[John Burr]

sorry for the late notice but I just found out about this...

In Mt Dora there is a huge Flea Market and Antique Market called Rennigers. They just built a large amphitheater and also set up a camping area. They have been doing some musical stuff up there for a few weeks on a small scale but next weekend, the first, second and Third of December, they will be having a bit of a larger event. Lots of opportunity to do some jamming and camping and hanging out and listening to some great local talent.

Saturday Night at the Community Building in Mount Dora Roger McGuinn, original member of the Byrds and creator of the Folk Den Project is going to be doing a concert too. There are still a few tickets left for that and I have one already. Mount Dora will be all lit up for Christmas and lots of great shopping opportunities will be available for everybody.

If any of you want to try to come up and visit maybe we could get together for a bit of beginners jamming and socializing and watch some great entertainment. Tickets for the Roger McGuinn concert are only $25 but there are not a lot left. The ticket for the music all weekend at Rennigers is $20 a head, they will have plenty of entertainment for those not going to the Roger McGuinn concert, and Camping is $20 per site per night. If we have a a couple or three tents we can get them in one site I think.

This is seriously going to be some fun and I would love to see some of you guys that are in the Central Florida area get in on this. Let me know by email, mine is in my profile. This is going to be a continuing thing I think but right now the weather is really perfect for outdoor music making. It might be great to be in on the inaugural weekend and tell your kids and grandkids about it years from now, you know, like Woodstock, only without the acid and naked swimming...

So, who wants to come?


Blind Snoopy Rhodes

[John Burr]

Whoops, i forgot to mention that I have nothing to do with this entire venue or the event, I just live here and heard about it on a flyer on a bulletin board, (the cork kind), at a local coffee shop...

BSR

[SocietysPliers]

Just joined, so quickly, I live in Ocala. Heard about the McGuinn show too late - how was it?

Did you possibly make a setlist, or can you share what he played? I've played some of his songs both solo and in my bands, and have been a fan for years.

Ironically, I was watching a Dylan show from the Rolling Thunder Review Tour with McGuinn joining him for Knocking on Heaven's Door when I saw the clip in the paper.

[fly135]

John, I totally missed this thread. Did you have fun? I haven't noticed Seagull post anything recently either.

[John Burr]

John's Review:

He opened the show playing the famous opening riff from Tambourine Man backstage and came walking out of the wings to a mic stand just in time to start the verse to our small throng of elderly yet exuberant fan's cheering started to subside. He started with that, inviting the crowd to sing with him on the chorus, actually stopping singing himself and smiling while listening to the room singing along. His smile was great, he was having a super time and it showed.

He did so many songs, he played the HD7 Roger McGuinn Signature Martin and showed how it was setup. Did one of my favorites off the Folk Den, St James Infirmary on that one. Then went to the banjo for a couple of songs. Also did some banjo jokes and told stories about the days at the Old Town School in Chicago. He did a bunch of songs after that on the 12 string, a couple of Ledbelly tunes were new to me.

Did you know that Ledbelly never played minor chords, he sang them but he didn't play them, I did not know that! Anyway, it was almost 2 solid hours of song after song, switching guitars, telling stories, reminiscing and just plain making the crowd feel like old friends who had come over to his living room to visit.

I was really a bit surprised by how great he was on the guitar. On 8 miles high he usually does it on his 12 string Rickenbacker electric as it is one really tough song to play but instead he did it on the Martin 12. It was awesome. I mean it rocked, he played some extended instrumental sections that you really didn't want to end. That was the first of several standing ovations he got throughout the evening.

He ended with "May the Road Rise to meet you" and it was a truly moving experience. I am confident that he meant every word, the man likes his audience and the feeling is reciprocated. After a loud and boisterous ovation he came back for a 3 song encore and the group probably stood there applauding for a full minute before anyone started to move towards the door. Along with the bravo's and Wooo Hoooo's you could hear a lot of "Thank You's" and "God Bless You's" coming from the crowd.

Roger really did a great job, he is a fine musician and a consummate performer. More than that he has a knack for just throwing some love at his audience. It sounds weird but I spoke with a handful of folks after the show and that is exactly what we all thought. It feels like Roger McGuinn not only loves what he's doing but he actually loves the people he is doing it for.

In her blog a couple of months back Camilla wrote:

People often ask me if the constant packing and unpacking gets tiring. Most of the time while they are asking the question they throw looks of consolation in my direction. I smile, no I giggle, because this life of ours is summed up in Roger’s adapted words of the folk song “Wandering” – “This is what God made me for.”

It really is true...

BSR


Fly, I haven't seen seagull on here either but I have been luring more than posting lately. It sure was a great concert. They are doing the music thing at Rennigers on a regular basis starting in January. I heard that it will be a bug Jam and camping thing leading up to concerts on Saturday Night and Sunday Afternoon. Might be fun to get together a group from the Central Florida area and get together up there one weekend. I would love to see you and Ginny again. Please tell her that i sad hi.

Some friends of mine are hosting a musical event at their Ranch on the 15th of this month. A rather big band and a world renowned Didgeridoo player, super interesting venue as the concert will be in an airplane hangar on a grass strip at their airport, on a ranch, in the middle of the Ocala National Forest. Seriously interesting group of folks, skydivers and university professors, Realtors and pilots, surveyors and appraiser, heck, they may even let some lawyers come! It's a Friday night thing starting at around 5:00 pm, bring blankets or lawn-chairs and I am pretty sure that moderate amounts of adult beverages will be just fine too.

It's a bit of a drive from Ocala or Orlando, even Deland and Mount Dora but it will be a memorable evening and there will be some time for hanging out by the fire after to play some songs of our own. The actual concerts will begin fairly early with some kind of wonderful food served. It's far enough away from traffic and streetlights that you can actually see the stars and there won't be more than 50 people probably. It would be great if any of you want to come, message me or email and I will send you some details and check with them to see if there is still room.

BSR

[seagull]

Hey John, and Fly, I'm still here, just got back from Vegas. I have been doing more lurking lately, since my thumb has still not heeled fully. I have been riding my bike more now, doesn't do anything to my thumb. And my two jack russells are right behind me in a burley trailer. Yes, I know I'm one of those crazy people who take their dogs on bike rides. What can I say?

[si16]

Hey Gene, shame about your thumb, but at least those dogs are keeping you busy.

[seagull]

Hey Simon, they do keep me busy, but I do miss playing the guitar.

[John Burr]

Wow, too bad about the thumb, has it put the guitar out completely or is it just limiting the time you can play. What a shame indeed Gene, at least you have dogs. I can't imagine having neither guitar or dogs...

BSR