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

At the end of September, Molasses Creek traveled to Belhaven, NC, for the first annual celebration of the opening of the Intercoastal Waterway (85 years ago).  The Saturday was a little rainy, so we wound up busking the streets and restaurants acoustically.  A fine time was had by all.  Many thanks to the artists who created this fabulous backdrop on the stage, to Teresa at the Spoon River Market for the incredible dinner and Jennifer Alligood for hosting us.  We wanted to take everyone home with us! 

Paula Tisdale plays some fiddle tunes at the Belhaven Festival

Here is some fine fare from the Spoon River Market, Belhaven

Scallops

Crab Cakes

Our next performance was at the Carolina Country Stampede in Williamston, NC.  This sweet hometown event featured a variety of performers from the eastern Carolina region as well as tasty goodies from local organizations.  As the sun set, the glowing lights in the trees along main street painted town with the picturesque warmth of a Normal Rockwell scene.  

We returned to Ocracoke in time to prepare for a visit from folk singer icon and activist Si Kahn and his friends, The Looping Brothers from Germany.  After hosting the crew at Deepwater Theater on Monday, we all traveled to Washington, NC for a concert at the Washington Civic Center, presented by the Beaufort County Arts Council.  Thank you, Joey Toler, for helping line things up, and to Trent Tetterton and all our friends for hosting the band!  

Matthais Malcher & Si Khan enjoy an early Swan Quarter Ferry ride.

As you may know, we are always on the lookout for unique and fabulous eateries while touring.  Our favorite spots combine local food styles with the one-of-a-kind charm. We happened on the Southern Sisters Bakery and Eatery while driving through the small town of Courtland, VA.


 Pulling into the shady gravel lot next to the beautifully restored historic home, we knew we had hit on something special when we grabbed a menu and saw their offering of grilled pimento cheese sandwich on homemade bread.  If you are traveling through eastern Virginia in between Norfolk and Interstate 95, hunt this place down!  You will be glad you did!

Owner LeeAnn Alexander with Molasses Creek

 After a lovely stay overnight with in Jefferson, MD, with Judi and Mark Coyne (Marcy's sister and brother-in-law), we set out early for Walton, NY, for an afternoon residency at the elementary school and a concert with the Music on the Delaware series.  Walton happens to be the home town of Fiddler Dave's dad, Steve Tweedie.  It is one of the only places that we can perform and find Tweedies popping out of the woodwork.  The fall leaves were popping out as well (something we do miss living on Ocracoke Island).

On Saturday we gave two workshops, one for kids and one for adults at the Walton Public Library.  One of the participants who looked awfully familiar turned out to be the actress Betty Aberlin.

Actress Betty Aberlin

Although most folks remember her as Lady Aberlin on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, she also appeared on The Smothers Brothers Show (1975) and various TV spots. Her film work includes roles in the Kevin Smith films Dogma, Jersey Girl, and Red State.  Betty led a rousing version of Logger Lover (aka the Frozen Logger).  This song always has a special place in our Molasses Creek heart . . . it is one of Miss Kitty's favorite numbers from the original ensemble and a track on our Very Silly Travel Companion.  If you are on our e-news list then we sent you the recording with the notice of this newsletter.  If you missed it and would like it sent to ya, just drop Fiddler Dave a note at info@molassescreek.com. The complete album, Molasses Creek's Very Silly Travel Companion is available for download at iTunes.

 On Saturday night, Molasses Creek held court at the beautifully restored Walton Theatre.  Originally opened in 1914, this hall is on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts movies, concerts, community productions, and music jam sessions throughout the year.  To find out more about the history of the Theatre and how to support it, visit http://www.waltontheatre.org.  Music on the Delaware puts on some great concerts there.  Find out more about their season at http://www.waltontheatre.org/events.php. Thanks Jim and Joanna Richardson and all the friends at Music on the Delaware for hosting us.  Thanks also uncle John Tweedie and all of the Tweedie relatives for hosting and joining us!

From Walton, NY we traveled back south to Westminster, MD for a Sunday concert at the Carroll County Arts Council.  Sandy Oxx and friends in the community always make us feel so welcome and they have great a sound system and engineer and one of the most entertaining dressing rooms that we have come across in our travels with messages from hundreds of performers from over the years.  The Arts Council always has a lot going on.  You can find out more at http://www.carrollcountyartscouncil.org!  Thanks to Issac for sharing his joy of the culinary arts with us and to Kathy and Tom and Judy as well for hosting us again.  Love you folks!

An artist's captured the beauty and charm of the Carroll County Arts Council.

Molasses Creek has a New (Used) Van!

These guys are supposed to fit in there too?!

In our last newsletter we spoke of our quest for a newer touring vehicle.  This last month we picked up our little baby from Vans of Great Bridge outside of Norfolk.  This Ford E350 is extended and has room for all of our sound equipment, instruments (including Gerald's bass), and luggage as well as five performers.  She did mighty fine on our maiden voyage to New York.

Packed to the gills!

Molasses Creek to launch Kickstarter Campaign

That's us!  The little live oak tree growing with the loving support of our fans!  We are just giving you a heads up that we will be launching a kickstarter campaign in these upcoming weeks.  Molasses Creek will be raising funds to support a 2014 Conquer the Mainland Campaign in order to promote our new album release and increase the range of our touring.  Keep an eye out for how you can join in the fun.  We will have great rewards for all levels of support (they'll make wonderful Christmas gifts too!)

 The Art of the Brick Exhibit

While traveling to the NC State Fair this last week, some of our crew stopped through the Alamance Arts Council (Graham, NC) exhibition of the Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya.  To find out more about his work and when to catch a show, visit http://brickartist.com.  Here are some pictures.

Fiddler Dave's son Lachlan dreaming big!

Using the bumpy side to create a pixelated image

Nathan spends over $100,000 a year on Lego supplies!

 

Back on Ocracoke . . . A Pirate Invasion!

 

This last weekend Ocracoke Island hosted the the third annual, first time occurring, Blackbeard's Pirate Jamboree!  The event was originally scheduled to begin in 2011 & 2012, but hurricanes decided to visit both of those years and the event was cancelled.  This time around the weather was perfect!  The weekend featured a mock trial of Blackbeard, a pirate encampment, Ocracoke village treasure hunt, musical and theatrical performances, and the final naval showdown between Blackbeard and Lt Maynard right in Silver Lake Harbor.

Author David Carroll talks about his trilogy, Thatcher, The unauthorized biography of Blackbeard the pirate (cowritten with his wife Penelope). www.thatcherthebook.com

Lovely ladies at Springer's Point

 Some final photos. . .

Gary Mitchell loves cycling.  This beautiful picture was taken around mainland Hyde County next to a field of sunflowers.

 

Some of you may have heard that Gary got a bit banged up in a cycling wreck a couple of weeks ago.  He is healing up well enough now.  Here is a video that we took of him at the NC State Fair, just moments before the accident.

We will send ya off with this beautiful photo taken by Molasses Creek fan and friend, Connie Leinbach, while traveling across Kansas a couple of weeks ago.  What a perfect match!