TinnerHillBluesFestival2012
Introduction/Definition/etc
Previously that day, NoPlaceForBikesAtDMV2012
but once a year, the last one I missed, AFAICT,
TinnerHillorgBluesFestival was two years ago?
Media
Stills Inline
Video Links
VID_20120609_154104.mp4
VID_20120609_154047.mp4
VID_20120609_154037.mp4
Body
Event in the Public Park Costs Money
Not listed on the promo stuff I saw...
Parking, found it, in Falls Church government area,
done the State Theatre last time, this the outside
lawn version, you mean a concert in the public park
costs money? WTF? Well where does one get money?
Local ATM?
Ask recreation/ community center/ as guard nay,
real full officer comes out of office at my question,
I must look the biker scum part...
BB&T is the closest...
Walk Around Police Lines
Police tape or similar keeping boundary of the paid event...
Walk out and see a shuttle bus type thing, mom and kid
playing on board, I ask and go to another bank further away,
sitting in air conditioned shuttle for a bit... Blessed A/C,
the kid entertaining somewhat too... He's got M&M's
we see a yard with a pool, "No Fair!, They Have A Pool!"
I exclaim...
Sign on the shuttle bus says sponsored by
some Wine Tasting place... Alcohol Alert!
Bus stops to ask people walking
on the street if they want a ride to the park...
There must a flag down the shuttle option
(pun from NoPlaceForBikesAtDMV2012 intended)
Bus driver tries taking people/
read hijacking people to somewhere else,
thinking sober ride type thing, I'd talked to LBS
(Local Bike Shop about doing a bike valet
maybe limited maintenance/ clinic...)
Entrance Fee
$15 to get in to a public park...
No free concerts here...
And it doesn't cover the other days of the weekend event,
no Festival Pass, now mostly over...
No signs saying how much,
reentry or other terms of sale...
And they don't take credit nor cards,
cash only...
Lawn Chairs
Others walking towards have lawn chairs,
I'm carrying motorcycle stuff, and still working
on the different muscles to get used to walking and riding...
I didn't know ahead about lawn chairs,
now vague recollection somewhere, too tired to think...
and don't have a good way to get them there...
Biker... And Motorcycle safety stuff, heavy jacket,
helmet, heavy jeans, boots, is very hot
in the mid day sun, walking around in it too...
I'm vaguely remembering Radford
BambisOutToGetMeAndSnakesInTheStore2011
and getting sick with the runaround,
just to park on campus, last time used, really...
Change Clothes?
Thought of changing into shorts, but have to go back
and other problems, need a storage space for clothes,,
and / or hat/ coat check? Gym Lockers in rec center?
Entrance fee there too?, etc...
Wrist Bands
Got colored Wrist band, purple for adult and
drinkers? another green? for kids
thinking on the way in that I see the woman from
BikeToWorkDay2012 ?
and wondering why I wasn't wearing my Festival
T shirt from a previous year's purchases
with Chuck Brown ChuckBrownPassed
to sneak in as security (I don't, but thought about it)
but wore it Friday, told several people about it,
wondering if any are going to show up to it,
but not wearing the event shirt to the multi day event
on Saturday...
Sweaty T Shirts
I've been changing sweaty t shirts a lot these 90 degree days,
pre summer too...
Two or three showers/ or bathes per day,
to start the day, end the day before getting in bed,
plus odd looks and snide remarks something about a shower
must be based on appearance...
I wonder if I had time rushing in the morning to DMV
to put on a fresh set... I probably skipped that...
I usually don't... <Further gross>
Ice Cream, We All Scream For Ice Cream
Ice Cream truck outside in the roped off park
and parking lot entrance area, blocking traffic,
loud generators and others spewing warmth on already
warm asphalt, no shade there...
Milk shakes $4
Water $1.50
tip jar and young cute but attitude teen thing serving
soft ice cream...
You see I've already been mugged by DMV today,
to tip well...
Also long slow line and annoying especially after hours with DMV
and then repairs/ regular maintenance...
Bail?
I should have just gone home and crawled in bed/
read under a rock...
Tired, hot, annoyed, but this is the only day,
really, last night was the opening at State,
also expensive and been there, done that,
no real transportation to do that,
so might not need to go back again...
Other stuffs to do too...
Festival To Counterbalance Drudgery?
But looking for something fun to counteract
the not so fun annoyances of late...
Ants?
Lawn thinking ants, a few picnic benches
and a tented area with folding hard chairs,
others, the regulars planned ahead, knew
from before, or whatever...
Walking in front of people to get to seats...
Carrying bags and water bottle one drank
while waiting on milk shake preparation,
line getting longer behind me, it takes
a while for those...
Feeling hungry, angry at DMV,
later prices at Blues Festival,
lonely, only biker seen, some bicyclists
later motorcycles our front...
I skipped breakfast to go
to DMV, as fast as possible,
I skipped lunch to get there...
Late to a repair, $75 to adjust
and lube chain, I'll have to learn
that myself... Seen it once now...
Reasonable hours waiting on
short repair stuff, socializing, learning
and complaining with other motorcyclists,
a Saturday Tradition, apparently...
Get there at 9 am to get in line/ queue early...
My other "Appointment"
Healthy Food?
They would have good food there, no?
Healthy? No.
$12.50 for beef brisket sandwich and two sides
(mayonnaise (sp?) potato salad from a box, Yeah,
coleslaw from a box,
or collard greens w ham/bacon,
or cooked warm green beans.
(Me: "at least it's green...")
Move along to pay woman missing part of her hand,
"Water"? " How Much?" $1.50, "No, I'm all right",
don't need water, echoed "he doesn't need water",
to the guy who got up and got it from the cooler,
now I'm cheap after being mugged by DMV,
and now concessions, my chances of
getting away anywhere this summer
dwindling before my eyes on basic necessities
like food in my stomach, first tank of gas,
repairs, fees, etc...
Dreams Lost
Dreams lost,
memories gone,
opportunities lost...
Noisy MC
Noisy MC, too high volume up front in the back
of the barn, pimply faced kid in event t shirt
gave junior wanna be guard (ala DMV?)
had said I couldn't walk around the back of the barn,
cutting out extra walking around down and back up the hill,
or in front of the audience, following the people in front of me,
who just went that way, no, I'm not him, I'm different...
Very different, and feeling unwanted, excluded, and
very down and unhappy...
Baking in the Heat and Sun
Sitting around when all I want to do is get cool
and rest, why did I bother coming out?
And at great expense (to me) and sweat?
10th Annual Blues Festival Guide 2012
Really Old Guy walks around giving Blues Festival
magazine BluesFestivalGuide.com
to the people in the lawn next to me...
I'm wondering at first if he's vending to the audience,
hawking something asking for donations,
but not giving one to me, nor any in the tent,
I later see one on a chair and
ask gesturingly of the neighbors, if I can take?,
she nods, shrugs, or similar, my one take away
that is not ingested, and paid for...
Mic Check
Third or fourth person/ groups up
and duo? of a woman from Canada
who's grandfather was born
here in Falls Church, does some
audio changes, "where's the Mic Guy?"
I say "beer garden..."
to some alternating annoyed and amused
neighbors...
Press
I take a little video and stills from the seat,
I'm too tired and not to do it right,
I see photographers with big honking lenses
and video professionals with tripods and chairs around,
wondering if Live On Local Cable,
(I Also Don't Have...), I also saw a Patch T shirt,
not Patch Adams, but Patch newspapers
walking around...
I avoid the cameras pointed at me sniper like
on at least 3 occasions, I didn't see a press/ photo policy
at the gates, nor schedule, I'm only getting performers
who generally like media like exposure, only when positive,
really and getting photos/ video backs of people's heads
except the guy who walked in front during a good part
of audio... <sigh>
Epilogue
Next morning, somewhat recovering,
wondering about motorcycling around to the national
Festivals listed in the magazine, but if it's all about
money, beer, liquor, etc and I don't know who or what
I'm going to see, I know none of the names of people
and it's intellectual like, I like some of the music,
but don't ask me names I'd need a Music Appreciation,
for the Idiot's Guide and a map of the locations,
or By Location, the listing is by date, a calendar
of all the events, some ads and a couple articles...
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Got there and got out,
it was expensive, ($15 entrance, $4 milkshake,
$1.50 water, $.50 tip, $1 water,
$12.50 bad brisket w 2 sides,
$1 water, $1 water,
$3 soft serve)
hot, (went mid day, partially due to clothing, some shade lacking in parking lot,)
buggy, (outside in the park lawn, spraying a cloud of insecticide near entrance...)
and annoying in many ways (shuttle hijacking attempt to wine, expense, staff attitude, MC's tone, hawking stuff but not giving price (CDs, t shirts, voting, etc), seating (just do rentals?),
the drinkers everywhere and smokers on the edge of the Beer Garden and elsewhere, etc.)
Not what I had hoped for given the previous experience with the festival,
but much of it could have been my mood following DMV, tired,
hungry, poor, but it could have been better,
could have been a free concert in the park,
included a t shirt, nicer people/ staff,
better food (only tried one BBQ vendor outside in the parking lot,
and missed Famous Dave's inside, as a chain, but might have been better?)
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
What are the blues?
Who defines if it is the Blues, or not?
Are blues Clinical Depression?
Major Depression Recurrent?
Or the treatment for it?
But at what costs?
Why isn't there sober concerts/ festivals?
Page History
20120611 Jerry
- Spell check a little...
- Add Media, Stills Inline, Video Links, plus have a few more to put up later...
- replace Conclusion with some areas of improvement, as my substitute paper only feedback form
20120610 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to mark passing an annual event, this year bad for me ...
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