Erik Friend on Banjo – Just a Peek

When the lens cap stopped functioning halfway to its open position I was disappointed but not exactly surprised. It seemed like a reflection of my own feelings – some sort of a symbolic mechanical selfie demonstrating that we couldn’t possibly take it all in.

Andrew Emlen and his most recent band incarnation, the Skamokawa Swamp Opera, were in concert at our place and my camera and I had a front row seat. It was so fabulous, it was impossible to absorb all at once – so many instruments, gorgeous voices, familiar music! And costumes! I think my camera was experiencing sensory overload! As was I.

Andrew Emlen, Erik Friend, Jillian Raye

Their theme, “300 years of American Popular Music,” took us from 1724 right into the twenty-first century – from music spawned by French-Canadian voyageurs and African-American slaves, to the songs of Dylan and Nirvana and beyond. We tapped and clapped and sang along. And when I quietly (and cheekily) said at the end of the second set, “But I wasn’t through,” they did an encore!

Kyleen Austin

Afterwards, we watched the moonrise over the bay – an eerie super moon eclipse. Miraculously, for our part of the world, there was no cloud cover and we had a clear view. It didn’t seem to be the predicted ‘blood red,’ however – more like tangerine orange. While we were watching, Andrew said, “What a day! We watched the whales on our way here, had a great concert, and now an eclipse! It doesn’t get much better.” No. It doesn’t.