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YOUR SUMMER 2010 E-NEWS IS HERE - June 28th Edition

This little newsletter is being produced to inspire and inform you about a unique event on The Waters of Wylie: a floating fest of music and rhythm, beauty and play!
The e-news helps you connect with the wonderfully willing artists and volunteers who help kick off this inaugural season of Lake Wylie Music Fest out of their love of what they share and their interest in being co-creators of this truly unique and innovative experience.
And hopefully you will also learn as you read, that YOU too are Fest co-creators because it is through your creative spirit and lively participation that a positively playful and artsy vibe will be born and resound on our Lake this Summer!

>info that was in the last e-news is included at the end of each new edition<

... CONTENTS ...

what to find as you browse below

1. Looking Forward - July 10th

LOOK! ... New time! - Music begins at 4pm.....

2. Looking Back - June 12th

3. Tweeking the Design

4. URGENT Needs

.... info from previous e-news ...

1. Ready to Set your Spirit Free?

2. Word on the Water

3. Volunteers Needed

4. Weather Issues

5. Last Minute Additions

6. Looking Ahead

.... And even more info from previous e-news ...

1. Volunteers!

2. Some Q & A You've Requested

3. New online!

4. New Co-Creators

5. So tell me again what Lake Wylie Music Fest IS?

6. June's Artist Line-up

7. What you need to do to Prepare for the Fest

Looking Forward - July 10th Sunset Celebration

NEW TIME! - music begins at 4pm in July!

New artists to LW Music Fest joining July's Sunset Celebration......

NEW TIME! - music begins at 4pm in July!

Plus, returning artists.....

RaY'coustic

rhythm rhyme reason

Hypnotic

Sultana

Make your plans now to join the celebration

Saturday Evening July 10th

NEW!!!! - Music begins at 4pm - NEW!!!!

Looking Back - June 12th

The general estimate of how many folks floated over to June 12th's Sunset Celebration is somewhere around 400-500!

"At one point, I counted 100 boats and stopped there because I wanted to get back to the music," shared a friendly boater. "It was a good time, that's all I know...and something different than anything else I've seen out here so that was cool."

Here're some of the other remarks we've heard...

"The music was better than I expected. In fact, the whole production was much more professionally done than I thought we'd get from a freebie. I will definitely be back and bring friends!"

"Hey, we brought a whole boat-full of people, packed our cookout dinner and had a hell of a good time! We're planning on being there for July and August. Any way we can help out? I don't know who all's involved but you guys have done a LOT of work!"

"Wow! What an evening! We weren't able to get there till 7 and were dissapointed we missed anything at all. What we heard and saw was amazing. Absolutely loved the fire artist. What an unexpected treat!"

"Thank you to everyone who is putting this event on. Lake Wylie needs something like this. We go to other music festivals in the mountains and around and enjoy hearing original artists, being in a natural setting, and hanging out with artsy people. Now we've got it here in our own "backyard!" We're here to help in any way we can. I know that at other festivals there is a big volunteer program to keep the thing going. Please let me know how we might get more involved."

Tweeking the Design - Some Revisions we're Making

June 12th was a wonderful learning experience. Lots of first-timer learning and new ideas emerged. Thanks for your patience as we tested the waters!

Here are some significant changes that will be implemented at the next event, July 10th:

Music will begin at 4pm.
The musicians stage will be moved off of the dock onto the water's edge ... still within a GREAT viewing space for the boating audience...and a much more comfortable spot for our artists.
Drumming and dancing will be scattered throughout the event rather than at one time and drumming, dancing, and fire artistry will still be on the dock stage.
YOU are invited to join the drumming on the dock! Just hail our water taxi (pontoon) or swim over and become part of the rhythm!

And here are a couple things that just didn't work out ....

Tipping of artists is just about impossible in this venue. We strongly encourage you to support the artists in other ways....connect with them thru our website and purchase their cd's as available, hire them for your own events, recommend them, follow them online, and mostly give 'em lots of great applause and support as they generously share their gifts here! Remember, this is a FREE event....NO ONE gets paid AT ALL and those who are involved are all volunteers who are giving their time and energy to make this happen.
The movie portion of the event will be discontinued. At this time, we do not have the volunteer support to put up and tear down all that we have to prepare for and something had to go. Perhaps we might try this part again in the future.

URGENT Needs!

Volunteers

It's a simple design but it takes a good bit of effort to set up and take down the sound equipment for these events. Please, please, if you are a strong able-bodied and reliable being who can help set up and take down sound equipment, CONTACT US immediately. We need about 4 good folks to help set up around 1pm on Saturday and another group of 4 to take down and pack up around 11pm the same night. It's a lot of work but you can have fun doing it!

Other needs & Wishes...

Simple need...We could use some additional fans and bottled water to keep artists and support personnel cool.
Much bigger need....We dream of a portable stage to use for the musicians - one that can be folded up and put away as the music fades!

.........FROM HERE DOWN IS THE INFO FROM PREVIOUS E-NEWS........

Our first Sunset Celebration is

THIS SATURDAY EVENING, June 12th!

Do you feel the tug of the melodies, the pull of the waters? Can't you hear the drums rising in the distance calling your name to join the playtime, to enter the dance?....

"Lake Wylie Music Fest is here to inspire, to fuel creative fires, to invite freedom out to play!!!" (Jan, LWMF co-creator)

Ready to Set your Spirit Free???

"A good groove releases adrenaline in your body. You feel uplifted, you feel centered, you feel calm, you feel powerful. You feel that energy. That's what good drumming is all about." (Mickey Hart)

photo: Kennon Knight, rhythm~rhyme~reason

"Life is the sacred mystery singing to itself, dancing to its drum, telling tales, improvising, playing." (Unknown source)

Lake Wylie Music Fest kicks off this Saturday evening, June 12th, with the first of three Sunset Celebrations in The Cow Cove. Music begins around 5-ish with RaY'coustic on Dock-Stage Central!

Word on the water....

We're hearing that some boats will arrive early in the day to secure their site for the evening. Good idea for prime viewing...but wherever you end up, you WILL be part of it all!
Word's out that some folks are putting some thought and energy into decorating their boats! Thunderous applause and River-style woo-hoos to all who express themselves!!!! Do what you can with what you've got...and most importantly, express yourself, be real, let your inner-artsy-spirit play!
Make-shift, homemade, and "real" drums are being gathered and created to share around the boats in the cove. And, as you've been told from the beginning and should always remember and never forget... EVERYONE DRUMS! This is not an option. Resistance is futile. You will submit to the beat!

"Beside the fire, as the wood burns black, a laughing dancer veils of light, Whose dance transforms the darkness to gold..." (excerpt from The Serpent of the Nile by Buonaventura)

photo: Hypnotic

Volunteers Needs:

Still can use help with set up and tear down of sound equipment. Heavy lifters please give us a shout! Especially in search of those who'll stick around for late night pack-up.

As a wise woman recently said, "...it takes a community to 'raise' a good festival!" (Kathy K)

CHECK WEBSITE ON SATURDAY FOR WEATHER ISSUES ...

Rain......yes, we've had a lot of that lately...so the possibilty is there. Forecast at the moment is for mid-eighties and isolated t-storms. Everyone on the lake knows what that means......it's hot so it might rain in the late afternoon in some spots...and it may not.

If it's raining without stop, our event may be cancelled....however, as is usual, a shower comes thru and delays things but we keep on going. Check home page of website on the day of if you have questions.

...Forecast for Saturday is HOT but you can be certain, The Cow's Cove will be a chill scene...

Jake and Elwood (& un-named goose mama) Chillin' on Dock Stage Central!

Small Dock, Big Dreams!

Dock Stage Central for our Sunset Celebrations this Summer may not be the largest or grandest dock on the lake...in fact, it's rugged and weathered but sturdy and servicable. But like laughlines on a face, the blemishes on Dock Stage Central echo a life well lived! And funky and river-homey is what Lake Wylie Music Fest is all about, anyway, brothahhs and sistahhs!

Last minute additions........

Princess Sultana, a local bellydancer, will join us this Saturday to shake her hips in between music sets!

Jeremy just brought the movie screen over tonight and we have failed to express our gratitude to his part of the night.

Looking Ahead....

As of this week, July is BOOKED and August is well on the way to complete. Here are some of the new artists (in alphabetical order) that you can look forward to in future Sunset Celebrations..

Lenny Loafer and the Lazy Rhythm Section

Randy Franklin (& Friends?)

The Moons

The Vel-Crows

The Wiggle Wagons

Plus, look for other familiar faces, voices, and beats throughout the Summer!

~ More info to come ~

Volunteers!

Lake Wylie Music Fest is not a business....isn't making any money......doesn't have any money to give.......and is simply being created by people who live on Lake Wylie because we are passionate about creative artistry, good vibes, and community connections. We are volunteers, individuals and people with businesses who can and want to share their gifts and callings. We are all creators and midwives to the birth of something new and different on the Waters of Wylie.

Please check out CREATORS AND ARTISTS and see who is helping create these fabulously different happenings....

And get involved yourself if you are so moved.

Here are some possibilities:

CREW - Physical help is needed to move and set up AND tear down sound equipment the day & night of each Sunset Celebration - set up can be considered almost a day-long project and then there's taking it all down and packing up at the end of the evening. Strength required...Heavy lifters encouraged to volunteer for this job!
DRUM-MAKING! - Make some drums for boaters to use to participate in the Full Cove Drum Circle which will be a part of every Sunset Celebration. Drums can be made out of all sorts of cans and recycled materials and if you want to be a Drum-Making Volunteer, we'll give you some guidance.
INFO BOAT! - We'd like to have a couple of "Info Boats" to answer questions, give out some handouts and drums, collect drums and artist's tips, and simply be anchored identifiable floating information desk.
SPREAD THE WORD! - Thanks to all of you who are sharing the website link and getting the word out! A simple way to volunteer - spread the word, share the link, send it to your contacts and friends who have a boat on the Waters of Wylie.

Q & A

Q ..... Where exactly is "The Cow Cove?"

A .... The Cow Cove is a name used by a friendly handful of people to describe a portion of Boyd's Cove. It's a no-wake area that some boaters sometimes anchor and raft together. Just past the no-wake buoys going toward the back of Boyd's Cove Bessie sits overlooking the Waters of Wylie and so she's given her portion of water it's neighborly name. If you're not sure where Boyd's Cove is, check out the map below. Boyd's Cove is outlined in hot pink and the itsy-bitsy Bessie's head is sitting about where the dock that will be center stage is (and, sorry folks in the other covelet, Bessie's hind quarters seem to be covering you up!). .....You can ignore the letters A, B, and E which have to do with boat access areas.

And if you are so inclined, we think these are the coordinates...based on some Googling around...

Latitude 35.086219

Longitude -81.036409

Q ... What's the schedule for June 12's Sunset Celebration?

A ... The artists are lined-up in order of appearance below (see June's Artist Line-up.) Music begins around 5pm-ish, Green Star should perform just before sunset, and Hypnotic lights the stage at dusk everything else falls in between those landmarks. We'll follow about the same schedule for July and August....with different artists (altho you will see and hear some familiar faces and voices in all 3 months!)

New Online!

Even if you've been on the site before, you've gotta keep checking back. No, there won't be new stuff every day or even every week but there's new stuff now and there will be more and more. So get yourself over to www.lakewyliemusicfest.com and click over to the Creators and Artists page.

New right now is the ability to listen to some music from Green Star. Soon you'll be able to check everyone out on that page ...perhaps by the time you get this.....or maybe before we're done (& then you'll find a bit of half-done work we're in the midst of!) Nevetheless, keep checking back for more info on the artists and creators. Cool music player, huh? Many MANY thanks to "Quick and Innovative" Joe with Involution Media!

Additionally, there are in general a few other changes around the site since it first went online....just some clarification and tidying up. Pages have been re-named and now have content where only recently there was none.

New Co-Creators

We are all co-creating Lake Wylie Music Fest and we will all continue to create together all through the Summer's Sunset Celebrations and after. Some co-creators are more actively in the center of things than others.....some of you will attend and be co-creators with your participation! Just on board this week.....

Kevin with Coffee News - ads for Lake Wylie Music Fest will soon show up in Coffee News from Fort Mill/Tega Cay/Indian Land to Lake Wylie/Steel Creek to Ballantyne/Blakeney to Pineville to York/Clover to Rock Hill and beyond! Click on Coffee News links to the right....

Joe with Involution Media has provided his creative web gifts to get our media player created, cranking out some tunes, and lookin' pretty cool to boot! See his link to the right too....

Satisfaction Marketing got some flyers and cards printed for us in beautiful living color. You'll see some around the neighborhood....or you may just be handed one any day now!

So tell me again what Lake Wylie Music Fest IS?

Lake Wylie Music Fest is a dream, a concept, an initial step toward scratching an itch.

During the Summer of 2010, Lake Wylie Music Fest will express itself as 3 Sunset Celebrations - a Summertime event held in 3 parts on the Second Saturday Evenings of June, July, and August

The Sunset Celebrations will all be held in "The Cow Cove" (aka Boyd's Cove) on Lake Wylie. Artists will perform on a private dock. The audience will be folks on boats anchored out in the cove. It's set as a laid-back-floating-house-party-festival that promotes area musicians and other festival-style performing artists.

Later on down the road, Lake Wylie Music Fest may grow to be like the many other and varied music and arts festivals offered all over The Carolinas and beyond....or remain a homey, small and snuggly expression of the area from which it grew. It may or may not take to land since the coolness of being a floating fest is not to be overlooked. And it may or may not spread out over more locations around the Lake and more dates throughout the year. Time and energy and patience will tell....

June's Artist Line-up......JUNE 12, 2010

June's Sunset Celebration will be a place of mellow chillness!

Like the pastel colors of our logo and the radiant whimsy of it's musical note, June will welcome in the Summer gently, joyfully, and playfully!

The first artist ever to perform for the first ever Lake Wylie Music Fest will be .....

(.....DRUM ROLL on your pontoons, please!......)

RaY'coustic

And it seems like Ray's mantra surely fits us river rats and the Lake Wylie Music Fest energy: "Eat, drink, and be yourself!"

As his own website professes, playing solo acoustic is the root of Ray Miesbauer's love for music and we'll get the chance to kick back and enjoy his laid-back style and love of good tunes, sweet melodies, and good ol' rockin' times. RaYcoustic...sharing songs you know and new ones from his heart and soul.

CHECK OUT RaYcoustic

after a little melody, it'll be time to get your hands a'drummin' and your bodies a'rockin' with a full-cove drum circle!

LEARN MORE

YOU get to be part of rhythm rhyme reason, an effort to inspire personal and community drumming experiences, as everyone present at Lake Wylie Music Fest together will resonate the waters .... like a big watery drum, the cow cove will BE the beat!

BRING A DRUM! Make one or use your boat. We'll have a few percussion playthings to pass out to boaters but remember.....EVERYONE DRUMS!

Led by Kennon Knight, this drum circle will charge up your inner rhythms to keep this party rockin' through an evening of transendental fun!

Kennon's intention with rhythm rhyme reason is to use drumming to heal, to motivate, to connect, and to inspire. Individual and community drumming can lead folks to find and live in their own natural rhythms in body, mind, and spirit and Kennon gives all participants permission to "come, play, express yourself!"

You might have seen Kennon around these parts before....as former drummer with Square Roots ... and he still plays around some now with friends when the spirit calls....

Cool down but keep the spirit rising with another singer-songwriter as Paul Finnican takes to the dock-stage adding his own flavor to familiars and sharing his own soulful sweet-'n-gutsy melodies too! Paul, aka Finnery, has his hands and heart in the music of our area as owner of The Sylvia Theater in York!

GIVE HIM A LISTEN!

Next up to celebrate the colors of our Lake Wylie sunset and to ease us deeper into a mellowed-out evening vibe will be an upbeat little sax 'n guitar musical duo, Green Star. Musically energized by Cathy and Mark Bradly, Green Star's originality and spirit will have you smiling...and one of their songs may feel like it was written specifially for this Sunset Celebration!

MORE ABOUT GREENSTAR

As dusk moves toward dark, our floating experience will shift into a whole new glow as HYPNOTIC shares his artistic approach to fire dancing. Set to inspiring musical accompaniment, Hypnotic will offer a mesmerizing show of effortlessly fluid moving light against the darkening evening. Not your typical fire artist, Hypnotic brings artistry you'll remember and return for again!

WATCH HYPNOTIC!

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO

PREPARE FOR THE FEST

As we said, Lake Wylie Music Fest is co-created by YOU! So in order to make this the very best event for yourself, everyone onboard your boat, and all folks involved, here's are a few things that you need to do:

It's a Water-based Festival...you Gotta come by Boat! While, yes, it would be lovely that the Fest be open to everyone everywhere, that's never the case with anything anytime. There's always an admission fee or invitation-only deal goin' on, right? So consider your ticket to enter to be coming by boat. The Fest is designed as it is for a reason. Will it ever be at a place where people can come by land? We don't know ... but we do know that this Summer, it's all about the boats.
Decorate your Boat 'n Catch the Spirit of the Fest! String up lights, get colorful, create a theme, get funky, listen to where the spirit calls you and create a fun party craft that lights up the Fest with its own charm!
Bring or Make a Drum - Just Drum! You don't want to be the only one left out of the full-cove drum circle experience. Big empty upside-down water-cooler-style water bottles make great drums. Cans and cartons can be percussion. Create a shaker with beans or sand in a can. Or play your beat on your aluminum pontoons. Whatever you do, EVERYONE DRUMS!...and some of us DANCE too!
Support the Artists! Everyone on stage and "behind stage" of Lake Wylie Music Fest is UNPAID. Part of the arrangement we have with the artists is to help promote and support them. You can do that by bringing money to tip them. You can also purchase their CD's and other merchandise by clicking on their links to the RIGHT. At the event, a little boat will be coming around for tips. Look for a "Fester the Tipster" flag and make sure you give EACH time they come around! You can also show your support of other supporting businesses and volunteers by clicking on their links to the RIGHT as well.
Prepare a Special Picnic and Create Unique Lake Wylie Music Fest-themed Cocktails! It's an evening afair. You'll want to arrive a bit early to get a good viewing spot in the cove. You'll be here for hours. You're gonna want something to eat and for darn sure you'll need a few cool beverages. Dust off your funky old picnic baskets and dig some old Martha Stewart ideas out. Make special foods and drinks and make this an extra special evening.
Invite Special People to Share your Boat. It's all about creating your own magic....and so the right decorations, the right foods, the right friends!
Be Patient, Honorable, Respectful, and Helpful. We'll all be bobbing in untested waters and who knows what kinds of challenges we might encounter. Please be patient as we all figure it out and lend a hand to help when you can. It's all about good vibes...so if you wanna feel good, make it a positive good time all around you!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED PRONTO!

If you'd like to help with Lake Wylie Music Fest, please email or call Jan

jan@lakewyliemusicfest.com

704-905-3652

Volunteers needed the day of as well as NOW

PROMOTIONS HELP - giving out flyers on the Lake

TELL YOUR FRIENDS - SPREAD THE WORD

SET-UP

STAGE CREW

And finally,

CALL FOR PERFORMERS

July and August Sunset Celebrations are currently under creation. Now is the time to get involved. If you are a musician or other festival-style performing artist who'd like to be a part of this unique event or simply someone with lots of energy and creativity who wants to volunteer, contact jan at number/email above.

Joy to the Cow Cove!

We, the people of the Waters of Wylie, wish to express our grateful thanks to the following who are making Lake Wylie Music Fest Summer 2010 Possible: