From What I'm Hearing, . . .

Just a short post today to try and start the long catch up. It's cloudy, misty, and down right soaked after the steady rain that began late yesterday and went through the night.

Some of us were out in that rainy mess last night. First there was the kick-off rally for the American Legion World Series bid that was blessedly scheduled for a dry indoor place. Then there was the marquee lighting at the Don Gibson Theatre, which suffered only from rain. But there's no reason to be inside when you're celebrating turning on the outside lights for the first time in years, now is there?

Both events were so optimistic and future directed for citizens and visitors to our community. Whether it's for folks who want to see great baseball from young adults from all sizes of towns around the nation, or top flight concerts by a wide variety of artists who present a view of our musical heritage, it's about good things to enjoy and value here in Shelby.

By the way, I heard plenty of wonderful music this past weekend at the Art of Sound festival in Uptown Shelby. Man! I don't know who was best. Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade was the biggest surprise for me. But then Balsam Range, Old Ceremony, Unspoken Tradition, Rick Boyles, Kerri Sickenberger, and Elizabeth Cook were all presenting uncommonly fine music.

I didn't hear one band that was bad. But I did hear things I wouldn't normally catch on an average weekend. The most audacious act was Moses Cherry and the Topless Gospel Choir from neighboring Cherryville. No, there was no naked choir, and the lead singer's real name is Isaac, but it was a joyously goofy set that romped all over the history of the American Blues.

Soon we're going to be hearing all sorts of new music. Prick up your ears and let this audio adventure lift you up!

Falling Into UPtown

The weather made a sudden changs about two weeks ago. Daytime high temperatures went from the high 90's to the mid-80's. The quality of light changed dramatically as well. I had noticed that the sunlight was much kinder on the eyes, and even made everything look as if you were viewing a professional photograph.

Fall's light has always been known for a special quality. And it didn't surprise me at all one day last week when I saw three different small groups around Uptown, all carrying cameras. They were out, obviously on assignment from a teacher, taking pictures of each other against backgrounds of brick, peeling paint, and back alleys.

I toyed with urging them to get pictures of the more grand doorways or the columns of the courthouse, but with the speed of our alleyway projects, they should get that gritty urban feel now. Some of the alley's may be years away from landscaping or paving, but I do believe they will all have a clean and cared-for look in the next 12 months.

Over the weekend I met some folks from Belmont at Pleasant City. One said she'd just spoken with her daughter in New York and had asked what she was going to do in the big city tonight. After a bored "I don't know" that sounded like nothing at all, The mother laughed and said with glee, "Well I'm going out to eat some great pizza and listen to a wild band named Jimmy Rehab in Uptown Shelby. I'll be out past midnight, but call if you get bored!"

You know I love hearing things like that. Excitement is where you make it. Just like alley ways that look big city can be found in our own backyard, and high energy rock and roll doesn't need a big arena or converted factory on the edge of Uptown Charlotte either.