Ukulele players from near and far settle into the sky-hugging Nugget Hotel for a weekend of “everything ukulele” and then some. This includes two big evening concerts in the historical Celebrity Showroom. Saturday’s opening extravaganza features “The Ukulele All-Stars.”
Plans for the Saturday show are still unfolding as we arrive in Reno and learn we are invited to join the All-Stars for the last song of the set. Of course we are thrilled but I didn’t pack anything razzle-dazzle to wear on such a grand stage and my feet are so sore that I’m in my funky worn-out black clogs instead of high heels. Oh whatever… We’re there! And this is why I bring my iPhone on stage to take a picture of the audience. Gotta capture the moment.
But I have to tell you the real action is backstage, mostly in the tiny “green room” where we huddle together on well-worn sofas, pots of coffee at the ready, along with a huge plate of deli meats and munchies. And for a few precious minutes we get to know each other, to share threads of our stories, to talk about the broken finger nails, the broken strings, the stage-fright, the all-night drives to gigs, the day jobs. These people are sweet and funny. Gerald Ross, multi-instrumentalist and born funny-man, delivers jokes like he is channeling Milton Berle and I consider myself royally entertained. It’s dinner and a show and we’re still backstage!
This “Green Room” picture is a little out of focus, but a treasure nonetheless. Far left is beautiful Sarah Maisel, a fabulous jazz player and singer. Aaron Keim, The Quiet American, who does splendid and totally authentic roots music, is hiding behind Sarah’s flower. Gerald Ross is holding the ukulele. Standing to his left is the mystery bass player in Aaron’s band. He is wearing “Bill Tapia” salmon colored-pants. Well not the exact pants, but you don’t forget salmon pants…
Sitting in front is Jim D’Ville who has created an impressive career, teaching people how to play the ukulele by ear and he travels around the world doing it. That’s me with my hands on his shoulders and to our left is Rich Dann (in the black ukulele shirt) who is a big-time sweetheart and one of the organizers of this event.
Then there are the “eye-glass guys” in the back. Looks like a “separated at birth” kind of thing, huh. The taller one is my husband Craig and next to him is Doug Reynolds, the promoter and mover-and-shaker of the Reno Ukulele Festival. You can tell he loves musicians and loves the ukulele. We feel appreciated and valued for what we do.
Finally you see Paul Hennings, another wildly talented jazzer and mega-entertainer Lil’ Rev, far right.
A few minutes later Aaron demonstrates a new smoking strum he’s been working on. He has to woodshed that finger-picking pattern everyday for three months to get it under his fingers. Everyday for three months. Practice, practice, practice. That’s the challenge AND the joy of playing an instrument.
Just before show time, Gerald, who is tripling as M.C. too, tells us what song we will be performing together in the finale and here are the chords. Okay. Done. Lil Rev’s “Drop Baby Drop.”
Then we rush through the dark hallways that lead to the stage and wait our turns in the wings, hiding in the dark behind the side curtains. One by one the All-Stars go on, doing their solo thing and then partnering in duos and trios.
After the show the musicians gather at the “CD’s-For-Sale” table as the audience files into the smoky cacophony of the casino. This is Nevada after all. Craig and I smile for a picture. Apparently the only way we can appear the same height is for me to perch on a bar that is twenty feet tall…(slight exaggeration).
It’s time to meet and greet and for many, say goodbye. Gerald is catching a plane back home to Michigan at 4:30 in the morning. Aaron and his band are off to another gig. Paul will drive down the Donner Pass to San Francisco for a few more shows. We are exhilarated and totally exhausted.
These precious moments are just that—camera flashes—that are here for a heartbeat before they disappear into the mists of memory. Thank you Steve Jobs and your cadre of geniuses for my iPhone camera so we can continue to relive these flashes long after the lights go out.
Check out the Reno Ukulele Festival Website to see more pictures and video clips.
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