Posts Tagged schooner fare

Tom Rowe

This weekend, The Squid Jiggers are proud, as always, to be 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 Trio, Danny Quinn, Side by Side, Schooner Fare and a surprise appearance by Don and Tonya Campbell.

Get your tickets HERE right now!

An annual tradition: Schooner Fare / Devonsquare Reunion Concert featuring Denny Breau, Don Campbell, and the Squid Jiggers at The Landing in Scarborough. It was scheduled for this Sunday, Feb. 24 but they’re going to hold off for a month and do it on March 24 instead.

All tickets will be honored at the second date so hang on to them. Mark your calendars accordingly and stay off the roads during the storm. If you don’t have a ticket yet, it’s not too late.

Doors open at 2 p.m., show at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25.00 for balcony and front row tables, all others $22.00. Get ‘em online here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/320562

However, Dave has a prior commitment that day. He’ll be playing his annual Maine Maple Sunday show at Kinney’s Sugar House. So, The Squid Jiggers won’t be able to play the Reunion show. If you’re not going to Kinney’s, you should go to the Reunion show. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon raising money for a great cause.

- TROY.

It’s a brand new year and we’re waving our tentacles with excitement. We have some really great new shows coming up this year and we’re bringing back some great old gigs, too. Not everything is set in stone so you’ve got to keep your eyes on this website and try to keep up. Dave, the Squids and Troy’s other project, the Half Moon Jug Band are all working on recording projects, too. So keep your ears peeled for some new sounds.

In the meantime catch the Squid Jiggers at Bull Feeney’s and the Campfire Grille on a regular basis this winter and spring.

Special upcoming gigs include the annual Devonsquare/Schooner Fare reunion show, Hops for Hunger, Remembering Tom Rowe, St. Patrick’s Day, 3rd annual Newoundland Day and a special Vacationland Music show in June.

I’ve usually got a camera with me. Maybe it’s my little point’n'shoot, my Iphone one of my honkin’ big Canons. Sometimes I even shoot on film. (What’s that you ask? I’ll tell you in the morning, now go to sleep.) My point is, I shoot pictures all the time — every day, in fact. So here’s a few I’ve got kicking around.

Sounds like a Google translation from Dagobahese.

Dave and I travelled to the North East Regional Folk Alliance one-day, mini conference in Franklin, MA a couple of weeks ago. It was a held in a church and they were understandably concerned for the welfare of their sanctuary’s rug. The last thing they wanted was a bunch of rowdy folkies spilling their all-natural, sparkling cider on the floor while clapping along to “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore” and grinding it into the carpet with whole wheat rice cracker crumbs under the heels of their Birkenstocks. But, I find tersely worded and hastily printed signs taped to doors kind of funny. They always omit just enough pronouns and verbs as to be almost unintelligible. Their custodian must be Yoda’s brother.

That being said, in good humor mind you, they had some fabulous doughnuts out to greet us. It didn’t take long for the official Squid Jigger Pastry Inspection and Precision Drill Team to swing into action. The jelly filled dainties were fresh an locally made. The sandwiches at lunch were as big as my head. But, we took our jobs very seriously and snarfed down a couple. The free coffee flowed all day and the line at the mens room was rarely less than four deep.

Official Pastry Inspection Team.

This past Saturday night found us at the Franco-American Heritage Center in Lewiston, ME once again. This time, we were gathered with some musical friends for the 7th Annual Remembering Tom Rowe Concert, benefiting the Jack McPhillips Memorial Fund. Dave’s dad, Tom, was a founding member of Schooner Fare. He died in January, 2004 as a result of complications from throat cancer, but his music and influence live on through this yearly event. Schooner Fare was there as well as Tom’s old friend Denny Breau. The Wicked Good Band made everyone’s side hurt from laughing, and Dave’s Trio knocked everyone out with their amazing sound. Those boys can really play their instruments.

It was the second year I’ve been asked to play as a Squid Jigger. It’s was just as big an honor the second time around as it was the first. I’m a musician today because of Tom Rowe and Schooner Fare. I saw them perform at my school in 1984. I’d never head music so big and thick and inclusive before. When they lifted their voices, as one and in harmony, it was like a big pair of sonic arms reaching out, pulling us all inside the circle. Nobody was left out. We were all invited. They had a way of not just performing FOR you, but also performing WITH you. I tried to think of that night as I sang a couple of songs at the show this year. And there was Dave, next to me, playing his Dad’s bass and his Dad’s tin whistle.

My part of the show was short. That meant I had plenty of time to inspect the pizza and liquid refreshments backstage. I also go to hang out and talk to three more of my heroes: the Wicked Good Band. Steve, Jere and Bill are a Maine institution. I can truly attest, they are just as funny off stage as they are on stage.

Steve, Me, Jere and Bill.

I have a vivid memory of being in high school and going to a party at someone’s house. The parents were gone and things were kinda wild. While riffling through the family record collection I came upon the Wicked Good Band’s “Dare to Be Wicked Good” album. The cover art featured pink flamingos. I was intrigued. While the music blared in the other room, I donned a pair of headphones and gave the record a twirl. I laughed so much people thought I was high.

Cheese, 'shrooms and grease. Mmmmm...

So, while the rest of my friends partied, I drove to the drug store to buy blank cassette tapes. (What are cassette tapes? I’ll tell you in the morning, now go to sleep.) I taped both sides of the record and went looking for more. Sadly, that was the only record the parents had. It took me some time to locate a copy of “State ‘O’Maine,” their first album. Since then, I bought their hilarious book, and later albums “Maine Cookin’” and “Clam Jam.” I’ve seen ‘em perform a bunch of times. I even managed to get Steve to perform on a record I made with the Half Moon Jug Band in 2005. We covered the Wicked Good song “Buried in Bingham.” Steve sang and played the piano.

So there you have it: some thoughts, some pictures, some pizza, some doughnuts.

- TROY.

Father Ovington checks his look before preaching to his flock via his righteous fiddle.

Reunion Show to benefit the Jack McPhillips Memorial Fund

We’ll be taking part in this year’s annual Schooner Fare and Devonsquare Reunion Show March 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Portland. Tickets are $25. This baby has been running since I was six-years-old. I’ve been to the show several times, myself, and it’s going to be quite a thrill to take part on stage with my heroes. Somebody pinch me. Ouch! Not so hard.

Of course, Dave is family and has been playing at this show for years with the Dave Rowe Trio. This year, however, he’s taking me to the prom. What color dress should I wear?

Don Campbell will there, too, as well as a whole raft of other fine people. It’s all for a good cause: The Jack McPhillips Memorial Fund. Jack organized that first show, 33 years ago and now they do it every year in his name. The fund was established “to continue his mission of humanitarianism in local communities.”

I’m not sure I have the story completely straight, but the guys in Schooner Fare all used to be in Devonsquare before they went out on their own. At one point, I’m told. Devonsquare had something like nine members. Legend has it Tom, Chuck and Steve were goofing off in Tom’s camper before a show, singing “Fiddler’s Green” when they hit upon some cool harmonies and thought they might have something.

Below is how they told the story themselves. I borrowed it (blatant cut and paste job) from the Schooner Fare website.

- TROY.

STEVE–Early one evening in 1975, we were getting ready for a performance with a folk-rock group. Chuck, Tom and I were relaxing in Tom’s camper in the parking lot of the place we were singing. We were just sitting around fingerpicking guitars and singing some folk song–”Fiddler’s Green,” I believe. We very accidentally put together some harmonies and guitar styles that just set off sparks! We looked at each other and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this for a living?”

The three of us were interested in substantive lyrics and melodies that were singable, and by their nature familiar, and, therefore, would attract people by their very existence. From that session was born a fantasy that we test-drove six months later. At first Chuck and I decided to stay as a duet. Tommy was a full-time member of still another group and would join us whenever he could. Of course, Chuck and I kept our day jobs.

Our very first booking was on a Sunday night for $150. That was just great because Sunday was the only night Tommy had free to play with us at the time. And since the job was in Portland, we knew at least our relatives would come to see us. Thus we started to generate a following. Weekend jobs and local television all led to a chance for our first steady job at a place called The Holy Mackeral down on the pier in Portland.

TOM–First we did a demo. I was working part-time for a recording studio at the time and we went down there on Saturday morning and spent the whole day doing–what? five songs!

STEVE–The next Monday morning I made an appointment with the manager of this new club. When I walked in, all the workmen were still there and it was in a state of chaos! I finally found the manager in a liquor closet, sitting on a stool taking inventory. I actually got down on my knees on the floor and played the demo tape. He listened to it while he continued to take inventory. He said, “Yeah, that’s pretty good. Can you work Sundays?”

TOM–The “Mackeral” was an absolute phenomenon! I’d walk in to set up the equipment and could hardly get through–there were so many people. They were coming off the walls–they were swinging from the chandeliers! Sunday night at The Holy Mackeral with Schooner Fare became an institution.

CHUCK–You can find music on Sunday nights now in Portland. It was a revolutionary idea at the time. People knew if Schooner Fare was booked, Schooner Fare would be there! We never cancelled. I have seen people walk through rain and blizzards. They knew we would always show up, and as a result, we never played to an empty house.

TOM–We did this for fully a year, and I realized I would have to make a decision as to whether or not I wanted to play full-time with Schooner Fare. On St. Patrick’s Day when we were playing at the University of Maine, I announced to Steve and Chuck that in September I would be joining Schooner Fare and would give my notice to the other group.

CHUCK–I remember Steve and I looked at each other. We had always considered Tom to be a member of the group. But we found out that he really hadn’t made the commitment until that time.

TOM–Well, I had all those leisure suits, you know!

CHUCK–Yeah, Tommy had all those leisure suits with the big cuffs and fluffy shirts in pastels–and double knits!

TOM–Chinos, the whole works! We started strong in the fall and went for it, and we’ve been going ever since!

STEVE–Fortunately, we had developed a following and enough of a reputation so that we could work almost anywhere we wanted to in town–which led to other places out of town. Several of the places we played–the atmosphere was totally incongruous! There were a lot of places that did top-40 all week. If we would play their place every Sunday night, they’d take us because we mobbed the place. It was very exciting!

CHUCK–We continued as a weekend group for several years. I was the first one to leave my job as a state social worker to join Tommy at the recording studio. Steve was still teaching full-time.

TOM–I guess the next step was when we both gave up the studio. It was taking too much time away from promoting our own careers in Schooner Fare.

STEVE–That was during the summer. I remember I was in New York beginning my doctoral studies. I would hop the Amtrak, plane, bus or drive to meet Chuck and Tom in Boston, New Hampshire or Maine and we would sing for the weekend. Schooner Fare paid my rent in New York city!

TOM–And, of course, as time went on we found ourselves booked throughout the week as well as just weekends. Geographically, we have extended to the point where we now play all over, and get airplay on three continents.

CHUCK–We are very proud of our success and the music we play. Our fondest wish is that our audiences enjoy our performances as much as we enjoy performing for them.