Lakemont Park

This weekend we had a great time playing at the Altoona First Festival. The festival was held on the grounds of an historic amusement park, Lakemont Park, in Altoona PA, which opened in 1894. It was one of those gigs where our music becomes part of a larger soundscape; kind of like participating in a Charles Ives symphony. Our music became part of a mosaic of sound that included carnival barkers, fire eaters, jugglers, a roller-coaster, monster truck rides, etc. Performing at an event like this is more like busking on the street than playing in a concert setting; the audience is transient, you have to keep the energy level high to attract and hold their attention. One thing we were able to take advantage of was the fact that the seating in front of our stage was the closest place woozy riders could sit to regain their equilibrium after disembarking from the Skydiver; a ride that looked like the ferris wheel from hell; cars spinning around as the wheel turned at a disturbingly high rate of speed. One of the perks of performing was free ride tickets. Georgianne and I decided to skip the rides, Erica enjoyed the Monster Octopus while Annalee said the Merry Go Round was more her speed. Maybe next time I'll try the Skydiver. If you ever find yourself in the Altoona area during the summer months be sure to stop in and visit with the good folks at Lakemont Park; a real old fashioned amusement park.

Follow the wild and crazy ride of The Homegrown String Band here and at:  www.homegrownstringband.com

Skydiver Photo by Erica Jackofsky