a great addition to our local scene, Anyone want to help on that?
Be well.
Wade
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Milestones
Roughly one month ago I moved here to start work at Uptown Shelby Association. No one ever knows what is going to happen with a new job, but I have to admit that I made the decision with a good bit of good feeling about how this place looked and how I felt about the people I'd met. I didn't know about the old tag line of "City of Pleasant Living" until well after I have moved in.
I've been struck by how compact and yet full-featured the Uptown is. Other than a few trips to the super market and a little sightseeing around the county, I've mostly stayed within the official confines of Uptown and the historic districts around the edge. Plenty of interesting restaurants and gathering places, folks to meet and talk with. And events to get me out for more than just taking the dog for a walk.
Art of Sound is coming and I can't wait! I don't have to drive all the way to Asheville or Merlefest to hear a wide variety of great regional music. And with the groundbreaking for the Gibson Theater this week, there's a strong promise of a steady stream of great performers to keep our ears alive here in Uptown. Think I lucked out!
I've been struck by how compact and yet full-featured the Uptown is. Other than a few trips to the super market and a little sightseeing around the county, I've mostly stayed within the official confines of Uptown and the historic districts around the edge. Plenty of interesting restaurants and gathering places, folks to meet and talk with. And events to get me out for more than just taking the dog for a walk.
Art of Sound is coming and I can't wait! I don't have to drive all the way to Asheville or Merlefest to hear a wide variety of great regional music. And with the groundbreaking for the Gibson Theater this week, there's a strong promise of a steady stream of great performers to keep our ears alive here in Uptown. Think I lucked out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
