chuckography

That GUY at Chazzfest....

What a beautiful day. Clear skies and not too hot or humid for the 1st Annual Chazzfest on Daniel Island.

No need for my "concert boots" that had been crucial in the Mississippi Muddy Beale Street Blues Bash in Memphis or my floppy wide-brim Tilley sun hat and excessive sun block as I sweltered on the sizzling asphalt parking lot in Columbia for the 3 Rivers Music Festival.

This is a VERY easy drive compared to five hours on the road to Atlanta for the Midtown or that late night return down from HOB in Myrtle Beach.

Yep. Hope they do it again next Hurricane Season and maybe make it a full-blown 2-day event. Yeah, add a day!

Missed the opening Plantation Singers but joined the campers in the woods and sat on a log to listen to Drink Small then wandered over to the #2 stage by the tennis clubhouse for some DumstaPhunk by Ivan Neville. He smartly invited the ladies to join him on stage - sorta like Robert Randolph does - and we enjoyed a bevy of local beauties.

The City Paper's Locals stage introduced me to the energetic LESLIE trio and some fiddlin' Sam Bush Bluegrass had me primed and ready for The Buddy Guy.

I've seen enough of his concerts to KNOW he's going to leave the stage and work his way through the crowd at some point. They loved it at Family Circle Tennis main court! People were hanging over the railing in the upper deck taking snapshots as he moved along, singing and playing his guitar.

And, I guess everyone else figured out they could either buy a 12 oz. can of beer for $4 or a 16 oz draft for the same price. In Charlotte once, I paid $7 for a draft. Sometimes I practice moderation ...in moderation.


Well, the closing act was HUGE. This time I abandoned my prized spot on the security rail right down front and sat up high to catch the full spectacle. Wow. The lights. The excellent sound.

Al Green really belted out song after song, backed by a larger band (19 pieces) than when Harry Connick Jr opened the Performing Arts Center with his 17 band members. The opening bars tipped off the appreciative crowd and the singalongs from the 70s began. It truly was a day long music festival with something for everyone.

Of course I would have been in trouble if there had been a drinking game going on: down a beer everytime Al Green drops his microphone. About a 6 pack.

See you there next season.

posted by chucker @ 7:57 PM