My weekend at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, August 22-24, 1997

I have been going to the Philly Folk Festival since sometime in the 1970's. I lived at the time in Lancaster, PA, and had heard about the 1972 appearance of Joni Mitchell in front of a lot of ecstatic mud caked fans. Since then, they have stopped booking 'superstars', but I have been privileged to hear Steve Goodman, Richard Thompson and Los Lobos there, among others. But the real reason to go is to hear people and groups you've never heard of before. Like Natalie McMaster, Kristina Olsen, Moxy Fruvous, Ani DiFranco, the Burns Sisters, Salamander Crossing and lots of others who I first heard at the festival and since have become big fans of.

I stopped going in the 1980's, due to the mistaken notion that I was too old for such things, and have gone every year since 1991, together with my daughter, whom I have successfully brainwashed into looking forward to the festival herself.

Sunset over the campgrounds.

Sunset over the campgrounds. I camp every year - it's a great part of the experience. The past 2 years I've camped with the Bandana Republic (below)

Christina Olsen

This is Christina Olsen performing at the Friday Afternoon concert on the main stage. I had heard her song about her father's piano on Christine Lavin's radio show - hearing it live gave me goosebumps. She is wonderful. She was excited because she just got back from England as Fairport Convention just finished recording one of her songs.

This is a picture of a crowd at one of the workshops at the Tank Stage. The reason for putting it here is that right in the middle (above the man's head on the bottom) is Loudon Wainwright's daughter Martha. She sang with her mom and her aunt (the McGarrigles) - when they brought her out she sang her dad's famous 'Swimming Song' (covered also by Fairport Convention, coincidently), which was fabulous. She sang one of her own songs, about a car, and contributed great backup vocals. I wasn't that crazy about the McGarrigle's set - I've seen them better, but she knocks me out. I bought a demo tape from her which is very nice. If you want one, you could call 514-495-4240. It's got ten of her own songs on it, and reminds me more of her dad then her mom. By the way, sitting next to her in the baseball cap is Dan Bern, who she pulled over and got an autograph from.

Sunset over the campgrounds. I camp every year - it's a great part of the experience. The past 2 years I've camped with the Bandana Republic (below)	This is Christina Olsen performing at the Friday Afternoon concert on the main stage. I had heard her song about her father's piano on Christine Lavin's radio show - hearing it live gave me goosebumps. She is wonderful. She was excited because she just got back from England as Fairport Convention just finished recording one of her songs.
This is a picture of a crowd at one of the workshops at the Tank Stage. The reason for putting it here is that right in the middle (above the man's head on the bottom) is Loudon Wainwright's daughter Martha. She sang with her mom and her aunt (the McGarrigles) - when they brought her out she sang her dad's famous 'Swimming Song' (covered also by Fairport Convention, coincidently), which was fabulous. She sang one of her own songs, about a car, and contributed great backup vocals. I wasn't that crazy about the McGarrigle's set - I've seen them better, but she knocks me out. I bought a demo tape from her which is very nice. If you want one, you could call 514-495-4240. It's got ten of her own songs on it, and reminds me more of her dad then her mom. By the way, sitting next to her in the baseball cap is Dan Bern, who she pulled over and got an autograph from.