CAPTIVE IN COVENTRY



Reports from behind the lines in the Coventry 'Green-Zone'



Day 1 - Wednesday
Day 2 - Thursday
Day 3 - Friday
Day 4 - Saturday
Day 5 - Sunday AM

Greetings from behind the lines.

THE SUNDAY FESTIVAL AUG 15:
THE CONCERT - RESPITE AND ART

I was supposed to meet Karen at the General Store
at 3:30. but it was long past then, and I couldn't
take much more of the The Commons chaos, so I headed
off towards the concert site to get ready for the 5PM
set. There was already a growing movement of Phishheads
in this direction picking their way through the mud
towards the east side of Airport Rd. where the stage
was set up



Phishheads heading toward the concert under
the benevolent gaze of Bald Mtn. to the east

One thing I noticed today while at the Festival
was how often I lost my geographical bearings. And
now that I think about it maybe my emotional bearings
too. I found myself searching the horizon every once
in awhile looking for Bald Mtn. to the east. Knowing
where it was helped me navigate through the middle of
the campsite. And when the mud and the crowd got to
be too much I'd look up at Bald Mtn. and know that
everything was OK, that this was only a temporary
diversion from real life. In a few days everything would
be back to normal and Bald Mtn. would still be there
rising up in the east as it always has.







On To The Concert









The concert site was a welcome relief. Mostly firm
fairly dry land with lots of room to spread out.
While everyone else was headed towards the stage
I sat down in the shade of the ferris wheel and
had a nice long dinner. An $8 falafel and a $4
lemonade. After replenishing myself I was ready for
one more excursion, to the artsy area of the site.
After all this was not just a concert it was a festival.
The art was part of the package deal.

There was a big aluminum foil moose. A nice rock
sculpture park where people stacked stones in various
creative looking piles. People were flying some amazing
looking kites. Very nice. These I all got.









These I didn't.




I had already heard about the "upside down" maple trees.
There was talk in town weeks ago about them. And some
people weren't too happy with it. "Making a mockery of
Vermont" was one quote I heard about them. I'm not sure
I'd go that far. I believe there were Vermonters involved
in setting up the art exhibits. The trees evidently came
right off the Maxwell's farm. Pulled them out by the roots
with a crane. Power washed the whole thing to get rid of
the bark and the mud, chunked them upside down in the
pasture and called it art.

All I see is 28 quarts of maple syrup wasted.
Like I said I just don't get it.






The Concert - Enough Is Enough