The Low Tide Drifters are here to Stay!

I know you were all sitting on the edge of your seats waiting to hear what our decision would be for a band name. And, drum roll please, we are NOT changing it! Ha! We did some busking this weekend at the Oregon Country Fair and we learned a few things. First, the name we picked (The Whistlestops) did not feel right (I couldn't remember it when people would ask). Second, finger picking on acoustic instruments without resonators doesn't translate well for busking...especially when the other buskers have seven-piece ensembles! And last, but not least, sucking dust at the OCF does not improve harmonica playing, vocals or the overall mood of the musicians. The fair has never been our thing, but we were bound and determined to give it a try. I don't think Dennis (blues harp) has recovered yet.

We did, however, get to see one of my local favs, The Badmitten Orchestrae. These ladies are just awesome musicianers and fun! They're nice, too! Here they are busking near the Divine Cupcake cart. They were sweet enough to listen to our (very quiet) set and Morgan (fiddle) sat in with us on a couple of tunes.

Freedom from Work

The 4th was a great day off with a neighborhood barbecue. The band played a few tunes with abandon...and a little beer. Fireworks were visible over the back fence and Bay put in a new fire pit in her back yard.

Entertain yourself this summer! A fire pit is incredibly good fun in and of itself...a few friends and a warm blaze can be just right on a summer evening (or early morning).

The band (referred to previously as Low Tide Drifters, but having another name crisis - help! Give us a reply if you think of something good - we're looking for something vaguely political/catchy. It would be great if the name was unforgettable and incredibly clever) will be playing at the Oregon Country Fair on Saturday - we'll be busking near the cupcake cart....Divine Cupcake has fabulous tasty vegan organic cupcakes. I'm not vegan and they still taste fantastic!

Music

Another "gig" at the ESSN Annual meeting. ESSN is the Eugene & Springfield chapter of Jobs with Justice. Only half the band is in the pictures...we were all spread out. Hopefully more pictures from someone else's camera. The band, Low Tide Drifters (LTD-not to be confused with Lane Transit District), plays old-timey/country/punkish/folk/beachmont blues (like piedmont, but with a coastal feel). I might have made some of that up. I'll post songs when we get some decent recordings! Vocals/ Lead Guitar - Nathan James, Vocals/Banjo - Kate, Harmonicas - Dennis, Vocals/Guitar - Bayla, Percussion/Harmonies/Guitar - Joseph. Sitting in on this one, the great Mark Ross on fiddle.