Cabin Fever 2006 Hampton, Virginia

[jim_n_virginia]

Cabin Fever 2006 is going on in Hampton Virginia (very close to Norfolk/Virginia Beach area) this weekend.
March 3-5

Website, http://www.cabinfeverpickinparty.com/ (http://www.cabinfeverpickinparty.com/)

It is billed as one of the biggest picking parties on the east coast. I went last year and had a blast. Thousands of people decend on a Holiday Inn and there are non stop bluegrass bands playing in the auditorium from early morning to late at night plus mandolin, guitar, fiddle, bass, banjo and vocal workshops going on.

But the best part is the jamming. Every (and I mean EVERY) room in the place is booked and there are jam sessions going on in almost every room, hallway, attrium, heck you walk into the ice machine room and there's 10 people crammed in there jamming away.

Some of the best players I have every seen where there. Little kids 10 years old could fiddle and pick like nothing I had ever seen. Old fiddlers right off the mountain been playing 50 years. Families that play and from novice to professional player there.

I have no interest in the event but had a LOT of fun last year and just highly recommend it to anyone who likes Bluegrass, Accoustic String music or Old Time.

SEE YOU THERE!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[DryBones]

Jim,
It's on my calendar for next year. I was too late to the party for this year. have a great time!

[SurebetVA]

I am going down from Richmond tomorrow. Found out my hotel changed from a Hampton to a Quality Inn in the last couple of weeks, and at first they said they couldn't find our reservation, I almost had a heart attack. If anyone is going and is booked at the Hampton Inn - you better look for the Quality Inn sign when you get there because the Hampton Inn isn't there anymore. I was relieved when they called back and said they found the reservation.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[jim_n_virginia]

yeah but the jam itself is in the Holiday Inn!

I can't wait to get there! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[SurebetVA]

All of the Flyers adviertized it as the Holiday Inn - Hamton Hotel Confenece center and a lot of people have booked their rooms in the Hampton (Now Quality Inn)even though the main events are accross the parking lot in the Holiday Inn (These two hotels are almost one complex). Since a lot of pickers have booked their rooms in the Hampton/Quality Inn they need to know not to look for the Hampton Inn anymore. I am going down early this afternoon...YoooHooo!

[DryBones]

I'll say it here also, don't forget the pictures for those of us that can't make it!

[jim_n_virginia]

I just wanted to post these pictures and say that I had the BEST time this year than I have ever had. I went last year and had a ball and this year it was even more fun.

I ran into old friends, made a ton of new friends and picked nonstop for almost 2 days. My hand is swollen and hurts to close my left hand but it is a good feeling as I thoroughly enjoyed myself. My musical abilities have grown tremendously since the last Cabin Fever and I was able this year to handle all the breaks and instrumentals with some confidence. I guess all the lessons and studying paid off.

For those that missed it I just got to say you missed one heck of a jam. The holiday Inn was booked solid and even the hotels close by were all booked.
http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic9.jpg

For those that don’t know, Cabin fever was started when a few musician’s who were holed up all winter and itching to get out and play some music decided to meet at a place and pick a little. Well word got out and 200 people showed up. Over the years it has grown so much that now I would estimate the musicians in the thousands.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic10.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

There are bluegrass bands booked from early morning untill midnight and they change every 45 minutes and they play in a huge auditorium. There are mandolin, bass, fiddle, dobro, banjo and voice workshops. Nice dealer room where I got to try out a lot of instruments. Not a huge selection but I got to try out a few Collins, Eastman for the first time (good player, sounds good, good looking, very bright but not real loud) and some custom builds.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic6.jpg
But the main attraction is the jams! Every room booked and jam sessions going in many of the rooms. People were jamming everywhere and when I say everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE… the main atrium was packed and hundreds jammed in there. The hotel has about a half dozen conference rooms and in each room was a full jam session going on. People were jamming out in the hall, in the lobby, in the vending machine rooms, even in the ice machine rooms.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic13.jpg

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic7.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

Couldn't help but notice that there were a LOT of cute girls there young and old alike. Very welcome change as the weekly music jam I attend is most us middle aged men! LOL!

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic3.jpg
http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic14.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic15.jpg
Saw my good friend here, she is a great picker and she plays a Krishot (great sounding and playing instrument, she owns two of them) and the older lady standing next to her playing the banjo was a HOOT! She could play anything on that banjo and she played for a very long time and could keep up with anyone! She was a super nice person and I wished she lived next door to me!

[jim_n_virginia]

Next is a great picture of my friend and fellow Cafer Brian (BrianT) with his Bibey Model Gibson which plays as good as it looks and standing with him is another friend Pat who is a beginning mando player and coming along nicely.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic4.jpg

I saw fiddlers, dobro, guitar, mandolin, upright bass, harmonica, auto harp and banjos! I saw a 10 year old kid who was playing out in the lobby with his family who was smaller than his banjo and he could TEAR IT UP! (anybody else see that WOW!) Then he jumped on his Momma's upright bass and slap bassed it and the crowd went wild!

I saw lots of very talented young people who were so good that I just couldn’t believe it.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic12.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

But what I liked best was meeting all the old time and bluegrass fiddlers who came. A lot of those guys were in their 60’s and 70’s and man could they play! Most of them guys been playing all their lives and wow were they good and were walking encyclopedias of fiddle tunes. I learned a lot of tunes this weekend!

Here’s a great shot of the old and new, my buddy Dennis who has been playing fiddle about 3 or 4 years and is getting quite good. And the gentleman sitting next to him was a fantastic bluegrass and old time fiddler. They were both taking a break and I thought it was a good contrast of the new and old fiddlers.

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic5.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

I saw a LOT of mandolins there. I agree with those that say the mandolin is enjoying a huge revival. Mostly I saw Gibson mandolins, probably 85% were Gibson. I saw a few Flatiron players like myself and quite a few Czech mandolins and a few custom builds but not many. Ran into Dave Cohen at a jam and he had one of his mandolins and that thing sounded GREAT. He builds one heck of a mandolin and beautiful craftsmanship to boot!

The rest were (maybe 10%) imports but not many. Gibson still dominates the bluegrass field in mandolin in my opinion and for good reason. They just have that tone. Played a bunch of mandos this weekend and the best one I played believe it or not was an older Monroe Model Gibson. That thing ran out like a bell and chopped like nothing I ever heard it was awesome!
http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic11.jpg

[jim_n_virginia]

All in all I had a blast and as usual got to meet several fellow café members there. Seems like whenever I attend any place where there are mandolin players I always run into a few fellow Café members and it is always great fun!

There even was an autoharp section!
http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic8.jpg

A real treat for me was getting to see a lot of great dobro players as for some reason there are not many around in my area.
http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic1.jpg

The last picture is through the front glass into a room. There were ton's of private jams going on in each room.

Cabin Fever is is just amazing to me. Not exactly a bluegrass festival and not exactly a music jam. It is just an experience to say the least!

I will come back every year as long as I am around here!

http://members.aol.com/ghentactor/cabinfever/pic2.jpg

For those that made it, it was great fun wasn’t it? And for those that missed it you gotta come next year!

[DryBones]

Jim,
Thanks for the great report! Looked like a perfect way to spend a weekend!

[Jim Gallaher]

Hey, Jim, sorry I missed you this time! I was there all day Saturday. I had the pleasure of meeting and playing with Steve Keating (Steve K on the Cafe) and we lucked into a great jam session with some newbies and a band of friends from the Maryland area. I sang every song on both my band lists over a couple of hours (until about 6:30 pm) and did my best to hang with the other three mando's in that jam. What a rhythm section!

The best part was how every player listened to the other pickers, a commodity that is all too rare in a Cabin Fever ballroom jam. Good harmonies, too.

That's Steve's backside in your third picture, wearing glasses, no hat, maroon shirt (with tail out) and blue jeans. He was chopping a beautiful Heiden F-5. BTW, Steve is responsible for transcribing a large number of the tabledit files on Mandozine.

Great pictures! I see some friends from back home in the Shenandoah Valley.

Don't forget the 6th Annual CoMando Gathering at Helton Creek, NC, May 17-21. Contact John Bird for more info at birdj1@peoplepc.com .

Postscript: Cabin Fever is about a 2.5 hour drive from my place, but the time flew by as I had installed a SIRIUS satellite radio in my Ranger pickup just before the trip. Bluegrass 24/7 & perfect reception. It's a new era for me!

[AlanN]

Sounds like a fine time. Thanks for the photos, reports.

[Dave Cohen]

Hey, Jim_N_Virginia, was that lady banjo player by chance part of the New Girls' Night Out group? I saw them play at Cabin Fever 2005, and they just tickled me. Women ranging in age from late 20s to "haven't told in a long time". Great energy & enthusiasm, and so obviously having fun. Don't know how to rate their picking skills except to say that they are substantially better than mine.

[jim_n_virginia]

Hey, Jim_N_Virginia, was that lady banjo player by chance part of the New Girls' Night Out group? #
I don't know if she was or not Dave but if she was I didn't recognize her. I saw New Girls Night Out last year and they were the best band in the showcase in my opinion. The fiddle player for them I met, Barbara Kay and she is top notch in my book that girl could PLAY, she could kee[ up with Vasser!

But the lady playing the banjo was amazing even if she wasn't in the band. Wish some of those around here that are always bashing banjo players (fortunately mostly tongue in cheek!)could have heard her.

She could outpick people half her age and play all night. She never missed a break or a note AND... her banjer stayed in tune all evening!

Like I said, I wished she lived next door to me! I'd be picking with her anytime! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[SurebetVA]

Dave, #I don't know if she was or not, but a couple of other members of Girls Night Out were there. #Unfortunately that group broke up because the younger lady had a baby and wanted to quit and the fiddle player is working outside of the US - I think Singapore or somewhere in Asia is what I heard. #They were a great group and were a lot of fun to watch/listen to. #

It was great seeing you at Cabin Fever and I appreciate you talking to me and allowing me to play around with your mandolin even though you know I'm not in the market for another axe. #I prefer more traditional sound hole shapes than what your C# mandolin had, but I thought the tone of that instrument is awesome. #I really liked the feel of it and it was obvious that it is great workmanship. #

I was going to take some pictures at Cabin Fever to put on my website but my batteries went low and I decided I was having to much fun playing to run around with a camera #.:;): #This was my first time at Cabin Fever and I was just blown away

[jim_n_virginia]

#Unfortunately that group broke up because the younger lady had a baby and wanted to quit and the fiddle player is working outside of the US -
Last year when they played the leader said that they were taking a break so Cindy (the lead singer and guitar player) could have her babay and that they were getting back together after she had her baby.

This is the first I heard that they broke up/ Man they had an awesome band. Barbara (the fiddle player) was one of the best fiddlers I had ever heard live. And I still remember their rendition of Monroe's Muleskinner Blues it was awesome the mandolin player could yodel with the best of them!

I hope they get back together.

[SurebetVA]

I might be wrong about the break up, but I thought that is what I overheard. #They might just be waiting for the fiddle player to come back from working over seas, but from what I understood this wasn't a short stint over there.

Anyhow, the lady who does the yodeling did that song on Saturday in one of the banquet rooms I was jamming in...it was just way to cool the way she does that song. #I am glad I got it on their CD back when I heard them last year.

PS: It is Jimmy Rodger's Mule Skinner Blues. It was the biggest hit for Bill Monroe but Jimmy Rodgers wrote and recorded it 10 or more years before Monroe did it and he did it with the yodel in there. Just trivia for you - not trying to start an arguement or anything. I think Monroe gave it a faster tempo and his version is what most of us think of.

[jim_n_virginia]

PS: #It is Jimmy Rodger's Mule Skinner Blues. #It was the biggest hit for Bill Monroe but Jimmy Rodgers wrote and recorded it 10 or more years before Monroe did it and he did it with the yodel in there. #Just trivia for you - not trying to start an arguement or anything. #I think Monroe gave it a faster tempo and his version is what most of us think of.
Yeah I knew Jimmy did it first and it's sort of like Dolly Parton she did "I'll Always Love You" first before Whitney Housten did, but like Whitney, Bill Monroe is the one that will be remembered for the song.

Kind of unfair but the music biz is so fickle and anything BUT fairs.

Hey Surebet I wonder if we were jamming in any of the same rooms and didn't know it. Did you see any big ugly Mexican/Haiwaiian lookin guy in a green vest, jeans and a ball cap playing an old F Style Flatiron?

I was pretty easy to spot out! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[SurebetVA]

Yep - I remember you!

I think we picked in the same room more than once. You were no slouch when it came to jammin.

I was the really chubby guy who sometimes played his Weber Bitterroot and sometimes his Weber Alder Mandola. I was wearing brown pants with long sleeved pullover shirts (to make sure I didn't have buttons on them).

jim_n_virginia - what weekly jam do you go to? Do I have it on my web page???

[jim_n_virginia]

JIM! I remember you. You had that Weber mandola that was sounding so great that my friend and fellow Cafer Brian came over and checked it out! Two fine instruments you got there and you were no slouch either jamming as I recollect!

The jam I go to is on your site. It is held at the White Horse Irish Pub inside Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach.

This group has been meeting for 12 years and is facilitated by Phil Duffy and is sponsored by the Tidewater Friends Of Folk Music.

15-20 musicians show up each week and sometimes up to 30 and the music is a mixture of Folk, Bluegrass, Old Time and Celtic with a tad bit leaning more to the Celtic side.

People start coming in about 7:30pm and we usually jam till 12am or longer sometimes with many leaving around 10pm or so but always a few diehards (like me and Brian) who hang around until the waitress turns the vacuum cleaner on.

And also I'd like to say what a great website you have especially the jam info. I have personally sent links to people so they can find jams to check out in fact my fiddler buddy and I found out about the Cary Street Cafe in Richmond bluegrass jam with Tripp and Jenny and we have gone up there several times and had a blast.

And next week or the next we are planning to visit the jam at the Guttenburg in Richmond. And one day we are going to visit the bluegrass jam on Janke road at the church.

And we know about all these jams thanks to your website so thank you for your usefull site!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[SurebetVA]

Jim-n-virginia

Thanks for the kind words. I am really glad you could get some good out of the website and thanks for the support by passing the word. If you go to Guttenburg Cafe you will have to let me know how it is. I've never been because I usually go to West End jam that same night. Jahnke Rd is tonight I think, and it is a blast. Usually 150 or more people there every month and upstairs is a Celtic/old time are that usually take up three sunday school rooms as well as the Bluegrass stuff we have downstairs. There are usually a couple of Hammered Dulcimers upstairs mixed in with the fiddles, guitars, mandolins, lap dulcimers, and guitars.

Brain is a really neat guy and I was happy to see him test drive my instruments. He is sooooo good! It was great to hear someone who plays at a higher skill level than my own make my instruments ring. I can't really hear how they sound when I am playing them, and I'm not near as advanced a player as Brian is so it was a lot of fun. I think he is getting MAS for a dola bad! He will probably be playing everyone's Mandola until he finally breaks open the piggy bank and orders him one. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

If you know of anything else you want to see on vabluegrass.com just let me know and we will "get her done".

[jim_n_virginia]

#He will probably be playing everyone's Mandola until he finally breaks open the piggy bank and orders him one. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

If you know of anything else you want to see on vabluegrass.com just let me know and we will "get her done".
Yeah Brian is a really good picker and I have learned a lot from him just by watching him play at our jam and he's been talking about a mandola a lot lately and he'll get one soon I bet and it won't be by reluctantly breaking a piggy bank open because he has a whole bunch of really nice mostly vintage instruments, it will probablt be when he finds the right one that speaks to him.

Hey there is a bluegrass jam that is on in the summer around here at the Farmer's Market in Virginia Beach. Usually gets big enough where they have to break off in different groups I here. I have never gone but plan too this summer. Because it is outside they only have it in the warmer months.

Brian and his group Sawgrass go to it and I'll get more info and email it to you so you get it on the site!

Anyways I am already counting the days till next years Cabin Fever! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Brian T]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm still a student and learning just like the rest. The weekly jam at the Farmer's Market is every Friday and I think it will start back up in May sometime. I'll keep my ear to the ground on it and will post here as soon as I know a concrete date. Jim, I really enjoyed playing your Webers. They are both really fine instruments.

[Sarge]

I didnt know they had jams at the farmer's market. If you find out any info about that (day and time, etc), post it on the cafe. The market is only a 20 minute drive for me.

[SurebetVA]

I'm still a student and learning just like the rest. Brian T

OK, http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

It was great meeting you two guys (Jim & Brian). Thanks for the compliments of my Webers. I look forward to hooking up with guys again, hopefully somewhere before next year's Cabin Fever.

SO Brain - are you in a group called Sawgrass? Do they have a website or any info you want on the vabluegrass website?
I have started a message board on my site too if you guys are playing any gigs in Virginia and you want to post info about it.

I went to Jahnke Rd tonight and it was a lot of fun picking. The second Monday at Mechanicsville is the closest one in the Richmond area to the Tidewater area. It is small with usually 7-10 people but it's a good jam. It is at old church so the shortest route from Williamsburg direction is to get off at bottoms bridge and cut accross country.


Thanks for helping make Cabin Fever so much fun.

[Brian T]

I play in a bluegrass group called Virginia Sawgrass. We are kinda spread out as far as where we are from, but meet and practice in Chesapeake. I'd love to have the information on your website. Let me know what you need to put it there. We have a website, bit it is so out of date that it is not even funny. The Lead guitar player 'owns' it, but does not remember the pass word to update it. As for the Farmer's Market, the jams on Friday night just got into full swing last year. It been a pretty big hit and everyone is looking forward to this season. I'll be sure to post something as soon as I know.

[Gibson A5]

Brian, I know the password since I started the web page when I played with Virginia Sawgrass. PM me and I'll send it to you. Sorry I missed ya at Cabin Fever. I would have liked you to have tried out one of the mando's I build and I would have liked to try out your new Gibson.
Keep on Pickin'
Bill Pruitt

[SurebetVA]

Brian,

For Sawgrass just shoot me the web address and any contact info you want on there - and a short description about a sentence or two long if you want about type of music you play, etc. #I like to keep it real short on my website and let your website do all the talking if you have one (and up todate ) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif#You can send it to my email address on my website or PM me here. #

Example of what I might put and a link with the band name:

Sawgrass is a traditional Bluegrass/Celtic/Old Time music band based out of Chesapeake, VA Contact Brian Txxxx #at (804) xxx-xxxx or email BrianT@madupname.com

Bill, I have a section for Virginia Luthier's to if your a builder and are interested in being listed.

[Gibson A5]

Jim thanks, I'd like that, but I just moved to Indiana and started a small shop here. #I'm retired now and can devote full time to building instruments. #I moved here because of my wife's need to take care of her mom who is elderly and not in the best of health. #I will however be travling back and forth to Virginia. Hope to meet you there at one of the jams!
Bill

[Brian T]

Bill,

Could you just E-mail it? You have my email address. If not, let me know and I'll send you a PM from here.

[Steve K]

I had a blast at Cabin Fever this year. It was a pleasure to meet and pick with folks like Shenandoah Jim and others. (Hey Jim - I'll work on EMD for next time!!) There were lots of great players and singers throughout the hotel.

Steve K