A sample of what to expect--
This is an example of the kind of thing a subscriber will see, after the Moonlight newsletter took its final form (following some fitful formats at the beginning)… an intro paragraph/commentary, followed by details on the upcoming shows (augmented as possible with actual photos of the artists while performing those shows), and a closing few sentences… (too) often a mannerly appeal addressing The Moonlight’s precarious financial position. Not all posted weblinks will still be hot, or guaranteed to lead you to an active website— try ‘em anyway!
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From: Moonlight On The Mountain
Subject: Formicidae Moon
Date: 11 June 2013
Friends of The Moonlight--
The black, shiny cable that brings TV and internet to our house is hitched to the siding just under the eaves, and runs otherwise unanchored at least three hundred feet, to a pole obscured by trees on the far side of the street. You can touch the line while standing on the deck, and that's how we noticed the stream of ants trundling both directions along the top of it--- thousands of purposeful little buggers, in an organized scurry on a tightrope of unimaginable length, on a mysterious mission of such importance that it trumps any hesitation on the part of its performers. What's more, any two ants meeting each other in the journey must pause for an instant to bump heads, tangle antennas, swap formic acid spit, or whatever they do to confirm that the other is a legit member of the same colony--- in heavy traffic, this is something that happens every few seconds.
To anthropomorphize this situation, imagine a four-foot wide rope-and-plank bridge slung across Mobile Bay, with every resident of Fairhope required to make a daily jog across it to wallow briefly in the nectar at Bellingrath Gardens, then dutifully stopping to shake hands with each person they meet on the way back. To keep things exciting, the occasional blue jay who comes to rest on the cable line would be represented by one of those flying dinosaurs dropping onto the rope bridge for an easy snack--- a moment's bouncing, screaming panic, then everybody goes right back to the afternoon's routine.
We imply no specific parallels in describing this phenomenon, except to encourage you to explore the profound differences AND similarities of our two species--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant
and to idly wonder... if this behavior exemplifies the hours that ants spend productively, what must their recreation be like? Do they take vacations? Go to the beach? Cheer at ball games? Listen to folk music?
IF SO, HERE'S SOME SHOWS THEY ARE SURE TO ENJOY--->
Thursday the 13th--SUSAN GIBSON, and SARA PEACOCK, 7:30pm, $12
Tonight's like a little piece broken off of Lilith Fair, with one edge rather rough, the other a bit more polished and smooth. Susan Gibson personifies the saddle-broke Texas troubadour ethic, one for whom road dust and new faces seem to be fuel for her rockets. She's been an honored icon of the Austin music scene, particularly since her song "Wide Open Spaces" became a stratospheric hit for the pre-controversy Dixie Chicks--- that was a well-deserved homer for an artist whose catalog contains several more works that could just as easily clear the right field fence. Down-home and dauntless, Susan makes new friends wherever she plays-- if you've seen her, you may already be one---
http://www.susangibson.com
When Sarah Peacock plays with her band, she makes a habit of appropriating any of the sidemens' instruments for her own use from tune to tune--- she's able to handle them all with equal proficiency. Tonight, though, the Georgia native travels down from her adopted city of Nashville to jump on the bill as a solo, and we'll be able to taste the essence of her energetic roots-pop in a rarified form. Peacock's pedigree is impressive--- Belmont music degree, relentless nationwide tours, network TV appearances, dedicated charity concerts for Sandy storm victims, and a fine new album of sixteen self-penned tracks, "Albuquerque Sky".
http://www.sarahpeacockmusic.com
Friday the 14th-- THE HERB TROTMAN BAND, 7:30pm, $12
Just next door to the The Moonlight sits the Bluff Park Diner, a classic meat-and-three eatery that offers the standards of Southern cooking--- meat loaf, fried chicken, turnip greens, peach cobbler-- the kind of home-plate cuisine that's always satisfying, a respite from experimental forays into other more exotic meal choices. That comfortable, sure-thing quality underlies our regular addition of The Herb Trotman Band to the schedule--- they're local bluegrass heroes who have spent years building a responsive base audience, polishing impressive picking skills, and sifting inventive new material to keep their two-hour show from becoming a parody of itself. We haven't romped through an evening with these folks since February--- they're in full summer plumage tonight, and can play even faster in warm weather!
www.herbtrotmanband.com
Saturday the 15th-- KENNY ROBY, and SHANNON LaBRIE, 7:30pm, $12
Kenny's reputation has preceded him in every corner of the country, and in each different music scene he's tackled-- since his childhood in upstate South Carolina, Roby has reveled in a gumbo of musicological ingredients, taking his own creative cues from sources as diverse as Ray Charles, The Ramones, Bing Crosby, Motown, Tom Waits, and William Faulkner. Photos of him depict a man wresting with a roiling brew of rhythmic impulses and potentially explosive expression, though admiring critics have called his work "shadowy, troubled and elegiac.... dedicated composition that is equal parts calculating, controlled and creative."
http://kennyroby.net
When we asked Shannon to open for Malcolm Holcombe back in January, she took it seriously enough to bring her whole band, and absolutely thrilled the room in a five-song edition of her soulful, retro-R&B originals.... nearly every listener bought her EP and asked us to book her again as soon as we could. Since then, Shannon has traveled to all corners of the country, dropping in for cherry-picked gigs in Los Angeles, New York, Key West, Chicago, and her hometown of Nashville.... all the while snatching special attention from influential music writers in every region. It's always a pleasure to see such sure-footed talent early in the game, and LaBrie delivers it in dollops.
www.shannonlabriemusic.com
Monday the 17th-- OPEN MIC NIGHT, 7:30pm, $5
As we've hollered many times in the last couple of months, tonight's Open Mic is the LAST CHANCE for aspiring players to get a chute in the post gate for our Grand Playoff on the 8th of July--- we make the stage available to amateurs twice a month, less for the purpose of competition than for the sheer joy of hearing people play for fun... but there IS a cash prize pot at every edition for the week's winner, and a $500 hand-crafted demo package from Bud Brown at Higher Ground Studios for the half-year's champion. We expect a full turnout for this final night of the Winter/Spring '13 runoff--- if you miss it, we'll launch the Summer/Fall series on July 22. The wheel rolls on!
http://www.moonlightonthemtn.com/MOTM/openmike.html
DANG--- TOASTY SUMMER GOT A GOOD RUN GOING, & HERE'S NEXT WEEK'S SHOWS--->
Friday 21st-- RUNAWAY HOME, Gary Furr opens: Homeboard harmonies, family-style, from Tenner-see
Saturday 22nd-- ELLIS PAUL: THE pre-eminent New England folk icon returns to our hilltop---
More shows are added to our coming lineup each and every day--- have a look NOW, and don't let nothin' sneak up on ya!
http://www.moonlightonthemtn.com/MOTM/Calendar.html
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Three weeks ago we buried our cautious comments about the future of The Moonlight in the lead paragraph, obscured by verbal shrubbery that we often use to shroud the things we don't enjoy having to say--- it's a safe bet that even fewer of the list subscribers will make it all the way down to this weekly coda, wherein we always shill for shekels to help us pay the bills incurred as we keep the place running. In an effort to keep that ball in the air, but not yet make a hood ornament out of the subject, let us speak plainly here: we're interested in finding at least one other individual who can imagine taking part ownership of this fanciful project, and would commit some unspecified resources toward steering The Moonlight toward whatever it is destined to become in the months ahead. Of course, your financial contributions are certainly essential, and always welcome--- but we now seek the injection of spirit and invention that can only come from new blood. Click "Reply" to start a dialogue about how YOU might help this happen--- you always have our fervent thanks!
www.moonlightmusicalliance.org
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