Scattered showers, wind, some thunder and bouts of humidity was not enough to dissuade the staff, musicians and crowd that came together to make the 2017 Shore Made Music Festival a wonderful success.
Angelica Garcia and drummer Andrew Sisk …sorry Andrew, we know we spelled you last name wrong (Photo Roy O. Ballard)
The day did begin with a soggy start, with rains forcing headliner Angelica Garcia into the Historic Onancock School for an unplugged session. For Garcia and her fans, this was an opportune bit of misfortune. Angelica thrives in an intimate setting, where she can truly connect with her audience. Poet, musician, and storyteller, Garcia captivated the school room with a breathless set of original music from earlier work and her new Album “Medicine for Birds”. Garcia is a special artist, and for those of us that live on Shore, we feel blessed and thankful she has landed here.
While some say the Garcia performance drove off the rain (this is only partly true), the sky did calm, and with only spit and spurts of rain, a good bit the show did go on.
Jessica West has been pleasing Shore audiences for many years now, and it was a delight to once again see her on stage. Known for her intriguing and genuine originals, West did not disappoint. Her voice, as always was pitch perfect, always in harmony with very solid guitar work.
Speaking of intricate guitar work, Emily Guemple wowed with a rocking country acoustic flavor. With vocals that soared over her finger work, Guemple provided the crowd with a fresh, sassy set of favorites.
Shore favorite Austin Riopel brought his own brand of classic, tasteful and intelligent Americana to a raucous and receptive crowd. One of our best flat top guitar players, Riopel applies a unique wit and charm to his music–even the most well-worn pieces seem original and new. Riopel is always a joy to watch, and it seems with each show, each performance he hones his craft to an ever finer granularity. He is one young artist who seems ready to break through to the next level.
Dee Irvin is one of those artists that you just want to celebrate. There is such clarity and purity to her music. Her voice, there is an exactness and precision, yet there is also a humbleness and reverence that makes her eclectic arrangements so powerful. When her sets are over, it just never seems like enough. It’s easy to see Irvin going on to very big things. We love her. [Read more…]
The skateboard park was envisioned and brought to life by local resident Jim Mahaffey. After several meetings, some donated materials by Dave Fauber, Cape Charles finally had place where skaters could work out legally.
According the report, the board added Bill Prickett for a term expiring November 12, 2021. It was a relatively busy year for permit applications.
Mayer also shares, “This is the only FREE multiple concert program on the Virginia Eastern Shore, and it includes musical groups that will be attractive to all age groups and cultures.” Concerts in the Park have evolved over the last three years with this year’s offerings being the most comprehensive since its inception. Kicking of the Summer Festival schedule are the bands Raw Beets and Little Country who have a unique style of music that are labeled as the must see/hear bands of the summer. 
Bridgham has served as Director of Network Engineering for the ESVBA since 2013 and provided consulting services to the Authority for three years prior to assuming that full-time position. Having served as a consultant during the original design/build phase of network construction, Bridgham brings historical context and seventeen years of telecommunications management experience to his new role.