Thomas Point Beach ~ Bluegrass ~ Day 1

Thursday, August 29

1 (2)The day always begins with the national anthems of the United States and Canada. This man sang, O Canada.

1 (1)Canada is honored because a few musicians are from Canada and there is a good representation of Canadians in the audience.

1 (3)Rhonda Vincent sang The Star Spangled Banner

1 (4)Mike Mulligan (son of Thomas Point Beach owner, Pati Crooker) led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1 (5)The music began with Barefoot Movement. Yes they sang barefooted!

1 (7)The Steel Wheels quickly became my favorite group of the weekend. I loved their sound, which was bluesy-mountain-folk in style.

1 (6)They called this their ugly stick, and used it to keep time in a few songs.

1 (8)Williamson Branch was a delight to listen to, as many of their songs were Gospel. The group is made up of a father, mother, and three daughters.

1 (9)They asked a friend (banjo) to join them for the weekend. The girls did some clogging as one of them is a champion clogger.

1 (10)The Lonely Heartstring Band

1 (12)I went for a walk shortly after lunch.

1 (11)Mike made two large Jenga games that many people played during the weekend.

1a (2)It was a pretty time to walk around the grounds as the tide was in.

1a (1)High tide usually means there are a few boats and canoes in the water. These two amused me, because it looked like they were on cell phones. 🙂

1a (3)Rhonda Vincent’s bus

1a (4)Vendor row

1a (5)This view of the water was from the campground.

2 (2)The sound of people playing instruments was everywhere as I walked through the campground.

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2 (5)This lady said she was taking her “baby” for a walk.

2 (7)Back at the concert The New England Bluegrass Band was on stage.

2 (8)Rhonda Vincent & The Rage are a crowd favorite. When she sang “His Promised Land” you could have heard a pin drop.

Outside music events are not usually real quiet because there are vendors and lots of people walking around talking, but this song got everyone’s attention. I said to Cerwin, “Listen to the silence.”

2 (9)Reno & Harrell

2 (10)My favorite The Steel Wheels were back.

2 (11)I noticed this girl playing Jenga during supper break.

2 (12)The Maine Youth Bluegrass Ensemble opened the evening program.

2 (13)I enjoyed an evening walk as I listened to the music.

2 (14)It was now low tide.

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2 (18)I got a delicious lobster roll here.

2 (19)Back to the concert.

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2 (21)Rhonda back on the stage

2 (22)Her two son-in-laws play in her band.

3I enjoy the tight harmony of The Gibson Brothers which was the closing concert for the evening.

I should correct that. They were the closing concert on the stage. There is always field picking and singing, but that music is not amplified around the grounds.

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It was a delightful, relaxing day. Thomas Point is only about two miles from Mark and Diane’s house, so it doesn’t take us very long to get home each evening.