For the second time this week I've been humbled by a group of talented musicians. You would think I would learn that I've got to let the music speak for the music and not arrive to a gig with all of my preconceived ideas about what this or that band is all about. Okay, I'm a slow learner, but I am learning.
I climbed the hill to the sound of the lead singer for the Goose Creek
Symphony saying something I was not concentrating on as I tried to find a place to sit. As I found a shady spot next to a kindly lady and her man, recently retired out of Atlanta, I turned and my ears were now ready to take in the first band at the Golden Gallon stage for Riverbend 2003. I was treated to nearly an hour an a half of some of the sweetest electrified music I've heard in a good while.
The Goose Creek Symphony has been active and performing since the 1970s. For whatever reasons, and there are many of them, I somehow missed this bands advent into the world of music. I can't for the life of me remember a single song they performed and I grew up on music from the 60s and 70s. But, that's kind of beside the point. I LOVED THIS BAND!
This band has a long history, but there is still a great deal of life left in these fellows. While I can't begin to "pigeon hole" these guys and their music I guess I would say they are a little country and blues and rock and funk and bluegrass and jazz and, well, have I missed anything? Oh, yeah, a little on the classical side as well. Have you got all that? Now, you tell me what you would call them other than darn fine musicians.
I do know that while this band of road warriors might look like
quintessential "hippies," the bottom line is, who cares? These guys are
making some of the prettiest, open and melodic music that I've heard in ages. Like harmony? This band has harmony in abundance and then some to spare. If you can't tell, I really liked this group and would advise anybody that enjoys music for the pure joy it is capable of delivering then find some CDs that these folks have produced and 'get sum!'
As the Goose Creek Symphony boys made their exit I heard one of them say, "Peace be with you." Well, let me speak for my fellow chattanoogans and say, "back at you GCS!"