|
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | It's well after midnight and I'm not home yet.
Lots of flight delays.
I worked on my "Island Review Post" on the plane. Only 4 handwritten pages so far.
Right now I'm at my office.
Be home in about a half hour. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Finally home after 11 hours on the road, traffic and road construction was horrible on I-95...can't go too sleep, I'm strung out on too much coffee and fantastic friendship's realized over the last five days. I'm really on an emotional roller coaster right now.
These were the absolute greatest bunch of people I have ever met! Matt is just the best, Bobbo put up with my sh@t and taught me a bunch of new songs and wailed on the doubleneck, Slipkid got me to actually play and sing (Thanks Bradly), Music & Beggin both made me feel like we've known each other for years, ProfBB for making me want to visit Colorado and see his "Man's Room", Wabbit for dazzling me with alternate tunings, StephenT gave me a new case of GAS, Beggin made sure I didn't go home empty handed by letting me take home the Crimson Viper, BluesSailor-thanks for for the duo this morning & the coffee :) really, the list just goes on and on, Cliff, Al, Tupp, Moody, G8tr, 'Zilla, Temp, Connie, Mark, JeffW and all the others for readily passing around their guitars to sample, encouragement to join-in, ask questions, badger, insult, jest, etc....and finally, Beal, for being so generous with his passion for music and the OFC...a thousand Thank You's would never be enough...a picture sum's it up
Also, after I decompress some and sleep, I'll start working on the 18+ hours of video and try to figure out the best way to get it out on DVD |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | As requested, Wabbit Joy
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Good Morning everyone!
Good on ya Tim: I also just got to the computer after a nearly 13 hour drive from Amelia Island: not the best day to travel: many returning from spring break and the construction delays on four separate interstates were hard to handle, not to mention the congestion from traffic alone! I got in close to 11 pm and just got up at 7am. I am thankful to be home with my family!
This week was one of the greatest experiences of my life! I cannot thank everyone involved enough! The Florida House Inn made us feel like family; the generosity and hospitality of Beal and his wife Lorraine were beyond gracious: they also made us feel like family! The comradely of the OFC group was fantastic; again we were one large family! We tried to leave the Island as we found it: great scenery, lively night life, fabulous restaurants and cafes, and quaint shops for souvenirs and essentials.
Matt Smith deserves our profound thanks and respect: he is a gracious, humble, and loving man with a passion and talent for the guitar that is unmatched by anyone I know! The seminar was beyond my wildest expectations: there was literally something for everyone! In addition to Matt, our own Paul Templeman provided some great tips on playing slide guitar and kept us entertained with his English humor and wit. Fabulous! Also our thanks to Steve Sutton for his talent on guitar and banjo: what an awesome talent! It was interesting to see the faces of the participants as they lit up with recognition on some points of Matt's teaching where it made their previous experience come to life with new-found realizations! There is no way to adequately thank Matt other than to support him (through his web-site linked on this board) by buying his CD's and other items. This was truly a once in a lifetime event!
HOWEVER, with that said, we have an announcement:
We will be offering a DVD of the clinic later this summer! The price is still being worked out but it will be surprisingly inexpensive compared to the cost of this trip (priceless)! Tim and I are working on it: Tim videoed the entire clinic and I have photographed (with several others lending their photo's to the project) the entire event as well. In addition to this, Jerome has dedicated a part of his site to the photos of the participants and their guitars which I also photographed! It will be available later this month and I will announce it to you as soon as it becomes available!
Well, I need to have some coffee and relax a bit!
One last note: none of this would have been possible without the support given by this website! Please support it by following the link provided at the end of the page and help keep it growing and available: the plain and simple fact is that it costs money! (this is my personal plea: it did not involve any member of the administration of this site in any way nor did they have prior knowledge of it: I felt it just needed to be stated: what you do is up to you; it’s just a request!)
Also a personal thanks to Al and Miles for their hours of oversight and love of all things Ovation in getting and maintaining this board.
So, "Have you played your Ovation today?" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | iffy - this pic's from g8rbowl08, but #35 is there. It's one of the 3 light blue slothead Adamas in the left-center of the group. Beal can ID which one it is exactly.
As you can see: it's a -2 not a -8: this photo is of me playing #35 at Beal's BBQ on Thursday night: there is quite a story about this original slothead...Thanks Beal! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| brain fart - twas late at night |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | NP g8r- today is like one big one for me...wow, its gonna take a week to recover: I enjoyed getting to know you and your family is beautiful! see you hopefully at the Southern Jam II...All the best! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 386
Location: nyc area | I have given literally hundreds of workshops.. The Amelia event was the best, hands down... to be a part of this family is truly a blessing... I got little sleep because I didn't want to miss a moment of the fun!!! Beal deserves major kudos for putting this together, and I now have a whole other family... Long Live The OFC!!!
DON"T BE THAT GUY!!!!!http://www.ovationfanclub.com/cgi-bin/ubb/non-cgi/icons/icon7.gif |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 386
Location: nyc area | I have given literally hundreds of workshops.. The Amelia event was the best, hands down... to be a part of this family is truly a blessing... I got little sleep because I didn't want to miss a moment of the fun!!! Beal deserves major kudos for putting this together, and I now have a whole other family... Long Live The OFC!!!
DON"T BE THAT GUY!!!!!http://www.ovationfanclub.com/cgi-bin/ubb/non-cgi/icons/icon7.gif |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Warning: this is a long one but it does have a point to make
Report: The Amelia Island Affair
Shorts & Sandles time for this northern boy.
An event with many firsts.
1) For the first time…. I was backed up by my own personal little band. Wednesday afternoon after Dave, Bill, & Cliff ran through their wind songs, I got up to give my own a little test drive. I had always pictured that for better or worse, this would be a solo act. Unfortunately my music partner Brian was not there to make me sound better.
I think I got through only a verse or two before Bill stepped up to play along. Quickly he figured that a high-strung (Nashville?) tuned guitar would thicken up the sound a bit. Then Cliff came up to play the cahone. Then Paul just walked up and plugged in his lap steel.
Later that night when my name was called, (the very LAST name by the way), up strides Bill, Cliff & Paul to back me up. Then Wabbit came out of nowhere and picked up a bass. I gotta say…. If I had any more support I would have banged my head on a ceiling beam. To have musicians of that caliber behind my embarrassing simple two chord song was a feeling I will never forget.
I learned many things at this clinic about the technical aspects, the nuts and bolts so to speak of the guitar. But the most important thing I learned, the thing that ties is all together, is the definition of just what a musician is. Matt brought that up a number of times. Sometimes with just a passing reference and sometimes with a lengthy statement. With that little seed planted in my head, I then watched performance after performance that demonstrated that idea. All week long Matt, Paul, Cliff, and special guests Davis and Steve showed me the difference between just playing notes and living the music that you play. There is a magic bond and special connection between real musicians when they play together. It is a separate language all on its own. With all the concerts I’ve been to and all the time I’ve played myself, and all the other OFC tour events I’ve witnessed… I never got it … until now. I felt just the tiniest taste of it when I played my wind song. After being announced the winner of second place I was asked to come up and play the song again. And I felt it again. Like the door opening just a crack to a room with a very bright light in it. It was just our first night there so I did not yet understand what had happened. All I knew was that I could not hold back the smiles and laughter. I was so fooking happy.
Now… often on the board and especially at any type of gathering the question of just how and why this board is what it is comes up. Why is this board different than any others that we have been on? Is it just a certain brand of guitar that we have in common? Is it just because we have taken the time and expense to meet up once in a while? Is it just because of the way this board is moderated? Nope. But I think I figured it out. We my friends, in the true definition of the word, in the Matt Smith definition of the word, are musicians . We my not have the skills, we may not be able to jam with the best, but in our heart of hearts we are all musicians. That best explains the vibes we experience on this board and at our gatherings. It’s the same feeling I had when that door cracked open just a tiny bit to that room of bright light.
I’ll just continue on with any meager skills I have been blessed with or can develope but I now have a better understanding of it all.
That was the important thing. The rest is just fun stuff.
Read on if you wish.
2) For the first time…. I had moonshine. I won’t say where or how I got it but boy oh boy was it good.
3) For the first time…. I rode a motorcycle. Okay… a motor SCOOTER. .. but that’s close enough for me. G8r, BluesSailor, Al and I took to the streets of Amelia Island. I will admit to have experienced and few tightly clinched anus moments and much of the time my hands were in white knuckle, Vulcan Death Grip Mode. Luckily I did not injure myself and we all had a good time.
4) For the first time…. I played a couple songs for a bar full of “happy” people. Paul & Wabbit stepped up to help but not even they could stop the train wreck the ensued. First let me get my excuses out of the way. .. A) unfamiliar guitar. B) hot mic C) guitar strap way, way to short. C) Perhaps I had consumed a tad to much liquid courage myself and after my MAJOR SECOND PLACE AWARD, I was feeling a little bullet proof. I stumbled and tripped through the first song but the crowd was to “happy” to care. I hear that the second song had some girls in the front dancing. The third song was a train wreck. Just a wrong, unfortunate choice of material. Nobody knew what the hell I was trying to play. The crowd fell into a deep, dark, drunken Irish apathy. I fell into the old, “Just One More Song” trap. I should have stopped at two and been happy.
Live & Learn… Live & Learn.
Lastly, when the DVDs come out you guys can look at the wind contest and judge for yourselves. Let me just say that Bill, Cliff, Wabbit and Dave had some great songs that the crowd really got into. The rules state very clearly that the decision of the judges cannot be argued with but I still got a sense that somebody got robbed. I’ll gladly take the lessons I learned from the event and I did my best to “Pay It Forward” by treating some good friends to some waffles and bacon.
There are many more stories to tell so… carry on. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | A few random pictures:
The Infamous Mr. Big
Motley Golf Crew. Left to right:Tim from T, ProfBB, Connie, Beggin, Tuppy, Beal, stephent28, elginacres,cliff, moody P.I., Music, stonebobbo, Wabbit.
stonebobbo out in right field. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | It's cold outside, it's drizzling, it's grey, and it's miserable.
My voice is slightly above a hoarse whisper.
My eyes look two piss-holes in the snow (by someone with blood in his urine).
My head hurts.
My shoulders are stiff.
My fingers refuse to answer my calls.
My hair hurts.
The last time I had anything that even CLOSELY resembles a decent night's sleep was Good Friday.
The only thing that separates me from a Walking Cadaver is the Shit-Eating-Grin on my face . . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | one more:
g8r singin his "wind" song with his new aquisition. Great job g8r! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Make sure to post these pics into the Gatherings forum, guys! Good stuff! Thanks! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | After reading all of the trans and post action reports, I have a major dose of non-attendee remorse.
If I may draw a parallel:
In the military the mission is utmost. Regardless of training, background, social status, abilities, etc. the 'team' members pull together to accomplish a common goal.
Your reports remind me of that precious comradeship that builds friendships, knowledge, confidence and sense of mission accomplished, regardless of 'rank'.
"Our mission is music!"
Thanx for all the feedback! I can't wait to get my hands on that DVD.  |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I shoulda been there... :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | oy |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| We missed ya, Mike! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
We will be offering a DVD of the clinic later this summer! Mike, to be clear, is this an instructional DVD foremost? That would be great. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Just got back to Denver. Couldn't make any unday flights, so I caught one at 6:00 a.m. Monday. I would echo all of what has previously been said, but three things really stand out:
1. Beal's graciousness as a host.
2. The absolute canon in the 2080 with the big string on the low E. The general consensus is that set up this way, it isn't a guitar at all. More like an electric six-string cello played fingerstyle.
3. The smooth style of a pro musician observed in Steve (Debanjo?). Steve's talent to "fit in" with any music just blew me away. It is incredibly humbling to watch a real Nashville musician at work. A genuinely nice gentleman as well. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Mike: I have something I'm sending you: please pm me your address! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Mike, to be clear, is this an instructional DVD foremost? That would be great. Yes, that is exactly what it will be: Tim took the video of each class session and I took the close ups of all the charts and a few pic's of folks in the class. Matt's Concert from Saturday night along with pictures of Beals guitar collection will not be included for obvious reasons! There are some live Matt Smith songs that he did for the class that will be included. Matt gave us his blessing to do this and I gave my word to him and Beal that I would not put certain things in (as is stated above). Please do not put your orders in yet: Tim and I need a few days to decompress and then to start working on the process. We both have full time occupations and I have to finish Seminary (May 10th). Patience is a virtue and will be rewarded in this case! ;) :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Mike... what about all the OFC wind songs?
Think you could squeeze all them in? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Hey Brad; yes I don't see why not: Tim did video that competition as well: should be an easy addition: The main thing to work on is the length of the DVD's: multiple DVD sets will of course be more expensive. When we get an idea of the length and format we'll know more and I'll post it. Good question though and we'll work on it. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Just got back to Denver. Couldn't make any unday flights, so I caught one at 6:00 a.m. Monday. I left a day before the Professor and I have yet to get home. Currently stuck in DFW awaiting American to right the sting of fookups they have managed dump upon Lia and myself. I assume the luggage is in Denver and we have finally been guaranteed a flight home in a few hours.....bummer end :( to a fabulous week! :D
Originally posted by cliff:
The only thing that separates me from a Walking Cadaver is the Shit-Eating-Grin on my face . . . . Well said my brother..... I am especially feeling it right now!
..
.
Hopefully I will chime in with some comments once I get home and recoup. |
|
| |
Amelia Matt Clinic
