Peaceful Valley Campgrounds, Shinhopple NY, down in the Catskill Mtns., for several years had a great Peaceful Valley Bluegrass Festival, usually for 4 days, Thursday thru Sunday. Spent many good years there listening to some of the great bands & playing some music. One year, a group of young folks, probably 16 years old, DARED to bring with them a giant stereo boom-box, then they DARED to play some really hard-rock head-banger music by their campsite, down by the edge of the river. REALLY LOUD, so it was decidedley disturbing to the other Bluegrass lovers, myself included. We don't mind if you stay up all night playing loud music, but it's gotta be Bluegrass.
Well, on a Saturday afternoon, they were on the edge of the river, with their great boom-box, playing at max volume some acid rock music, when a disgruntled nearby camper approached them. Our campsite was only 25 yards away, so we heard & witnessed the whole episode.
"Nice boom-box you got there, could I take a look at?" "Sure", the kids tell him, so they hand it over so the gentleman can have a closer look. " How much does a nice stereo like this cost?" he asks. The boy who owned it said, " Three hunderd dollars that one cost me, but it's a real good one, well worth it." At that moment, with a very fast, almost imperceptible sweep of the arm, the boom-box was propelled thru a sweeping arc, about 35 yards out into the river. A great clamor arose from the teenage crowd, and the gentleman reached into his pocket, peeled out four bills, and we heard him say, " Here's four hunderd dollars, buy yourself another one, ....BUT NOT UNTIL YOU GET HOME."
The gentlemen, whose name I have long forgotten, had the admiration and respect of the majority of festivalgoers that weekend. Score - Bluegrass 1 - Hard Rock 0.
Musica Score: Bluegrass 1 - Hard Rock 0 !!!
Re: Musica Score: Bluegrass 1 - Hard Rock 0 !!!
Great story with a happy ending. About the same thing happened at Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom Festival. A bus-load of hippies was playing their acid music which got the attention of Mr. Monroe. He very calmly had them escorted out of the park, never to be heard from again. Monroe is still THE MON!!
"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.