We had a lovely concert yesterday down by the water at Holts Landing State Park - had to cut it a bit short for rain, but after we had packed up soggy gear, the weather cleared up quickly for a beautiful sunset over Indian River Bay.

It was really nice to mark July 4th by sharing some folk music outside under the trees. We have complicated feelings about this youngster of a country, but singing songs amongst a bunch of smiling faces (and babies! and dogs!) felt like the right way to celebrate.

I like to think that a nation made up of immigrants, revolution, atrocities, beauty, injustice, opportunity, energy, and boundless creativity has no choice but to lean towards progress. That maybe one day we'll be a country of people sitting around a campfire quietly listening to each other's songs and stories, and singing along if we recognize the tune.

We didn't play anything patriotic yesterday, but we added a few songs to our setlist that felt appropriate:

The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan
Crowded Table by The Highwomen
Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
Willow Hoop by The Honey Badgers

This is now an experimental writing format where Michael is going to keep saying some more things after Erin’s details of the drizzly holiday gig concluded.

The drive home was punctuated by the cloudy sky being lit up sporadically with a variety of fireworks as we passed through small towns and private gatherings that make Delaware what it is. I have fond childhood memories of family and friends and cookouts and firecrackers. Tradition and history are important, but questioning the Why is also important. Gathering with familiar faces won’t often teach you anything.

Our job performing music for a living brings us into many new situations where we meet new people and learn so much about different cultures and personalities and regions, for which I am so grateful. It’s a complex world, but fireworks are a universal sparkly language that doesn’t require any thinking or speaking, just standing in Awe. We’re all humans just trying to get through life.

I’m gonna go wipe down some cables and lay out instruments and gear to dry in front of fans now.

Outdoor Summer Performances are Fun and Fickle