The weather was good today as I headed over the Lehigh River for this North Bethlehem market. I set up under the big ole tree and various vendors came over and said hello. They all say that the music really makes a difference. It wasn’t terribly crowded today but there was a steady flow of kids, parents and grandmoms stopping by to play with me.

Some friends actually bought my Troubadour CD and I gave away a few Peanut Butter CDs to some young families, especially for the toddlers who obviously enjoy music. A couple kids really took to dancing, playing with my rainbow shakers and scarves, to the delight of the older folks and myself. I do have the best seat in the house.

I picked up some purple potatoes from one vendor as a tip, pocketed a handful of single dollars and drove back home, only a five minute drive this time.

It was another excursion to Connecticut for my monthly farmers’ market on the Madison Green, in my former home town fifteen years ago. The money barely covers my gas and tolls and the drive is often torturous on a Friday afternoon. But, as always, it’s worth the trip. I get to play for three hours, unplugged, and a variety of familiar faces, moms, grandparents and kids stop by. I get to work on my people skills and practice guitar at the same time.

Today started slowly but three kids and their mom stopped by early and I had some people to work with. Eventually, some of their friends came out, sat on a blanket, ate pizza, chatted as the kids ran around the beautiful lawn. Later on, a group of preschool parents and kids gathered as well so there turned out to be a lively group of people enjoying the September sunshine.

I played well, mixing some kids stuff with other tunes I’ve been working on. With my bag of instruments, I’m able to pound on my adult material and let the kids play instruments, dance with the scarves and dive into the puppets. It works out well.

Tips are few and CD sales non-existent. I even end up giving away some Peanut Butter CDs away to the young families and kids that I know will appreciate the music. The market managers really appreciate what I do, as well.

I left at 10 am and faced normal traffic. I left at 6:15 and got back three hours later, a surprisingly quick jaunt back home. I’m glad I did it. Rose Garden Farmers’ Market on Saturday, a mere 5 minutes away.

It was a wonderful Sunday morning with clear skies and warm temperatures. I set up in a pop-up along the walkway of vendors with another row of crafts and arts stringing along behind me.

There weren’t too many kids tooling by so I was able to break out my adult stuff. I struggled with some lyrics today and the new light strings on my Martin didn’t give me the volume and punch that I’ve been used to. Even though things were slow, the vendors nearby really enjoy the unplugged music I offer, often with some scattered applause. I bartered a Troubadour CD with my friend Tom, a potter and old pal. That’s what works in my book.

A sweet Chinese-American girl Kimi stopped by with her grandmother (who doesn’t speak English), wearing a Happy Birthday tiara, a ladybug umbrella and a pink bunny basket. She had hung out with me last month, and this month gave me a page from a coloring book, a bunny drawing and an homemade envelope filled with hand drawn and cut hearts. I was blown away. I asked Kimi if she was the princess or the swan. She said the swan. 

fresh mixed ‘shrooms.

As usual, the two hours flew by, and though I thought I could have done better on the lyrics, it was a healthy practice and I know what to work on this week. I packed up my gear and came back to cruise the market, pick up some mushrooms, a buttermilk biscuit for Sunday brunch and my bartered clay works.

Well, I took another jaunt up to CT for my monthly farmers’ market on the Madison Green and the weather and the traffic were fine for this trip. I set up facing the spacious lawn with no one sitting down, only a few shoppers cutting by with their stylish shopping bags of greens, flowers, etc. Eventually a few kids and moms found their way over and we began to mix it up. One young girl was a delight; she hung out in front of me, picking up instruments, dancing along and shaking her hips. Her parents hung out nearby, laughing at her quite remarkable skills for such a young age. I made sure that she got a Peanut Butter CD. It’s these interactions that make my drive up here worthwhile.

It’s a three hour gig, but since I was playing well (definitely warmed up from Thursday’s farmers’ market and gigs at Musikfest), the time goes quickly. I get to roll out stuff that needs work – Chuck E’s in Love is now in hand (long time coming) – and reworking Bird of Paradise and others.

The ride home featured a looming electric storm over Western NJ, so I had a good visual panorama as I was driving the last hour to PA. Intense storm as I went over the mountain into Bloomsbury, NJ. I got back in to town in time to find out that Godfrey’s had another seepage bout that I’ll have to tend to in the morning.

I did my only Campus Square Farmers’ Market gig of the season today, billed as Children’s Day. It was a good gig, but only a few kids, moms and grandmoms in attendance. The weather was fine, I played well and had some good moments throughout the two hours. The market also booked a exercise woman who had a suspended swing; she would hang upside down, do some balance exercises, etc. She particularly enjoyed my interaction with the kids. There was a stilt lady who also came by with a bubble wand. Nice touches for a kids’ day.

I’ve had a problem with the premise of booking me only once in my own neighborhood and booking me as a kids’ performer. I had, over the last several years, been able to book three or four gigs a summer. The vendors appreciated the variety of my music and I felt I had maintained a high level of quality for the market.

The new market music manager has changed the system, booking single appearances for a variety of younger, less-professional acts. I don’t mind having new folks get a chance to do these gigs but there is a significant drop in overall quality. A steady stream of singer-songwriters has diluted the appeal of the music as part of the market experience. Curation is important I think.

A friend who frequents these markets mentioned that I am able to retain an audience better than everyone else, and I am able to mix my material to the composition of the crowd, be it kids, students or adults. I think this is lost on the booker. So it goes.

The kids that did show up gravitated to the bag of instruments, scarves and puppets, many dancing and taking direction from me. Two young brothers hung out and eventually shook off some initial shyness and were soon bopping around the space. Two older sisters really surprised me. They were familiar faces and stayed the whole time, doing sisters stuff which I played off of. Creative girls, to say the least. Their mom said they look for my appearances and actually put it on their calendar. That was cool.

I got paid in advance (?!!) and was home in five minutes.

It’s been a rainy weekend in the Lehigh Valley and I was lucky that the weather for Sunday morning was precipitation free. I was set more in the middle of the vendors today and it’s great to get some positive reactions from the vendors, some dancing to the music and clapping after some songs.

I had a special encounter with a young Chinese-American girl and her Chinese grandmother. The girl brought a play guitar and was ready to jam. I asked her what song whe wanted to do and then she played London Bridges (with several verses). I asked if she had any others and, quite cooly said, it was my turn. The grandmother, who spoke no English was taking video and pictures and delighting in the process. It made my day.

The girl hung out for 40 minutes, strumming along (on beat) with everything I was playing, even my excursions into my adult repertoire, occasionally tuning her inoperative plastic tuners. She was quite serious and often broke into a smile during Skip to My Lou. The passing marketeers enjoyed the scene.

I was really warmed up from my recent gigs and played better than usual, laying into my Martin to the point of breaking three strings. The vendor next to me took note that I was not going to break even on this gig with all the collateral damage.

The sun even came out on I Can See Clearly Now.

I love what I do. Blueberries are cheap, I got a free coffee, a bag of cool mushrooms, a tomato and a sourdough biscuit for the trouble. Not much in the way of tips, but some cold cash from the market staff. They do appreciate what I bring to the table.

I particularly enjoy this farmers’ market. It centers me on a Sunday morning, connects me to vendors and the passing community, and I get to play my stuff for two hours.

Today was particularly light on the kids spectrum so I got to stretch my adult material. I was able to fine tune some songs I need work on, get serious with my guitar and play to the ether. Even though the market was slow early on, my songs evoked some nice response from the surrounding vendors. That’s quite appreciated.

I took time to appreciate the vendors who put in a lot of time and effort for very little bucks. We’re in this together. I thanked the lady next to me before we started for her artistic display of her veggies. She thanked me for me eye.

As always the time flies by, there are nice interactions with young kids and their folks at an intimate level, and folks appreciate what I do. Lemonade, cool mushrooms as vendor tips. A wad of $1’s for laundry. And I’m done at 11 am on a Sunday.

Home to recoup from a long weekend of gigs.

After a long day on the road on Friday, I headed just cross town to Saturday’s FM at the Rose Garden. When I got there, there was a municipal band playing on the bandshell stage half way across the park. My first impression was, “That’s cool!” The right thing to be playing in a public park. But, I had a job to do and the market manager was somewhat befuddled with the situation, citing lack of communication with the city.

I figured I had to fulfill my commitment to the market so I set up behind a tree, pointing in the opposite direction. A few kids and parents stopped by, along with some friends who live nearby doing their Saturday cruise of the vegetables. While I was playing, I couldn’t hear the band and we negotiated the sound space.

I found out that the band using the bandshell was a guest band from NC, part of a lend/lease program with the Allentown Band. I imagine that it’s hard to find practice space for a large municipal band and this site on a Saturday morning was a good thing.

I wrapped up my set at 11:30 am and as I put down my guitar, the Allentown Band was finishing with The Stars and Stripes Forever, the quintessential community band song. They were in the piccolo part heading for the grand finale. I savored the situation and the powerful ending. Amazing to share this small park with such a great tradition.

Two hours playing under a tree in my hometown flew by. I got a fresh tomato from one vendor and a check for the whole season. Tonight, back on the SouthSide at Godfrey’s.