Wow — this was perhaps the most amazing experience of this band’s existence thus far. And that’s saying a lot. We’ve played retirement homes, strip clubs, biker bars, cowboy bars, huge arts festivals, fancy martini bars and parties, the hippest clubs on the west coast… but our two shows at the Country Faire this weekend in Eugene… I don’t even know where to begin to describe the experience.
For those of you who don’t know about this fair, it takes place in a forest where food booths, clothing boutiques, fortune tellers, secret spots, libraries, places for drum circles, etc, are all carved (carefully and safely) out of the trees in a huge forest area. There are 15 or so stages constantly with music, not to mention parades, dragons, wasps, clowns, etc., wandering the grounds constantly.
And such a wonderful assortment of people from all walks of life. This fair has a reputation as a hippie fair, which it is in many ways, but the diversity of backgrounds of the people there is a beautiful sight. Maybe we are all hippies at heart. (Whatever “hippie” actually means, I don’t know. This classical cellist born and raised in Hawai’i had the time of his life.)
How often after a show do I open our merchandise suitcase and find that someone was stirred enough during our performance to write a poem for us and hide it in our merch case when we are not looking? Here it is:
This is a translucent
seduction
of paper and men
you call
wait
anticipate
they will respond
tangible harmonies
got grief dripping down my knees
and the walls fall silent
your pentatonic pain
feels like the rain
falling on my face
-Alina Wigle
Sweet. Super sweet.
We’ve had people dance tangos at our shows (also in Eugene), but hula hooping — this was a first. It was awesome to have also a big troupe of people doing that kind of slinky-body hippie dance. right in front of the stage.
We gave away some free shirts to the best three dancers at our second show — one of whom was dancing at both our shows. I think we should have given shirts to all the dancers. If you were a dancer and want a shirt, drop a line to brightredpaper@gmail.com and we’ll get you one.
We were lucky enough to camp overnight at the festival. (This is a festival that closes at 7pm but the 15,000 people who work there stay and camp overnight.) And that was when the party really began. There were shows on the main stage all night, pretty much (Albino played, who were completely awesome). And the food vendors stay open late.
Anyway, it was quite the experience and we hope to have the opportunity to return.
