Certificated Moon
Always a little too far ahead of its time, you could say— Moonlight issued its own version of “gift cards” long before that got to be a thing, and maybe the reason the idea flew only so far was because the venue was a strictly-cash bizness. No digitized swipe strips or embedded chips, no UPC codes or QR boxes, no data verification somewhere up in the clouds. Those with foresight (or the Christmas Spirit!) paid it forward with crisp Andy Jacksons, and got a handmade, inkjet-printed, letter-sized, glitter-bordered document that looked a lot like a diploma, or a stock certificate, with the giftee’s name splashed big and proud in one-inch font, right square in the middle. They were dignified things, and they represented so much more than just legal tender when presented by the bearer at the ticket counter— we regarded them as a sort of honorary wampum, evidence that some of our clientele thought so fondly of our doings that they were prompted to share the new buzz with their besties.
It was, after all, the season to scratch names off an annual list, and we hoped for an expanded audience to wander in, pre-paid, out of naive curiosity, and be persuaded to return repeatedly, enchanted by the magic. There was, happily, a certain amount of that, but more often the certificates were bought by our regulars for each other, times enough that we pre-printed blanks with certain individuals’ names, to be filled out with dollar amounts when requested, like a check. Moonlight’s marketing seldom went the way we expected it to, but long as enough listeners came in and went out happy, the boat would float, and maybe we didn’t need any more than that.
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November 30, 2010
Friends of The Moonlight---
We are tempted to make the arrival of the twelfth month of 2010 analogous to some other thing with a dozen divisions--- our Western musical scale, with twelve notes... the Twelve Days of Christmas, of course, with the turtledoves and swans and lords-a-leaping and such--- the signs of the Zodiac, perhaps--- even the 12-step Recovery Process adopted by so many wanderers in search of a steady sobriety. Fortunately for you, no obvious parallels present themselves, saving you here our protracted and tortured attempt at reaching for lofty insight at the simple turning of a calendar's page.
Lots of us, no doubt, are happy to see this bizarre year (and the decade it caps) slip into history, so we can refresh our hopes and visions of a rosier future... may it be mere days away, rings the unsung chorus. All that remains to be tended, following our national Week of Mandated Gratitude, is a tinseled and be-ribboned time of Required Rendering and Compulsory Material Dispensation, in supplication to our nation's ever-desperate and frantic retailers.
For which the perfect segue is a mention of our Moonlight Gift Certificates--- custom-ordered in any denomination (twelve dollars, even!), they are a unique and thoughtful present for anyone who'd appreciate the pre-paid invitation to a future Moonlight show of their choosing... or yours, if you plan to escort them through our doors. Your advance purchase allows us to print up an official letter-size document, pretty as we can make it, that you can slip into an envelope and produce proudly at just the perfect seasonal moment.
Get back to us by email to order some now, or speak of it when you come in next--- we'll have it ready for you soon after!
THE MONTH STARTS WITH SOME REMARKABLE SHOWS---
Thursday the 2nd-- A Benefit Auction for THE LOVELADY CENTER
Nothing sweetens the pleasure of a gift more than knowing it blesses someone else in addition to the recipient... unless it's the fact that the cost of it is tax-deductible as well! Many such items will be offered at this evening's event, which is intended to raise funds for an East Lake women's residential and counseling center---- donors have contributed a wealth of attractive commodities, from gift baskets to unique collectibles to professional services, at prices dependent on your sense of generosity.
Live music of a jazz-ish nature will enliven the atmosphere, along with samples of some eye-opening shakes blended by the sponsor, VISalus Sciences Team AIM...
great way to knock a dent in that gift list, and boost your karma at the same time! 7-8:30pm
http://www.wix.com/theloveladycenter/tlc
Friday the 3rd-- NORA JANE STRUTHERS, $12
Some artists transcend time and fashion, some have the good sense to adopt the flavors of what worked so well before--- Nora Jane manages to do both in her craft, evoking the era of post-Depression Appalachia while making fresh inroads into the art of neo-Traditional songworks. A former high-school English teacher, she's found inspiration in the backbone themes of classic literature, and made them plain and strong in the narratives that lock her lyrics together.
All this she delivers in a stirring, singular voice, backed by the instrumental/vocal genius of P.J. George--- fans of Gillian Welch, Hazel Dickens, and Blue Highway will find her becoming a new favorite. Tall, lovely, and unforgettable--- 7:30pm
www.norajanestruthers.com
Nora Jane Struthers, December 3 2010, 15 present
Saturday the 4th--- DANA COOPER, $12
The world is full of troubadours, an awful lot of whom might now pattern themselves after Dana Cooper--- he's known and recognized by a startling number of performers whose paths he's crossed in the last four decades, more than a few of them have even name-checked him in songs they've written. From the earliest days of Kerrville, across several continents (he LOVES Sweden and Denmark), notching appearances on coveted TV and radio programs, and having his songs admired and covered by a long list of other gifted songwriters--- Cooper never falls prey to convention, or loses his shrewd intuition for what will set him again ahead of the crowd.
A true voice of the road, an Americana luminary, and one hell of a guitar player to boot. 7:30pm
www.danacoopermusic.com
Dana Cooper, December 4 2010, 3 present
NEXT WEEK WE GET ENERGETIC---
Monday 6th-- OPEN MIC NIGHT, seeking the last of 2010's winners this month, to compete in January for Da Big Playoff Prize---!
Thursday 9th-- MARTHA'S TROUBLE Christmas Tour, much-loved folk-pop duo in a special seasonal performance, some classics & some cutting-edge originals... local openers ScarletandRogue
Friday 10th-- TO LIGHT A FIRE, THE GREAT NON-FICTION, AEREOPHONICS ATLAS--- A Moonlight Benefit, three hot post-college bands determined to keep this hall cool, and kickin'--- our giddy thanks!
Saturday 11th-- SKYBUCKET AND FRIENDS Songwriters Round, six of this area's best new-music creators mix it up acoustically, no tellin' what might happen as a
result
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