Falcon Ridge!
Sarah and I just got back from the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival last night. I hadn't been able to go for two years (a wedding and then Nana's service) so it was absolutely glorious to dive into that world again after missing it for so long. And it was even better to get to see it through the eyes of a wondrous first-timer (Sarah) along the way.
The weather was very off-and-on; it rained like heck on Friday, was super hot on Saturday, but Sunday was absolutely perfect (warm but not beastly hot, lightly overcast so no blaring sun, and a nice steady breeze). However, that's Falcon Ridge, and nobody let the gray and wet dampen their spirits! We love the mud! We are ONE with the mud!! Between umbrellas, rain coats, sunscreen and lots of cold water, we kept ourselves comfortable and got to see all the music we wanted (with the sad exception of the New Artists Showcase on Friday afternoon - it was pouring rain and we had just set up our tent, so we decided not to try and venture to the stage area in the downpour).
Many of my favorite artists were returning this year after a hiatus that matched my own, so that was lovely. Sarah had heard some of the songs I had played for her before, so she was already a fan of many performers. We found lots of new bands and singers that we both liked as well! Between the two of us we bought 19 CDs... 19!!!! Got four of them autographed, too. And what I love about Falcon Ridge (and folk artists in general) is that they are such nice, normal people, and even if there's a line in the signing tent they will stay and talk with you for a good five minutes, keeping the conversation going even when you feel you should maybe move along for the next fans! We met Nerissa and Katryna Nields, Ellis, Martyn Joseph (an amazing singer from Wales, he flew across the pond just for this festival!) and Dala, a delightful duo of girls from Toronto who have gotten a LOT of praise in the local folk circles this year. They lived up to their name - beautiful harmonies!! 3 of the CDs we bought were theirs. :-)
The warm community atmosphere was about what I remembered, too, although I could see that in the two years since my last visit they have had to adapt a few rules as the darker sides of people have crept in. Example: they used to go on the honor system for lost tickets, but some people were selling them online, so now you have to buy new tickets at the gate (although they do have a system for you to get a refund if you mail in your original tickets). I actually learned that because as we were getting off the freeway I realized I'd left the tickets on my desk at home!! And I guess the policy they have now is both smart for them and fair to us, although it's a sign to me that the warm-fuzzy, trust-everybody attitude cannot prevail indefinitely, no matter where you are. One dumb, selfish person can poke a hole in the entire enterprise.
This concept was again shown to me in the one scuffle I saw all weekend, in the seating area at the main stage. It's a grassy hillside where people can put down tarps and bring beach chairs. The festival has designated areas where you can only have low-backed chairs (so everyone can see) and places where you are not allowed to have umbrellas and canopies. We were sitting in the high-backed chair area, which is in front of the canopy line, and a lovely first-timer couple was sitting to our left. The guy in front of them was holding a bug umbrella, presumably for sun protection (it was quite bright and hot that day!). The man beside us finally said to the umbrella dude, "sir, you know that nobody behind you can see the stage?" and the umbrella dude barked, without even turning around, "other people are doing it!!" (which, to his credit, was true, but still....). The man next to us said, "it's just very inconsiderate" and the umbrella dude barked again "then MOVE!!". The man next to us finally did pick up his chair and move to the other side of us where he could see. Umbrella dude and his wife were in their late 60s, and neither of them seemed to be in their element at the festival. No smiles, no claps, no moving with the music. Granted, I'm in no position to judge, but really, that kind of attitude just doesn't last at the festival. A regular festival-goer would have moved themselves (and their umbrella) up above the canopy line.
But enough of that.
What I love most about Falcon Ridge (besides the music), and what I experienced frequently, was easy conversations with strangers. In the lines for food, at the craft booths, in the audience between songs, at the campsites, people just struck up simple conversations and smiled at each other. There was a general expectation of good in each person, rather than a suspicion or fear of the unknown. We were all just human beings, here to enjoy life and the beauty of nature and the joy of music and the warmth of community and unity. Of course, being surrounded by happy gay couples, rainbow flags, tie-dyed tapestries, batik skirts, handmade jewelry, children in woven dresses from Tibet, that all helped with the atmosphere too (and made me feel very much among "my people"!) Thankfully, that was the overwhelming majority of the time, and it drowned out any scuffles with grumpy old curmudgeons who didn't understand what the whole thing was really about.
Sarah and I had a great time together - it really is fun to go WITH someone! I'd come to the festival as part of larger groups before, and had a "tribe" with a big tarp at the main stage, which was wonderful, but this was different. It was Sarah's and my first time camping together, and the ease with which we set up the tent, battled the rain, outlasted the sun, carried all the gear to and from the stages, made and shared the food, etc. was really lovely. I get frequent reminders of what a great partner she is, and it is so marvelous to have yet another fantastic memory together. She was so excited the whole time, and we already can't wait to go back next year!!
For now, we get to spend the ten days it's going to take to rip all these CDs onto our computers... :-)
The weather was very off-and-on; it rained like heck on Friday, was super hot on Saturday, but Sunday was absolutely perfect (warm but not beastly hot, lightly overcast so no blaring sun, and a nice steady breeze). However, that's Falcon Ridge, and nobody let the gray and wet dampen their spirits! We love the mud! We are ONE with the mud!! Between umbrellas, rain coats, sunscreen and lots of cold water, we kept ourselves comfortable and got to see all the music we wanted (with the sad exception of the New Artists Showcase on Friday afternoon - it was pouring rain and we had just set up our tent, so we decided not to try and venture to the stage area in the downpour).
Many of my favorite artists were returning this year after a hiatus that matched my own, so that was lovely. Sarah had heard some of the songs I had played for her before, so she was already a fan of many performers. We found lots of new bands and singers that we both liked as well! Between the two of us we bought 19 CDs... 19!!!! Got four of them autographed, too. And what I love about Falcon Ridge (and folk artists in general) is that they are such nice, normal people, and even if there's a line in the signing tent they will stay and talk with you for a good five minutes, keeping the conversation going even when you feel you should maybe move along for the next fans! We met Nerissa and Katryna Nields, Ellis, Martyn Joseph (an amazing singer from Wales, he flew across the pond just for this festival!) and Dala, a delightful duo of girls from Toronto who have gotten a LOT of praise in the local folk circles this year. They lived up to their name - beautiful harmonies!! 3 of the CDs we bought were theirs. :-)
The warm community atmosphere was about what I remembered, too, although I could see that in the two years since my last visit they have had to adapt a few rules as the darker sides of people have crept in. Example: they used to go on the honor system for lost tickets, but some people were selling them online, so now you have to buy new tickets at the gate (although they do have a system for you to get a refund if you mail in your original tickets). I actually learned that because as we were getting off the freeway I realized I'd left the tickets on my desk at home!! And I guess the policy they have now is both smart for them and fair to us, although it's a sign to me that the warm-fuzzy, trust-everybody attitude cannot prevail indefinitely, no matter where you are. One dumb, selfish person can poke a hole in the entire enterprise.
This concept was again shown to me in the one scuffle I saw all weekend, in the seating area at the main stage. It's a grassy hillside where people can put down tarps and bring beach chairs. The festival has designated areas where you can only have low-backed chairs (so everyone can see) and places where you are not allowed to have umbrellas and canopies. We were sitting in the high-backed chair area, which is in front of the canopy line, and a lovely first-timer couple was sitting to our left. The guy in front of them was holding a bug umbrella, presumably for sun protection (it was quite bright and hot that day!). The man beside us finally said to the umbrella dude, "sir, you know that nobody behind you can see the stage?" and the umbrella dude barked, without even turning around, "other people are doing it!!" (which, to his credit, was true, but still....). The man next to us said, "it's just very inconsiderate" and the umbrella dude barked again "then MOVE!!". The man next to us finally did pick up his chair and move to the other side of us where he could see. Umbrella dude and his wife were in their late 60s, and neither of them seemed to be in their element at the festival. No smiles, no claps, no moving with the music. Granted, I'm in no position to judge, but really, that kind of attitude just doesn't last at the festival. A regular festival-goer would have moved themselves (and their umbrella) up above the canopy line.
But enough of that.
What I love most about Falcon Ridge (besides the music), and what I experienced frequently, was easy conversations with strangers. In the lines for food, at the craft booths, in the audience between songs, at the campsites, people just struck up simple conversations and smiled at each other. There was a general expectation of good in each person, rather than a suspicion or fear of the unknown. We were all just human beings, here to enjoy life and the beauty of nature and the joy of music and the warmth of community and unity. Of course, being surrounded by happy gay couples, rainbow flags, tie-dyed tapestries, batik skirts, handmade jewelry, children in woven dresses from Tibet, that all helped with the atmosphere too (and made me feel very much among "my people"!) Thankfully, that was the overwhelming majority of the time, and it drowned out any scuffles with grumpy old curmudgeons who didn't understand what the whole thing was really about.
Sarah and I had a great time together - it really is fun to go WITH someone! I'd come to the festival as part of larger groups before, and had a "tribe" with a big tarp at the main stage, which was wonderful, but this was different. It was Sarah's and my first time camping together, and the ease with which we set up the tent, battled the rain, outlasted the sun, carried all the gear to and from the stages, made and shared the food, etc. was really lovely. I get frequent reminders of what a great partner she is, and it is so marvelous to have yet another fantastic memory together. She was so excited the whole time, and we already can't wait to go back next year!!
For now, we get to spend the ten days it's going to take to rip all these CDs onto our computers... :-)