FARM

I had the great opportunity to meet and connect with other musicians, DJs, and venues at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) conference in St. Louis.  Attending this event, even as a fly on the wall, would have been killer.  Great musicians from all over the midwest and, really, the continent were there doing their thing and it was beautiful to hear and see.  But, I got to be a part of it in some major ways that were icing on the cake.  Delicious and sweet icing on the cake. Here is a list of some great things about FARM.

1.  St. Louis is my home town so Hope and I went down a day early and spent the night with my mom and dad--score!  

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2. Registration for this event was Hope's birthday gift to me.  Thanks, Hope!

3. My friend Heather Miller hosts a radio show called Lyrical Venus on KRUU community radio in Fairfield, IA.  She invited The Mrs. Dunbars to play a 10 minute showcase.  We were the second act of the weekend.  It was very fun and a new experience to have so many  people hear us play before meeting us.

4.  During FARM there are private showcases IN THE HOTEL ROOMS from 12-2 am.  I got to play in many of these but a group of us decided to host a showcase: the Harry Potter-themed Magic of Music.  Every night at 11 we put our suitcases and guitar cases in the bathtub, plugged in the twinkle lights, put potato soup in the crockpot, set up chairs, wrote the night's line up on the the chalkboard outside our door, and presented some really great music in a little tiny place.  PS: tired musicians really appreciate a cup of soup at 2:30 am.

5.  I signed up for a mentoring session with Jonathan Rundman.  I tried to contain myself--I've been a fan of his music for some time, but had never met him.  So, besides getting to hear him play a DJ showcase and in a tiny hotel room, I got to sit down and ask him questions and talk about music for a bit.  It was super helpful, encouraging and inspiring.

6.  I got to meet Anna Vogelzang who is a RealWomenRealSongs participant.  I've chitchatted online with Anna all year and then there she was in the flesh.  She, Hope, and I decided to cowrite our week 43 song.  We sat and worked at the FARM registration desk and  later out on the patio.  We filmed it in the lobby. Here it is.