Though I’m not on the board of Godfrey Daniels (emeritus, you know), I try to make these yearly meetings of the minds that run the club. It’s nice to see that there’s an up-tick over the last two years, emerging from some pretty dire times in 09 and 10, and that the community connection and emphasis discussed years ago, in response to the mega-music arrival in the LV, has taken hold. I remain in awe of where this club has come, where its going, and how the folks understand what the philosophy that I tried to establish has taken hold. Truly amazing.
Besides the detailed discussions of this year (the club needs a refurbished AC, and that’s the next financial leap), lots of fresh ideas emerge on marketing, web posting, volunteers, etc.
I reported on the archiving I’ve been doing, and told the folks about replacing the upstairs window … GD rent at work. New sound equipment, new folks on the board, good energy, but still just getting by.
I learned that the folks from Cafe Lena want to come down and connect. This is very, very cool, in that Cafe Lena was the first real folk club I ever went to, while I still lived near Albany. I got to see Utah Phillips on his first tour East, Loudon Wainwright open for somebody and several mind-bending acts. I got to meet Lena who treated us college kids to some show discounts. I actually got to play there for a kids show once, and my mom came up to see me on that stage.
Also, when Lena died, the concerned community folks got in touch with me and asked to see GD bylaws, and how GD was organized, etc. I was only delighted to help them out. Big, big connections.