Mad Agnes
Stories & Pics From the Road
Adrienne’s Travel Diary Archive
Not this one! The ones with dates…
Floral City, Florida
Hello from the freezing south! Certain Floridians have suggested that we brought this cold with us from Connecticut, but on the other hand, we didn’t bring the 13″ of snow that CT reportedly had this weekend. So let’s just put this in perspective! We’ve loved the first leg of our tour — a cool gig in a state park, a highlight of which was that in the last song, Margo and I got to wear actual Rangers’ hats — then a house concert at Ellie & Doug’s amazing home where they stuffed 54 fabulous people into their living room(s), and even after everyone had gone home, E&D stayed up with Margo & Mark to jam until all hours. Margo played a mandolin solo, never having actually learned the mandolin yet — go Mg! (What was I doing, you ask? Having a snack and playing audience.)
The road drama so far has been that M&M’s car needed fixing suddenly, so we fit a trip to the Toyota dealer into the plan. I suppose it was their turn, after last month’s Bungee Incident (see below). All ok now (except now we have to sell lots more CDs to make up for it).
What we love about Florida and the South in General: citrus trees just growing willy nilly in people’s yards; mistletoe (I have been harping on this daily; it’s generally in the very tops of trees where you can’t get to it, but it grows in big balls of tiny foliage that are so cool, I really want some! If anyone can snag one of these bunches, please mail it intact to the address on the contact page at www.madagnes.com, attention Adrienne. I’ll send you a free CD or two!
Ahem, where was I? Other things we love about here: incredible orange juice at roadside stands. Boiled peanuts (Margo is exempt from this one). Spanish moss and general jungle ambience in backyards. Bright and unusual birds. And all the displaced New Englanders we keep meeting who finally got sick of the long winters and decided to spend them here.
In Floral Park, we’re seeing lots of wildlife; a crane flew over the property this morning, calling in an eerie, prehistoric voice. Our hosts have a lovebird named Mellow Yellow and a parrotlet (world’s smallest parrot) named Gizmo, and a couple of bearded dragon lizards. Today we’re going to a local wildlife park to see manatees. We’re very excited about this! Then we’ll spend a couple of days being tourists in Tampa proper. – More Later, Adrienne
Tampa
Finally, a warm Florida day. Our last day off, so we went to Ybor City (used to be the cigar-making mecca of America) and walked around gaping at the amazing number of nightclubs. We did go into a gothic gargoyle shop, but passed on the 7th Heaven Psychic Cafe (“Readings! Food! Fun!”). (“What would you like?” “Well, what do you think I’d like?”) We stayed at the lovely Sailport Resort (a gift from my bro’-in-law, thank you Mike!) and ate at Landry’s down the street. Get the Dungeness Crab Clusters, they actually rival Maine lobster. And they make the most perfect baked potato…
We did finally play a little music in the room today, and worked on a new song of mine, going for that CSN three-part-harmony-from-the-top sound. We were inspired by a CD our host in Floral City played for us of CPR — David Crosby, Jeff Pevar, and David’s lost-and-found son, James Raymond. We now have to get this CD. “More harmonies!” we cried. “This is great stuff!”
More as it transpires…
Margo’s parents’ house in Palm City—We stayed here last night after our gig in West Palm Beach. This was sort of an experimental event, and though the bar was a bit noisy, the food was terrific and we loved going into some local shops. Every time Margo and I walk into a ritzy store with items we’d never even consider affording, we comment that “This is one of the lives we could have, but didn’t choose to, lead!” However, I DID find the living room curtains of my dreams, so they’re going up when I get home. All the stores there seem to have their own valet parking, and almost everyone has a really expensive car that was just washed and waxed. (We were allowed to park in the very back of the restaurant lot, literally IN the exit driveway. Suddenly I was hyper-aware of all the flotsam in my Civic, and the road dirt, and the name “Sarah” that some chick scratched in my hood at a rest stop in the midwest a couple of years ago.)
Since Tampa we’ve had a full schedule, both gigging and exploring. We spent a couple of hours in the Everglades National Park, gawking at a plethora of gorgeous large birds, zillions of fish, gorgeous large birds catching zillions of fish, big painted turtles, zillions more fish, and rather close-up alligators.
Here we also learned, from a gradeschool tour guide, that: Rushes are round, Sedges have edges, and Grasses are smooth.
Some gorgeous, green-eyed Everglades birds. Their feathers have no oil, so they have to dry out between fishing trips. (pictured below)
We also discovered some fruit that I can’t remember the name of, but it looks like a large, fuzzless brown kiwi and tastes like a soft pear smothered with brown sugar. This came from the “Robert Is Here” fruit stand in Homestead, Florida, where they also had sugar apples, papayas, coconuts, honeybell oranges, fresh shakes and juices, eighteen kinds of honey, and every imaginable thing made from key limes. Among many other things. This will be a traditional stop for us on every Florida trip from now on.
The Main Street Cafe in Homestead is a great restaurant and listening room, and the food is superb. We kept coming back and eating there — everything is homemade and perfectly concocted, down to the five from-scratch soups they always have hot. Scott did excellent sound for us! Laurie runs a wonderful establishment with lots of music, so if you’re in the area, please support her! (And go to Robert’s stand.)
By the way, congratulations to Leo, Jonathan and Jane for winning free Mad Agnes CDs by signing up on our mailing list after hearing us on WMNF in Tampa last week. We like to do this when we’re on the radio, to see who’s listening and to garner new fans. Thanks to everyone else who signed up, too!
The road notes wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Bob and Saralynn Singer. We feel very privileged to have been part of their final season of house concerts, especially as they hired us without having heard us live — a first, in their four years of presenting concerts. They’ll be opening a restaurant in a couple of months, called “Lord of the Wings,” and we can’t wait to chow down there next year. We enjoyed the concert, the Elvis stories, the hot sauce collection, all the artwork, and the key lime pie! Thanks so much, B&S!
This morning, Margo went walking with her mom and they saw a bobcat on the trail. The band went out later and only saw plant life, but lots of it. The hibiscus is in full bloom here, the air plants are breathing, the orchids are orching, the sun is shining and we have our last concert in Winter Park tonight.
I’ll leave you this time with a review that circulated the web after our Singer concert:
“I am overwhelmed. It’s not often that I’m halted in my tracks. But Mad Agnes does that to us. Now please understand the little town of Tamarac is at sea level, but tonight a small piece of it soared so very high. A group of us gathered to share the evening, and then experienced the celestial voices of this fine trio from, of all places, Connecticut.
Their harmonies are extraordinary, their compositions revealing and poignant. Each song is finely crafted and beautifully arranged. Mad Agnes has a lighter side too….with a tongue twister named “Potato”, to name just one. Margo and Adrienne alternate taking the lead, and occasionally they allow Mark to be featured. He executed some intricate solos on a variety of instruments. Margo’s keyboard work is dynamic. All three of these artists are accomplished and share the stage unselfishly.
But above all, their finest instruments are their magnificent voices, controlled, yet wild in spirit and imagination. And so our lives have once again been enriched by the music….. “
Thanks so much to David Engels for these wonderful words! Be well, be warm, and we’ll see you soon.
Some quick friends we made at a lunch stop…eating from Mark’s hand.
Cheers, Adrienne, for meMargoMarkMadAgnes
I’ve been way too delinquent in keeping this up. And no pictures to offer this time. Having to look back in the calendar to see where we’ve been since mid-January. We’re still reminiscing about our Florida tour and making plans to go back this November. New venues, new songs! And, for Adrienne, new hair. Color. Back to blondy blond. And enough of this scissor nonsense, I got new clippers. No time for that snip snip any more.
We had lovely gigs at Fiddle & Bow last month in NC, and Jimmy Riddle’s UU venue in Columbia, SC. Thank you, Mark’s sister Susan & Brother in law Darrell, for putting us up and feeding us awesome chili! And to his other sister Sandy for putting up with — no, I mean, putting us up in SC. In a little down time after that trip, I went to an open mic free for all and read some poetry for a change, as did my sister. Most everyone had guitars, and I felt so light with just a couple of pieces of paper. It was a beautiful night at the Manchester UU (where we had one of our first gigs). Got to make more time for things like that.
Earlier this month we flew to Nashville for the Folk Alliance, and I must stay it was bustling. We got close enough to Arlo Guthrie to pull his ponytail (though we didn’t). Heard great new songs by our rostermates, Richard “song-a-week” Julian and David Hardin. Also on the roster are Aztec Two Step, Amy Fairchild, Christina Abbott, Joey Eppard, and others — check them out at www.artmusicagency.net. They’re all stunning.
Speaking of Aztec, we did a FAB split night with them at the University of Hartford on Valentine’s day. Thank you, Fred Hollister, for being indispensable at the CD table! You’re an official Madabout.* Afterwards opened for Aztec at the Mainstage c/h in White Plains — this venue is a former bank that’s still being renovated, and you have to go there if for no other reason than to see the gorgeous mural that’s on the wall above the stage. It’s two women in flowing garb, sort of Rubenesque figures, but as I gazed at them over Aztec’s heads I realized they looked like they were playing air guitar and air violin. Very privately amusing… anyway it’s a great place to hear music; check out their upcoming schedule at www.mainstage.org.
*What’s a Madabout? It’s a member of our street team. If you would like to help us promote gigs in your area (by putting up posters, helping to man the CD table, making airplay requests on local stations, setting up house concerts, or doing a number of other very helpful things), email us at madagnes@madagnes.com and let’s talk. You’ll get in free to gigs, and there just might be free merch opportunities… This is an indispensable service to us and it’s also fun!
This weekend we played a gig at All Souls UU church in New London, CT. They used to have a “Friday Folk” series, but as with many such efforts, the work involved exceeded the volunteer labor available, and after about ten years they had to fold. We’re the first concert they’ve put on in several years, and it was such a joyful and funl experience for all concerned, and SUCH a beautiful space, we’re working with them to create it again. If you’re in the area, please stay tuned for info of a return gig — it might not be for a year, but this is a place that needs to be supported, and you won’t be sorry. Many thanks to Liz and George for doing ALL the work in setting it up, and making that memorable meatball escarole soup. Liz, we want the recipe!
I think we’re up to date, except for last night’s return gig at the Kripalu retreat in Lenox, MA. I had my first yoga class (Margo badgered me into it after all this time), and am rather sore but it was very cool. Got home in the rain, which has melted most of the 2 feet of snow we got last week. We hope to be able to get on a better sleeping schedule this week. If tax stuff doesn’t keep us up all night, eh?
One last thank you — to EVERYONE who has emailed and written to Prairie Home Companion on our behalf. We are so grateful for all of your support, and as always, we could not do any of this without you.
Be well everyone, Spring is coming. Think of peace, and be kind to each other.
Best, Adrienne (for MeMargoMark)
You’ll be able to see a slice of our AMAZING TEXAS TOUR when the new album comes out. We did a spontaneous photo shoot at Neverlandia, the coolest house in Austin, and got our Magic Hour photos. Huge thanks to Aaron, who jumped in as photographer, and was willing to lie on his back on the plank bridge to shoot us. If you’re in Austin, Kay and Talbot give house tours once a month and explain how they transformed a little, one-story, six-room house into the towering magical mosaicked COOL HEART-OPENING SPACE that it is now. Complete with a Bali Room (perfect for house concerts), sunken fireplace, backyard tower that overlooks all of the city, and fire poles if the stairs are too slow. The only rule is, don’t pet the white dog. Thank you K&T for such a beautiful time. (AND for booking us to play at your house with less than 24 hours notice, and bringing in such a load of people!)
Austin is the heartland of Cool Little Houses. There are big ones too, of course, but the cottage-style ones are abundant and people really know how to create a wonderful ambience with little space. Austin’s motto, which you’ll find on bumper stickers and bulletin boards, is “Keep Austin Weird.” I kept wondering what that meant, but I think it’s that people embrace individual artistic expression, so the extraordinary abounds. With gusto! Eat at Magnolia’s, or better yet at Mother’s Cafe, and stop in at White Crane on Congress St. for camel bells and paper lanterns and gorgeous fabrics.
Check out new drawings by our young fans, in this case Margo’s niece & nephew, at the mad website.
I stayed an extra week to visit friends, and made forays to San Antonio and Uvalde. Here in New England we love our bookshops with cafes in the back. In Uvalde they have a couple of nice antique stores, with tea rooms in the back. There isn’t a lot in Uvalde, but they do have extremely nice people, and a great opera house. I think the Russian Ballet is currently performing there. We’ll have to see if there’s a Mad Agnes opportunity…
Meanwhile Margo went to NYC for a few days to see the revival of Oklahoma (she played Laurie in high school!), visit with pals, and get an infusion of culture at the museums. Mark adds that he went to Target and bought chili pepper pants, while staying home and working on the CD art, as we were out having fun.
…art which is almost DONE, and our release date is May 1st. We’ll probably celebrate with sushi, but meanwhile our first CD release gig is May 3 at Pilgrim Covenant Church in Granby, CT. Be among the first to get your CD at a gig!!! As Kay would say, WOWIE ZOWIE!
Cheers, Adrienne (for me, Margo & Mark)
So we’re gearing up for our first CD release gig in Granby on May 3rd, and meanwhile I took a trip with my sister which included a visit to the little town of Centralia, PA. I read about this town in Bill Bryson’s wonderful and funny book, “A Walk in the Woods,” which I recommend to you all. It’s about his attempt to hike the Appalachian trail with virtually no training, and the misadventures that follow. Centralia is notable because it’s burning. It’s been burning for many years, owing to an underground coal fire, and will continue to smoulder for decades to come. There is enough coal under Centralia to keep the bunnies warm in the winter until our descendants have descendants. So, since we were passing near there, we decided to see for ourselves.
What used to be the road into town is blocked off now. You can get out of your car and walk, of course; in about a quarter mile you’ll notice the road is badly buckled and there is smoke coming out of the fissures. Not many people live in town any more, but there are a few diehards who don’t seem to feel that toxic fumes are of any consequence. Here is where someone used to live:
There is a great deal of broken glass and rather melted household items in the area, and if you’re looking for spare anthracite, this is a good place to pick some up. It might already be warm. It was a pretty sobering experience.
After that we spent a couple of days in the Hudson Valley, looking at hoity-toit antiques, eating amazing food and taking walks at Magic Hour.
This was the view behind the Inn at Blue Stores where we stayed and lost track of time.
Now, home again and back to work (sound of whip cracking)! Band meetings, rehearsals, strategizing, and on Friday a party where only women are invited. Mark has to find some guys to go hang out with. We’ll check back in after the next major event…
Cheers, A, for me, M&M
We’ve recently returned from the midwest, where we had a spankin’ gig at WFMT in Chicago — where they have a professional audience who really know how to welcome a band. Thanks, Rich Warren, for having us on the show, and to all the awesome station members who stampeded the doors to be among the first 60 inside! We found time adjacent to our Oak Park House Concert (thanks Peter & Nancy!) to take a long walk through Frank Lloyd Wright territory. Here are some examples of his architecture — I fell in love with the banks of windows, the lofty roofs, and the grandness of each house.
While in Oak Park, we ate some of the hottest chili in the world, exercised on our hosts’ cushy carpets, and resisted seeing “A Mighty Wind,” as we’d promised to go with a friend when we got back. Here are Margo and myself, NOT seeing the picture.
(We did see it later, by the way, and DO go; it’s worth it, especially if you love or hate folk music. Christopher Guest is a brilliant man and we want to be in his acting company.)
We stayed a couple of off-nights at Rich & Cindi Morgan’s in Milwaukee; they do a great house concert series, and though we weren’t actually singing for our supper this time, they fed us well and if you want the recipe for the Westhaven Cake, you must email me. This is a cake you will never forget, whether you choose to use the topping or not. Thanks, R&C, for great hospitality and the delightful dog-and-cat-buddy sideshow. (Maybe you could make them an opening act?)
Another night was spent at my old friend Norma’s house in Madison; I do believe her daughter, Isabelle, made a drawing of us while we were there so you can look for that on the “Fan Drawings” page on our website. They have a cool kitty, a beautiful house, and N. also has our high school yearbooks so we took a very scary trip back in time! (No, I’m not posting THAT picture.) Thanks, Norma & Richard, for putting up with us en route to St. Paul.
Couple more gigs, then back home… it’s been raining for a week. Somehow it seems less like time off when you can’t cavort in the sunshine… oh yeah, that’s because it HASN’T been time off! We’re still madly gearing up the publicity for Magic Hour (thank you thank you to all of you who are ordering, from us and from CD Baby) and working up a couple of new songs. This week we get to see Sweeny Todd at a theatre near Boston; what a fab show and we can’t wait. Then we get to open for Mary Fahl at the Towne Crier on May 31 – she was the lead singer in the ’90s for October Project, one of the best bands EVER. We’re psyched.
Other stuff: Contact us if you want to do a house concert, and we’ll talk you through it. Take a virtual tour of Neverlandia, the house where we did photos for Magic Hour, by going to http://www.io.com/~kaytal. (This is a magical, heart-opening space owned by two extraordinary people. If you’re in Austin, they give tours once a month. Tell Kay and Talbot we said hello.) And, Margo and Mark celebrated their 6th anniversary last weekend. 🙂
Cheers, Adrienne (for MeMargoMark)
Jeepers, it’s almost summer. I hope it dries out long enough for my deck plants to un-mold! We’ve been working up some new material and making plans for our August retreat. AND we’re going to Cirque du Soleil soon, which is a business expense since we’re studying how to play in front of massive crowds.
Meanwhile here are some scenes from our recent appearance at the Frederick Festival of the Arts, which was the first time we ever played ON a creek. Witness: (pic below)
Here is a band’s-eye-view of our audience. (They’re the ones on land.) Beyond the little footbridge you can rent a kayak or a paddle boat. On either side are vendors — it’s not unlike the San Antonio River Walk, only smaller.
(By the way, Margo and Mark have complained that I get to do all the road stories, and they don’t get to add their comments, so soon we’ll have it set up so they can infiltrate these notes whenever they feel like contradicting me, or telling you things I’d rather the public not know.)
Ahem. This was part of a whirlwind weekend, in which we played one night in New Jersey, the next night in central Massachusetts, and the next afternoon in Frederick, Maryland. It really wasn’t as bad as we feared, owing to the kindness of Margo’s friends in Greenwich who put us up on Saturday night so we could get a leg up on the Sunday drive. Thanks, Amy & Steve! We can’t wait to come back for more crepes!
Okay, guess what song this next photo represents…. (pic below) … and win a FREE POTATO! — D’OH
Did I mention that we’re going to the circus? And that we’re very excited about it? Oh, okay.
We have a bunch of fun outdoor gigs coming up in July — in Ridgefield, Tolland, and Marlboro, CT — pray for a sunny day and come out and see us. Check the gigs page for details. We also must mention a very cool benefit we’re playing at the UUSE in Manchester, CT, for the Ghana Health Mission on July 12. This will include a silent auction of numerous choice items, including a Mad Agnes house concert. Just think, Mad Agnes in your home! With your friends, who all bring snacks and help you clean up afterwards! And because you bid on it, a nurse gets to go to Ghana this August and help heal people. Good deal!
See you at a gig, Adrienne (forMeMargoMark)
It’s so stressful, being a guy in a girl band… (kiss pic below)
The circus was a marvel, as we anticipated. Of course we weren’t allowed to take any photos there, but you can find them at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
We’ve just returned from a quick trip to Maryland where we split the night at 333 C/H with Peter Mayer. Please find a Peter Mayer gig near you and go to it. You can find him, his tour schedule, and his six albums, at www.petermayer.net, and don’t confuse him with the other artist of the same name whose website ends with dot com. Peter is a consummate writer, player, singer and all around engaging person, and you’ll love the stuff he thinks about! We were so inspired that on the way home we drove each other crazy singing his songs over and over and over…
We stayed the night at Max Ochs’ house, a large, whimsical old place right on the river. It’s the kind of place you should stay at more than one night; everywhere you turn there’s a collection of something or a great antique, and the house is graced with two very fine beagles, Aesop and Fable. Fable is black. Here they are patiently anticipating the cookie they KNOW is coming. (note slight tail movement in bottom right corner) (pics below)
Oh yeah, we took some shots of the humans too; I thought I should include this first one, where Mark is paying tribute to Christopher Guest (you have to see Waiting for Guffman if you don’t know where this pose is going), and the second where we are all behaving ourselves:
Thank you, Max and Susie, for your hospitality, your lovely home, and creating an amazing night of music for us all.
On the way back there was vortex that sucked us onto Staten Island, where we spent a few hours in Mandolin Brothers and I ended up with a new Lowden!!!!! Aieeeee! (Does anyone say “aieeeee” any more?) Margo got a new case for her guitar, and Mark bought a few picks. Who do you think saved the most money? (Me, of course; the picks were full price.)
And the benefit for Ghana Health Mission was a huge success. We raised the rest of the money needed to cover the trip, and it was fun auctioning things (including ourselves) for the cause. Thank you thank you, everyone who came and helped out — especially our Madabouts, Hil, Mike, Cassie, Hanna, and Bruce!
In other news, Margo graduates next week; my jasmine’s in prolific bloom; the weather is perfect, and I have nothing in my fridge. Must go shopping.
Cheers, Adrienne (&Margo&Mark)
Late-breaking news! This just in! Track three from Magic Hour (“Let This Be My Prayer”) has been chosen to be among the songs published in the Nov/Dec/Jan issue of Sing Out! Magazine. This means the sheet music, lyrics & chords will appear within, and 2500 premium subscribers of Sing Out and lots of DJs around the country will also receive a compilation CD that will accompany their mag. Needless to say, we are tickled pink.
The other great thing is that our August push to move Magic Hours through CD Baby is working — immediately, and so well that as of right now they only have one copy left. We’re sending more today, so if you go to the site and they’re sold out, please check back next week! There will be more! Thank you to those of you who have responded so quickly to our email — if we land in the top 100 sellers this month, we are included on a compilation CD that will go to the first 5,000 people who buy anything at all from CD Baby in October and November. That’s like playing a stadium gig without having to show up! (pant, pant)
And lest we deliver a false impression with all this promo news, we still feel it’s about the music (the sales are an inescapable necessity) and to that end we’re retreating to Maine beginning this weekend to concentrate solely on the creation aspect of our lives. Well, that and eating lobster. By fall we hope to have a new batch of songs for you. Soooooo much on the burner! Let’s get cookin’.
Best wishes, Agnes
Blueberries picked in a neighbor’s field; Norway ME, August 2003. (below)
It’s been a little over a month, and I guess I want to say first that I feel incredibly blessed right now. To be safe, to be loved, and to have music to offer. Thank you everybody, thank you God, thank you band. Tomorrow, we go to Maine again for our last summer writing retreat. Last entry, we were on the verge of our first one. It was good.
The house in Norway (you can read about it in last August’s archive notes, link at bottom) is peaceful and devoid of man-made noise. Our projects are self-directed, Margo says. No business calls taking us away, no temptation to watch tv or run to CVS for something. The lack of distractions cannot be underestimated! We’re putting the finishing touches on some songs we came up with during that week. And here’s a sample of the local wildlife: Our friend, Fuzzy. (above)
Lobsters were had; we brought fresh corn from CT; grilled scallops outside. We honestly have some of the best meals of our lives in Norway. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the Canadian air stream, revving up our appetites. It’s also fun for us all to cook in the one-butt kitchen (I’ll take a picture of it this time; it’s not even a room, just a passageway from the foyer into the living room, which happens to contain a stove, a sink, and a bit of counter!) Mark’s dad, who built the house, was a gadgeteer extraordinaire. Here is a pair of pliers he made, out of ONE, count them, ONE, piece of wood: (How is that even possible?) (above)
At the end of our week we played a house concert in Fryburg, Maine, where we kayaked on the lake and rescued grasshoppers who had accidentally flown out to the middle. We felt better having done our Buddhist duty. (How hard is it, though, to get the grasshopper to STAY IN the kayak until you’re on shore?) I don’t know what the band did the following week, because I was in Vermont on a solo retreat. Wrote a little more, hiked in the hills, picked large handfuls of blackberries, canoed on the pond and communed with frogs and salamanders. Thank you, Steve, for letting me use your digs! Did you know Vermont (at least that area) has neither ticks nor poison ivy?? I was also inspired, by Steve’s cabin which he built himself, to start designing my dream house.
By the time I got back it was almost time for Mark’s SURPRISE BIRTHDAY BASH! Margo pulled it off against amazing odds. We thought surely Mark was onto it when he mowed the lawn the day before. But no, it was a surprise, and we drank Cosmopolitans, played lawn games and enjoyed the pre-fall afternoon.
The next week, back to VT for a smashing gig at Oona’s in Bellows Falls. What a cool place, and what awesome food! Thank you to our friends who showed up to whistle and holler and make all the first-timers think we’re already famous!!
And now, September. Our Sing Out! review appeared, and thank you Rich Warren for writing such a great one; our Avalon Guitar endorsement is progressing (we’re now ordering actual guitars from them); airplay is increasing and more album reviews are pending. Last weekend we had a few gigs in NJ, and we got to stay at our friends Tucker & Susan’s sprawling farmhouse. Tucker used to host us at his Long Valley spot, which by day was Tucker’s Breakfast King, the PLACE to be for breakfast, and by night was Rosie’s Cabaret, named after one of his gorgeous pot-bellied pigs. We loved this venue like no other; one year, though, it flooded and they had to close down. We still mourn its passing. Now all that’s left is a lot of restaurant dishes in their cupboard at home, and the sign, which hangs now on the barn door: (above)
BUT, there’s more! There is life after Tucker’s, and Tucker is creating it. He now trains animals for commercials and print media ads. (Did you see the Fortune Magazine cover with the guy in the business suit, only his head was a pig’s head? That’s Tucker’s pig.) Tucker and Susan now, on a daily basis, feed 74 animals. Here’s the breakdown: 36 sheep & goats; 3 llamas (natural sheep protectors, you know); 4 donkeys; 3 horses; 3 dogs; 5 cats; 16 pigs (including one 800-lb hog named John Henry Pig — do NOT get in his way); 2 birds; 1 skunk, and 1 squirrel. And a partridge in a pear tree. (Or, might be the neighbor’s guinea fowl.)
Tucker with one o’ the wee’ns. (above)
Fence along the top stretch; and a couple-a goils. (above)
T’s main project now is a pilot for a kid’s series, using his own animals and filmed at the farm, called Rock and Roll Animals! The premise is what the animals do in their spare time, which includes but is not limited to driving the truck, meeting at an alley clubhouse, and playing in a rock band. The leader of this band is none other than Grady, a Chinese Crested / Miniature Dachshund mix. Here he is basking in the sun. Note little smile on face, as he knows he’s going to be a star: Grady (above) You can’t really tell from this how small he is; but let’s say that he fits into a pocketbook, and that’s how Susan carries him around.
Here’s Grady in a more pensive mood. (above)
We’re told John Henry Pig (800lbs.) will be the drummer, the dalmatians will also be in the band, and there may be a cat or two involved. There will be a website, which isn’t up yet, but we’ll let you know when it is. We heard the theme song and it kicks butt.
Okay, so we got our shoes muddy and then played a great gig at the Unity Church in Lafayette; an overnight to Somerville for a WUMB appearance and a Johnny D’s gig; back home to fill the birdfeeders and tomorrow we’re off to Lobster Land again.
Did I remember everything? Cheers, Adrienne, for MeMargoMark
Flash! (News flash… or flash flood?) Just in case you think nothing interesting ever happens when we’re at home, here was the view from Mark & Margo’s house this morning, after the night’s deluge! …the view from the back yard… (did you have to pay extra for lakefront property?)
I believe this is actually the street…the speed limit sign says 25MPH…
And our stalwart Mark, looking for the lawn mower!
Thought this would make you feel better, however your day is going.
Cheers, MA&M
Monday, October 20, 2003
Much too busy to write, but here’s a taste of our visit to Franklinton, NY to discover the joys of rural living. Waterfall – Photo by Diana Lyn Cote! The view – Photo by Mark! Cheers, Adrienne (for me, Margo & Mark)
Pez.
The word alone conjures up images of our inviolable youth, appendage-less, variously-headed tubes filled with that universal rectangular candy that was so easy to pop, just the right size to fit into a pocket or a palm. Popeye. Olive. Mickey. Donald. Superman. Lois. Snoopy.
I have to tell you now that I didn’t participate in Pez. I thought they were dorky, superfluous, the toy of trivial minds. After goobers and raisinettes, who needed Pez?
Then we visited the Pez museum and giftshop in Easton, Pennsylvania, and it all changed. In truth, we didn’t even get past the gift shop. Homer and Marge jumped out and said, “Pick me!” The whole Peanuts gang rallied round and sang carols with everybody from Bugz. Pumpkin heads vied with ghouls and faces out of Munch’s “The Scream” for my Hallowe’en favor. I was bedazzled. I was hexed.
I came away with Speedy Gonzales and seven flavors of Pez.
And yes, I’m a little sorry now that we didn’t spend the collective $12 it would have cost to go through the Pez archives. I wonder what the first head was? Were they made of carved stone, or sticks lashed together with poppet-like rag clothing and a hank of hair? Was the delivery mechanism always so smooth? Have there been special edition Pezes, like beanie babies, that get retired and will never come again? Is there someone out there, maybe on Antiques Roadshow, with a First Edition Pez Dispenser and a packet of candy that has never been opened, worth a cool retirement in the Catskills?
Now I’m curious. If you have any cool Pez trivia, or a jpeg of your Olde World Pez that your great, great, great grandmother brought over on the Mayflower, you can send it to me at adrienne@madagnes.com. Maybe I’ll print it here.
Aside from that, and going to the Crayola Store (also in Easton,) we also had a great weekend playing at the library in Stroudsburg, PA, Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem (thank you Cindy, for putting us up at the last minute!), and Dave & MJ’s house concert in Weatherly (“You’re going to Weatherly? They’ll EAT you!”) Dave’s Basement brought in a rowdy crowd (we could barely get a song in edgewise) and we had to slap them a few times to remind them that WE were the performers. What a wonderful, riotous time, and amazing food. Sigh. We’re all back on our sensible dietary regimens, at least for two days, til we leave for Virginia Beach.
In other news, e’en as we were playing at Godfrey’s, we learned that our Acoustic Guitar review was on shelves, and someone came up with a copy. We’ll have a link shortly. Apparently Dirty Linen has also come out, but we haven’t seen it yet.
Remote Viewing Conference this weekend, and other southern climes, then off to the alternate universe of NERFA. See you down the road.
Cheers, Adrienne (for me, Margo & Mark)
We’ve made the trip down past DC so many times, Margo thought it would be interesting to take Rt. 13 this time, down through Delaware, the peninsula of VA and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Boy, was it impressive. Almost 18 miles of bridge, including two sections of tunnel that dive down under the Bay so ships can pass in the night, then come back up. At the south end is a pier, where you can get a free cup of coffee with your toll receipt, and browse the gift shop… (below)
…or, bring your rod and reel (limit 2 per person) and fish off the pier, if you’re feeling lucky. (below) (Why is the ocean crooked? Does Margo know something about this?)
So we get to Virginia Beach, check into our lodging, and what do we find? Surf. Lots of it. And then, all this stuff happened.
Sometimes we just don’t know how we do what we do. Take a fab folk trio, stick them in a southern state over Hallowe’en weekend with sunny 67° days, an ocean two blocks away, food & lodging gratis, and an excellent conference gig stretching over three days. Comfy. Cushy. Cool. Now give two of ’em bronchitis (icky hacky, you don’t want to know what color) and give the other one total laryngitis by Saturday morning. What do you have?
The Mad Agnes Walking Wounded Tour of Virginia Beach, or,The Gimpy Margo and Mark Show, with Adrienne playing Marcel Marceau, or, The Remote Viewing Gig — We Never Saw It Coming.
Ah, me. Aside from these comparatively (in a global sense) simple challenges, we managed to have a lovely time with these lovely people who were so gracious with their kind words and laying on of hands and herbal suggestions, and somehow we got through our 3 playing engagements, and are counting on a return next year when we’re all at our best. Laying low in the Carolinas for a few days, channeling health and (in A’s case) a few good notes. Will check in with a progress report. Send energy! Meanwhile, here are some more moments to keep… How a few folks live… you can hear the surf at night from this street.
Cheers, Adrienne (for me, Margo & Mark)
Whew. Now that the Folk Alliance is over I have a little breathing space. May I say that it’s good to be home? We had a pretty great weekend, and I forgot to take any pictures except this one of Mark, cleverly arranging most of our baggage onto one cart: (below)
Prior to that, as you know if you’ve been paying attention, we were nearly voiceless in Virginia Beach; we stopped in SC for some rest, and I did most of my Christmas shopping while whispering to store clerks and waitresses. Aiken not only has a great little Main Street, it also has horse statuary, similar to the donkeys in Easton, PA and the fish in Boston. Here is a sampling: (below)
Some of the horse labels: This one’s in front of Wachovia Bank. Title reads: “A Quarter Horse w/Horse Cents.” Street sign, with bike icon, says “Share the Road”, River & Night Sky.., And one of my favorites, a Native American motif with two different sides.
After playing a few more southern gigs, we had one day’s turnaround at home to prepare for the Folk Alliance conference in Monticello, NY. Exhilarating as usual, and made the more so by the fact that we finally got into a formal showcase. (Actually it was more of a semi-formal showcase, but still sanctioned by the authorities.) We felt like ***!stars!*** as a couple hundred people who had crammed into a large conference room-turned-theatre whooped and hollered for our fifteen minutes of showcase fame.
(We were just about healthy enough to sing all our sets, which typically end around 2am. I think no one was the wiser, although I’m really grateful to have a few days of silence now.)
Of course no one gets much sleep at these things, and we’re completely fagged out at this time. We did see a few really good acts, which you can check out if you’re in the mood. One is www.girlyman.com, a very cool trio with raging harmonies and very interesting off-price outfits with matching capos and, may I say, at least one quite excellent short haircut. Our friends the Roadbirds were in attendance (www.theroadbirds.com), and Sloan Wainwright (www.sloanwainwright.com), and Buddy Mondlock (www.buddymondlock.com) (he’s not our friend but we like him), and Hickory Project, and Juliet Wyers (www.julietwyers.com). All worth a look and a listen.
With Thanksgiving coming up, we feel more than ever that we have so much to be thankful for. Our irreplaceable friends and families, our heartstrong fans, and all the times when things are just ridiculously hard and absurd and we say, “What? And quit show biz?” Now, don’t tell Margo that I told you this, but her birthday is on the 25th of November. She is exactly three weeks older than I am, by the way. Between T’giving, birthdays, Christmas and New Year’s, we plan to do some celebrating, let me tell you. I hope your holidays are cheerful and warm, and I hope we see you at the HARTFORD UU on Nov. 22, if not elsewhere.
Best, Adrienne (for MAM)
If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is: OH yeah! Sing Out Magazine…And looky inside… It’s track 3 from Magic Hour! “Let This Be My Prayer.”
In other fabulous news, it’s my birthday next week. I’m throwing a surprise party for myself (though honestly, with all the recipe books out and the plastic cups and dinnerware, I’m starting to suspect something). I will be 29 again, same as Margo.
Other events this week: laborious research on and purchase of PDAs, rehearsal of new songs; A’s doing some home yoga (ooh, not that flexible yet), Mg’s in NJ on a Feldenkrais weekend while Mark fields all the biz at home. We’re expecting another storm tomorrow, and fortunately we’re not gigging anywhere — so if the boiler in my apt. building keeps working, it’ll be a snug Sunday at home. Hope yours is as well.
Cheers, A. (for Me, Mg & Mk)