I can't believe that a week later there are still no Falcon Ridge reviews so I guess I will tax my memory a little and tell you about it. This was my first time at Falcon Ridge and it was a wonderful festival. About half the size of Philly Folk but just as great! If you are from Philadlephia area try to catch Butch Ross and Deidre Flint both of whom are from here and were showcased at the Ridge - very talented and fun people!
Well, Moxy was on site Friday night when they helped with a "welcome message" which ended up being Killer Tents - it was great and a lot of fun but a total tease - who can have just one live Moxy song!?
The Moxy camp on the hill, by all accounts, was pretty rowdy (I didn't make it up there - I prefer a shower and a bed at the end of the day - any campers want to let me know how it really was?) and Moxy certainly acknowledged them during their set Sat. night but I'm jumping ahead.
The Ridge has this great little Workshop stage which is this informal setting for the performers to get together and share talents - on Saturday one of the Workshops was "A Toast to Those Who are Gone: The Songs of Woody Guthrie" which involved Jimmie LaFave, Dve carter and Trace Grammerr, Pamela Means, The Paperboys, Cliff Eberhardt, The Nields and (of course) Moxy Fruvous. I have to tell you (at the risk of making you jealous if you weren't there) that it felt like magic. Everyone sounded great and Moxy had a great Woody improve song (Falcon Ridge 2000) that I am sure he would have loved. They also proved to be the force behind Sinking of the Reuben James which spiraled into an all out Woody jam ending with an entire field of people singing this Land is Your Land including the No Trespassing verse...just incredible.
Time for dinner. After that and another great nite of music (Dar Williams made everyone cry...) we were ready for Moxy's full set. They seemed a little tired but managed to pull off a crowd pleaser including (not necessarily in this order:) Horseshoes, Boo Time, The Lazy Boy, Nuits, Johnny Sauc'pn, Heatseeker Boy, Pisco Bandito, Guinea Pig, KOS, Green Eggs, Michigan Militia, Psycho Killer (no improv break-offs), and finally Disco Bargainville (I can't get enough of hearing this live!!). I may have missed one or two but I think this is a pretty good idea.
Sunday started with a Gospel Wake Up Call workshop on the main stage with Moxy, Eddie from Ohio, The Nields and Ruthie Foster (she's incredible). Moxy did a very nice version of I Shall Be Released and helped with the "finale" Swing Low Sweet Chariot.
Later on Sunday was another workshop "Stories, Poems and Tall Tales, Spoken and Sung" with Moxy, Mary Gauthier, Rachel Bissex, The Storycrafters adn the Nields. Moxy seemed a little more awake as they did both The Kid Song and Boss - the crowd loved it!
As I may have mentioned, it was a great weekend and I gained new appreciation for Moxy's talent and ability to really diversify, to improve and to compliment other performers. They really sound great with the Nields and I hope that they may do more together in the future.
My final word is - if you haven't ever gone to Falcon Ridge plan to go next year!
See you at the North Star...
Jessica
Woodbury, NJ
Some other tidbits from the performance include:
Back to the tour dates 2000 page