Looking Back...Looking Ahead

As this year's houseconcert season comes to a close, it's only natural that I'd be reviewing it, thinking about what went right and what went wrong, reliving the great moments and doing my best to cement them in my mind.

It was most certainly a busy season. We hadn't really planned on doing houseconcerts this year because the couple of people we'd really wanted to book were being elusive, so we kinda lost steam and decided to wait until the stars aligned or something.

And then I guess they did.

It started with firing off an e-mail to Jason Harrod, a voice quite familiar in our house, car, earbuds, whatever. Hardly any sooner than Jason said yes, Deb Gessner of D-Squared dropped me a line asking if we'd be interested in letting them play here while they were passing through Ohio on pleasure. I wasn't familiar with their music, wasn't sure if I could pull off two gigs so close together, and didn't know if my own budget could handle the hosting end of it, but we felt like it was right and said yes.

We totally loved it.

Deb and Don were wonderful, and sometimes, while I'm driving around on a particularly stressful day of playing cabbie to five kids, four dogs, a husband and a live-in father, I transport myself back to my living room and the absolutely incredible sound of The Thirsty Land and the completely engaging Row, how I felt transported even then, even though I was right there in my own house, surrounded by friends and other music lovers, candles and entrancing music. How I loved seeing people bouncing to Mama Start the Fire, laughing and loving every minute of it. I wanted to share this with everyone I knew. And I knew then that I was hooked.

Houseconcerts are addictive.

When Jason came, it was like having my kid brother home again. Watching him and my husband Toby play together has set in my mind as such a special memory, I hope it never escapes. Letting Jason leave at 1:30 in the morning wasn't enough. I wanted him to move in for good.

In two weeks, Jake Armerding will liven up the joint, and I have those same familiar feelings of anticipation and fear that I've had since we first asked Bob Bennett to come play. I can't wait, but I certainly can. There's so much to do and still seats left, so these next two weeks are necessary. But I look forward to that evening, to hearing yet another voice that has become a staple in my house, car, earbuds, whatever, fill the room and the ears of those I love.

Yep. I'm truly hooked. Completely strung-out on good music. And, of course, like any needed fix, the idea of next one is filling my brain.

So I'm filling the calendar for next year already, and I'm so excited about some of our guests that I have to be careful not to wish time away. In the wings are Tim Shue, Pierce Pettis, Jan Krist, Michael Manring, and Dave Potts. I've been contacted by several up-and-comers who I hope to work in, too, like Robby Hecht and Katy Bowser. And I'm hopeful that we can catch a ride on the tours of the absolutely fabulous Peter Mayer and my long-time favorite Charlie Peacock. Every day, more great music catches my ear. If only there were more months. If only I had more energy, time and money. It'd be a new show every weekend!

Come on out and join us, if you can. We'd love to meet you, love music with you and call you "friend."