2024 ... no Ramones jokes ... promise
Happy New Year!
Did 2023 zoom past? Did it seem to hang on forever? Or did it move in fits and starts for you?
As I reviewed the past year, I just flat forgot about how much we did over those 12 months. It seemed like a quieter year than normal, with fewer outside events and the unfortunate loss of our regular downtown spots. And yet …
Was it only 10.5 months ago that we were entertaining the New Hope Keenagers? Maybe you’ve suppressed that memory. Never mind.
To be sure, the biggest news of the year was the celebration in October of our 10th Anniversary! I posted a recap on this page and our home page. Ah, memories … And goodies …
But wait … there was more …
We jammed for the final time at Pelagic, and tried out Riparian Provision Co. and Azure Violins.
A handful of us trekked to Morganton for the inaugural Blue Ridge Ukulele Festival in May. (Highly recommended! Great time! Bonnie and I — maybe others? — have registered for this year’s edition.)
We gigged at Wake County libraries — East Regional, Middle Creek Community, Eva Perry Regional, North Regional.
We entertained our friends at the Total Life Centers on Departure Drive and at Bond Park Cary during the year and over the holidays.
Many of us participated again at the N.C. Whirligig Festival in Wilson.
And we headlined both sessions of Make Music Day on each solstice — At the Village Regional Library and Riparian on June 21; and at Azure Violins on December 21. (A few winter pix below.)
Plus, we maintained our routine of wasting two hours of every attendee’s life on the first and third Thursday of each month … with a few open mics tossed in for good measure. Thanks for a wonderful year!
A personal note and a forward look
I can’t thank all of you enough for your help and participation this past year. A special shoutout to our founders (David, Brother Higgens, George —now a board member of Make Music Raleigh!); the other committee members who worked on the anniversary (Nell, Bonnie, and Bob); and everyone who kept this community chugging along for another year. I’m especially grateful for all who carried on when I wasn’t able to join the holiday festivities.
As for 2024? Let’s jam Thursday and move on from there!
Recharged Rick