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Pre-Fest Notice

The Fest Call was put out by fontainebleau....

A few of us are gonna go out to the OPL (Old Princeton Landing) on Friday night 10/18 to re-live some memories. Here are directions:

• From the east bay: take 92 (San Mateo Bridge) across the bay and through San Mateo across 101 and 280 all the way to Highway 1 on the coast at Half Moon Bay. Turn right on Highway 1 (north) and at the first set of Traffic Signals (about 3 miles) take a left on to Capistrano Road. OPL is about 300 yds in on the right.

• From San Francisco or San Jose: take 101 or 280 to the 92 turnoff. Head west to Highway 1 and follow the directions above.

Here is a map.

fontainebleau (DevonT@leland.Stanford.EDU)

Fest Report

The attendees:

1. Brad Brandeau
2. Brad's female friend
3. Ten Silver Saxes
4. *SR* Richie
5. Richie's bud L.A. Dave
6. Ambulance Blues
7. DangerGirl
8. Vicki
9. DevonT (Run Around Video Star)
10. fontainebleau

Check out the photos!

Jim Ten Silver Saxes Pittilla's Report

For me, Bridge '96 started Friday afternoon. I was getting really jumpy at work, couldn't stand it anymore, and cut out early at 4:30. A quick stop at a friend's to give her tickets for Saturday, and I was off to OPL at Half Moon Bay, CA for the RustFest. Traffic wasn't too bad. Most of the drive I was listening to Sacramento 9/17/96. Just as I crested the hill on Highway 92, Dangerbird came on. It was a beautiful clear night, so I had to stop the car on the side of the road and just check things out. There was a half moon in the sky, very appropriate for a night in HMB, so I could make out the hills around me a little bit. There were a few stars in the sky. I listened to Dangerbird in the dark, enjoying the stars, and the night air, and the smell of the eucalyptus. Song's over, so I started down the "long decline" into HMB.

I came around a bend in the road, and found the other thing, besides OPL, that HMB is famous for. At this time every year they hold a "Pumpkin Festival". This was a very sureal scene, because it seemed like it was the middle of nowhere, darkness all around, but suddenly there were buildings on both sides of the road, with pumpkins literally all over the place. In the windows, on the roof, on the ground, covering horizontal surface (right up to the side of the road). It was lit up, but there was not a car or person in site. It was all in preparation for the festival on Saturday. Very strange, but somehow appropriate.

I drove the last few miles into HMB, and found OPL, thanks to Ciaran's directions. My first impression was "I can't believe that NY&CH played at this place". My second impression was "I can't believe that I didn't make more of an effort to get down her for some of the shows"   :(   (Missed opportunities, and I'm kicking myself now.) It was a small one level building, and one third was a coffe house. Large plate glass windows, a low overhang over the walkway in front, an Old Princeton Landing sign lit up on the roof.

As I was walking up to the building, I saw a flash go off in the parking lot, and laughed to myself, because I knew that it was another Rustie taking a picture of the sacred place. I thought that I would meet the person inside so I went in.

"Occupancy 150" sign over the door, tall peaked ceiling with some bras hanging over the rafters, pool tables, decent sized bar, about 30 people, a band setting up at one end of the room. It looked like a great, local, neighborhood bar. I didn't see any other Rusties right away so, I walked up to the bartender, Mike, to get a beer.

He asked me what my shirt said. I had a MORE BARN! shirt under my fleece shirt, so I showed it to him. He handed me a card from Mr. MORE BARN! himself, Brad Brandeau. He said, it was the guy that just left and was out in the parking lot. I ran outside and met Brad (the photographer) and his wife. They had been there awhile, but were exhausted from all of their driving, and were going to take off to find a hotel. We talked for a little bit, and set up the MORE BARN! Banner for some pictures.

They left, and I went back inside, got a beer, and met honorary Rusties (thought not on-line yet) Dangergirrrrl and her friend Vicky (you gotta love a woman that drinks Old Peculiar). They lived right near the place, and were veterans of 7 and 8 OPL shows, respectively. Really nice people, who loved to talk about their OPL experiences. Dangergirrrrl had an *old* handbill from a Buffalo Springfield show for Devon. They both signed the banner before the night was over.

Soon Devon, Ciaran, their friend Ron, Rich Hand, and his friend Dave (both up from So.Cal. for the weekend) arrived. All of these people are really nice folks, with a love of, and respect and passion for, Neil's music that borders on the obsessive (as does my own).

Soon it was beer all around, the band started playing, and the RustFest was in full swing. The band was Red Archibald and the Internationals, a really hot R&B band based out of SF, CA. If you ever get the chance to hear them, take advantage. They were excellent. I eventually got some of the muscicians to sign the Banner. They played Baby What You Want Me To Do, and Rich Hand and I got the Banner out and waved for the band and the other people in the bar. Lot's of strange looks from people, but fun none the less.

It was great to hear about the OPL shows from people who were actually there. Great stories. Devon was very excited to show me the back gate, with Broken Arrow and guitar brands from Neil's ranch. I was probably more excited to actually see it and touch it. (I've been told that Ciaran has a great picture of the gate on his web page.) There was much drinking and dancing.

We stayed until the place closed at 02:00. Lots of talk about Neil and the music. Rich Hand is a really nice, knowledgeable guy, who has some great stories. He's been seeing/listening to Neil (and others) since the very early days (as Ciaran put it, "You're f$#ckin' ancient, Richie :). He and Dave are both on several of the tribute tapes. We took more pictures of the Banner. Hopefully, they will come out well, and Ciaran will put them on his web page. Andy, I'll send you copies of all of the pictures I have from the weekend, soon. We left ready, and primed, for the Bridge shows.

I made it to a friend's place to sleep at 03:00. Then it was up at 09:00 to get Phish tickets for Sacramento, 11/30. Thanks for reading, and I hope you got something out of it. I would like to encourage everyone who has the opportunity, to make it to their local RustFest. Odds are you will meet some *great* people, learn something new about the music, and have a really good time.

Jim
Ten Silver Saxes

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