Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! And what a beautiful Halloween it is. Crisp autumn air, seasonal colors on the leaves, sun shining, blue sky. A more perfect day I could not have asked for – a perfect day made all the better by the fact that not only is it Halloween, it’s also Miners Creek Bluegrass Band’s Birthday and we’re throwing a party.

Last year, we had the party at the Keag River Gallery out in South Thomaston and it was a total blast, in spite of the fact that it was the night before the massive snow storm that knocked down a ton of trees and power lines. This year, the party’s at Barnswallow Books right in the heart of Rockport Village and I’m hoping that with such beautiful weather this year’s festivities will be even more fun than last year’s.

Barnswallow is an awesome, independent bookshop that opened last year. The first time I went in there, they were running as a self-serve bookshop, which I thought was really cool and a fabulous statement about the kind of community we live in. They have more staff now, but I think there are still times when it’s self-serve. They’re growing very organically, a lot like our band. They’ve got a great collection and are always willing to order what ever it is you’re looking for if you can’t find it. They’re also planning on opening a cafe in the shop soon.

The ladies at Barnswallow approached the band about playing a Halloween Party and when we told them it was also the band’s birthday, they decided to throw us a party, complete with cake (we’ve been promised that the cake will feature Skeletons and Banjos). We’ll be playing of course, but local storyteller “Pirate” John Bullock will also be sharing spooky tales from Edgar Allan Poe, Washington Irving, and Mainer Ruth Moore.

I don’t think I can properly describe how excited I am for this party. First, of all, we’ve been working with some of the most wonderful people to organize it: Tom Young, Teresa Piccari, Linda Lescher, thank you so much for all you’ve done from writing press releases to procuring hay bails (what kind of Halloween barn party would it be without hay bails?). Second, the space is amazing. Barnswallow resides in an old farmhouse with an attached barn. Barn acoustics are hands down some of the best there are for the kind of music we play and I’m super excited to hear how it all sounds.

I hope as many people who can, come out to the party today, because what I’m most excited about is the chance to share our music with the community in this fabulous space. And I want to share this space with the community, because it’s a gem. So if you’re in the Rockport area this evening, come to Barnswallow Books (166 Russell Ave, across from the Rockport Public Library), we’ll be there from 5 pm to 7:30 pm and we’d love to see you all there. Also, the band will be dressed as Zombies/Ghost Riders, so there’s even more incentive to come.

Thank you for reading.