Ag Hall was buzzin’ on Monday and there was a good crowd on hand at the Centennial Stage. I set up, half e
xpecting Kris Kehr to show up and saw quite a few kids in the audience with grandparents and parents in tow, so I know what I had to do. Several of the kids were fans and they made themselves at home with the instruments laid out on the table in front of me. Still, the general crowd was somewhat lethargic in singing along, and I tweaked them a little. I’m not sure audiences are used to the performer critiquing them.
Today, I had several opportunities to bring the kids up on stage for Tutti Tah, Keep a Knockin’ and Giants, all good opportunities for some performance art. It worked well, though, at the end, I only gathered about $6 in tips as the crowd gradually dispersed during the show. That’s how it goes these days. 
Nonetheless, I appreciate these opportunities to mix it up with a transient festival audience. I respect the challenge to play to the kids and the seniors, acknowledge those who participate and create on the fly. I’ll be back next year, for sure.