After dinner Wednesday evening, I decided to catch the end of the Taylor Concert. This is a concert sponsored by Taylor Guitars, and features professional finger-style guitarists. I got there toward the end of Stephen King’s set. Not to be confused with the novelist, this guitarist played primarily popular tunes – especially from the Beatles’ catalogue.
While he was playing, volunteers were handing out tickets for a drawing that would be held at the end of the concert. I’m not sure that the next performer, Chris Proctor, received the audience’s full attention. People were anxious for the drawing, each person hoping he or she would win that Taylor Guitar. Incidentally, the Taylor brand is the "Cadillac" of guitars.
Chris played primarily original material, which I didn’t think was very melodic. He also tried to be humorous, and failed. He seemed to hold the crowd’s attention best with his arrangement of “Nights in White Satin”, on which he used some electronic gadget which altered the sound of his guitar. It sounded like a melatron.
Since storms were still threatening, the concert was being held in a barn. By the time I got there, the crowd was standing room only, and people were packed in the doorway to listen. I had borrowed a small lawn chair from camp, which set only a few inches from the ground. This was less than ideal for a guy close to 6 ft tall, but it was better than standing in place on hard concrete for more than an hour.
I didn’t win the Taylor.
I returned to the camp after wards, and got ready for bed. It was only 11 o’clock or so, which was early by Winfield time, but I was tired. Unfortunately, I had forgotten where I had packed my earplugs, so I slept fitfully as people in neighboring camps jammed. Then the torrent hit around 3 a.m.
I later heard that Winfield received two to three inches of rain that night.
Walked to the showers at 7 Thursday morning. The showers are an interesting set-up. They cost $3 each. There’s 20 showers; two long roofless mobile trailers with 10 showers each. You turn the shower on by pulling a chain; there is no way to keep the shower on constantly, as you would at home. It’s an obviously necessary measure to save water.
One of the trailers has a mirror on the side, so folk can fix their hair. The mirror is relatively sheltered, as it is not visible from the street. There is about a yard and a half of space between the trailers, where this mirror hangs. I went to this space to comb my hair, and who should be blow-drying her long tresses but Sarah!
We had a nice long conversation, of the catching up how’s your job variety. By unspoken agreement, we have not discussed our former romance since it ended two years ago. I believe this unspoken agreement has helped us rebuild our friendship. We probably won’t be able to perform together again. But at least we can be friends.
John was already on the festival grounds, waiting for Sarah to join him for breakfast. I walked her back to her camp, then most of the way to the festival grounds. It’s the longest conversation we’ve had in a year, and I felt very much at ease.
I hope Sarah did, as well.
Went back to camp, had some granola and yogurt for breakfast. Drank camp coffee, and hung out.
Decided it was time to hear some music, so I went to the Grand Stand on the festival grounds. This is one of two places one can go that have guaranteed shade. I knew I had to be extra cautious about dehydration because of the antibiotic. An additional caution, for the same reason, was to stay out of direct sunlight.
I heard Stephen Bennett and Friends, The Waybacks, The Greencards, and No Strings Attached. All in one location, in succession.
Stephen Bennett is a very good finger-style guitarist. His “friends” were a fiddle player, and Stephen’s son. The son is a song writer, and he’s not bad for a 19 year-old (or so).
The Waybacks are a blue grass band. Their lead guitarist can often get overly enthusiastic about his lead playing, but otherwise they’re a very tight group.
The Greencards were one of the few new groups playing at Winfield this year. The four members are quite international: fiddler from Great Britain, bassist from Ireland, rhythm guitarist from Chicago, Illinois. There was also a drummer – maybe from New Zealand or Australia. Very tight blue grass style group.
No Strings Attached plays a wide variety of acoustic music. They never fail to entertain.
After all this, I went to Bill’s camp and joined their jam circle. We played music until 11:00.
Happily, I had found my earplugs earlier. I slept relatively well. At least as well as one can hope for at Winfield.
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