A double header today with RockRoots, and my friend Wayne Smith sitting in for Donnie, in Northern Jersey, and an afternoon double, as well.  Two 400 kids/per shows, the first from a neighboring ES (Hillside), and the second for 5-8 grades.  Nice stage and good vibes for both shows.  I had a brief interaction with a punk 4th grader, (sheesh…) but Kevin set me straight.  A long trip of ~180 miles but we were appriciated.

Back to PA for a radio show…

Not satisfied to rest on the day’s work, I headed down to Terra Cafe for the open mike, and hang with today’s youth.  I did Smokin’ Babies, Barrelhouse and Cut Across Shorty and surprised some kids with my playing.  I love sneaking up on them.  Back to Godfrey’s to journal, with no gigs til Wednesday.

A full day with an am and a pm assembly at a rural school north of Bath, PA.  The early show was for the K – 2nd grade, and they are always a delightful group of kids and teachers.  The principal remarked that he had never heard such laughter in the school before, and said that that meant they were learning, too.

I checked in at Martin Guitar, in nearby Nazareth, to check on my Martin Macheche ‘Sustainable Woods’ guitar that I have temporarily repo-ed from my daughter, and they did some nice tweeking to it.

I headed back for my second set with 3rd – 6th grades, a more difficult age group, packed into the lunch room.  They were sittin’ in the aisles.  A good group thought the 6th graders were much more reserved.  It was a hoot anyway.

I delighted in playing at Godfrey’s Open Mike with my friend Joe Janci as host and spotlight set.  His trio is soooo fine – good songs, nice harmony.  Cool.  I did three songs (unaware of the two song limit) with Don’t Call Me Early in the Morning (nice back and forth with the sincerity of the folks response), an abridged version of Voodoo Chile (with chuckles in the back), and It’ll Be Me with Ansel on harp (a very nice and laid-back presentation).  Intense, but good to flex my performance muscles.   Tomorrow is a big day in Moore Township.

I was asked to open the Saturday morning series of kids’ shows at the brand new Arts Quest site on the grounds of Bethlehem Steel on the first floor of this huge entertainment center.  Movie theater, several live music venues, food court, etc., all overlooking the rusted stacks of days gone by.  A very surreal situation in several ways.

I was blessed to have Kathy of the Morning Call do a spot light on the show in the Thursday paper, so there was a very nice and friendly crowd of kids, parents and grandparents there, and so we proceeded to kick out the jams.  It was a lot of work, but a good show.  Several folks came up to me to thanked me for my work over the years, and it was nice to hear, even if I feel a bit uncomfortable about it.  And I had several moms coming up saying that they heard me when they were kids.  Cool.

My ambivalence comes from the awesome presence of this arts center in the greater LV arts scene.  I know for a fact that I was competing with my good friend, and fellow arts entrepreneur Doug Roysdon at the IceHouse for that same time frame.  And I know that future acts there will definitely compete with Godfrey’s acts. And that’s where my heart lies…..

I commented on my FB page that, while I spent my freshman year at Lehigh, watching the purple flames of the Steel flicker 24 hours a day, I related that scene to my reading of the Trilogy of the Rings, and I saw Mordor before my very eyes.  Plus, it was physically noxious. 

That image remains in my mind, with the seeming ‘corporate presentation’ of folk music that is embodied in Arts Quest, future ‘gated’ Musikfest events, and other BIG venue competition with smaller, community-based organizations like Godfrey’s, Touchstone.

But then I have to pursue my trade as a performer.  These events put me in front of old and new friends and family, and it is an important part of my community connection and, yes, fiscal well being.  Yes, I’m thankful for these gigs, but, still, it makes me think…..

Yes, I look forward to returning to the Steel Stacks.

Thursday was an afternoon gig in Bucks County, north of Philly at a suburban school.  I got there early and went in to the main office and said, “I’m here for the assembly.”  The secretary said, “What assembly?”  Whoa….  Seems the PTA rescheduled a snow date with us and YANJ, but forgot to tell the school.

Thank god that elementary schools are flexible, so the principal got on the horn and said, surprise, there’s an assembly this afternoon.  And so we assembled, and did the gig to the delight of everyone, including the band……..  Phew…

Monday was a ‘short’ drive from CT to just over the George Washington Bridge into NJ for an old school in Ridgewood Park, Teddy Roosevelt School.  A basement gym with overbearing echo, and strange dust falling from the rafters with our music.  The kids were swatting at particles as we played. (strange)  A friend on Face Book commented that it probably was asbestos. Hmmm.  Could be.

Two good shows and a drive back to CT.

RockRoots showcased back where it all began, in an inner city school in Philly.  We were at a charter school on Broad Street (arts-based … cool), along with the reconstituted YA of Eastern PA, and several other performers.  Crammed into the lunch room on the fourth floor of an industrial building, we did a 15 minute version of the show, and it went well.

Familiar faces included the manager of the Please Touch Museum, and David Baskin formally president of the Philly Folk Festival.  They loved it, and got to see what a good show RR is, even at its stripped down showcase level.

The band was more than gracious to do the gig for free, and on a Saturday morning, and in Philly, to boot.  These are my brothers, in may ways.

Long day though, and will hibernate in Bethlehem for the evening, and head out to CT in the morning for my Roaring Brook Concert on Sunday afternoon.

I spent Friday afternoon explaining myself.

I was interview by a Lehigh student, Gina about Godfrey’s and we really went to it – about the history, the philosophy, the future of the club.  Good session.

I followed it up down the street at WDIY radio with my friend and radio colleague Charles James, aka Carlos Benjamin.  This time is was more about my music (for a change) and I got to play “Giants” (and broke a string), Voodoo Druid Chile, and Pay Bo Diddley.  and Carlos played an actual tape of Aw Shucks to cover for my broken string.  It was fun, and all this interview stuff puts my mind on defining myself and all that I do into words. 

A good exercise.

I had an interesting gig tonight at Tallarico’s Chocolate on the SouthSide of Bethlehem.  I love this gig cause I like to sit and play for whomever comes in the door.  Kids, families, hippies, and folks.  I mixed it up and had good time.  Nice to have time to interact with kids and general folks.  I cherish this gig.  Thanks, Brian.  http://www.tallaricochocolates.com/

One of my favorite gigs happened on an April Fools Day in Allentown today as I arrived in a wet snow storm.  (So much for Punxatawny Phil’s prediction..)  I did three sets for the school, post testing, to loosen up the kids and teachers. I really appreciate the opportunity to sit down with the 5th grade in a much more relaxed atmosphere and I get to take questions from the kids.  Very interesting.  I was asked why I was skinnier than last year.  (Yo!)  Answer: I stopped going to McDonalds cause I couldn’t afford it. 

Something came up that took me by surprise.  I jested in the second of three assemblies that we (the teachers and myself) still had jobs.  I found out from the principal after the set that the Allentown School Board had eliminated 247 teaching jobs the night before.  Amazing foot-in-mouth.

But it brings into context the confluence of “the Shock Doctrine” and local politics.  I was talking to a teacher after my gig that the ASB, with $100,000 salaries, hit the teachers (without parental notification) a massive blow.  By pressing the fiscal shortfall in the school district, the School Board takes it out on the teachers.  Drat.

I had a wonderful opportunity to return to a West Haven school on Thursday for an AM and a PM show.  I did shows for 200 kids in the music room which was a pleasant, though cramped, experience. It was a treat to react with the kids and the teachers.  The custodian was very cool as well.  Off to PA for a busy April Fools Day.

It was one of the few OM’s at Roaring Brook this spring, so I had to head on up.  I missed my ride with Ron, so I trucked up solo.  Nina Romenenko was the feature, and it was a pleasure to hear her voice and her solid guitar work.  She did “Crazy” which sets her up with here great tone.

I was late to sign up so ended up 13th, which means a lot of folks leave early.  I did ‘Far From Me’, which rings pretty true now-a-days, and is quite the emotional statement from me – apart from my usual fun stuff.  I followed it with ‘Smokin’ Babies’, which had its usual audience transition effect on most people. 

I’ll be back to Roaring Brook for a family show on Sunday, April 10th at 1:30 pm.

I awoke for an 8 am split from Bethlehem to Summit, NJ for the first of two RockRoots on Monday.  Slushy snow means bad traffic on Rt 78.  This is spring? Yes.  So we were going to be late, but the school was very cool, and we had a great time with 250 K-5’s at Thomas Jefferson ES.  I asked, “Who’s the King of Rock and Roll?”, and I heard, “Thomas Jefferson”.  Works for me….

The second show was at a similar school in nearby Westfield at Woodrow Wilson ES (lots of presidential schools in NJ) at 1:30 pm.  These older, smaller community schools have nice, wooden spaces that sound so good.  Again, its so neat to see these kids get up and dance, with their friends and teachers, too.  As interesting to me  are the kids who struggle to get up off the floor and try out their bodies in a social situation.  Many reasons, but I’m curious.

Always a performance lab.  Still testing it out.

The convergence of Godfrey’s 35th and St. Patty’ continued on Saturday with Blackwater’s 12th reappearance in March and an historic full moon.

As I opened the evening in front of a very rowdy front row of folks (still on the Crawl two days after the 17th), things were in fine form.  Great response from the audience.  But, as things often do, the front folks enjoyed the response but took it too far, and challenged me beyond my comfort zone, and I didn’t perform my last song, The Irish Ballad to my best.   damn.

It turned out to be the very anniversary of GD’s 35th, March 19th.  And the band rocked the place.  Yes, satisfying. 

Godfrey’s celebrated the 35th Anniversary Weekend at Trinity Church on the Northside of Bethlehem with its John Gorka Members Concert.  A true Gala, with dessert buffet, silent auction, quilt raffle, two sets of John Gorka (with Russ Rentler sitting in), Ansel Barnum on atmospheric Market Street harp, and me.

So much work by so many great folks who care so much about Godfrey’s and the power and support for our folk music community.  Sound, promo, radio, newspapers, art work, computer work, schlepping, raffle, coffee, cleanup, etc.  And the fact that John Gorka knows that we’re are special.

As I walked up on stage to open the evening, I reflected on the fact there were 230 plus Godfrey’s supporters in the audience: very familiar old friends,  familiar older faces, and a whole bunch of new folks.  My, what a great gathering!

I opened with Giants, Shoo That Fly and cranked it up on some tunes with Ansel.  so fine…

I yielded to Ansel for a solo piece and he did a wonderful medley of two Civil War tunes.  It was a magic moment in so many ways.  Dina Hall was outside the hall at the time and pasted this: “Ya know I was outside awhile, your music flowed out onto beautiful Market Street. What a warm feeling. It was very cool.”  Many levels to this music.  Ansel commented on his history with GD’s and it was nice to have an ’emerging’ artist reflect on his connection with our faithful.  Farewell to Ashocken turned out to be special in that it was written by Jay Ungar, who played GD’s in the first month of GD’s opening.

I did Prine’s Far From Me to lend some immediacy to my own situation and was a big leap for me, and was accepted as such amongst friends.  We rocked out with Bo Diddley. 

I introduced John to a very loving crowd, and he did what he does so well:  connect with folks with his songs, his voice, his humility and his grace.  John Gorka truly continues to embody the best of what Godfrey’s is what about, and I am proud to have him as a friend. 

My daughter Rosalie was in town for the experience, and it was so nice to have her experience the experience.  It’s part of her community, now.   and again.  

so much to digest.   a wonderful experience.   

I had the express opportunity to go on Bill Loftus’s morning radio show up in Schecksville (has to be PA) during his salute to Godfrey’s.  He was playing cuts from albums recorded by various GD performers over the years.  Always interesting to hear other folks favorites, and proud that Bill played Moose Turd Pie. 

I played some stuff live, talked about Godfrey’s and my interest in kids music.  Bill suggested that WXLV, an extension of LCCC, invite their Day Care Kids from on campus over to the station to tape a Dave Fry radio/video show.  How cool would that be?  Looks like this will happen, and open up some doors for the station, the college, perhaps GD’s, and other LV Teaching Artists.  There are so many levels to community connection that it frankly expands dramatically into many directions.

…and I can use the work.

Stay tuned, as they say on the radio.

Off to the John Gorka gig tonight. 

An amazing experience today, to play for 1400 7th and 8th graders in a beautiful auditorium.  We had two of the music teachers sit in with us, the kids were respectful and still had a good time, the band played really well, and we got paid last month…..  Cool. 

I still am amazed that we can pull this thing off, for this age and for this number of teens.  The show is strong, the band plays with authority, and its worth doing.

We had a pre-dawn split from the LV fro an ES in Marlton, NJ, outside of Camden and Philly.  Nice to see the Philly skyline in the early sun.  We did two shows for K-2 and 3 – 5 and had a good time.  The teachers and the principal loved it.   It was a very long commute back to the LV on the Schuylkill that made it longer than it should have been.  Easton MS tomorrow.

I worked on the green room at Godfrey’s today, to bring comfort to struggling road musicians when they visit the club.  Paint, vacuum, peace of mind.