Jun 11 2013

First Vacationland Music show is wicked good

The Van Gogh of the Banjo
Half Moon Jug Band and Dave Rowe.

Half Moon Jug Band and Dave Rowe.

The first ever Vacationland Music show featuring us, The Squid Jiggers and Dave Rowe went off without a hitch at the St. Lawrence Arts Center on Munjoy Hill in Portland Saturday night. The concert helped raise money for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. It’s an organization dedicated to caring for wayward critters and creating families by placing those animals in loving homes.

The Squids played a couple of old favorites including “Come Down Ye Roses,” written by Troy. It mentions Munjoy Hill and seemed appropriate, considering the setting. Dave played a couple of songs from his forthcoming solo album. He also knocked the crowd for a loop with a soaring solo version of Tommy Makem’s “Four Green Fields.”

We belted out our North Pond Hermit song and couldn’t leave without playing “Tuna Noodle” complete with Mike the Drummer’s famous fish dance. We also challenged the crowd to join in on “Rattlin’ Bog” by special request.

The show concluded with everybody on stage, leading the crowd in singing “Country Roads” and “This Land is Your Land.”

So, here’s a big THANK YOU from everyone at the St. Lawrence Arts Center and Vacationland Music for coming to the show, singing along, picking up a CD or two and helping us raise some cash for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. We’re already talking about doing it again.

Coming up next, we’ll be back at the St. Lawrence to play a show in memory of our old pal, Fiddlin’ Phil from Munjoy Hill on July 3rd.

- TROY

Mike the Drummer and Troy.

Mike the Drummer and Troy.

 

 

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Jun 3 2013

Vacationland Music Summer Spectacular for cats, dogs, even gerbils

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

poster st lawrence concertJoin us, Dave Rowe and The Squid Jiggers as we kick off the summer season at St. Lawrence Arts on MunJoy Hill in Portland Saturday night while we raise funds for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

Ticket’s are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Show starts at 7p.m.

Adult beverages are available for those over 21, but everyone is welcome.

The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland is not just an animal shelter providing a temporary home for animals in crisis. They make families. They help folks find their match, whether it’s a dog, a kitty, a gerbil, a rabbit or a chinchilla.

The ARLGP also helps folks with spaying/neutering and they offer help with training, too.

So, won’t you help them by coming to the show and enjoying yourself? It’s pretty easy. Just buy a TICKET and sing along!

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May 21 2013

Free shipping on North Pond Hermit CD

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

North Pond Hermit




 

It’s here, fresh off the presses, piping-hot and ready to serve.

For a limited time, we’re offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders. For just $10 you get six songs from two great acts including the Half Moon Jug Band’s ‘North Pond Hermit’ and Stan and Dan’s ‘What the North Pond Hermit Knows.’ There’s three easy ways to get your copy.

A. Click the ‘Buy Now’ button. You can pay with Paypal or any credit card.

B. Send a check for $10 to the Half Moon Jug Band LLC at PO Box 10461 Portland, Maine 04104.

C. Sneak into HMJB headquarters in the middle of the night and get your CD ‘Hermit Style.’

TRACK LISTING

1. The North Pond Hermit, HMJB

2. Oh Yeah, HMJB

3. You, HMJB

4. What the North Pond Hermit Knows, Stan and Dan

5. When Darkness Falls, Stand and Dan

6. Little Rabbit, Stand and Dan

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May 20 2013

‘The North Pond Hermit’ official video

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

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May 12 2013

North Pond Hermit Sessions

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

north pond hermit sessionsHere’s the digital download version of a two-artsist EP by me and and my band — the Half Moon Jug Band — and Stan and Dan who hail from the Belgrade Lakes region of Maine, not too far from North Pond. Turns out Stan Keach wrote a song about the Hermit right around the time I did. So we decided to join forces and put out a six song CD. The physical edition, which includes Stan and Dan’s songs, too, will be out around the 23rd. But for now, feel free to download an mp3 or two right here.

The really groovy cover painting is by a friend of Stan’s. His name is Dave DeRan and we owe him big time for letting us use his picture. Thanks Dave!

-TROY.

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May 6 2013

Help for Lewiston fire victims

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

Tom Rowe

This weekend, our Vacationland Music partners, The Squid Jiggers, are  playing at the annual tribute to Tom Rowe. The show has been raising money for the Jack McPhillips Memorial fund for years. This time around, it’s been decided to dedicate all the money raised to the victims of three back-to-back fires in the “L” half of Maine’s L/A.

“I’m glad the board of the memorial fund has decided to do this,” said Dave Rowe, son of the late Schooner Fare bassist in whose memory the annual show takes place. “I know my father would approve. He lived right across the river in Auburn for many years.”

Tickets are still available for the show. The lineup includes the Dave Rowe TrioDanny Quinn, Side by Side, Schooner Fare and a surprise appearance by Don and Tonya Campbell.

Get your tickets HERE right now!

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Apr 28 2013

The North Pond Hermit Sessions

The Van Gogh of the Banjo

We spent the weekend in the studio. We’re making a split EP with a fellow named Stan Keach and his friend Dan the Mandolin player. Both he and Troy wrote songs about the North Pond Hermit. The recordings should be ready in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

Here’s Troy’s song and his dog Hook. The HMJB version will have less cute dogs, but more drums and bass.

Here’s Stan’s take on the curious story of the Hermit.

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