HyperRust: "NeilFest" RustFest V (1997)

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NeilFest RustFest V (Raleigh, Nov. 8, 1997)
Celebrating Neil Young's 52nd Birthday

Your Hosts - John and Linda Meckley

Pre-Fest Notice

The Fest Call was put out by John Meckley...

Hello Rusters,
This is your official invite to NeilFest V.

What:
It's Neil's birthday. Let's party. Let's have a jam session that lasts all night and we only play Neil tunes. Let's get together with fellow Rusters (mailing list types and non-mailing list types). Let's have a birthday cake for Neil with 52 candles. Let's drink our favorite Canadian beverages. Let's paper the walls with Neil posters and photos. Let's watch Neil videos till our eyes roll back into our heads. Let's show-and-tell our Neil collectables. Let's tell tall tales about the 97 tour, IRF, and the Bridge.
When:
Saturday November 8, 1997 from 8:00 pm till it's over. (If you're coming in from out-of-town and want to get here earlier -- that's cool.)
Where:
6335 Deerview Dr, Raleigh NC (see map below)
Phone: 919 248 5878 (work)
Phone: 919 859 3685 (home)
Accommodations:
In past years we've been able to put up all out-of-town guests at our house and we'll try again this year. So, please let me know ASAP if you're planning to stay at my place.
Also, if any of you local Rusters can put someone up, please let me know.
Here is some hotel information. Both places are within 10 minutes of my place, have easy access to I40, and are close to major shopping centers. ;-)
Motel 6 919 467 6171 (At I40 Exit 293 )
Red Roof Inn 919 469 3400 (At I40 Exit 293 )

What should you bring?
Musicians, bring your acoustic (preferred) or electric guitar, drums, bass, harp, etc. I have the following equipment which anyone is welcome to use:

one acoustic guitar (Yamaha)
a Telecaster
a 30 watt Peavey guitar amp
a Peavey bass amp (no bass)
an upright piano
one microphone
a PA head with speaker cabinet
Email me of you have equipment questions or comments.
Bring any Neilarobilia that you may have: boots, rarities, videos, posters, books, photos, etc. I don't have a turntable or DAT (bring yours). I do have a CD player, cassette, and VCR.
Directions:
BAM (Bad Ascii Map) is below. If you have any questions, or if you need help getting to Raleigh, email or call.
Note that the 2 Motels listed above are shown below. Take exit 293 for both.
John and Linda Meckley (meckley@dg-rtp.dg.com)
6335 Deerview Dr, Phone: 859-3685

MAP (NOT to scale)


                                                    FM = Farmer's Market
                                                     6 = Motel 6 
                                                    RR = Red Roof Inn
          E                                N         E = Exit
  I440--> | \                            W   E       % = traffic light
          |  \ <---Jones-Franklin Rd       S
          |   \                      |
          |    \           I40       |<---Gorman              |
   RDU    |     |           |        |                     FM |      |
<-Airport |E293 |           V        |Exit 295                |E297  |E298
----------E-----|--------------------E------------------------E------E--
          |     |                    |                        |      | 
        | |     |                    |                        |      | 
        |6|     |                    |                        |      |
Buck Jn>|/|      \                   |           Tryon Rd     |      |
--------%-|-----------               |               |        |      |
   ^     \|  RR        \ <--Walnut   |               V        |      |
   |      |    ---------%---%--------%------------------------%------%
 Walnut   |   /          \                                    |      |
          |  /            |                                   |
          |  |            |              Lake Wheeler Rd ---> |
 1 South->|  |            |                                   |
         /|  |            |                                   |
  ------%----%------------%                                   |
          |       ^       |                                   %
                  |       |   Deerview-+    Penny --------> / |
         Cary Parkway     |         |  |      |            /  |
                          |  6335->X|  |      |           /
    Holly Springs Rd----->|         |<-+      |   ***    /
                          |         |         V   ***   /
      --------------------%------------------------**---
                          |      |                  *
                                 |                  ** <----Lake Wheeler
                 Heatherstone--->|                  ***
                                 |
                                 |

From The West ( Durham, Chapel Hill, RTP, Airport)
Get on I40 East
Take exit 297 (Lake Wheeler Rd)
Right at end of ramp on to Lake Wheeler Rd
Follow "Directions Below"

(or, for folks familiar with the area)
Get on I40 East
Take Exit 293
Left at Walnut Street stoplight
Straight at Tryon
Left at light onto Penny
Left onto Deerview
6335 is on the left at the bottom of the hill.

From The East (Benson, Garner)
Get on I40/I440 West
Take exit 297: Lake Wheeler Rd
Left at end of ramp on to Lake Wheeler Rd
Follow "Directions Below"

Directions Below
Go Straight at Tryon
Right at light on Penny
Go almost 4 miles and
Turn Right on Deerview
6335 Deerview is on the left at the bottom of the hill. The number is on the mailbox post.

Syscrusher's Fest Report

Boy, I had a blast at the NeilFest... The internet Rustie turnout was rather light, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a good time had by all! (There were many non internet rusties!)

After picking up Lonesome Whistle from the airport, (late I might add... I didn't know that Air Canada and Canadian Airways were 2 different entities!) We headed to our gracious hosts' house the Meckleys. We were the first ones to arrive, shortly before Locator. We ate a delicious meal prepared by John's wife Sun-Ling, who truly has the heart of a rustie, even if she doesn't know all the songs!

I'll keep this on the short side and go right to the setlist... I'm not entirely sure of the non-Rustie members of the band, so I'm not going to risk screwing up their names... But the on-line contigent consisted of John Meckly on guitar and vocals, Mark Wilding on bass and harmonies, Locator occasionally on Guitar and DRUMS!!! (and great hamonies my Brotha!) and yours truly on harp, vocals, and occasional guitar.

Too Far Gone
followed (in no particular order) with:
Down By the River (of course!)
Ohio
Out on the Weekend
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
Cowgirl In the Sand
Revolution Blues
L.A.
Albuquerque
Comes A Time
Mellow My Mind
Long May You Run
Find the Cost of Freedom (Accapella... great 4 part harmonies guys!)
Are You Ready For the Country
Sugar Mountain
Hippie Dream
Cortez
All Along the Watchtower (that great Dave Matthews tune...)
Pocohantus
Powderfinger
Downtown
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World

I'm positive that there were some more, but that's all that my feeble brain can remember right now... anyone feel free to make corrections or additions as you see fit. At one point it was decided that we would play at least one song from every album, (what did we play from the first one? I know we played *something* from Neil Young...) But by the time we got to ASn'B, we were starting to get pooped, so we started jumping around... We didn't quit until 2:00am or so.

The party included the traditional birthday cake for Neil, and all the great "Neilerabalia" we could find. We all stopped to watch Beck on TV too! I got a chance to uphold my end of the "Bonnie Bridge Tape" bargain, and was able to distribute copies to folks at the fest (who were understandably surprised and delighted...)

I for one, was having *severe* rust withdrawal after the IRF, so this fest was really a godsend for me. How far do I have to travel for the next one? T.O. anyone?

Don't kill the machine!
-julio