Busy weekend

In addition, tomorrow is the annual Gay Pride Parade and Festival (ncpride.org). The event is centered on Duke's East Campus and the Parade marches down 9th Street.

Workshops begin at 9, the Festival opens at 10, and speakers and other entertainment kick off at 12 noon. I'll be speaking at or around 12:30 or so. The Parade begins it's march at 1:00 pm. I'll probably be riding in the parade, so wave when you see me.

I hope to see you there.

We're going to see Dan Zanes in Asheville on Saturday. That's my peace demonstration for the weekend.

Orange County Dems have a table at the Carrboro Music Festival on Sunday. It's located in a shady spot on Greensboro Street across from the Century Center, staffed from 1:00 until 7:00 pm.

And I managed to pull a day off from Southern States. Actually, I requested the day off a soon as I found out when the Festival was going to be. Not because I want to attend the Festival (I may) but because it is positively PAINFUL to work in the GC at SS when the Music Festival is going on. They always seem to put the "rockmetalthrashemo" venue at Fitch. It becomes IMPOSSIBLE to hear or speak to customers...and if you don't like the musical genre (and I'm not to fond of emo,thrash, OR metal) then there is additional pain.

I guess it's official-- I AM a curmudgeon!

Hey you kids, get offa my lawn! ;~)

melanie

Well, I take it back. Looks like Carrburitos got the Fitch venue--and it'll be mostly Latin bands. That should make life easier for everyone selling mums and pansies tomorrow! But hey, now I get to GO to the Fest!

melanie

We had a great time at the Music Festival. Unfortuanately, we drove. We had HOPED to take the bus--but CH Transit all but shuts down on Sundays. (At least according to the routes published on the web.) If Park and Ride had been offered from UMall we'd have walked to UMall, but it wasn't. Just at Carrboro Plaza.

bummer.

melanie

Kudos to everyone involved in the Music Festival. Great music, well organized....even managed to get us good weather. Just perfect!

Where were y'all? What were your faves? Been to most of the venues when I could bolt from work between act changeovers.---Still got cool jazz in Earl Wynn---winding down. What a day! The best collection of jazz I've heard of in one place since I left the Big Easy 2 months ago---making one just a bit wistful, but...

Just a little observation: Anyone who says that this is a poor use of resources did not see, for an entire day, our streets, public spaces, music venues, restaurants, sidewalks---our town---filled to the brim with tapping toes, clapping hands, joyful smiles, and yes---ringing cash registers, that will ring all the more frequently from this decidedly un-commercial commercial.

But perhaps more telling, a community casting aside day-to-day troubles and disagreements in an explosion of joyful communal expression, it was the essence of Carrboro today. Kudos again to Jerry, Catherine, the Music festival Committee (who are working on next year's as we speak), parks and rec, and most notably the musicians, business owners and others who donated their time to make this, once again, a transcendant event. And finally, a big tip of the top hat to Mike Nelson, who said eight years ago, 'Hey wouldn't it be great if we...'

Cheers (really!),
Alex
(locking up and off to Tyler's!)

I wasn't feeling more energetic than usual, but I did DJ at Tallula's Friday night, then took the bus to DC and back Saturday. The Cakalak Thunder drum corps was amazing. Sunday it was nice to see Weaver St. closed to traffic, and a bit of a shock when it opened back up again. Wasn't there some discussion (years ago?) about closing it permanently?

Ethan,I would like to see Weaver Street closed permanently to auto traffic once roundabouts are placed on Main Street.

Dave, check out the Kimley-Horn downtown transportation analysis study conclusions. While permanent closure was not shown as an option, you might find some of the proposals interesting. It's not online yet, so get it from Trish McGuire, senior planner, upstairs. We are far from finished with this work.

Cheers,
Alex

Alex, here's my short take. The music festival was tremendous- great crowd, and you won't be surprised, but I thought the train up and down Weaver Street was tremendously cool, even though we don't have any kids.

The music- mostly hits with a few misses. The blues band at WCOM at 5 was solid and had good harmonies. Saludos Compay was great at WSM, but Jimmy Magoo and the Little Bang Band at Open Eye-- fantastic! They were fun and funny, and had the whole place dancing and whooping it up. I don't think I've ever been to a performance that was simultaneously so kid-friendly and yet so enjoyed by adults. We bought their CD.

The new Open Eye looks terrific, too. They certainly needed the space.

Hats off to the organizers, musicians, venue hosts, and volunteers. What a great day in The Boro!

The Music Festival was great. Again, the best community event in the Triangle, in my opinion. Europa Jazz was my favorite. Those guys are amazing. They should be playing regularly somewhere in the area. http://gabrielpelli.com/

Also greatly enjoyed Cuttin' Up Gumby and Bo Lozoff. Wish I could have heard the Tim Smith Band and several others. But that's the festival; you can't be two places at once. Or twenty.

Tell me about it.

Jackie H - The humble music festival photographer

I had the honor of introducing Little Miss North Carolina Angel. She arrived to sing the National Anthem at Town Commons. Crown, sash, fancy dress, lipstick, the works -- and an empty house. Uh-oh. I ran around and recruited people to fill the chairs, which they did. Nicest thing I've done in a long time. Then I got accused of being an enabler.

No, Catherine, you are a wonderful person full of heart and spirit. Don't let the malcontents get you down!