Whoever said you can’t have it all, never lived on the Eastern Shore. ( they probably just visited, I’m thinking from somewhere just north of here) This is after all, the Land of Pleasant Living. The pursuit of happiness is a modern phenomena when considering the whole of history, this weekend on the eastern shore the pursuit was easy. It started with the Firefly Music Festival in Dover which doubled in size, or more, from last year.
Check out more Good Clean Fun at Firefly here
We had planed to miss the majority of the Dew Tour in exhange for Firefly, but after spending two days there we made an unplanned decision to return for Matt Doves Art Show. Punk Rock Fish Studio and gallery has transformed itself over the last three years to be a home away from home for travelling pros and art lovers from all over. This year is was held in MDs Coolest Small Town and at a venue that was suitable to the growing scope of the show. This year Alli Sports, organizers of the Dew Tour, picked up on the Show to help promote and make it an official “thing to do” as part of their broadcast.
I had the chance to talk to Chris Miller, skateboarding legend (and now two time winner of the Legends Bowl contest) early in the week and the support for the art show was unprecedented. Thankfully, the vacant chicken plant was able to host the show which boiled down to be more like two shows in one. First the art show portion was up front with amazing pieces on the wall by favorite local artist and skateboard legends alike. Drinks and snacks as well for this all ages show with bands playing in the warehouse space. Open to the public and with shuttles running back and forth to Ocean City that portion alone was worthy of an epic status.
The next portion was a Pseudo- VIP tent in the back. Not that the VIP s were pseudo but it was only pseudo exclusive. The concept was simple and I give Matt Dove all the credit in the world because I know from setting up last year that he just wants the travelling athletes to have a place to chill and have a little of that Maryland eastern shore hospitality. I loosened up a bit as the die hard locals filtered in past the diligent doorman.
Funny story, there was a guest list and if we had planned to be there I have no doubt that we would have been on it but we weren’t. When asked by the doorman I waited pleasantly while he searched for my name which I’m pretty sure he would not find. He asked who I was with, and in the most humble of ways at the risk of sounding like a “Reese Whitherspoon” I simply stated “Well I’m with everyone. Nate from the band, Bryan with the brewery, Dove with the entire show, ….” I could have gone on but its not my style but at that moment of all people to be walking out was Christian Hosoi who gave a casual ” they’re good” as he passed.
Once in we were enjoying some music by Eastern Electric and catching up with everyone. We were all delighted to have musical pioneer HR of Bad Brains perform. It was a scene as he stepped up to the mic and every one soaked in his presence, quite a different show than what you would have seen in 1982, but with respect homage was given as every one attentive and recording with their device of choice what was a once in a lifetime experience.
We had it all this weekend and if you would have told my teenage self that in 25ish years Hosoi would get me into to see HR from Bad Brains in the same weekend I got to see Public Enemy, I would have said “that sounds about right.”