It seems like a lifetime since I wrote the last blog - summer days are so full and crazy. But it's a pleasure to write again about yet another incredible Jerry Garcia Celebration in Rio Nido. What a night we had! The fans packed the Roadhouse outdoor venue, and they brought so much fantastic energy that I thought we could "blow the roof off" - if we had one. However, we did have a magnificent full moon in the evening sky, shining through the redwoods.
It was great to have the band assembled again. We had Shawn join us on drums and Stephanie added her fabulous vocals. Drew was there, having just returned from a cross-country trip. Mike, Chris and Andre held it all down as usual. We started with a quieter acoustic set, and that helped all of us get our band sound happening without intense volume. It was fun layering the show from acoustic to electric, and we had the chance to work toward a whiz-bang ending. Our friend Kathleen helped us with her conga drumming later on, and Mike's nephew got to play guitar on a couple of tunes - "Me and My Uncle" and "Fire on the Mountain." Melanie did a fabulous job putting together our "Free Raffle," and she brought it to a close with her famous "Bowl of Jerrys." It was all a wonderful family, tribal scene, and it felt great to be a part of it. The music pulled us all together again, thank goodness.
We did some great tunes. Andre rocked on "West L.A. Fadeaway" and an upbeat "They Love Each Other." Stephanie did a memorable "High Time" and "Fire On the Mountain." Of course, Mike did an amazing job playing guitar, trumpet and singing - but I am always blown away by his ability to remember all those lyrics - especially on tunes like "Rubin and Cherise." I had fun doing some upbeat tunes like "Alabama Getaway" and "The Music Never Stopped," but I was really moved by Mike's version of "Stella Blue." I love that tune.
The night was magical. I'm still feeling the warmth and love our fans sent back to us as we tried to offer love and gratitude in our music. Thank you, thank you, thank you all! Take care. Love, Sylvia