Dancin' Dave on MagFest, part 1

Hello fellow music lovers...Just got home last night from Magnoliafest, in Live Oak, Florida, and it's always good to be home!
Superb festival as usual, with some of the usual musical suspect highlights; along with some mind-blowing new musical experiences! Two of these new experiences (for me, anyway) were the Futureman String Quintet and the Joe Craven set.

I didn't know what to expect from the Futureman deal...as it turned out it was amazing and I suppose I wasn't even surprised! Futureman conducted his orchestra of five from a podium on which he kept rythmn going on a box with his various drumsticks, and the entire show was theme driven, although I can't remember much about that part of it. I do remember the virtuosity of the three violinists and two cellists! Plus, he had a banjo player join the group at times...it was simply awesome.

And then there was Joe.... I have seen Joe make music on all sorts of objects, including his shoestring, a pick-axe, and a pumpkin; and when I saw a six foot aluminum step ladder on the stage I just thought: "lordy...".

Sure enough, at one point the bass player layed down his instrument and climbed the ladder, sat on the very top and became a human statue....the dude just wouldn't blink an eye! So, of course Joe started drummin' on the ladder, making his way up and down the rungs and all over. He was joined by another percussionist, and all the while the bass player never moved... Finally, Joe went over to the bass laying on the stages and proceeded to drum all over that. Again, he was joined by the other fellow so both of them were hammerin' on that dog house!

At the end of this they handed the bass up to the fellow on the ladder who broke into a big smile, laid the bass on his lap and proceeded to pick away! It was something you just had to be there to fully appreciate, I realize; but suffice it to say that Joe Craven is a musical genius and always a pleasure to watch and listen to!

More conventional music to follow....>g<
Peace, David