It’s rare to have a good-paying Monday evening gig, and this one was a packed house at the library. It was a kick-off of their summer reading program, and, though I didn’t hammer the reading aspect home, I made enough references to book, stories, etc. to connect with the theme. Basically, I was there to make lots of noise in the library. Which we did.

I set up in the children’s section of the library with no PA and kids, parents and grandparents filed in around 7 pm for my hour set. Kids sitting on the rug in front of me, adults sprinkled in chairs in the back. It was about the limit for me, acoustically, but worth the simple setup and the good chance to connect without a PA.

We cooked and I appreciate having an “A” set of family music to rely on, stuff I know that works throughout the session. It is a ‘show’ by now, but that doesn’t mean I’m mailing it in, performance-wise. Peanut Butter, Giants, Cat Came Back, Bear Hunt, Keep a Knockin’, Baby Shark and more. Great interaction with the adults (I’m giving out foam noses to dads who are hesitant to join in…) the kids laughing out loud, and, of course, the librarians joining in on all the festivities. Librarians are easy – a well-know fact on the library circuit.

One grandmom said it was the Strawberry Moon, when a full moon occurs on the Summer Solstice. There was some dispute but I was told it was the first Strawberry (Honey) Moon since 1948, before I was born. That’s cool.

I sold one CD, gave away three to the library. Families are just not buying CDs anymore. So sad on many, many levels. Point of sale – take the musician home in the car’s stereo, artist financial support (gas cash), CD art work and musician recognition, and a physical reminder of the evening’s concert connection. These are being lost in this new economy.