Food Belongs Everywhere

Last winter one of our favorite local establishments, the Chapter House, was destroyed by fire.  Not a great venue for music, but lots of fabulous bands played there anyway, and it was close.  Once I was listening to a Sabres playoff game on the radio and they scored with seconds left to tie it up so I ran up to see the overtime on tv, I got there before the puck was dropped.
They were known for their free popcorn and judging from these pictures, I'd say it didn't all pop in the fire.  Let this crop be a lesson if you think your soil isn't good enough to grow some food.
Anybody want to play a game of pool?  A local claim to fame, we got the last game of pool at the Chappy.

Art Belongs Everywhere

We've got a great Public Art Commission in Ithaca, and some city officials that are willing to accept some creative ideas.  Our new parking czar thought a way to make a parking garage seem less dismal was to have some murals painted in it.  My idea would be to get rid of the cars, but his line of thought was pictures of NASCAR or classic cars.  When the art commission got on the project they went for whatever people wanted to paint.  There's quite a bit of science and personal history of the artist in the top one, some kids in a local art program asked the big question about climate change, flowers melted onto the floor, and an old poem by an African-American girl got illustrated.

Art Belongs Everywhere

When Gail, Bean and I walk to campus in the morning we pass this garage, now we have a reason to go through it.  Bean has started pulling me in that direction on the way home, he likes to chase cats and he's not intimidated by the size.

GrassRoots at 25 Thursday

The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance began back in 1991 and featured 10,000 Maniacs and buckets of rain, I hadn't heard of most of the bands that played, including the host band, Donna the Buffalo.  25 years later I've only missed one festival and am happy to say I'm familiar with many of the bands, become friends with many of the musicians, learned to play banjo, and spent much time with my closest friends because of it.
I volunteered at the first one because I didn't have the $25 for a ticket.  Volunteers did any job that came up over the weekend rather than work on a specific crew like they do now.  That first year I was putting wristbands on people when the gates opened the first time, and was checking in musicians at the Rabbit Run Road gate when the Frank Family arrived from Louisiana. 
Connie and Andy have been putting their camper in Staff Camping area since before I met them in the last century, and Alan has been running the infield set-up and special projects for as long.  It's a treat to be a part of Alan's crew, working with him and Andy, and not just because Connie feeds us.  It turns the festival into so much more, it turns it into a two-week affair actually.
Here's to 25 more years.  Can you imagine?

GrassRoots at 25 Thursday

This year's special project was the same, sort of, as last year; new bathrooms.  One difference in the design was a handicap ramp which I had the honor to attach. 
Last year Mary Ellen attended for a day, she was in a wheelchair at that point, but couldn't use the new bathrooms as they had two steps to get into.  She and I went into the port-o-john a dozen times that day, she was also still doing chemo and had to drink water non-stop.

GrassRoots at 25 Thursday

 There was much excitement and anticipation for Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue this year, in fact Gail mentioned it enough that I even took notice.  Scheduling wasn't in her favor though and she wasn't able to catch it due to an unavoidable work obligation.  From even before it started I got what she was talking about as most of the crowd seemed like they knew what was coming.
It was one of the most exciting sets in my 24 years of the festival.  The bass player was celebrating his birthday, and after they were done he happened to walk by our hang-out and joined us for awhile when we started singing "Happy Birthday" to him.
That's the kind of stuff that's been happening for 25 years at GrassRoots.

GrassRoots at 25 Friday

In addition to Alan leading the infield set-up and special projects he's been pushing hard to introduce politics into the festival.  He had a lot to do with bringing Ben Cohen this year and his campaign to stamp money out of politics.  Ben got a chance to say a few things before Steve Earle's set and someone mistakenly started yelling something at him.  Suddenly Steve came out from behind the curtain and pointed at the guy and yelled, "STFU and listen."  Except he didn't just use the first letter of each word.  He then stood back looking like a bouncer.
Then he played a great set mostly of blues from his new cd.

GrassRoots at 25 Friday

Siblings, Andy and Marylin.
And from last year in almost the identical spot, me and Mary Ellen.

GrassRoots at 25 Friday

Two GrassRoots royalty.  Peter has been stage side in the dance tent for as long as anyone can remember, sharing his cherries soaked in moonshine with all who care for one, or more.  Patsy had her own banner in the dance tent this year wishing her a happy birthday.  Funny, I can't remember if she's 80 or 90.  I was fortunate to meet her at the first GrassRoots in 1991.

GrassRoots at 25 Friday

Quite a bit of space in the Art Barn was dedicated to GrassRoots history.  The first poster proves my memory isn't perfect, I thought it's always been a Four-day festival.  The main gate was manned by this old guy who didn't take any gruff from any dirty hippie or anyone else.  Bubba George;  first year?
That's local music scene writer Jim Cat checking out all 25 posters and program covers they had on display.  I got a picture of him taking a picture but it didn't come out.  Over the course of the weekend I made a point of taking a picture of him getting pictures of the bands.  Got to give Jim a lot of credit for doing what he does so people know how rich our music scene is, same for many dj's on the local radio stations.

GrassRoots at 25 Friday

GrassRoots means lots of time hanging out with friends, much of it at the Ractangle, Connie and Andy's camper.  Wonder how many days collectively we have spent there?
Last fall Gail and I were starting to plan an early summer bike trip which would have possibly meant not working for tickets during set-up so we bought two.  Plans changed,  I gave them to Melissa as a graduation present and she shared the extra with her boyfriend.  They are the young people in all these pictures.  Ran into Darby and Anthony a bunch, Darby was still "at work" once when I saw her, but I don't think she was in this picture.
As you can see in the bottom one, Gail made it too.

GrassRoots at 25 Saturday

No body told Alan, but The Family Stone was on the program this year, he thought it was odd when he walked down to the infield stage and heard someone doing a great cover of one of their songs.  Those covers went on for a couple hours, one smash hit after another.  While Sly isn't performing with them anymore, they still have three original members and Cynthia and Sly's daughter, plus they have a perfect fill-in with Alex Davis on vocals and keys. 

GrassRoots at 25 Saturday

The Blind Spots have become another of my favorite local bands, add Richie in there and look out.  He really got to tear it up by playing with a genuine rock band on banjo, the feedback fit right in.  Then he came back and sat in the shade by the soundboard to see how things sounded from the other side.

GrassRoots at 25 Saturday

For as long as I can remember I've been staying just down the road at Jake and Wendy's.  It's a nice set-up and has gotten better every year.  For instance, we used to have to go in the Fart Barn but now they've modernized.  I had fun with a few signs over the weekend.
They've also added a performance space, GrassRoots Fifth Stage, and put on a Saturday show, I think they call themselves the Ditch Ravens or something.
I got to watch Ellen and Paul's newest addition while they played.

GrassRoots at 25 Saturday

Jim Cat gets another picture of another band, Richie and Rosie.  Someone also got a picture of them that had me in it while I got this video an iconic GrassRoots moment; the crowd singing along to "Ribbons and Bows"

GrassRoots at 25 Saturday

A perk of the job; the kids love me.  Actually it was a bittersweet moment as we convened to toast our lost loves from the last year, Mary Ellen and Leyla.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

Sunday morning has meant the GrassRoots Chamber Orchestra for several years.  A highlight every time.  We'll never forget the year the power went out and they were the one band it didn't make a difference to.
Hey, there's Jim Cat taking another band photo.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

It could be argued that the group that really is responsible for GrassRoots is Bubba George.  They've been playing together since they were teenagers, except Jeb, he was a pre-teen.
And Sunday afternoon is a good time to discover a new sensation, don't know why I haven't been listening to Anna Coogan for all the years she's been playing gigs in the area, but I know I'll be catching some soon.  She rocks, and everybody sounds great with Willie B on drums and pedal bass.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

Top photo:  Jack displays one item turned in to Lost and Found while Tom asks someone what they're looking for.  Over the years I make it a point to stop and tell Jack I've lost something hoping he has it.  A few examples: sleep, my mind, my innocence, the will to go on, fluids, focus, my hearing.  You get the idea.
Below is Mark who I team up with in assembling the infield stage as part of Alan's crew.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

I'd been looking for chalk all weekend when this signboard was put up with nothing written on it.  If I'd found it sooner much confusion could have been avoided.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

Kim, Adam, Jackson and Wyatt only got to be there for Sunday, but they were full of awe by what they saw.

GrassRoots at 25 Sunday

Still looking pretty good after all was said and done.