The Oyster Crackers in Red — Photo by Tucker Wachsmuth, 2018
The Peninsula’s very own Oyster Crackers — Bette Lu Krause, Rita Smith, and Cryst’l Mack — will arrive here this evening in a live stream performance from the stage at Longview’s Columbia Theatre! We can enjoy them from the comfort of our own homes via the magic of cyberspace! They are part of a series called, “Artists in Our Midst” shot at the Columbia Theatre with the conviction that “if you can’t come to the theatre, the theatre will come to you!”
Recorded some months ago, “We did all of our favorites,” Bette Lu told me recently. She was non-specific but I truly hope that my own favorite, “Bring Me Li’l Water, Sylvie” (by Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter) is included. And, just in case, I’ll have my handkerchief ready.
The Oyster Crackers – a Tucker Wachsmuth Photo, 2018
It’s not the only one of their songs that makes me teary, however. You know, those unbidden tears that come — not from joy, exactly, and certainly not from pain. Probably from something akin to nostalgia and almost always triggered by music. I’d call them “old lady tears” but I know for a fact that they are not confined to age or gender.
I’ve said it before and, no doubt will say it again: The Oyster Crackers are an absolute pleasure to listen to. Their voices gently glide and spiral around one another, carrying the listener to places of possibilities and contentment. They are polished, professional, and profound! And their performances always bring me a deep feeling of peace. I can’t think of a better beginning to this Covid-plagued 2020 Holiday Season!
Thank you for the wonderful article and great pictures. We look forward to performing in person! We are working on original songs (most of them written by Bette Lu) and will be doing a recording for a new CD at the end of January at the Peninsula Arts Center with the talents of Bill and Sue Svendsen who have put together the equipment to do a recording.
Hope everyone enjoyed our concert. If you missed it, you can go on Columbia Theatre’s YouTube and see it.