I suspect there will be even less readers than normal this month as the big week looms ahead. Not that 1st Thursdays ever lead the ratings game around here but with the CBA moving into Nevada County Fairgrounds this weekend chances aren’t good for having many eyes on this column. This may be one of the last original columns until after Father’s Day, although I’m betting on Brook’s column tomorrow. After that I suspect Rick will be hanging the “gone fishing” sign up for the week. So this puts a lot of pressure on me to keep it interesting today. Let’s see if I’m up to it.
Every year in my June column I invite all my readers to a couple of activities and if I tell you that I have had mixed results as to the success of these invites I’d be being rather kind to myself.
I’ve been working at Vern’s pouring beers since there was a Vern’s and each June one of the invites I extend is to come by and mention you read my column and I’ll buy you a beer. Over the course of my tenure there, I have had numerous takers on my offer…well if numerous is 3 or 4, with half of them being Bob Palasek.
So here it is, the 2019 invite, stop by Vern’s on Wednesday night, tell me you read this column and I’ll by you a drink. The offer is good on my other shifts as well but I don’t know when they are yet so you’ll have to fend for yourself to find out.
Wednesday night at Vern’s has grown into a tradition. It is the opening night and the crew for Wednesday night, going on upteen years now, is Jessica, Gina, (the boss) Deb and me. For the record though, Deb spends all day before the 6:00 opening chasing out the music campers and setting up the bar and the Vern’s ambiance. (She does this in addition to her hundreds of other jobs that get the festival up and running and keep it running smoothly.) So on Wednesday night I’m looking forward to seeing Bob and the numerous other readers of this column coming to claim their beer. Who knows who will show? I extended the offer to Della Mae via Facebook. I better buy lots of tickets.
My second invite has been and will be to invite all comers to my campsite to pick some and have a shot of good Tequila with me. I’ve been doing that for all the years I’ve been writing the 1st Thursday column and again I have had numerous takers if numerous means Wayne Grabowski and Steve Joynes the Fiddle Guy.
In addition to my traditional “drop by and pick” invite, last year I started sending out invites for jams at my campsite. Obviously, these invites also went out with a Tequila enhancement clause. Moving to “trying” to host jams was facilitated by my no walking bass policy that I enacted last year due to some faulty hardware on my body and old age situation that prevents me from carrying, lugging, rolling, schlepping my bass around the Nevada County Fairgrounds. (You can look up my pre FDF column from last year for more details on the no bass walking policy…or not.) I’ve told a few of my disastrous bass moving tales in the past and I am getting no better at it with age (moving my bass that is, you’ll have to let me know about telling tales) however I will break into a bass walk…musically, if the groove calls for it but you won’t catch me walking her around the campground except to bring her in for a check-up with the Bass Doctor in the Luthiers pavilion.
Since I’ve moved on from attending music camp a few years back, I have been arriving on Tuesday of the festival week. Last year was the first time I formally invited folks over for a jam on Tuesday. The jam was certainly not exclusive but I extended invites to friends I know will be there Tuesday and that includes our neighbor camping buddies, our jamming buddies from the Bay Area and some well known bluegrass Tequila connoisseurs. Numerous people showed up, if numerous is five. There were even a few Tequila takers (of course Wayne was there.) Actually it turned out to be a pretty good jam.
As for the rest of the week, although I had advertised that the McCoury’s were coming on a couple of the nights, attendance wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. Del, Ronnie and Robbie were disappointed but told me they liked my Tequila choices. Anyway, that left more Tequila for me, and more time for jamming with our neighbors.
On to this year, it’s the same offer, a HUGE jam on Tuesday night after the Music Camp activities are over ~9:30. I will have a few beers to chase the Tequila as well. Our campsite is Electric Only Site 18, which is just off the main road. No RSVP required. Get there early as I’m expecting numerous jammers and jam space will be at a premium. As for the rest of the week, I’m willing and able, with Tequila and beer in supply, as I will only be walking my bass in my campsite, so stop by if you’re so inclined.
As an aside, did you know that beside its antioxidant qualities Tequila is a well-known mosquito repellent if used in sufficient quantities.
Okay, I’ll stop. Hopefully, I’ll see you all out there.
