I had the pleasure of singing at Colonial Williamsburg again for paying gigs, and it felt great! The backdrop of the historic area is very inspiring for a musician, and it's a great atmosphere that lingers on the palate. I did the Williamsburg Farmer's market in late September. Still very humid, but I made it through. I had a lot of children that enjoyed some of my songs such as "Me and My Horse", "Old Bus 48", and others. The weather was splendid Afterwards, I stopped to get a sandwich and was pretty tired. I had planned to stay at a hotel the night before (for an early morning show) , but just couldn't muster the nerve. So I left Richmond about 7:30 A.M. to make it to the market on time. The 9-11 A.M. slot isn't bad . Some markets have musicians play for up to 3 hours. I think it's overkill at that point. You aren't allowed tips at this market, but you can sell records. I gave out some business cards instead, and made some new fans. Many people really wanted more of that "Sweet Tea".
A few weeks later I returned to Williamsburg to play at "An Occasion For The Arts". They were now in their 49th year. I had played there before but at different stage location. I kicked off the music this time for another morning slot, and it was actually very nice! I miss the mornings some times. There is a feeling in the morning air that can be invigorating. I did have a smattering of people stop by. The acoustics on Prince George Street stage have a very interesting affect, so you feel as if you're in some kind of Greek Amphitheater type setting. It bounces off the shops and the walls of the businesses. Aroma's bakeshop got a good ear of me, and they almost never let me perform there, but I got a much better deal , to be honest! This time I stayed at a nice hotel suite that was very affordable and a family member went with me. The night before the performance, I took a nice stroll down Duke of Gloucester street and it's something very ethereal at night. Some times in the fall months you can see the bats still darting in and out of the trees, as the moonlight shines on the old Colonial mansions of yore.
After packing up, I left my keyboard stand in town. So this past Sunday, I headed back over to Williamsburg to get it. I stopped at Cracker Barrel after wards. They had a tree fall in the parking lot from recent storms. Cracker Barrel in Wiliamsburg is an old stand by. My church choir always stopped there after performances at Bruton Parish. I was glad to be back in Williamsburg to sing. I hope I get more of that. It's a nice college town full of unsuspecting tourists, who need more Meade.
Fantastic! Well written, Meade.
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