Vandalia

I'm not a huge fan of traditional music. I prefer it in small doses. A couple of bluegrass tunes in an afternoon or a single 18th century Scottish ballad and most of the time I'm good. No more needed for a month or so. I have the same feeling for Death Metal, though alcohol can sometimes deaden the pain of extended exposure.

Others go nuts for the stuff and they are welcome to.

Still, whether I'm a fan of old time music or not, Vandalia Gathering is one of my favorite festivals in the state --which isn't difficult, given my ongoing lack of enthusiasm about many of the others. Vandalia has a solid core, which is the traditional music, and the other stuff (arts, culture and food) sort of builds up around it. They've got their one thing down. That's what they do. Everything else is sort of secondary. This, they say, is why the Sternwheel Regatta worked in the old days, because it was really about the damned boats and the debauchery on the river. The music, the booze and the food on the boulevard sprang up around it. When they lost the sternwheelers, the party was over. The festival went into an endless tailspin of suck.

That's what they say... I liked a couple of the shows during Regatta years back, but really, I always thought what killed the thing was turning it from a half-assed mardis gras into a citywide birthday party for an eight year-old nobody likes.

Anyway, my feeling is Vandalia lasts as long as the state continues to pay for it and as long as the festival stays away from trying to be all things to all people. Inclusion is over-rated. The second they open up their new rock stage (for the kids) with special appearance by "Bon Scottscock" that'll be the end.

What I like about Vandalia is I don't have to try very hard to get it. It is what it is. While the music may not be my particular brand, it's usually decent and there's a lot of enthusiasm among the players and the fans. It's a good time and nobody tries to pawn anything off about it as something it's not --at least, it seems pretty much on the up and up.

Anyway, if you haven't made the trip up for Vandalia, you should --and what the hell, get some ramps and maybe a square of cornbread. You might as well soak it up. Go whole hillbilly for a day.