January 31, 2007
Greetings, Nields friends and fans!
I am writing to you on a cold sunny Sunday morning, after returning from a weekend on the road. The road has gotten much more hospitable, in some ways, since way back in the 1990s when we toured around, seven people in one van. Really, the main improvement is Starbucks on every street corner. Or is it an improvement? Hmmm... In the so called old days, we had to get off the highway and go looking around for decent coffee, which meant we usually found the fun sections of town--the ones with cool independent bookstores and little cute clothes galleries. Only half of our band and crew drank coffee to begin with, but the non caffeine addicts liked the detours as much as us coffeehounds. Now, we zip into the Starbucks at the Thomas Edison New Jersey Turnpike rest stop with the baby in one arm, the diaper bag on our shoulder and zip out with (hopefully) all that plus a cup of steaming joe. (In the arm that isn't holding the baby, you'll be glad to know.) There's a Starbucks in Stamford, CT where the barristas know our orders because we stop there so frequently. They probably think we live in Fairfield County.
This Friday, Lila takes her first plane trip to St. Louis. As many of you know, I am not the most connected TV watcher, but when we stay in a hotel, as we did last Friday after our gig at the Minstrel Coffeehouse in Morristown, NJ, I happened to watch seven minutes of television. That's how I found out about the flight on American Airlines that was stalled for 20 hours on the ground in Texas between Christmas and new Year's. Mothers were ripping their shirts to make diapers for their babies! The toilets were overflowing! They ran out of food! They made the passengers watch Fox News on those tiny TVs!
"We were trapped in a metal box together!" said the pretty blond lady on Good Morning America. Lila was sitting on my lap listening intently. She now understands some words, such as "wave." She waves now, forward and backwards, and if you say, "Lila's hair looks like it's getting wavy," she waves at that too. Anyway, I turned to Lila and said, "I promise it won't be that bad. And if it is, it will be your introduction to existentialism. Hell being other people, and all that." She smiled. Also, then she waved. Then she cried and then we both took a nap. That's sort of how it goes.
Katryna will tell you about the gigs. Happy Groundhog's Day! We are halfway to spring!
Love, Nerissa
Helloooooooo!
Katryna here. Off we go into the wild blue yonder! Like Nerissa said, this weekend we are flying to St Louis where we are playing the famed St Louis Folk Festival on Friday night with Vance Gilbert and Girlyman. Hello? How fun is that? February features our return to the Iron Horse: our hometown club and favorite haunt. We will be in Shirley MA and Larchmont NY. We are even throwing in a kids show in Shelburne Falls! So come out into the cold February weather and get warm at one of our shows :-)
FRIDAY February 2, 2007 St Louis Folk Festival- The Sheldon
The concert begins at 8:00. We play second! I imagine there will be a great big lovefest at the end. Why else have a festival? We always love going to St. Louis and getting to share the stage with these two wonderful acts is icing on the cake.
SATURDAY February 3, 2007 Washington University- Ursa's Fireside
We are part of a Teach In at Wash U. Here is a description:
Washington University will be hosting a "Teach-In" on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the university in which there will be a panel of experts that will discuss domestic abuse: the causes, the implications, the research, etc. Washington University Law School Professor Jane Aiken will be the key note speaker for the Teach-In. In addition, the "Teach-In" will also host a panel discussion on "Art and Activism" in which the broader topic of using art to make social change will be addressed.
11:30 am: Student Leader and Community Leader Brunch
12:00 pm: Key note address by Professor Jane Aiken
12:45 pm: Break
1:00 pm: (90 minutes) Art and Activism panel discussion facilitated by Dean Jami Ak featuring Professor Aiken, Nerissa and Katryna Nields, and student and community leaders (TBA)
We are part of the Arts and Activism panel discussion.
February 10, 2007 Bull Run- Shirley, MA
This is a cool venue. Lots of space on a giant stage. It always feels a little like we are playing a bar mitzvah. It's been a while since we visited Shirley, MA. I am looking forward to it.
February 16, 2007 Iron Horse Music Hall- Northampton, MA 7pm
Our beloved hometown club. If we can find a babysitter, Dave will join us. This is always magical. Playing at the Horse makes me feel totally relaxed. Totally elated. It's like a family gathering without the drama. It also always reminds me of how much I love where we live.
February 17, 2007 Taconic Hills PAC- Craryville, NY
In the shadow of the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival there is a school. A beautiful, vibrant public school with a gorgeous auditorium. Come join us for a cool community concert in the town which we call home for one weekend of every year. It'll feel like a little hit of Falcon Ridge in February. Just what the doctor ordered!
February 25, 2007 Children¹s Art Museum- Shelburne Falls, MA
Shelburne Falls has a brand new museum/ art space. Come check it out. We are doing a family/kids' show here. The museum is designed as a place for kids to hang their OWN art. Pirates are the theme this month. Amelia has already drawn three different treasure maps- getting closer each time to the vision in her head...
February 27, 2007 Watercolor Café- Larchmont, NY
A special Tuesday night show in this sweet, intimate, delicious cafe in Larchmont. Just be careful that we don't reach out and eat your food!
So that's February for us! As Dar Williams reminded us in her song, February can be a cruel month. So come out and cheer yourselves with some live music. Call someone you've been meaning to connect with and go listen to some music. See you on the road,
Love, Katryna
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