Merlefest pics?

[breezecookie]

Any Merlefest pics out there yet? The festival was fantastic, and congrats to our own Rebecca Lovell on winning the mandolin contest!! She was terrific. Now the women with mandolin picture forum needs updates of Rebecca, Sharon Gilchrist (fantastic with Tony Rice and Peter Rowan), and we need to add Abby from the Ditty Bops! Photo wizards, where art thou?

David

[Lane Pryce]

I'll have some up later on today uncluding pics of Rebecca winning the contest. Oh and one of the Mandolin Cafe banner by the Creekside Stage too. Lp

[Windflite]

How 'bout this one... #Doc Watson - Mandolin Cafe Banner - and (look closely!) Mandolin Cafe Sticker on case! # Great festival! #Met and picked with Rich Michaud a couple of times at the jammin' #tent (Thx for Dm Swing, Rich!), played the prototype Gibby Goldrush at the Gibson booth, watched the contest (Smokin good!), witnessed 'Mandomania' with Bush/Compton/Craven/Roberts/Williamson, stayed up to late and consumed too much, etc, etc, etc! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rich Michaud]

Hey Andy-Nice photo. Thanks to Mando Cafe, we had the chance to meet and play tunes together. It was a pleasure! Hope to do it again soon. Rich in Boston.

[red7flag]

This puts our camping at Merlefest in prospective.

[Jim Roberts]

Nice photo of your Collings and the flowers, Tony. #Seems apropos on this May Day! #

[Ira Chavis]

Josh Pinkham didnt make Merlfest this year so Barry Mitterhoff lead a mando workshop with Rebecca (the mando contest winner, Tony Williamson (middle), and some of Barry's friends. #

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/ichavis/P1000223.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/ichavis/P1000228.jpg

i have other pictures i will upload later...

[Rick Schmidlin]

Hi All,

Just back from Merlefest and will write a full report soon. Some of my highlights was spending some time with Joe Craven,Mike Seeger,Pete Seeger,Nora Guthrie,Sam Bush,Mike Compton,David Bromberg,Tut Taylor and The Diity Bobs (I have known them since they started and before they even formed) and more. Of yeah I had backstage passes and main stage seats and FREE food.Played all the new Gibsons and Collings in the tent. That new Gold Gibson was fantastic and think was sold.One nice surpise was I had a lawn chair by the cabin stage for those sunny afternoon shows. The guy sitting next to me was Donald MacRostie with his son and wife. He is the luthier on Red Diamond Mandolins and had a new varnished F with him thathad a great sound.Great guy,great family and wonderful luthier, that was a big treat to spend a few days with them. And buy can his teenage son play the mandolin, Later.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Jeff A]

Rick, Danny Roberts used a blond Gibson during his Grascals set. Do you know if that was a Gold Rush? It sounded incredible even compared to his Master Model. First time I have seen Danny. What an amazingly talented player. The Grascals, on the other hand, are a little to Nashvegas for my tastes.

[Rick Schmidlin]

It was missing before the Grascals so it might have been. The Gold Rush there was killer and even competed aganst a MM Colling V that I tasted. Another rare fact was when Joe Craven played a Kentucky on the Mandolin Mania set.He made it sound great next a Gilchist,Loar and a MM. Go figue?

[Jeff A]

Craven was playing one of the Dawg's personal old Kentucky's. I think it has some major mojo attached to it. But what the heck was he doing? I think he was some how bending the neck to get some of those sounds. He certainly impressed the other guys on the stage. Also he had octave tuning on some of the strings . I got lost on his explanation, but it sounded very cool

[SternART]

Joe has plenty of MoJOE himself! He can pick the bejeeezzzus out of a mandolin. I think he was under-used as a mando player in the DGQ. I love that early DGQ double mandolin sound. They would do a few tunes where he played mando or fiddle, sometimes both on a particular tune. He is much more than a percussionist. What bands did Joe play with at Merlefest? Anyone catch the Waybacks? How was their show? Who did Barry Mitterhoff play with? Was he backin' up Hazel? Or was Hot Tuna there? More info required!!!

[Windflite]

I saw Joe playing with the Allison Brown Quartet. #As expected, he tore it up! #The Waybacks set on the main stage with Bob Weir was outstanding as well. #Lots of classic 'Dead' tunes stuff mixed in with their other usual fare. #James Nash played his Collings MT for the Waybacks show and the MandoManiac session. #Hot Tuna was on the schedule but I didn't have a chance to see them and I didn't even know that Barry Mitterhoff was at Merlefest! #John Prine opened his set with Paradise and stated something like...'Normally we close with that tune. Tonight we are doing are set in reverse...we'll see how it goes' #I for one was thrilled! #The first few tunes were great...then we moved on to the next great act. #Man...I'm still tired! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

Joe Craven had a jam band show that blew everybody away.

Hot Tuna was all over the place and playedthe song that inspired them.

Alice Gerrard wasy wasy cool too!

and Gillian Welch is the darling of the fest in my mind but many drooled for The Ditty Bobs, Sara Lee Guthrie and Sharon Gilchist.

The gals dug Sam Bush.

The Waybacks where great but I switched to the Mike Seeger show at that time.

[Windflite]

Here's a pic of the main stage. #For reference sake, I would estimate nearly two thirds of the crowd is behind me in the pic. #The gentlemen in the foreground is the banjo player in our band. #We told our wives that we needed to do some very important musical research in North Carolina. # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Alex Fields]

Joe had his D strings in octave tuning: one normal D string and one mandolin E string tuned down to D. Same idea as twelve string guitar or cittern. I think that bend he was doing had something to do with the alternate tuning, and I didn't catch exactly what he was doing but I think he may have been turning the tuner after pulling the string really hard...whatever it was, it was neat.

[Jeff A]

Arthur, the "Waydead" and Weir were outstanding. they opened with one of their songs and then it was many Dead tunes. also many Stones,Beatles,Dylan tunes #They were using their usual acoustic instruments going through effects so that it was a very electric sounding set. Gillian Welsh and David Rawlings were brought onstage to help with Like a Rolling Stone. Very cool. The new Mando/Fiddle guy, I'm not sure of his name, had a great voice to boot.

Hot Tuna was also outstanding. On right before the Waydead.Barry really adds positively to the sound IMO. Their set on the mainstage was my favorite of the festival. Sadly, Hazel wasn't at the show.

It was a very San Francisco afternoon, circa 1969, except Merlefest is pretty much drug and alcohol free. James Nash made a comment the next day that this was probably one of the few shows that Weir has done ,that had a sober audience.

[jefflester]

Bobby and Nickel Creek and James Nash from the Midnight Jam.

[jefflester]

The Midnight Jam finale.

(pics from a thread on nickelcreek.info/Forum)

[jefflester]

Thile - Weir

[jefflester]

Gabe and Sara with the Ditty Bops

[Lee Callicutt]

How 'bout this one... #Doc Watson
Do you remember by any chance if that was Jack Lawrence playing with Doc Watson?

Lee

[Jonathan James]

Speaking of Jack, one of the most memorable shows for me at Merlefest was an outstanding set with him and Tony Williamson. Man, talk about superb musicianship. Those two can pick the heck out of anything. Especially when Tony calls out "Lost Indians" and Jack admits he hasn't played that one in several years, but then proceeds to tear it up!

[Lee Callicutt]

Speaking of Jack
So it was/is Jack, then? So cool, man. I remember him from high school. He was a professional blue grass musician even way back then. Last time I saw him, he told me he was playing with Doc Watson, but dear God, that was back in the early to mid seventies.

Lee (aka, Rip Van Winkle)

[ira]

great pics -thanks for sharing- i'm jealous-
hey jefflester-any possibility of my getting a copy (either hard or file through email that i can print) of the bobby with thile shot? anyone have a good hot tuna with barry m and/or a david bromberg (especially with mando)shot they might wish to send?

thanks,
ira

[Lane Pryce]

Here are few more from around the festival. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Jen from Bluegrasscountry.org

[Lane Pryce]

The makings of the Merlefest 2006 sand sculpture. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Rebecca in the first round of the mandolin contest. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

She has got that Collings sizzling about now. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Post contest introduction. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

The Winners! Rebecca took first, kid in the middle second and kid on the left third. 1st place cash and an F5G, 2nd place cash and an F9, 3rd place cash and a Calton case plus entry into the 2007 contest.Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Post contest spin. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Had to a jam with the judges. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Tony Williamson playing the 1st place F5G. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Sand sculpture is taking shape. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Jamming. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

More jamming. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Cafe banner at the Mando Mania. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Mando Mania. Lp

[bud]

Here is a link to the Merlefest page discussing photos with links to photographers shots from this year. I even caught a few photos of some cafe members at the jamming tents.

http://www.merlefestbb.org/forums....um_id=3 (http://www.merlefestbb.org/forums/view_topic.php?id=1216&forum_id=3)

Bud

[Lane Pryce]

Mando Mania. Lp

[Lane Pryce]

Sand sculpture looking good! LP

[jefflester]

hey jefflester-any possibility of my getting a copy (either hard or file through email that i can print) of the bobby with thile shot?
The pics I posted are all from:
Midnight Jam topic on Nickel Creek message board (http://www.nickelcreek.info/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5963)

[mandopik]

OK!!! Help-- I got a couple of pictures I wanted to share but can't get then to post with my reply-- what am I doing wrong?

Help!!!!
Bill in NC

[Alex Fields]

How old are the mando contest winners (and where are they from, any other info, etc., I'm curious)? Also, for anyone who was there (I was only there Saturday) what did they play?

[Hal Loflin]

Here are some pictures I took at Merlefest. This is my fifth year as a stagehand volunteer and I have come back with some great pictures as well as fond memories. This was also a great year for pictures...got a new Cannon Rebel digital camera with a 1 gig compact flash card that will hold over 300 high resolution pictures.

This first one is from Friday night with Sam Bush.

[Hal Loflin]

And here is "Ol Hoss" in person...

[Hal Loflin]

and then Shannon Gilchrest with her Gilchrest...Actually talked with her back stage and checked out her mandolin up close.

[Hal Loflin]

And last for tonight...Nickel Creek...

[Willieee]

Folks,

Great pics -- thanks for sharing!!!

I know he's not a mando player, but if anyone took any decent pix of Pete Seeger, I'd love to see 'em just to see how he's doing these days -- what a great man.

Thanks.

[f5loar]

I didn't take photos of Pete but he's getting old but I thought he looked really great for his age. Mike Seeger looking old these days too. I got Pete's autograph backstage and it was pretty shaky.

[jefflester]

OK!!! Help-- I got a couple of pictures I wanted to share but can't get then to post with my reply-- what am I doing wrong?
Read this (http://www.grandmainger.com/picpost/)

[mandopik]

Here's a up close shot of Doc-- he ages well!!!

Bill in NC

[mandopik]

Here's one of Tony Williamson and son and Jack Lawrence-- That Loar sounded great!
Bill in NC

[mandopik]

And here's one of Tony Rice- his bass player was something else!!
Bill in NC

[mandopik]

Here's one of Gillian Welch!

Bill in NC

[mandopik]

And here's one of Doc and David Holt---

Bill in NC

[mandopik]

And one of David 's band



Bill in NC

[mandopik]

Here's one of the crowd on Saturday afternoon!


Bill in NC

[tree]

Wow - I'd heard Doc was pickin' a Bourgie, there's the photographic evidence, a few posts above. #I hope he still picks Donald (his cutaway Gallagher)some. #Love the photo of Sam and Hoss.

[SpincycleCR]

35 MerleFest 2006 pics at this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spincyclecr/sets/72057594119773551/

Had a great time there. Looking forward to next year already!

Gregory

[Ira Chavis]

Sam Bush ..i swear i didnt drink the electric koolaid http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/ichavis/P1000209.jpg

[levin4now]

Who is the tall mando player (female) in the first page of this thread....i think the text says something about 'gabe and sara with the ditty boys".......?

[Lane Pryce]

Cool pic of the Bush-man. Lp

[JEStanek]

The tall female mando player is Amanda Barrett from the Ditty Bops. (http://www.dittybops.com/) They are touring opening for Nickel Creek right now. I highly recommend their first CD (another is due out in a month).

Jamie

[Rick Schmidlin]

In regard to Amanda from The Ditty Bops. When I lived in Santa Monica two years ago I saw a very cute girl behind a food booth learning chords.Simple first fret G.F,C,D chords. A month later she was on the board walk of Venice with a Jug Band style band. She was in the back and thill vermuch learning. Being a mandolin player and with a eye for cute girls I could not forget her. That summer she was a Sunday Market for her first gig as The Ditty Bob, this time she carefull but better and was in a mini skirt, I could not for that. They said they had Monday Gigs at Largo on Fairfax and I went, I knew that had it!I talked to Amanda at Merle Fest and told her this story. I think I may be one of the very Amanda fans.I love the Ditty Bops http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif