Da Goddess

Great guitarist, total sweetheart.

Silly photo policy with the Crayman. We had ONE SONG during which we (all 75 photographers with photo passes) were allowed to shoot. Groups of ten were let on the ramp and told 90 seconds. Can you believe that? It was difficult to push our way through the others on the ramp and get a few shots from different angles.

We found an earring at some point and bossman got goofier than usual. He totally works the look, don’t you think?

Yes, this is a stunning example of the type of people I spend my time with when I head to the Pacific Northwest.

Gratuitous crowd shot. Just one of many I took. One view from main stage to second largest stage (way in the back). And there are two other stages you can’t see. The crowd was massive!

My photographic hero and one of the best voices to come along in ages…together in one photo! They would be Dick Waterman and Karen Lovely.

Somewhere in my archives is a story about a book Mr Waterman wrote that LD and I read together, a story or two at a time.

In case you weren’t aware, Mr Waterman was a promoter and manager for many of the old bluesmen and blueswomen back in the late sixties and early seventies. If not for his efforts, many artists would have languished in obscurity. Along the way, he and the artists became friends. His photographs are incredible; a beautiful look at moments that would have otherwise been lost to us forever. I love his work. His stories are also unparalleled.

Somewhere in my many photos from last weekend lurks a photo of us together. Hardly important, but significant personally. So, here, you get about photo of the man, this time all on his own.

And then there’s the lovely Karen Lovely. Her voice is just so beautiful and wholly original. In the blues world, far too many female vocalists end up trying to emulate Etta James and Janis Joplin. None of that with Karen! I could listen to her all day long. Add to that the fact that she really is a lovely woman, inside and out, and you have an artist you really want to tell the world about.

Just to give you a little taste of what this lady can do:

My friend, weekend boss, and occasional host played model a couple times.

We started the day off so promisingly.

This is my favorite. Something about the look on his face.

And then, after a long day in the trenches, we got silly. I missed the shot with the security guard dragging him off by the ankle.

First images from the festival…this is Buddy Guy.

Just a few hours ago I met the Motown legend Mary Wilson. Yep, that’s right. My friends got photos with her, but I didn’t. Currently in a “no photos, please” phase after seeing all the images from Portland.

How blessed am I to have such wonderful friends that they put me in places where I meet people I’ve long admired? I really have been lucky in the friend department. Started long ago with my blog buddies and has snowballed from there.

Excuse me while I have a moment.

Yes, I know. It’s stupid to write up a bunch of posts to publish while I’m gone. I mean, I could just leave the place unattended and it’d be like when I didn’t have Internet. But see, I DO have a connection, so I’m posting. Because you deserve to be as bored as you were before you got here.

What shall we talk about today? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I know! I’ll post a couple photos and we won’t have to talk at all! Genius, I tell ya. Pure genius.

Did you see these? Some of my friends were playing over a club one night and, of course, I took my camera. I was glad I did, too. Great music. And I think I got a few good shots. These are three of my faves.

Love that shot! But more importantly, I love what the editing program did. I usually don’t let the program decide what’s best for my images. I fuss and fine tune, making all the adjustments myself. Except this time, I hit “suggest settings” and loved what happened. It looks a little grainy and retro and I like that. It fits the vibe of the guitarist. As well, it made him look kinda buff, which is funny because he’s tall and really thin. He loved this image, too, by the way. Yay! Everyone was happy!

This one, well, they were jammin’ to the Stones’ “Can’t Always Get What You Want” and having a woman on stage for a change meant that there was a cool energy going on. She was fantastic! I don’t know why she doesn’t have her own damn band. Really. She’s that good.

Here we have the owner of the club, with Tomi in the backround. I kinda dig it. Hard.

And this concludes today’s stroll down memory lane and our show and tell portion of our schedule. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves. Please tip the waitress and bartenders and tell your friends to come visit.

I love this man and his music. been a touchstone for me these past six plus years, brightening my life and encouraging me to learn more each day.

If you check BlindedBySound.com later, there should be a little something there about him…

While part of my head is still on a beach in Daytona, laughing at something a bronzed god Tall Dog said, kicking sand in his direction, the rest of me is gearing up for what is going to be a crazy week full of music, laughter, lots of running from stage to stage, and spending time with some of the loveliest people on earth.

I am so looking forward to Portland, it’s not even funny. I have my main gal picking me up from the airport, taking me to do a little sightseeing, and then we have a big ass birthday party to attend for another friend of mine. Then we have four days of absolute craziness at the festival, but it’s the best kind of crazy you can imagine. As we wait for our turn on the photo ramps, we dance and sing and laugh our asses off. Afterward, we decompress with a cocktail or two, telling stories, and laughing even more. And this year? I’m on to that black curb that likes to lurk in darkness. I will NOT fall for its tricks again. (Literally. My knee still bears the scars of that encounter last year.)

I’m excited to see some of the big acts I’ve never seen before, to see some of my favorites all over again, and to basically just drink it all in.

Also, I’m looking forward to some of the bread, the steak, the pita chips (shh), and maybe an elephant ear one day.

Mostly, though, it’s the people. I made such incredible friends last year that just knowing they’re looking forward to seeing me as well makes me very happy.

Only one more day between me and Portland. Just one more day.

Don’t mind me. I’m going to sit here and think about Rob today. I’m going to mentally bitch him out for cuttin’ out early, although when I really started feeling that and got grumbly inside, my computer freaked out, proving once again that Rob is never far away.

Last year, I was sitting in a bar with a friend who is, shall we say…sensitive to the otherworld, and I kept feeling as though Rob were there, too, when Max asked, “did you feel that? Who is that?” I said something flippant, like, “don’t mind my friend Rob, he’s just hanging out tonight.” Max laughed, relieved that he wasn’t alone in sensing a presence and to hear it was someone I knew. Max is also the same person reminded me in an odd way of Rob. He’s off wandering the desert, searching for himself or something.

And Rob, well, all any of us have are memories of a man who left us occasionally cursing at our computers, laughing ourselves silly, or scratching our heads in confusion. But mostly, when all is said and done, he’s a man who made each of us fall in love with him and then left us before too many of us could disappoint or hurt him as he’d already felt too deeply once. It was that once that was too much for him.

I think about him at the strangest times. Watching a gorgeous woman strut her stuff on stage, singing with a gorgeous voice, I think, “ohhh, now Rob would REALLY love her!” Or I look at something as silly as an onion and remember acutely how wonderful the vidalia onion felt on my tongue as I sat in his garage, watching a storm roll in. Other times, I’m digging through my contact list on my phone and see his number. I think, “wouldn’t it be great to call it and hear his voice again? To tell stories and make each other laugh?”

Oh, Rob! (I feel like Laura Petrie saying that.) I miss you today and every day.

“There’s a time for every star” and I guess all it takes is for me to look up into the heavens and watch you shine.

Here’s a post with videos of Rob.

Excuse me while I go have a little cry and then laugh over some stupid thing I remember. (It’s gonna be that kind of day.)

You push and you pull and struggle with the knot
It’s tying you up while you’re fadin’
You give and you take and take what you got
Round and round ’till it breaks and
You push and you pull and struggle with the knot
It’s tying you up while you’re fadin’ into your lie”

While I know the sound quality on the video isn’t the greatest, Nikka’s face is too amazing to not watch. There’s a sense of loss and heartbreak she conveys that fits what I know a lot of us feel, so, there you have it.

And my final video for the day, as I wipe away tears:

I wanted to post others that were maybe more “Rob”, but I’ve watched them all and they only make me miss him more. So, I’m going with the ones that help me work this out of my system.

Doesn’t seem right to post this on Sunday so it’s getting posted now.

The last time I heard this song was last year at a jam in a dinky little bar in the middle of nowhere. Two exceptional guitarists decided they were going to have a little fun with the audience and brought out this tune. Man, the place went crazy! The guys somehow got into a dance groove while they were playing, had the whole place on its feet dancing along. That’s kinda hard to do in this town at a rinky dink jam. My guess is the $1 beers didn’t hurt the cause a bit.

I forgot all about that night until someone posted this video in a facebook group. Cheesy, but fun.

Proof of the saying, “Only in rock ‘n’ roll can you get away with that look!”

“25 years of my life and still
I’m trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination”

I think we can all relate, can’t we? Seems like the more we try, the further we get behind, or at least, the more we find we need help. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just pause for thought there.

Crazy around here as I attempt to prepare for a week in Portland. I’m really excited about the trip, but I’m exhausted just thinking of how insane it’ll be running between four stages through 100,000+ people. Got my press pass secured. Staying with my friend at her house. I’ve seen the schedule for each of the four days. Yeah, I’m tired thinking of how much work it’ll be, but I’m also elated at how fun it’s going to be surrounded by so many people having so much fun. Plus, it’ll be cooler there, with a chance of rain.

When I get back, I have two nights of big fun with friends at a special show that’s being filmed for PBS. That will definitely be cool.

And in between then and now? I’m going to squeeze in as much work as I possibly can.

Oh, and if I remember, I’ll tell you the story about hanging out with fake Poison.

“When the weather’s fine
we go fishing or go swimming in the sea.
We’re always happy”

Don’t Google, just take a guess.