Bill Monroe Music Park
Bean Blossom, IN
June 16th, 2005
Review By: Cole
While I had intended on NOT writing a review for this, simply because the festival as a whole was a bad experience- I decided to go along with it, and just leave out some of the details:)
We drove into Bean Blossom the night before the show, so that we could head to the venue and find out what all would happen on the following day. We were told we could come back in the morning, gates opened up at 7:00 and get wristbands, and then go put our chairs down. Tammie told the girl that we'd be the first in the line, and the girl running the tickets laughed- she didn't believe us.
While Tammie had suggested "6:00?" for our arrival, Sandi and I both said "THAT'S way too late!" so, being the gluttons for punishments we are- we woke up at 4 a.m. the next morning to ensure we'd be at the venue no later than 5. We drove right up to the ticket booth and sat there for awhile, listening to Patty, and waiting on 7:00. This festival is like a week long- so there were some campers there, and they ALREADY had access to the inside, so we were concerned about seating. We'd heard they were allowed to leave their chairs overnight.
Luckily for us, the owner of the venue felt our dedication- and let us come in an hour early. We headed down to put down and chairs, and our jaws dropped. Chairs were
everywhere. These folks didn't just leave their chairs overnight- they'd been leaving them in the same spot EVERY night all week long! Tammie had found us a perfect spot in third row, but I pitched a little bit of a fit for not having front row and crammed our chairs on the side, up front. There was
NO WAY I wasn't sitting in front row--not as early as we got there! Did I mention that we got there at 5am--and Patty didn't go onstage until 9:00 PM?
To leave out some of the negative vibe at the venue, let's skip ahead to 9:00, Patty's showtime! She came out wearing jeans and a shirt that, if you check out the photos, you will recognize from the "Halfway Down" single cover:) She wasn't wearing a belt again- and made a comment about forgetting her belt and not being able to go home and get it.
The set list at this festival was all acoustic, naturally, since it
was a Bluegrass Festival. It was a killer show! It was actually cool to have our first show of the year be fully acoustic- let us hear the band a little better. The new addition to the band, Troy Engle, was absolutely
FANTASTIC! He and Patty had a wonderful blend, and he plays just about anything you hand him!
The crowd DID seem impressed with Deanie- and one person wanted her to "let her loose", to which Patty said you didn't want her do that....but then she let the band do a song!
The crowd kept coming up to the front, getting right in front of us, and I was getting SO frustrated- at one point, EVEN THE SECURITY (a local cop) stood up in front of us to take photos! I was so mad, I went right in front of Marcia and plopped down. After a few minutes, one of the ladies that was sitting in center stage tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You've been here all day for her- and I'm leaving, why don't you sit in my chair?". So I pointed for Sandi or Tammie to come over, and Sandi came over so we could both take some photos.
Set List:
Boys are Back in Town
I'll Never Grow Tired of You
Band Instrumental "Big Mon" - they sounded GREAT. Seriously- NO ONE can play fiddle like Deanie!
Daniel Prayed
Cheap Whiskey
Soul of Constant Sorrow
Pretty Little Miss
Someone I Used to Know- Troy sounded amazing with Patty on this one. He's a keeper, I just love him!
If My Heart Had Windows
Never Ending Love- the new duet with Dwight Yoakum off the new album. I'll have to admit that I actually DON'T know this song. This was the first time I'd ever heard it.
Harlan- sounded perfect. She and Marcia sounded so wonderful together!
Handful of Dust
Here I Am
Lazarus
Grandpa
Big Chance - the new song off the new album that she wrote with Emory. It's a follow up to "Pretty Little Miss".
Encore: Those Memories- the second time I've heard her do this. When we saw it on the set list, we freaked out---we were SO EXCITED about hearing it again!
I have to say--after hearing "Big Chance", I was crazy about it. It's adorable. She introduced it as the little girl from "Pretty Little Miss" being back--and is now 14, and ready to get married. After hearing it four times over the weekend, we were able to get all of the lyrics. It was by far my favorite over our entire weekend. I don't want to spoil it, so I wont post all the lyrics, but here's the part that had us all laughing:
Cousins pouring down like rain
Runnin out of given' names
It's so crowded I can't breathe
You need one less mouth to feed
40 dozen here at home
You wont miss me when I'm gone
Chorus:
Looky here mama, Looky here daddy
This is my true love
We're gonna get married
Ain't gonna hemhaw
Ain't gonna tarry
This is my big chance
We're gonna get married
All in all, the Bluegrass festival was a bad experience due to those around us, but, it was fabulous to see Patty, regardless of the surroundings, and great to hear some of the new stuff. Even if half the audience didn't care that she was on-- there were three of us in the front row who spent 16 hours outside in the sun waiting specifically just for her portion- and she was worth every minute of it!
Sandi, girl, it was so much fun having you out on the road with us this trip for all the insanity! Glad you came along to "shake and howdy"--We'll be up there with BJJ & Barbie for Birchmere in no time;)
