FRFF 07 in review

My computer is dying, folks. I hope this works. I bought a new one tonight (WTF was I thinking? Gonna be fun to pay that off!), so things should be better soon. But I simply couldn't wait any longer to comment on the wonderful weekend in Hillsdale.

So, this marked my fifth Falcon Ridge weekend. For the first 2 years, I camped with a huge group--college friends, their siblings, their siblings' friends. It was insane, but a ton of fun too. My first year, the only name I recognized in the line-up was Dar Williams (well, Arlo too, but he doesn't *really* count). I'd never heard of Eddie from Ohio, Vance Gilbert, Tracy Grammer or Nerissa and Katryna Nields. I remember being overwhelmed by the quality of music and the community that surrounded me. When people say, "We're home!" as they drive onto the fields of Falcon Ridge, they aren't lying. It's home.

This year, I camped with my best friend (who started coming to FR 2 summers ago after I dragged her to a Nields show in western MA), a friend from DC (and her friend) and my beloved BY friends. How wonderful to see ~j and really spend some time with her and her CurlyGirl. And our dear ~N~ who is a neighbor now, just down the road in Boston, and her friend Rhi. It was a wonderful camp--relaxed, laid back, put together (thanks to ~j and CG!), and tons of fun. We were extraordinarily lucky to have ~j offer us spots on her workshop stage tent, and to have the likes of ~N~, t and A to secure us great spots in the mainstage tarp run.

It's so hard to come up with hilights of the weekend...Tracy Grammer blows me away. She seems to grow more confident by the year, and each year at FR, I leave saying, "I'd forgotten how much I adore her music and her presence." Eddie from Ohio makes me laugh (CARP!)--the boys double Julie over and it's just a joy. Finding out that Dar and Gandalf are neighbors and occassionally hang out and jam was a little disturbing, but somehow appropriate! Dar lit up the hillside with "Iowa" as always...this time, she brought young Stephen out to witness the magic of FR. New discoveries this year include Red Molly and Ellis...and also, a first-time appreciation for the Kennedys and Chris Thompson as part of the Stragelings. We commented several times over the course of the weekend that mainstage at FR seems to turn people into 7 year olds...Julie bounced around and giggled like a kid, Dar was positively electric, Nerissa (when she joined Dar for a few tunes) never stopped moving and never stopped grinning.

Then, there is the fact that finally (FINALLY) I have songs like "This Train," "Soldier at the Door," and my beloved "Eloise" on cd. Seriously, folks, it's their best album yet. The girls were wonderful all weekend long.

That was disorganized and rambly, but I am still processing the awesomeness of the weekend.