“There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear.”
–Buffalo Springfield, For What It’s Worth
Those lyrics came to mind more than once over the past weekend.
When someone asks me to describe the Mile of Music, I find myself at a loss for words. I’ve experienced two of them now, and have come to the conclusion that it defies definition. It’s billed as a “handcrafted artisan festival.” True, that it is. One that primarily highlights Americana music. But it’s so much more than that.
I guess it’s true that some things you just have to experience in order to really understand. But as a communicator and advocate of both my city and live music, this bothers me. So I’m sure as hell going to try to explain it.
Before this year’s Mile of Music, I sat thinking about how to describe it. Words that came to mind were refreshing, happy, new, energizing. I think I’ve settled on exhilarating. Here’s what I mean.
Imagine your life as a hot summer day. It’s nice, for sure, but too much sun can make you tired and cranky. Sometimes you need to take a cool dip in a clear lake to refresh your mind, body and soul.
Enter Mile of Music.
SPLASH
You are now immersed in a musical tidal wave. You walk down the sidewalk and the sounds of music flow from every direction. Musicians are pouring out their hearts and souls, for us. From restaurants. From bars. From parks. From sidewalks. From hotel lobbies. From art galleries. Even from city buses with wide-open windows.
A crowd gathers around late-night buskers outside the Paper Valley hotel.
Basically, this is crack for the music addict. It’s intoxicating. Drink it up.
So not only is music everywhere around you, so are your friends, acquaintances and family, plus a whole lot of other people. You see friends you haven’t seen in years. You see babies. You see great-grandparents. You see teenagers. Oh and the hipsters. Lots and lots of hipsters. Beards, tattoos and guitars. iPhones, long hair and bandannas stuffed into back pockets of skinny jeans. But we love it.
There are musicians. Everywhere. Not just playing their music, but watching other bands play their music, or just hanging out. You find yourself bumping into them everywhere you go. More than once you say, ‘hey, saw you guys last night, and you were amazing!’ Tell me what music fan doesn’t want to hang out with the musicians they admire. It’s like one big ole giant house party.
You see creativity and art. Over there, there’s a kid learning how to write a song or play a drum. Down there under your feet is a poem etched in the sidewalk. Down the street is a pop-up art gallery, open just for this event.
You see warmth, smiles, genuine hospitality, people going out of their way to be welcoming and welcomed. You also see police, but you know what? They’re smiling too! You see a whole lot of respect.
And when it’s all said and done, if you’ve done it right, you are tired as hell but you have a whole pile of new music to explore and experiences to remember. Time to get out of the lake and dry off. You are spent.
I love everything about this festival. I love the musicians, the energy, the economic impact in the community, the creativity it inspires. I really love the fact that this all happens a mile from my house. And I love my city for being so open and welcoming to this type of event and the opportunities and challenges it brings.
So that’s my attempt at defining it. I hope I have done it justice. Maybe next year, you’ll just have to come and see it for yourself. I’ll buy you a beer.
