Tag Archives: 1970s music

A Welcome Blast from the Past

Yesterday I drove to Little Falls, NY, and back in time to Rock Valley Brewing Co. for their Blast from the Past Music Festival.  The music started at noon, but I got there sometime after one and enjoyed the tunes of One Lime Summer.  There were a lot of people there, many of them wearing fraternity and sorority letters I remembered from my days at Potsdam College.

My friends showed up shortly before two.  We were there to see Double Axle, the premiere bar and beer blast band from the ’70s and ’80s in the greater Potsdam area.  They were celebrating 50 years, looking and sounding very good indeed!

They were fine, yes!

The crowd loved them!  I loved them!  The inevitable happened:  crutches and all, I got up and danced.  It was awkward.  It was silly.  I have no regrets.  Soon other people got up to dance.  Feeling I had done my job, I sat back down and continued to chair dance.  Actually, since I was at a picnic table, I guess I was bench dancing.

I did not stay as long as I would have liked to.  The sun was hot, and I have a bit of sun sensitivity (my late, lovely husband used to say I was part Addams).  However, I stayed long enough to feel deeply satisfied with nostalgia and music.  I think everybody else there was having just as good a time.

Rock Valley Brewing is located at 56 West Mill St., Little Falls, NY.  They are a great place to visit even when they are not hosting a music festival.

 

Rock and Lame

Here is something different for me, at least in recent weeks (as usual too lazy to go back and check how many): I am making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  Just to give you a picture:  I am lounged on my couch, Tablet on lap, stylus in hand, glass of wine nearby, ’70’s music on cable television.

Yes, let me reflect for a moment on those lovely ’70’s tunes.  In addition to being some of the sweetest music ever recorded, I keep flashing back.  Oh, junior high and high school!  It was far from the best of times, but, man, what a soundtrack! I think if I manage to get back into writing novels I will set them in the ’70’s or ’80’s, just for the music.

I have been grooving to Classic Rock at work sometimes, when somebody brings in a radio and tunes it to 92.7 The Drive out of Utica, NY.  I especially like Genessee Joe.  My co-workers are quite amused when I bogey down to some of the tunes, although I am sure most of them understand the impulse (full disclosure: I do the same thing in the supermarket).

I confess that the nostalgia is not always painless.  As I said, not the best of times.  But I learned then as I remember now:  Music is magic.  It can make you feel better.  Can it make you do better?  Well, I made a 200 word Lame Post Friday post on Friday.  I call that a win.  Rock on!

 

Not Wuss-out, Shout-out!

So after work today I put in laundry, folded laundry, went running, took a shower, put on a cute outfit, and waited for Steven to get home. When he did, I suggested we go out for dinner.  I suppose it was irresponsible of me, because we are supposed to be watching our pennies, but, well, sometimes you just gotta. We ended up in Jamo’s in Herkimer.

We sat at the bar, which we like to do.  A musician was in the dining room, playing piano and guitar (not both at once) and singing.  He was covering some great mellow ’70’s music by John Denver, Dan Fogelberg and others.  We sang a couple of the songs to each other.  Luckily for our fellow diners, we were not within earshot of anybody.

I ordered a salad called Artichoke Panzanella while Steven got the B. L.T.  His sandwich came with fries, which he graciously shared with me. Yum!  We had an excellent Pinot Grigio with our dinner.

After settling our bill, I wanted to put a tip in the musician’s tip jar. I had to wait till he was in between songs, because there was not one right out, clearly labelled.  That was OK, because I got to chat with him a little.  His name was Lauren Quail, and he is from Frankfort.  He said he was a Valley boy, so I told him I was Mohawk Valley Girl, although I was transplanted here.  We talked about how much we love the area.  He plays at Jamo’s every Wednesday, so that is something for me to remember when I feel like a mid-week night out.

So, you see, instead of Wuss-put Wednesday, I give a shout-out to a local business.  Jamo’s is located at 123 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-866-1746.