Artisan Sanctuary Showcase: The Crabb Returns

Since I was late to the party on the 22nd picnic in the park festival, we're doing our show tonight.

Fox On The Run
I Don't Fall In Love
Wolfie
Good Time Charlie
Go Out And Get It
Logic And Lies.

(Jeff Allen: Photo)

It was the first time I played the open mic since Glen Gardner left.  I think they have forgotten me.

There was no wondering off on the songs that I did.  Despite Go Out And Get It being short, the rest of the songs went according to plan.  I was going to use the Silvertone guitar but I broke a string just before I had to go into town and decided to go with the Guild.

I don't fall in love made its debut.  I wasn't in the best of moods and the pissed off attitude worked well.  I tend to think that any song off Pawnshops For Olivia is depressing and not for human listening.   The Sanctuary is where I can get away singing original songs and those songs speak from my heart a lot better than Wagon Wheel or Brown Eye Girl.  Spitting the words out to I Don't Fall In love is a way to unleashed the demons that keep me at bay in life.  The song was written in 1988 and was finally worked enough to be included on P.F.O.   Since I rehearsed the song this afternoon, it was ready to be played tonight.  Call it ego, but since I lost out on playing on the Picnic In the Park, my ire was directed toward Jim for not keeping me in mind when he did the lineup.  Afterwards, Jim mentioned that Julie can ask me about joining her,  I told him that's up to her.

Wolfie was played next.  I think I only played this once before but I had to counter the anger of the previous song.

When Julie talked to me about the perfect performance after last night's fiasco jam, I looked back in time to wonder if and when I had a gig I was happy with.  Picnic In The Park 2018 might have been the best overall performance, my folks were there, and Julie helped me make it sound better.  Last year's Stone City jam which people were singing to Tulsa Time was another highlight.  But in reality, I have never had a perfect performance night be it drums or guitar.  But I had good nights, great nights, average nights, sub par nights and not worth a shit nights and the latter tends to cloud my judgment on songs I did great.  I fight myself every time I get on stage and sometimes I win and most of the time it's a draw.  And when the demons win, I go on social media and threaten retirement. I did this morning and promptly went to Maquoketa to get the car's hub fixed.  But then Julie thought I was ignoring her by not saying anything since last night.  That's not the case, I don't have a smart phone to reply back.    And it's not high on my list of things to get.

Julie means well and yes I took her advice and applied it tonight.  My mind tried to wonder off a couple times but unlike last night I had more of a consistency that was missing big time last night.  Doesn't mean it was a perfect performance but judging how I been feeling the past week, let's say that it was a small victory and I can continue to do my Acousta Crabby shows.    Until the next big blow up and then we're back where we started again.

Oh to be Ron LaFleur.

It was one year ago that I went to participate in the WNBR Madison.  Douglas Otto took the photo but we had to edit this big time to make it as PG as possible.  I didn't go to the 2019 WNBR and probably will abstain from here on out.  But I did have a good time riding with the others in the buff. I did get sunburn in places you usually don't get sunburned, even with SPF 50 Sunscreen spray.   The poor guy on the left really got baked.

P.S.  Next Saturday is the kick off to the Freedom Festival with the uptown Marion Picnic In The Park.  Phil and Darryl return for the second year and Steve Black Wolf kicks things off.   Update:  I'll be opening up for Julie at 1 AM.  She has to work at her regular job and she also plays later in the day at La Cantina/Marion with Dreams Of Arcadia.  She may or may not get there in time so for the most part I will start out the show and once she arrives, we'll finish with Gold Dust Woman and she'll take over.

And now the official announcement of Picnic In The Park 2019.



 Celebrate July 4th with the Patriotic Picnic in the Park! Music, fun interactive activities, food and community!
Picnic in the Park Music 6/22, 11-3 pm Downtown Marion Square Park
11-12 Sofia and Steve
12-1 The Uke Squad
1-2 Rodney Smith/The Townedgers And Julie Gordon
2-3 The Cedar River Whalers