The Music Farm--This Historically Significant Charleston Music Venue Hosted The Florida Georgia Line After Party

I stepped through the glass arched double doors off of Ann Street. My eyes were irresistibly drawn to the high vaulted ceiling. The network of steel girders glowed in the aura of the brilliant blue and magenta lights from below. Guitars, highlighted by spotlights, hung on several walls. Stage crews and sound techs were busy setting up equipment on the sprawling stage--one of the largest in Charleston.

The crowd for the moment was on the light side, but that would change. The Florida Georgia Line After Party was soon to begin. Chelsea Summers and her cajun playing sidekick, Robby Robins, were set to open the night's party for Charleston's Music Farm.

 

The Music Farm has played to packed crowds since 1991, when it first opened on East Bay Street in what was a previous nightclub. Headliners like the Stray Cats, The Samples, Phish, Meat Puppets, FIREHOSE, Chick Corea Elektric Band, The Dave Matthews Band, NRBQ, Warren Zevon, Widespread Panic, L7, and Social Distortion made appearances during its early days.

In 1992 it closed and in 1993 reopened at its present location between King Street and Meeting Street. The building historically was a storage depot for the South Carolina Railroad and is one of the oldest existing railroad structures in the U.S. David Byrne, Helmet, Run DMC, Phish, Meat Puppets, Pavement, Cracker, Counting Crows, Uncle Tupelo Hootie, Edwin, Blue Dogs, Jump, and the Archetypes have graced the present venue since.

It was my first visit. I was invited to shoot video for Chelsea's opening performance. North Carolina born Chris Lane was to follow. Chelsea Summers of Summerville is a very in-demand acoustic performer, often playing 3-4 shows a week all around the Charleston area. Chris, after his college baseball career ended, has played over 500 shows, opening up for Florida Georgia Line, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Chris Young and Brantley Gilbert among others.

Chelsea has moved to the top of the Country charts in Charleston. She will be playing at the Awendaw Green on July 2nd at 7:30 pm. Bathed in the colorful, concert style stage lights of the Music Farm, she rocked the house.

The Music Farm is in an area of Charleston with a strong railroad history. Close-by on John Street is the Music Hall. It was built in 1849-50 as a passenger station called the Tower Depot. It was part of a larger complex called the Camden Depot. The nearby Charleston Museum on Meeting Street has become the home for the first locomotive built in the U.S. that ran out of Charleston, "Best Friend." It is in a glass enclosure across from the Music Hall. Around the corner is the ever changing and noisy Upper King Street, where you will find some of the best new restaurants and drinking holes in Charleston--perfect for hanging out at before heading over to the Music Farm.

So, if you are young or just feeling young and looking for a music venue wrapped in Charleston history, check out the Music Farm. With few tables to sit at, its bold acoustics, sprawling stage, center bar, and down front standing-room only dance floor are its main features. It is not a huge venue. It can easily get over crowded, which could present certain undesirable problems. It has its share of good and bad reviews. History buffs will appreciate the cultural significance of the building--something likely overlooked by most of its younger patrons with live music, partying and drinking on tap--its main reason for being.

Blue Dogs 25th Anniversary Show At The Charleston Music Hall Was A Doggone Good Show

The lively and diverse Upper King Street around the John Street area is a mecca of shops, restaurants, and bars. Last night, the outdoor temperature was perfect for taking a window gazing stroll or for doing some people watching at the outdoor venues of the local establishments, such as 39 Rue de Jean, Hall's Chophouse, Republic, and Joe Pastas, which were all standing room only. Everyone was having a howling good time pre-concert and then around 8:00 pm, the whole affair took the expected turn.

The Charleston Music Hall proceeded to go to the dogs - more appropriately, the Blue Dogs. It was a celebration of their 25th Anniversary Show and from the front doors to the backstage - where the real party was obviously taking place - it was a rockin' good time. They picked and sang to a sold out Hall with a 3 1/2 hour, non-stop parade of special guests including Radney Foster, Edwin McCain, Don Lotti, Danielle Howle, John Satterfield and the Archtypes to name a few, but that was just the 'Dog' treats.

Bobby Houck, acoustic guitarist and vocalist for the Blue Dogs, tossed out a 'Dog' biscuit when he lightheartedly proclaimed his long-time partner, standup bassist Hank Futch, had been cheating on him by his Occasional Milkshake collaboration with high-spirited guitarist Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish, who joined the group on stage. Hank and Mark along with Doug Jones and Gary Greene performed a couple of their songs and Mark did a duet with Danielle Howle of Firework Show.

To top off the highlights, the big 'Dog' bone came late in the second set when Bobby invited Charleston's favorite son, Darius Rucker, out from the backstage to sing the Blue Dogs hit song "Isabelle" and it was a free-for-all from there. Darius and the Blue Dogs next sang the Bob Dylan-Old Crow Medicine Show inspired song that has become the now famous Rucker version of "Wagon Wheel" from his "Lady Antebellum" album and the roof blew off the house.

Hootie and the Blowfish joined the pack and performed a couple of their hits including the song "Time". Radney Foster rejoined the group with a couple more songs. Daren Shumaker dazzled on the mandolin and David Stewart artfully played the guitar. The night was closed out with the whole gang of performers joining the Blue Dogs in a climaxing tribute to their Mama's with their "Make Your Mama Proud" song from their 2004 album "Halos and Good Buys". In the finale, there were so many musicians on stage Radney Foster couldn't find an available plug-in for his guitar. So, he did what all good musicians do - he improvised.

Everyone present, including yours truly,  had a doggone good time, but the continuous parade of honky-tonkers and bluegrass musicians gave fits to the stage hands that handled the assortment of guitars and mandolins with their array of plug-ins and foot pedals. Despite a couple of glitches, they handled the challenge superbly accompanied by a well orchestrated light show. It was well worth the $21.05.

The Charleston Music Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the block, was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century by the South Carolina Railroad, known historically as The Tower Depot. It was designed to resemble a Medieval castle and featured a three-story tower that was unfortunately destroyed in the Charleston Earthquake of 1886. The rest of the building sat vacant for sixty years, until 1995 when it was transformed into the intimate, first class performance space it is today.

"There is not a bad seat in the house," is an appropriate slogan. I can attest to that fact. My seat was in section H-REAR, Row 9, Seat 9, the bird's-eye view on the second level. I could still see the facial expressions of the performers.

Click on Charleston Music Hall for upcoming shows and performances. February 13th will be the Elise Testone Album Release Show. You can purchase tickets here.

Party at the Point, May 31, 2013-An Entertaining Night With Occasional Milkshake and Southwood

An Occasional Milkshake is good for you, especially when it is served up by Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish, Hank Futch of Blue Dogs and Gary Greene of Cravin' Melon. At the Party at the Point, they stayed true to their mantra last night and it is simple: play music for fun with laughter as the key ingredient. There was no rigorous play list. Spontaneity was the rule of law on stage. Whatever moved them in that moment, they played. Bluegrass, punkabilly, and everything in between. They sang about hot dogs, beer, homegrown tomaters, and threw some Sponge Bob into the mix for the kids. The whole gig was smooth and sweet, pure fun.

They were preceded by Southwood, a group who put a show on of their own. The group closed out the night at Buffalo Wild Wings on Coleman Blvd. Hank Futch was there and stated this observation to me about Southwood, "These guys are good." A few songs later Hank verified his delight by stepping onto the Wild Wing stage and joined Southwood for one song. It was great. Buffalo Wild Wings is a great music venue for the after party. Half of it is open to the outside and half is enclosed with the main bar and a raised stage and dance floor splitting the two sides.

I arrived around 6:30 pm. Cover charge for the night was $7-it usually varies between $5 and $7 depending on the bands. I purchased my refreshment tickets and made my way onto the sandy beach and to the stage. Southwood was already warming up the crowd. At this point, I generally take a walk on the pier to get a feel for the crowd and to soak in the beautiful view of Charleston Harbor and the Resort to set the mood. The Party at the Point is the complete package-salt water, sandy beach, music, and atmosphere. A kid and pet friendly event on top of it all. A bring your fold-up chair and sit back and soak in the beach ambiance and music event.

The night was Charleston beautiful and got even better when I found out my two favorite ladies were on site enriching the already beautiful scenery-Chelsea Summers and her mom, Aura Lee. Chelsea is an aspiring singer/songwriter with many successful gigs under her belt and a rising popularity in Charleston. She was there for Southwood, having met the bass player at a previous engagement. We kicked off our sandals and kicked around some sand, but it was at the afterparty we made some serious dance moves. Chelsea will be at Molly Darcy's on Friday, June 14th. Come on out and join the fun. As Chelsea's number one groupy, I will be wearing my Chelsea Summers t-shirt.

Only four left in this season's schedule. The next Party at the Point, June 7th, Stop Light Observations with Fowlers Mustache are scheduled. Join the fun-this event is the premier happy hour concert series in Charleston at the Charleston Harbor Resort-5:30-9:30 pm and one heck of a beach party.

A Beer Tasting, A Beach Party, And Third Thursday-An Eventful Week All On Video

The weather was beautiful this past week. It was summer warm and summer sunny. Finally got in some laps in the pool and some suntan soaking. A busy week. It began with the Holy City Beer Tasting at Coastal Coffee Roasters, followed by Third Thursday and then Party at the Point at the Charleston Harbor Resort.

It has been written, "A picture is worth a thousand words." With that been said, I will let the pictures and video tell the story. They are a collection of smiles and good times I shared with the friends and visitors of the Lowcountry.

Summerville hot spot, Coastal Coffee Roasters, hosted the beer tasting - the second in two months. It was a sell out once again. Holy City Brewing provided the brews, five to be exact. Of the five, two of them were standouts for me, Chucktown Follicle Brown and Manuel Fantastico Barley Wine. But if I were to pick a favorite between the two, I would lean toward Fantastico. Famulari's provided the pizza and did a great job matching the right pizza to each brew. Joseph Tedesco and his friend Dano provided the musical entertainment.

Third Thursday is Summerville's monthly, premier event. I almost never miss it. Its mission is promoting and supporting the businesses of Summerville. The restaurants and establishments were overflowing with residents and visitors. Busker provided the musical entertainment on Short Central. I spent most of the evening overseeing the sound for Busker, so I did not get around to the other highlights around town. The special unveiling of the first BIRDS statue took place at Town Hall. There was an open blue grass jam on Hutchinson Square and blue grass groups located at various locations throughout historic downtown Summerville.

The Party at the Point is a family friendly event hosted at one of the hottest beachfront properties on the Charleston Bay. It has it all. Water, sand, and Charleston for a backdrop. The Blue Dogs entertained the party crowd. It was my first exposure to this Charleston based band. I arrived when the opening band, Adalya, was on their last song. So, I didn't get any video of their performance. The gathering is a great opportunity to meet new friends from the Charleston scene.

Friday, May 24th, the Dave Matthews Tribute Band will jam at the Party at the Point, kicking off the official start to summer in Charleston. It all starts at 5:30pm.

Thursday is Open Mic Night at Coastal Coffee Roasters, 7-9pm. Talented musicians from all over the area come and share their gifts. Saturday at 7-9pm, T. Champagne will delight the crowd with his love of funk, roots rock, and island grooves into a danceable blend of music that utilizes percussive phrasing and catchy lyrics.

The Party At The Point April 26, 2013 Rocked-Blue Monday Made It A Red-Letter Friday

Last night, if you got to the Point, it was no disappoint. The Party At The Point was attended by a record crowd for an opening night and the featured band,  Blue Monday, rocked. The great weather made it near perfect. I say near perfect because the no-see-ums made an appearance early on, but when the dancing started they departed.

I arrived around 6:45 pm from Summerville. The parking lot at the resort was already full. So, going in I knew it was shaping up to be a large crowd and a big night. Blue Monday had already took to the stage on the beach and were just beginning to warm-up. By the time the sunset, they were sizzling. While I was recording video, I got pulled into the dancing crowd by a couple of ladies by the name of Jules and Vicky and imprinted a few steps of my own into the cool sands.

Lizette, the lead singer for the group, was a definite crowd pleaser and motivator. At one point, she stepped down from the stage into the crowd. It was a move that impressed me. Her vocals were powerful and her range was expansive. In her bio, Lizette credits a friend with her move into singing where she relates, "It's all my friend's fault. Colette got me into this beautiful mess when I was nineteen." Matt, Joe, Woody, and Mike provide the instrumentals and accompanying vocals. The group flowed from one song to the next with precision.

 

Friends, family, kids and dogs all had a great time. A walk on the pier, which is a must, is always a relaxing and refreshing pause from the crowds and high energy on the beach.

I got some good pictures of the passing container ships that come close to the pier.

Couples use the pier as a place to take in a few moments to connect. "Mon amour pour toi est aussi grand que le monde."

After taking in the bay breezes and skyline of historic Charleston in the setting sun with the USS Yorktown and the Ravenel Bridge nearby, I was ready to rejoin the party on the sandy beach and get another cool one to place in the free koozie that was passed out upon entry.

The Party At The Point has everything we love about Charleston-water, sand, history, and southern charm. The fun has just begun. Every Friday at the same time each week the Point will be the place you will want to close out the work week and kick-off the weekend. Click on Party At The Point for the complete schedule. Enjoy the pictures and video. Then make it a point to join the fun.

"Get To The Point"-North to South, It's All A Great Time For Everyone

When someone we are engaged with in conversation rambles on about where they are going on a particular subject matter, we often say, "Get to the point." If you are from Ohio, like myself, getting to the point could mean something entirely different. "Get to the Point" was also an advertising slogan for Cedar Point, a world class amusement park located at the tip of a peninsula on Lake Erie in Sandusky. When I lived in Ohio, going to Cedar Point was a tradition I eagerly looked forward to every year.

We lived about two hours driving time from the park, so it was a always a full day excursion. We would get up at the crack of dawn to leave with enough time to make it for the opening and would stay until near closing. A complete day of flips, dips, over the top high-speed gut-wrenching plunges, and tennis shoe water-soaking rides accompanied by an entertaining dose of shows, games, and attractions.

Cedar Point has been around long time. It opened in 1870. It is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the United States. It features a world-record 72 rides, including 15 roller coasters making it the park with the third-most roller coasters in the world. It is the only amusement park in the world with four roller coasters taller than 200 ft - Magnum XL-200 at 205 ft, Millennium Force at 310 ft, Wicked Twister at 215 ft, and Top Thrill Dragster at 420 ft. It received the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Amusement Park in the World" from Amusement Today for the past 15 years. It is the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World". This year it will open with a 16th roller coaster called the GateKeeper at 174 ft. If you are a roller coaster enthusiast, Cedar Point is a must do.

I no longer live in Ohio. It has been some time since I have been to beautiful Sandusky and Cedar Point. I now live in South Carolina and beautiful Charleston, but getting to the point is still a priority, that is to say Patriots Point. There are no world class roller coasters on this point. Patriots Point is home to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, including the World War II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. The old carrier has become one the state's major tourist attractions with more than 270,000 visitors each year.

Patriots Point also has a golf course, a hotel, and a collegiate athletic complex. The hotel is the Charleston Harbor Resort. It is host to the main reason I get to the Point, the Party at the Point.

The first installment of the weekly event for 2013 begins April 26th. The beach party offers you an opportunity to stick your feet into the cool sands of the resorts waterfront beach, revitalize yourself with a cool drink after a long day of whatever, and enjoy some music with Charleston Harbor as the backdrop. A long pier stretching out into the bay is perfect for taking a relaxing stroll to soak in the gentle, salty ocean breezes and viewing the shipping activities of one of the largest and busiest ports in the United States. Maybe, you will catch a glimpse of one of the many huge container ships passing close by.

  
The featured band on April 26th will be Blue Monday. The band is a 5 piece female fronted band performing music from the cool and fun music of the 80's. Music from bands like Journey, U2, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, and others. The band relocated from New York City after a successful 10 year run. The bands hard hitting classics will take you back into a 30 year old time machine. It is billed as a tribute to the MTV revolution of music. On May 3rd Daggermuffin, a Folly Beach based trio, will be the featured band along with Old You. May 10th will be the CofC Graduation Party with Long Miles. For the complete schedule go to Party on the Point.

This is a family friendly event. The gates open at 5:30 pm, and the bands start at around 6:30. Bring cash for admission and for the bar, and bring your friends too. See you on the beach.

Rebecca Roubion And Jake Etheridge Light Up Coastal Coffee Roasters-Summerville's Hospitable And Vibey Venue

Busker was bustin' it Friday night at Coastal Coffee Roasters and the people were lovin' it. The band, for sometime now, has been a crowd favorite at this Summerville hot spot. When they finally took to the floor around 7:30 pm, the house was packed. At one point, Dave hit the floor and played the guitar on his back, reminiscent of the wild and crazy Angus Young of AC/DC. Unfortunately by then, the battery on my camera was depleted, so I couldn't get the surprise move on video.

Coastal Coffee Roasters has acquired the worthy reputation of being the gathering place for some of the Lowcountry's finest acoustic performers, and a stopover venue for musicians passing through the Charleston area on tour. I have been introduced to quite a few talented singer/songwriters since CCR established its acoustic series. Two of the standouts for me have been Molly Durnin and the duo Rebecca Roubion and Jake Etheridge of CherryCase. Rebecca and Jake are separate solo artists, but have collaborated on songs and recently toured together.
   
I have always been partial to musicians who play the keyboards, being somewhat a kindred spirit. So, when Rebecca Roubion visited Coastal Coffee Roasters, my interest was aroused. And when she sang the sentimentally haunting song "Break" while playing her Yamaha, accompanied by her touring partner, Jake Etheridge on acoustic guitar, I was won over. Rebecca is New Orleans, LA born, Mobile, AL raised, studied communications at LSU, and after college made the leap to Nashville, Tennessee that is, Music City. "That was when my dream materialized into something tangible, real. I knew I needed to take it seriously," Rebecca recalled.

Rebecca has been playing piano since age 7. Age fifteen, she experienced an emotional epiphany from which countless pages of poetry were created and the birth of her first song. Her love for her Louisiana roots have remained strong. Life is the tapestry from which she draws her inspiration.

Awendaw Green

Coastal Coffee Roasters

Rebecca met Jake Etheridge through their producer, Taylor Bray of Maple Studios in Nashville. They began to write songs together and came up with "Make Up Your Mind". "Once we realized we were musically compatible, we decided to hit the road together," Rebecca related. And that is what they did. They began their tour in Mobile, AL and traveled across the southeast to South Carolina where they performed in places like Columbia, Greenville, Awendaw, and beautiful Summerville, where I had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca and where she won my admiration. "We were always pleased to get to play unique, hospitable and vibey venues," Rebecca said, speaking of Coastal Coffee Roasters. "Coastal Coffee Roasters was easily one of our favorite stops."

Rebecca's latest release, November of 2012, was "FIELDS". It consists of four songs showcasing "a perfect blend of indie piano pop, with tastings of soul and folk." Recently, she has been busy playing shows in Nashville, filming a music video, and promoting the release of her next compilation of tunes born from the heart and lived in the soul.

 
Jake Etheridge is a native of South Carolina. He is the frontman for a band called CherryCase originating in Columbia, SC, but has made the move to Nashville since its inception in 2006. The name CherryCase was inspired by a miscommunication.  "I was in a punk/rock cover band and on the phone with my then drummer about the name of the band. He suggested the name 'charity case' and I thought he said 'cherrycase'. I thought it was great. He thought it was lame." They parted ways and genre. "I started writing more chill acoustic songs. I named the side acoustic project 'cherrycase'."

Jake has an EP out entitled "Think Of Me" and  is currently in the studio recording new songs. On March 15th, he will be returning to Coastal Coffee Roasters.

Can't see the "FORESTS" for the trees, you need to be standing in the right "FIELDS". Just some fun with a well known idiom. Seriously, purchase a copy of "FIELDS", take a listen, and you too will be won over to the Rebecca Roubion camp. Once the milestone of 1000 copies sold is reached, "FORESTS" will be released. I eagerly await her return to the Lowcountry.

Click Here For - Love Me Now by Rebecca Roubion