Greg’s Happenings by Greg Kristapovich
Last week, we read about John Hand (owner of Columbia’s St. Charles Saloon) returning from the Woodstock Festival a changed man. Nowadays, as John gazes upon his highly collectable Woodstock concert tickets, other fond memories of the ‘60s resurface! …”That year, I also got arrested for burning my fishing license!” John revealed. “We went to a concert in a park,” John recalls. “There were about 500 people in the park, in my hometown of Torrington, Conn. I’m almost sure it was Arlo Gurthrie singing and he sang ‘I don’t give a damn about Vietnam’. Well, when he said ‘damn’, the cops walked up on stage and wanted to arrest him, you know, for speakin’ indecent or whatever. Well, the crowd went nuts, so the cops backed off. Then, everybody yelled ‘burn your draft cards!’
These were hardcore hippies sittin’ next to me. I’m only 17 and not even old enough to have a draft card. But I reach in my wallet and pull out my fishin’ license. I burned my fishin’ license! Out of everybody in that crowd, I got cuffed. The police dragged me through the crowd, took me to the cruiser – to the police station and locked me up!” John remembers vividly. “Everybody from the concert went to the police station in a big protest! I’m sittin’ in the cellblock thinkin’ ‘I’m famous! I’m famous!’ Then the police captain came in, holding a baggie with my half-burned fishin’ license. He said, ‘We cannot arrest you for this.” So they let me go. When I walked outside, everybody was cheering! Then the captain held up his bullhorn and shouted ‘We cannot arrest this person for burning his fishing license. You could hear a pin drop! Then, everybody just turned around and walked away – many saying things like ‘Sheeez!’ My five minutes of fame shot to hell!” Yes, the ‘60s were a really strange time for many, and we’ll reflect a bit more about Woodstock next week, since some of us are still savoring Woodstock’s 40th anniversary!!! Also, people are waxing philosophical these days! As I was on my SMT delivery route in Mi-Wuk, one of my readers, Lisa Leinen of Sonora complimented me on my column and wanted to remind my readers what the great Albert Einstein once said. To wit, “Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” Whoa, that’s pretty heavy, huh? Thank you, Lisa!
I’m still groovin’ on the memories of the Redneck Car Show at Dardanelle’s! Ya know, I found a book at the Red Church Thrift Shop, (on Tuolumne Road, East Sonora) written by Jeff Foxworthy, titled “You Might Be a Redneck If…” Per Foxworthy, you might be a redneck if …your richest relative buys a new house and you have to help take the wheels off of it. You might be a redneck if…you consider a six-pack of beer and a bug-zapper quality entertainment. You might be a redneck if…your dad walks you to school because you’re both in the same grade. You might be a redneck if…your house doesn’t have curtains, but you truck does. Anyway, Foxworthy has put together a funny little book, which I got for only 10 cents! I call this my “groovy find of the week”!!! I may be part hippy, but I’m also part redneck myself. For much of my childhood, I lived in a small rural town in Illinois, amidst acres and acres of corn – and our family had an old redneck-style station wagon. Nowadays, more and more I find myself tuning into KKBN (93.5 FM) and listening to the likes of Trace Adkins and George Strait. But even though I’m proud of the redneck in me, I’ll NEVER give up my incense, lava lamp and tie-dye! I like to think my varied interests make me a well-integrated person.
I’m also savoring the memories of all the Twain Harte Nights celebrations from May through August. Twain Harte’s a groovy little hamlet, which you should stop into – even on your way up to Pinecrest Lake (up Hwy 108)! The town has several renowned eateries and gift shops! Thanks goes out to Andie and Babs at All That Matters Gift and Framing – and Jim and Diane at the Rock Pub and Restaurant for making TH Nights so special! At each event, they would put our complimentary hors d’oeuvres (the Rock’s teriyaki chicken and their crème cheese, parmagon and shrimp-filled mushroom hors d’oeuvres were simply ‘to die for’! The two venues also staged free musical performances and car shows! Look for next year’s Twain Harte Nights to be even bigger and better!
I know the H1N1 flu virus (i.e., “swine flu”) is popping up here and there around the country, but don’t get all paranoid – not just yet. My personal guru/pathologist, Mahat has some simple advice: Take your daily vitamin, stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing, wash your hands frequently, replace the “traditional” handshake with the gentle bumping of your clenched fist up against the other person’s clenched fist. (This prevents a lot of bacteria transfer, as you don’t exactly know where the other person’s fingertips have been.) – and just know where your local medical supply store is so, on a moment’s notice you can go buy a Michael Jackson-style cotton/gauze face mask. Hey, you’re my favorite reader, so I’m looking out for you!
As stated a couple times since July, I’ll be holding a drawing on Labor Day. Anyone who sends a photo taken at Mountain Aire will have his/her name entered! The person, whose name is picked will win a brand new record player–and seven L.P.s by artists who appeared at Mountain Aire! Also, the photo(s) you mail me (or bring into the SMT office) might appear in one of my future columns! Can you dig it!!!
GROOVY HAPPENINGS: THE EVENT OF THE WEEK is the Jason Mraz concert Friday, August 28th, at Ironstone Amphitheatre! People have been wondering for weeks who the “Special Guest” is gonna be. Read page 3 to find out! (But, PLEASE, come back here to page 9 to learn about more groovy events coming up!) That top-notch, intrigue-filled play, “A Skull in Connemara” continues at the Black Bart Playhouse in Murphys! It runs through Sept. 6. Call 728-8422 for tickets! Every Friday and Saturday, The Rock in Twain Harte hosts acoustic guitar rockers Johnny Laine and Tim Sage! Show goes from 5 to 9 p.m. and is free! Across the river, Bobby and Natalia, known as the Diamond Duo continue their successful run at Camps Restaurant at Greenhorn Creek in Angels Camp! If you like smooth jazz/bossa nova/pop music, you can dig their music Friday nights at Camps, starting at 7 p.m.! Saturday nights at Camps features Larry Henderson – unplugged. Strumming his acoustic guitar (from 6 to 9 p.m.), Larry creates positive musical vibes by playing songs by Seals & Croft, Neil Young, America and many others. I stopped in recently to catch a Giants game at the bar (and across the room they had a 49ers/Raiders matchup.) But there was Mr. Henderson, enchanting the dinner crowd with some very fine acoustic rock like the Doobie Brother’s “Black Water”, The Allman Brothers’ “Sweet Melissa”, The Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feelin’” and “Take it Easy” and many, many others; and his audience loved it! (Food critic’s note: The nachos appetizer platter at Camps, as well as the stunning sunset view from the outside deck are both absolutely incredible!!!) The dress code at Camps is “come as you are”: dinner jacket, rock tee, whatever! Now, If you like Reggae, check this out: The Nugget in Murphys will create some positive vibrations Sunday, August 30th, with non-stop Reggae, Dancehall and hip-hop, from 9 p.m. till closing (possibly 2 a.m.!) FREE admission/21+. The Calaveras Community Band performs, free, in the Murphys Park Gazebo on Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., performing Gershwin, Phantom of the Opera and similar compositions! Bring a lawn chair and/or a picnic and enjoy! And remember, in the words of the great Michael Franti (and Spearhead): Everyone deserves music and power to the peaceful!!! See ya!
