I can only hope that the Father of Sebastian was reunited with his young son very quickly as that was a little disconcerting when a three year old disappears. Fairfax is a beautiful town and he must have been found safely thereafter.

   After the set I quickly went up to catch the end of a Drake High School rock band called 'The Panic' at the EcoFest portion they were supposed to be playing but at the rear of the Pavilion outside where another small stage had been set up. Denali Gillaspie was performing solo without her band. I was hoping the band might be suitable to open up for Bonnie Hayes at the San Anselmo Arts Festival this summer.

   Denali is a lovely young woman with some genuine musical presence. Very good voice I only heard a few tunes. Her own work particularly 'Bracelets and Bandaids' is the type of material that seems to separate the generations for I have forgotten what the depth of adolescent pain and suffering can be about and when I hear Alanis or Denali singing of their pain, suicidal tendencies, arggh! get over it I say.. sometimes in my realm of middle-aged denial I don't want to listen.. It's a chord that I can't relate to... and yet how can I deny the courage and the reality. Can't. It's strong stuff not easy for me but hey it's all about Denali her work is moving. I was being  moved every which way strangely as I drank my lovely IPA and leaned up against the tree listening and I could watch out on the little league field where a game was in progress in the background. The kids were cheering and Denali was singing a song she says her Mom taught her... I guess that must be that Joni Mitchell tune...

    I am listening but I am not listening i hear it all and am not paying attention out on the field some little kid has hit the ball good and I guess the bases were loaded and I watch as he charges on, rounds second
base and these are little kids and you know there is something about the chaos of kids playing baseball and he is heading for third but the big looping throw bounces past the third basemen and the kids are screaming over there and he charges right on to home plate but the ball bounces off the fence 5 feet behind the thirdbaseman and he has it real quick and wheels and throws pretty darn good to home plate 
and in the swirl of dust as catcher and runner collide.... and he is safe and squeals and cheers and the umpire got it right...
 

    Denali is still singing and all this is going on. I don't know why...man I started losing it and I guess I'll just blame it all on Denali's beautiful voice. I had a tear trickling down my cheek and then a couple more and holy cow get out of here you fool I say to myself as I walk off thinking holy cow I'm having a nervous breakdown! I did for a second or two walked away took me a minute for that to pass. Wow old man! 
  
    What a beautiful landscape photo that would have been the stage set-up the small audience and the panorama of the ball game in the background.

     She's got the gig if she wants it she can bring the band I will check in with Bonnie.

     This afternoon is just beginning.

     Back at the mainstage there is a band called Soul Pie. Rudy had given me the heads up this was a band that was going to blow me away. Another kid band. All Drake high students. Absolutely. 4 piece band keys, bass, guitar and drums. Perfect. They have there sound very very very polished. Very very strong. Pretty straightforward they are all fine musicians pretty much the basics for what you need to have a fine band. Bluesy grooves with the guitarist coming up with Santana like voicing and the young man on the B3 keyboards doing a very fine quality blues vocals. Had it all working and I notice the set of congas on stage and no one playing them and I couldn't help but notice a familiar face backstage looking on as this band played nodding in admiration. no I wasn't surprised when Michael Carabello the great percussionist and sideman with Santana was introduced.. Not surprised but certainly delighted and he took a moment to
tell the crowd at his pleasure and surprise to recognize the young drummer as being a percussion student of his from 7 years ago and what a pleasure it was to be playing with the band. They proceeded to rip through Jingo and Oye Como Va and I hope the crowd realized what an experience they were getting an awesome tribute to the great band with Michael Carabello playing, Michael remains in absolutely perfect musical shape, the drum solo by the young man was amazing, yes very similar to Michael Shrieve 's work remember Woodstock the movie?! Don't forget that one. That Santana performance talking about/. Anyways amazing work good work solid band. I am glad I didn't bring my camera because there weren't enough dancers and I was happy being one working with a hot and rocking band. There's some footage out there I still might have it here for you. These guys are 10th and 11th graders in Drake High School. Wow!
They have a manager now... They don't need any suggestions from me but I'll give it anyways...Just be a young band.. play play and play don't go chasing off for get rich quick concepts... as I say don't listen to me.
                                
   That was it for me a beautiful day just beginning and I had to go to my Day Job.. missed Tom Finch's Purple Band I am sure there show was awesome. The Sorrentino's many years and still no see.

   Tomorrow finally I have the full day off and will stay down there and shoot some footage of Surreal and maybe the Diamonds no guarantees for anyone else that includes Chrome. I want to be free. Life is short don't you know there are all kind of tyrannies in this world the ones you yourself are responsible for are the one's you really got to fight against. Dream on.
                            

  feel free to say hello at anytime guy@bandlands.com

 

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