Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival

After the show in San Diego we stayed the night at our friend Rick’s in La Jolla.

Rick had about a dozen different surfboards nestled into the rafters of his living room.

After breakfast we drove to Joshua Tree for the Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival.

Here are some photos from the drive:

When we arrived at the music festival, my first thought was, “The only shoes I have are my dress shoes.”  The festival is held in a dusty desert campground, which isn’t a problem, but cowboy boots would have been more appropriate and practical.

The second thought was, “This is M.A.S.H. on L.S.D.”

We arrived just in time to set up on stage and play our set with Marianne Dissard.  The set was fun, but incredibly hot and dry.  Usually when I play bari sax, I need to empty the spit valve after each song.  But in the dry heat, I didn’t need to empty in once the whole show.

Here’s the view from the stage:

Here’s a view from the crowd (I was able to step off the stage at one point to take a few photos).

After our set, the stage manager excitedly told me that they were having a party that night and that Eric McFadden was going to play.  I was thrilled.  Eric and I are good friends and if he and I are ever in the same town we sit-in with each other.  We’re also planning on making an album as a duo.

Eric and I spent the evening relaxing and planning.  We’re considering doing a tour of the southern US this winter.  It was good to catch up with him.  He was the only person I really knew at the festival.

His band and I played for the staff and the other artists late into the night.

Wally Ingram

Paula O'Rourke

Eric McFadden

I also had the pleasure to meet and hear Delaney Davidson.  I brilliant fellow from New Zealand who plays americana.

After we finally finished playing – which was about 3 hours later – the crowd asked me to do a solo set for the folks gathered around the burn barrel.

This proved to be challenging at first because there was a guy who was plastered and hell-bent on singing cheesy pop lyrics along to my songs.  But eventually he passed out in the dirt at my feet and I was able to sing in peace.

Here are a few more shots I’m fond of: