LOCATION: Under the Beams, Rapp Granary, New Harmony, IN
LINEUP: Karin, Linford, Mickey Grimm, Jake Bradley, Molly Grimm
REVIEW BY:
i headed out to new harmony early, wanting to get a feel for the town after discussing it with mickey several times and then recently reading more about it. on the way over, i got a text from karin telling me that everything was fine but, to watch out for the national guard (new harmony sits on the banks of the recently severely swollen wabash river). that didn't sound good and i didn't know what to expect, but not too long after i began passing army transport trucks, probably 30+ or more, loaded down with sandbags, backhoes and other heavy machinery. ok, i was a "little concerned." then i soon began to see, on both sides of the interstate, what appeared to be lakes, but were in all actuality, corn and soybean fields, ok, i was a little more concerned, maybe worried.
i soon reached my exit and shortly after, new harmony. only to find on of the most beautiful little towns that i have ever seen in my life. almost surreal in its beauty and charm, it's like a town time forgot. in a good way. then as i turned off of church street towards the granary, i spotted many national guardsmen, in full camouflage unloading these flatbeads full of sandbags, building virtual walls to protect the historic homes, the "roofless church," the incredible, modern, richard maier designed welcome center from the ravages of nature. high, fast running water. i was within 10 feet of the banks of a river that should have been a quarter of a mile away. once again, surreal. very surreal.
and yet, all of this couldn't damped the spirit and the people of this amazing place. they went on with life, apparently much as they always do. the street festival/antique show was still happening, the local (and very good) country music band was still playing on a street corner, neighbors we're still walking and riding their bikes and being kind, stopping on the street to shake hands, say hello and welcome you to their home, then offering sightseeing tips to obvious strangers (me). one woman stopped me coming out of the roofless church, welcomed me, put down the kickstand on her bike and said "oh, you've got to see the garden across the street, took my by the arm and walked me though. again, very surreal and you began to realize, it's so sad this is such a shocking aberration...this is how it should be.
so how do you top an experience like this? you take a town full of these people, put them in one place, a beautiful, historical room, as linford might say "a well made thing" to share an evening of beautiful music, discussion and friendship. i spent the 30-minute preshow w/mike and his wife and mickey's mom, sandy and his sister, kim. what a blast, it's easy to see how mickey is what he is after spending some time with sandy, what a lovely woman. and it's always a pleasant surprise to walk into a room where they are playing and see a grand piano in stage, this time a steinway baby grand was sitting on the front left corner of the stage. while walking the town before the show and just turning the corner towards the granary not long before the doors opened i crossed paths w/molly and grafton (mickey's wife and son) riding their bikes to the show, laughing and talking all the way (you're probably expecting me to say someting about surreal about now...).
the show was beautiful, a big event for this small town, mostly all locals who seemed to be pleasantly confused by us crazy travelers ("you came in from where?"). they played two sets, with about a 30 minute break in between to socialize over homemade cookies, brownies and punch, it wasn't "timed" and no one was too rushed though.
during the first set linford told a story about visiting his mother recently and going to a covered dish church dinner with his mother, complete with tater-tot casseroles and fruit and jello mold desserts. the entertainment, a local barbershop quartet were unable to make it and linford's mother announced that he was a "professional musician" and there was a piano in the room, so he became the featured entertainment, playing old hymn that were called out to him. explaining that it was odd that he can't remember songs that he wrote five years ago yet he remembered everything they requested that evening, from his early. a couple of songs into the second set, he mentioned that during the break a woman said "well you talked about the old hymns but you didn't play one." so he launched into a beautiful solo of "let the lower lights be burning" to a quiet, dark, still room. it was stunning. beautiful.
all-in-all, i can't imagine a better day spent. it was beautiful. perfect.
the set...
first set
i don't wanna waste
fever
born
desperate
roll
innocent
trumpet child
kiddin' (and mickey really showed off for the hometown crowd)
trouble (w/molly)
break
homemade brownies and kiss cookies smile.gif
second set
motherless child
orphan girl (w/molly)
let the lower light be burning (linford solo)
suitcase
ohio
tom (w/molly)
president (w/molly)
encore
hush now
drunkards prayer