Summertime Fun, Baking Fig Muffins with Fiddler Dave, and upcoming travels to New Hope, PA

Hey there friends,

We have had a busy Molasses Creek summer here on Ocracoke. The heat is on and figs are ripening quickly. Fiddler Dave and his household have been quickly picking and canning as much as possible. Gary Mitchell cycled up Howard Street for a video interview with him about making his famous Fig Muffins (recipe included). Check it out below.
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Molasses Creek tours to New Hope, PA in September

Molasses Creek will be traveling to play two dates at the Buck County Cabaret in New Hope, PA outside of Philadelphia on Friday, September 23rd & Saturday, Sept 24th. Click on the link below to find out more on how to get tickets to this dinner theater extravaganza! We hope to see you there!

Molasses Creek Shoots a "HOT" New Video for the People Get Ready Album. 

Right after the close of this year's Ocrafolk Festival, we had yet another international film adventure with our friends Andrea Tani (of Florence, Italy), and Matt Mitchell (of North Carolina). On a toasty summer day in early June, the Molasses Creek crew loaded up various vehicles with costumes and props and set forth to the northern end of Ocracoke Island to shoot a video for the song, "You Go to Your Church and I'll Go to Mine." The baking sun was just working itself into the sky at 9 AM when we spilled out onto the beach to begin work.

Most videos are split between clips of musical performance and footage of a storyline that may or may not have anything to do with the song. The song, "You Go to Your Church, I'll Go to Mine" celebrates the common humanity that knits together our diverse cultures throughout this great world. In the storyline for our video, Gerald Hampton (in full suit and top hat) plays a wandering vagabond that plops down next to a graveside, out of which springs the rest of the Molasses Creek band to join him in a musical reverie. All we can say is that digging your own grave in the sand at 4 PM in the summer afternoon is a bonding experience. We'll let ya know when one goes live!

Join Fiddler Dave & Gary Mitchell for a Tutorial on Fig Muffin Baking

You too can become a Fig Muffin Master. Take a look at this video!

Molasses Creek's September & October Adventures, & Pirates Invade Ocracoke (again!)

Molasses Creek diva, Lou Castro, directs his sound tech slave while sporting a new mink coat at the Walton Theatre, NY.

Good friends!

Before we go too much further down the page, here are our upcoming performances!

Thursday, Nov 7 ~ Live performance recording at Our State Magazine headquarters, Greensboro, NC (you actually can't be there for the taping, but we'll let you know when it is live on their website!)
Friday, Nov 8 ~ Molasses Creek in concert at the Altamont Theatre, Asheville, NC 8:00 PM
Saturday Nov 9 ~ Molasses Creek in concert at the RA Fountain General Store, Fountain, NC 7:30 PM
Friday Nov 15 ~ Dare County Arts Council presents Carolina Veterans Concert with Molasses Creek, NC Poet Laureate, Professor Joseph Bathanti, and Jonny Waters & Company, 7 PM. Festival Park, Roanoke, NC
Friday Nov 29 ~ Molasses Creek in concert at Deepwater Theater, Ocracoke Island, NC. 8:00 PM

Opening for Ralph Stanley and an Ocracoke 4th of July!

Molasses Creek at the Lost Colony Waterside Theatre, Roanoke Island, NC

Visit the new Molasses Creek Store by clicking here!

Hi friends!

This last week was a busy one with 4th of July activities here at home on Ocracoke Island, and a Sunday opening for Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys at the Lost Colony Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Island.

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys

The Waterside Theatre is a beautiful and fascinating place to perform.  The set for the world famous Lost Colony outdoor drama, we fully expected colonists and natives to come surging out on to the stage during a fiddle breakdown.  Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green, The Lost Colony outdoor drama is celebrating its 76th season this year!  You can read more about it at http://thelostcolony.org.

As the sun set, the light on the sound waters behind the theater palisade faded and the starry night sky formed a seamless backdrop, joining with the canopy of live oak trees that border the audience and the stage.  We couldn't think of a more beautiful place to enjoy a concert by one of the cultural treasures of our country.  At 86, Ralph Stanley stood on stage for the entire concert, gracing the audience with sounds and songs from the mountain communities of old. 

Here are some more pictures around the stage of the Waterside Theatre.

Costumes from the Lost Colony production

Louie, Marcy, and Gerald in the costume greenroom (Marcy had to be dragged away!)

 

4th of July Fun on Ocracoke Island

Blackbeard getting a picture with a young fan

While we are talking about famous historic places and characters of the Outer Banks, we will give you a shot of Emmet Temple as Blackbeard the pirate.  Blackbeard met his fate off of Ocracoke Island in November of 1718 when he was hunted down by Lt. Robert Maynard.  Ever since then, his ghost has reappeared (with head) at holiday events around the island . . . and 4th of July is no exception.

Blackbeard being interviewed Ocracoke Radio personality, Daphne Bennink

The 4th kicked off with a flag raising, a sandcastle contest, and a fig cake bakeoff.  Fiddler Dave joined Captain Rob Temple for two pirate shows during the afternoon, the Ocracoke parade wound its way through the village, and the evening rounded off with Molasses Creek playing for a traditional Ocracoke squaredance, hosted by local caller and island historian Philip Howard.  Unfortunately a quick storm popped up right as Martin Garrish and the Ocracoke Rockers were set to perform . . . but other than that weather event, the day went perfectly.

A stunning beach day for the 4th!

Here are some sandcastle contest entries . . . 

Alice in Wondersand and the Mad Hatteras

Sea Serpent

Fat Tub

SPF Infinity

A model of Ocracoke Island (looking on Silver Lake Harbor)

Octopus

Sandgloo

 The parade is always an audience favorite!

Showering with a friend . . . an Ocracoke tradition.

The Holy Mackerals barbershop (with Donald Davis, Bill Jones, David Senseney, and Gary Mitchell of Molasses Creek)

 That's about all for now.  If you are heading to Ocracoke Island, come and visit us at our weekly shows at our Deepwater Theater.  Wednesday nights are the Ocrafolk Opry and Thursday nights, Molasses Creek.  For tickets and more information visit http://www.molassescreek.com/deepwatertheater.cfm.  Our next off island performance is on August 18 for Greenville, NC Sunday in the Park.  Visit our calendar for more information. 

Don't forget, our new "Festival Release 2013" album is now available at our online store, along with T-shirts, hand-through pottery mugs and more! 

Thanks!

Your Molasses Creek crew
Gary, Fiddler Dave, Marcy, Lou, & Gerald.

Molasses Creek turns 20 in 2013!

 Happy New Year Molasses Creek fans! 

All natural fireworks at the Nature Trail on Ocracoke!

Although it has turned cold these past few days, this winter has been pretty mild so far.  Many of our plants think it is spring!  

Travel has been a bit trickier off of Ocracoke Island.  A storm this last weekend filled in the channel in the Ocracoke-Hatteras Inlet, and now the ferries can't get through until it is cleared.  It should take a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, the Swan Quarter and Cedar Island ferries have stepped up their runs to compensate. 

The closed channel didn't slow down a huge great white shark, "Mary Lee" that Ocearch has been tracking in Pamlico Sound and off the coast of NC.  Read all about her here.  To see where "Mary Lee" is now, click on this link to the shark tracking page and select "Mary Lee."  Pretty exciting!  We'll stay out of the water for the moment. . . it was a little cool for swimming right now, anyway.

Molasses Creek Performance this weekend on Saturday, January 26, Outer Banks Forum, Kill Devil Hills, NC ~ This weekend we will be doing a concert with the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts, at the First Flight High School Auditorium in Kill Devil Hills.  The concert begins at 7:30 PM.  For more information visit www.outerbanksforum.org/.  Hope to see you there!

Molasses Creek rounded out 2012 at our favorite spot, First Night Williamsburg.  We swapped off sets with The Company Store throughout the evening, and then rang in the new year with fireworks on the campus of William and Mary.  

Our friends from The Company Store

 The next day we toured Colonial Williamsburg. 


Here are Amy & Lachlan Howard, and Fiddler Dave having a picture taken in front of the Williamsburg Gaol (Jail).  Lachlan is 10th generation descended from William Howard, the quartermaster on Blackbeard's ship (who also visited the Williamsburg Gaol when he was on trial for piracy in Williamsburg in 1718).   

 When the Williamsburg staff realized our relation to William Howard, they decided they had better put an end to trouble before it started.
 
 After a couple of days rest in Virginia, and a sampling of the local rotten fruits and vegetables, Amy, David & Lachlan made a successful escape back to Ocracoke.

In January, we resumed working on the new Molasses Creek album (#13!) at Gary Mitchell's Soundside Studio on Ocracoke Island.  This recording is going to be a lot of fun.  We are looking forward to its release at the Ocrafolk Festival in June!

On January 12 & 13, Molasses Creek traveled to the middle of the state for two fabulous shows at Americana Stage in Morganton (sold out!), and The Rooster's Wife in Aberdeen, NC.

Marcy & Lou warming up on the ferry.

On the way to Morganton, Gary Mitchell's expert sniffer detected a nearby bakery.  Winding our way off the interstate, we journeyed deep into Old Salem in Winston-Salem. 

The C. Winkler Bakery was just unloading goodies from the traditional wood fired ovens, so we stopped in for  a sampling.  This "professional" bakery was established by the church in 1800 when it was discovered that too many of the Single Sisters were stopping by the Single Brother's bakery to "buy bread."

Gary, Marcy & Lou "buying bread." No really. . . they were!

Loading the bakery over with wood for the next day firing.

This explains those funny pumpernickel rolls that Fiddler Dave found in the street.

We left Old Salem mid-afternoon and arrived in Morganton at the Grind Cafe Coffeehouse, home of the Americana Stage concert series (We swear we weren't just making another stop for coffee!)

 The concert took place upstairs in this historic building, in an intimate hall that seats about 75.  Twas a great evening of songs and celebration.  We even showcased a new version of "Nevertheless" that we have been preparing for the new album.  Thanks so much to Clint and Katie Bernard for hosting us at the concert and in their home and letting us play all their fine instruments!  Thanks also to our friends at the the Grind Cafe for providing a great location for the concerts.  We loved it! 

On Sunday we traveled towards Southern Pines, NC, to Aberdeen where Janet Kenworthy and friends and family produce The Rooster's Wife concert series.  They have worked hard to create this great listening room . . . and let us tell you, it is a real treat!  Beautiful sound, lighting, stage, and wow!  What chair selection (highly personalized)!

Gary & Gerald setup sound while Louie contemplates his performance.

 After the concert we retired to Janet & Jake's beautiful home up the street, where we wined, dined, and got some great chair massages from Denise.  What royal treatment . . . we're moving in next month!

Well. . .back out on the road, things are much different.  Here is the reality of band touring.

"Hey!  If Fiddler Dave is taking pictures then he is obviously NOT scrubbing the back windshield!"

 At least when you live on Ocracoke Island trips have beautiful beginnings and endings.

Returning to the island. . .

That's all for this news report.  February we will be focusing on the new album and taking some personal time off from the band.  Fiddler Dave, Amy & Lachlan will be heading to the Northwest to visit Amy's mom in Washington state for a couple of weeks.  We'll keep you appraised of all the happenings on and off the island.  Coming up in March we have a couple of great performances.

All the best,
Gary, Fiddler Dave, Marcy, Lou, and Gerald
Molasses Creek
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March 2, 2013 ~ Music Across the Sounds, Mattamaskeet High School, Swan Quarter, NC.  Molasses Creek joins other eastern Carolina musicians for this community show sponsored by the Beaufort County Arts Council, NC Arts Council, and the NEA.

March 16, 2013 ~ Molasses Creek will be performing at a fundraising gala event put on by Public Radio East and the Hospice of Jacksonville, NC.  More details TBA.