Saturday, May 29, 2010

iClips Network

Can't make it to the Summer Camp Music Festival - check out iClips Network for a live stream of the festival.

SATURDAY All times CDTAll times CDT
1:00 - Backyard Tire Fire
2:15 - Rev. Peytons Big Damn Band
3:30 - Steel Pulse
5:00 - Slightly Stoopid
6:15 - ALO
7:00 - Umphrey's McGee
8:15 - Keller Williams
9:00 - Umphrey's McGee
10:15 - moe.

SUNDAY All times CDT
2:00 - Umphrey's McGee
3:15 - That 1 Guy
4:00 - The New Mastersounds
5:00 - Hot Buttered Rum
6:00 - Railroad Earth
7:15 - The Avett Brothers
8:30 - TBA
9:30 - moe.

MyJoog Venue: Clematis by Night

During the summer, the traditional music hall, amphitheater, coffee shop are not the sole venues to hear live music. Most towns and cities provide free entertainment outdoors in a central location. But not in Florida; they get to host outdoor concerts all year and one if these is Clematis by Night. And in fact this is their 15th year anniversary holding live concerts on Thursdays in Centennial Square at the end of Clematis Street in Downtown West Palm Beach. The location also means there is plenty of fun for the kids - bring bathing suits and towels because they will want to run and jump through the fountains. The Fountainside Concert Series features a diverse range of mostly area or regional artists: rock, r&b, reggae, blues, soul, swing and Latin music. There is also plenty of local food vendors providing BBQ, African, and Latin cuisine - and beer and wine to wash it down.

This past Thursday we listened to Taylor Road, a regional band playing classic rock. Funny how classic rock used to refer to music from the 1970's, but now includes the 80's and 90's. But anyway, they were quite good and played the Counting Crows, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Buffalo Springfield, and many more. For the rest of our stay in south Florida we plan on returning each Thursday in June:

Fastball - Thursday, June 03, 2010 @ 6:00 PM
Scholars Word - Thursday, June 10, 2010 @ 6:00 PM
The Fabulouns - Thursday, June 17, 2010 @ 6:00 PM
Datura Street Band - Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 6:00 PM

Friday, May 28, 2010

CD Review: Ari Hest, Nora Jane Struthers, & Grant Gordy

A major perk of publishing a music site is the music samples we receive. Some are good, some not so good; but the samples definitely broaden our music horizons and allow us to "discover" artists that we intend to follow more closely. Three of these are Ari Hest, Nora Jane Struthers, and Grant Gordy. Initially the common ingredient to each CD, was that they were nice background music while working. However, after giving each a more closer examination - these are talented artists.

Ari Hest is a singer-songwriter, who last year left a major label in order to embark on an endeavor to write, record, and release one new song each week - the '52' project. And this spring he re-worked the twelve top songs selected by fans and released them in Twelve Mondays. The first two tracks introduced me to Hest's strong vocals - with a nice balance from the acoustic guitar. But as soon as The Weight played, I was hooked - great rhythm. Then there's Cranberry Lake with half vocals from co-writer Amy Kuney. This is a beautiful song. Ride the Break reminds me of my own travels after college - memories. And the CD ends with Reason to Believe which is typical of this CD and what makes it special - that Hest really puts his heart into the music. Too bad I'll miss his show at Jammin' Java on June 4th.

Nora Jane Struthers is a singer-songwriter attempting to make the jump from being an educator to being a full time musician. She has the pedigree - having a bluegrass-playing father and has been writing her own music in her teens. Currently based in Nashville, her self-titled CD Nora Jane Struthers is her first solo release - although she doesn't play alone. For this effort she has surrounded herself with some talent folks - Stuart Duncan, Rob Ickes, Bryan Sutton, Scott Vestal, Dennis Crouch, and Shawn Lane. Even Tim O’Brien pops in on a few songs. Wow. I'd see any of these on their own and this assembly really makes this CD stand out. The is a band - not a solo singer-songwriter; just listen to Mocking Bird. That could have been Bearfoot or The Greencards - except Struthers unique gives her away. That song along is worth buying the CD. There's also an old time feel to this CD - almost some Celtic folk influences - that it would probably have been as popular fifty years ago as well. She also proves that she is as equally comfortable playing and singing ballads as well as the up tempo dance songs. But throughout the CD its the musicians that balance Struthers' vocals. This is not just a talented artist strumming the guitar and attempting to get by with her lovely voice. Whether its the dobro, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, or bass - there is something besides Struthers voice to grab the listeners attention. Until she starts yodeling - then its all Struthers - a true cowgirl. Yet the CD quickly returns to a band with "Build a House", "One Notch Tighter", and "He's a Free Man" - all with tight harmonies and and a typical Bluegrass-Americana sound. But then again, forget everything I just wrote because the last track, the traditional "Say Darlin' Say", may be the best track. And its basically Struthers and Tim O’Brien on the fiddle. I need to get back home to see her at IOTA on June 29th. Why doesn't any route to south Florida anymore?

The final album, Grant Gordy's self titled CD, is completely different - that is - its all instrumental. After the first track, I thought "that's a cool instrumental; then came the second, then third - and finally a recognized a trend. An instrumental compilation makes sense considering Gordy is the lead guitarist for the David Grisman Quintet. Like the previous review, this isn't just a solo effort; Gordy has recruited several outstanding artists to form his own quintet, featuring Jayme Stone (banjo), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), Paul Kowert (bass), and Dominick Leslie (mandolin). And Grisman makes a guest appearance on the mandolin in "Blues To Dawg". But don't think of this as a bluegrass album. The first two tracks are closer to jazz guitar - gypsy jazz at that. And whereas the guitar is prevalent throughout, there are plenty of fiddle and banjo leads to showcase the other members of the quintet. See "Little Grapes"; and even "Blues To Dawg" provides plenty of fiddle. In general, this CD is just a great listen. The songs are diverse, intricate, sometimes soft - sometimes pulsating; there's even a semi-classical waltz - my favorite track. But this is simple a cool CD that has a place in any music collection.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Happy Big Damn Band Day

Today is International Big Damn Band Day where fans of the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band celebrate the release of The Wages. Grab a copy of this CD and let us know what you think.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Two Weeks & Counting Until DelFest!

Unfortunately we will be out of town for this festival; but take a look at this lineup scheduled for Delfest - held over Memorial Weekend (May 27-30) at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, Cumberland Maryland. 4 Days and 4 Nights of music for only $150. Two and three day tickets packages are also available.

Del McCoury Band
Yonder Mountain String Band
The Avett Brothers
Keller Williams and Friends feat. Jeff Austin and Keith Moseley
David Grisman Bluegrass Experience
Railroad Earth
Dave Rawlings Machine
Dailey & Vincent
The Travelin' McCourys
Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press
Bobby Hicks Artist-At-Large
Uncle Earl
The Gibson Brothers
Mountain Heart
Steep Canyon Rangers
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out
The John Cowan Band
The Bridge
Cornmeal
Greensky Bluegrass
Darol Anger's Republic of Strings
Adam Aijala and Ben Kaufmann Duo
Bearfoot
Larry Keel and Natural Bridge
Joe Craven
The Lee Boys
Trampled By Turtles
Paco Shipp Artist-At-Large
The Youngers
The Hillbilly Gypsies

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Little Feat & Delbert McClinton

The 2010 Loudoun Summer Music Fest got off with a very chilly start - great music - just strong winds on an unseasonably cold evening. The concert series is held at The Belmont Country Club in Ashburn Virginia and the series started with Delbert McClinton. It was a surprise that McClinton performed since his trumpet player, Quentin Ware, suffered a heart attack two days previous. Fortunately, after quadruple-bypass heart surgery he is expected to fully recover. Even with its problems, our medical system is amazing. So its no wonder that McClinton was a little off his game this evening. Still, he still has that blues-soulful sound and I love his material - particularly those off Room to Breathe.

Little Feat followed shortly afterward and they also have an ailing band member, drummer Richie Hayward. This original member of Little Feat is suffering from severe liver disease, please remember to purchase a Wrist band for Richie at any of their shows. In any case, the band still has it; Bill Payne and Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett, Sam Clayton, and Kenny Gradney. They were joined onstage by local sax man Ron Holloway and at times by John Kadlecik of Dark Star Orchestra. Ironically, they started with Fat Man In The Bathtub; a song I just taught my son and we were singing during the drive over. Soon followed a medley of Willin', Don't Bogart That Joint, and The Weight. I particularly loved the solos, plenty of bass, keyboards, even some Holloway Sax throughout the show. The performance ended with Dixie Chicken and an Oh Atlanta encore. Just like old times.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Merlefest 2010

I had the time of my life at last year's Merlefest and could never imagine the festival getting any better. But they succeeded. How, well let's see, my first three hours were spent listening to Cadillac Sky, The Greencards, The Gibson Brothers, and Donna the Buffalo. In fact the herd had more to listen to as a result of John Cowan playing with The Doobie Brothers and Jim Lauderdale having Donna the Buffalo as his backup band. Three sets in two days - sort of alleviates the pain of missing them May 14th at The State Theatre. But with that first four, I could have left happy. But there was much more to see, particularly the acoustic blues artists that I discussed here. Obviously Ben Prestage left his mark, and I've always loved Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins. Add in Harry Manx and blues legend John Hammond and this group easily surpassed last year's group. Thanks Roy Book Binder.

What also made this year so enjoyable that several artists I enjoyed for the first time last year; Missy Raines & The New Hip, The Belleville Outfit, and Bearfoot were back again. Some had slight lineup changes, but they were tight - particularly Missy Raines. They are happening... Last year I only saw one set from Cadillac Sky and was determined to see more. That wasn't too difficult since they were scheduled for six sets over two days. I couldn't help but run into the band. I even overheard a brief practice session inside the college as they prepared for the Midnight Jam. These guys may have a zany stage presence, but they are true professionals. I heard another attendee comment that Cadillac Sky is mimicking The Avett Brothers; and you know there may be some truth to that. All artists absorb some influence from other bands - but I think there is way more originality in their music. They can play true bluegrass, gospel, an Americana flavor and well as straight rock n' roll. Also, loved their a Capella song on the Hillside. Yea, Mayfield is entertaining - but he can play and sing - as do the rest of the band. This is one act on the rise.

One band from last year that I didn't follow as much, because of scheduling conflicts was The Greencards. Last year, I followed them from stage to stage. This year I caught a few songs here and there. But those few songs remind me how talented they are. Whenever I hear Carol sing Patty Griffin's "What you are" it sends shivers down my spine. Every single time; that song was written for her to sing. And Kym and Tyler seem to have quickly acquired chemistry and not to omit Jake who adds a fuller sound with the acoustic guitar. The Greencards are easily one of my favorite bands; I may have taken them for granted this year - but fortunately they are returning to Jammin' Java in July.

Last year Scythian was the band with the buzz - you saw crowds growing each successive set. And these guys are entertaining - even when you've heard the same lead in a dozen times. I was glad they were invited back - and Merlefest can not have a Saturday night dance party without them. But the band with the buzz this year had to be Great Big Sea. I've heard bits and pieces over the year, but nothing comes close to a live performance. I'm talking about charisma, heart pounding percussion, crowd participation. I think this is where Scythian wants to be a decade from now - because Great Big Sea is the best alternative folk act I've seen. Fortunately the band is coming to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in August. Me and the little boy be on the lawn dancing and clapping away.

The strength of Merlefest is the overall talent of artists that they schedule at the festival. Last year I practically ignored the headliners and searched for the unknown acts - particularly in the Lounge. But this year, the headliners were too much of a draw - and I'm not even including Zac Brown. Actually I was never a big fan of the artist - but was impressed with his performance and demeanor at the Midnight Jam. I think the promoters were real happy that he participated; maybe I should take a look at his earlier work and not the CMT videos. In any case, I couldn't believe the scheduling with the other headliners. Some of the headliners were obvious choices; Sam Bush and Dailey & Vincent come to mind. In fact it was the first time I've been able to see the top ranked bluegrass band in action. They are good. Scheduling Steve Martin playing with the Steep Canyon Rangers was not a risk, but a coup. Perhaps the single msot entertaining set - part comedy, part real bluegrass. And it helps having a phenomenal backup band and a $500 ipad. Only a few songs from the Crow really stuck with me, Daddy Played The Banjo being one of them, so I'm really looking forward to Martin's next tour and collaboration with the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Now, the Merlefest promoters did think outside of the box and scheduled Little Feat and Elvis Costello to headline Friday and Saturday night. Yea, I know Costello performed a few years back, but still - for headliners at Merlefest - not the usual selections. Truth be told, I skipped out of Little Feat, only because I was exhausted after five hours sleep, five hour drive and 12 hours on my feet. Plus I'll see the band on the 9th at The Belmont Country Club when they co-bill with Delbert McClinton for the first show of the Loudoun Summer Music Fest. However, I wasn't going to miss Elvis Costello. I've followed him since high school and "My Aim Is True"; and save for one show at the ACL, I've never seen him live. Then he strolls onstage with an all-star supporting cast lead by Jerry Douglas and Jim Lauderdale. Instant credibility with the audience - this was an alt-country show. He played some new songs - specifically his ode to Doc Watson - but his arrangements for the classics were brilliant.(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes, Every Day I Write The Book, and Allison stand out. All I know is that I need to pick up Secret, Profane and Sugarcane.

Saturday was easily the best (and longest) day of music I've experienced, and that doesn't even include the Midnight Jam. The event was hosted by Zac Brown and its a time for the artists to unwind and experiment. The The Greencards played some Don Henley, The Duhks played a little boogie, most played together: Cadillac Sky, Jim Lauderdale, Donna the Buffalo. The stars however, were Samantha and Zeb of the Snyder Family Band. Not only was their performance astonishing because of their youth (11 and 14 respectively), but there stage presence were as good as any mature band. Closing my eyes I thought I heard Tony Rice on guitar and she was the little conductor - nodding to each guest their turn to take lead. How could anyone follow that performance. That was an eye opener - I needed it after listening to 16 hours of live music. What a day.

More photos are available at the MyJoog Gallery.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Nashville Flood

While many of us were enjoying music and wine festivals, the southeast was hit with some major storms. Besides the horrific death toll, Nashville alone suffered over a billion dollars in damage. Here are a couple videos showing the disaster and it appears that CNN is the only major news outlet that has decided to cover the story. The Red Cross and WSMV are collecting donations.



Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Merlefest 2010 - Acoustic Blues

One of my favorite aspects of Merlefest is Roy Book Binder's World's Greatest Acoustic Blues. Every year Book Binder brings in some amazing talent to fill this bill - usually a couple headliners balanced with a couple "unknown" artists. On Saturday these artists take over the Austin Stage for the entire and on Sunday a few perform at a Gospel blues session at the Americana stage. At least that was the standard operation. This year the organizers added a new wrinkle and schedule some of the blues artists to play at several stages in between sets on Friday. What a great idea - entertain the crowd during a lineup change. Plus it gave the audience a preview to Saturday. And that's how I first heard two "discovered" artists Ben Prestage and Harry Manx. Both are extremely unique. Manx is referred as a “Mysticssippi” blues man and fuses Indian ragas into his misssissippi blues. In fact his signature instrument is the 20-stringed Mohan Veena and he studied for five years under the tutelage of the instrument's inventor Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Not surprisingly his sound is rather unique - but it has a memorizing affect on the audience.

Ben Prestage is a one man band and blends Memphis blues with Florida swamp blues while playing a drum kit with his feet and picking an electric or cigar box guitar. He actually has two cigar box guitars, with each containing a couple bass strings plugged into a separate amp. But even with the novelty setup, the guy can play and sing the blues. My favorite performer of the weekend. Yet I almost left him off the itinerary. With a festival as talented as Merlefest there are conflicts arising each hour. And it seemed that Prestage was scheduled against someone else I really wanted to see. But after watching the Steep Canyon Rangers at the Creekside stage I noticed Ben picking up a cigar box guitar and thought, let's give this kid a listen. Wow - what a performance - love his act introducing the band - all four or five Ben Prestages. I'm sure glad Mrelefest scheduled the blues acts in between sets. I immediately chanced my entire itinerary in order to see his full set Saturday. Plus I purchased his two CDs available in the record tent. Yea, I'm now a Ben Prestage stalker, but take my word and listen to this guy.

The headliners that I was really looking forward to seeing were Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins performing together and blues legend John Hammond. How did Book Binder get Hammond scheduled. And his 45 minute set was awesome; he played a mixture of originals and covers of the fathers of the blues. Plus he was able to introduce each song and recollect when he first heard or met that particular artist - a semi history lesson. Hammond still has it, he can pick, play the harp, and sing - just as when I first heard him two decades ago.

I was able to catch Harris & Wiggins twice, first on the Cabin Stage Friday, then at the Austin Stage Saturday. The two have nice chemistry with Wiggins on harp and Harris on guitar. I've been following Harris since listening to his Alligator release Fish Ain't Bitin'. And its nice to see that he has found a regular spot in the Americana\Bluegrass markets. Wiggins is a DC native, and is better known as one half of Cephas & Wiggins. Soon Harris & Wiggins may be as popular as that duo.

Photos of all the acoustic blues acts are available at the MyJoog Gallery.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band "Clap Your Hands"

The video for The Rev. Peytons Big Damn Band's new song Clap Your Hands was shot in one day in a barn in Indiana. All of the dancers, artists, freaks, weirdos, cowboys, kids, donkeys, bunko steerers, chickens, and regular folks, who are all Hoosiers, all volunteered their time and talent because they believed in the song and the band. The video was directed/produced by the acclaimed music video producer Kevin Custer (Lil Wayne, Soldja Boy, Flogging Molly) who remarked the day of the shoot, it would have cost a fortune to get all of these props back in NYC. To which The Rev. Peyton replied, These aren't props they are just crap you find in a barn!

Monday, May 3, 2010

2010 Merlefest Press Release

While MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, is now officially another one for the history books, initial figures show that aggregate attendance over the festival’s four days exceeded 76,000 people, who attended the celebration of “traditional plus” music on the campus of Wilkes Community College from Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2. MerleFest is the primary fund-raiser for the college and funds scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.

A diverse and fully loaded schedule of artists as well as an unusual rain-free four days, encouraged attendance. Thursday’s attendance was the highest in the festival’s history, and the remaining days are estimated to be in the top three of festival history. Festival officials are also proud to announce that a goal set at the close of the 2009 event, to reverse the trend of unpaid tickets comprising a greater percentage of total attendance, has been met.

“What a weekend this has been!” exclaimed festival director Ted Hagaman. “With over 100 artists playing on 15 stages, representing everything from bluegrass and blues, to gospel, country and Americana, we feel that we succeeded again in giving our festival guests a great value for their entertainment dollars. We deeply appreciate the support of the great folks of Wilkes County, everyone who works here at the college, and of course our volunteers and fans, for making this all possible.”

Performers who turned in riveting performances at MerleFest 2010 include Doc and Richard Watson, Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, The Avett Brothers, The Zac Brown Band, Joey + Rory, Dierks Bentley, Taj Mahal, Little Feat, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Dailey & Vincent, Cadillac Sky, Balsam Range, Bearfoot, The Duhks, The Gibson Brothers, The Greencards, The SteelDrivers, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Great Big Sea, Peter Rowan, Scythian, The Travelin’ McCourys, and many more.

The highly anticipated Hillside Album Hour on Saturday evening, hosted by The Waybacks, featured The Beatles’ album Abbey Road. Joining The Waybacks were Sarah Dugas, Shannon Whitworth, Byron House, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, and Elvis Costello. As usual, a sea of fans filled the hillside to find out the album that would be featured, which is always a closely held secret until the show begins.

The legendary Doc Watson received an honorary Ph.D. from the Berklee College of Music on the Watson Stage on Saturday night. Watson performed throughout the weekend including the memorable Docabilly set, featuring Doc and friends applying their style to classic pop tunes. The fan-favorite My Friend Merle set included friends of Doc’s late son Merle sharing special memories between their favorite songs.

The Midnight Jam on Saturday, hosted by Zac Brown, featured The Duhks, The Greencards, Peter Rowan and many other surprises for audience members who stayed up late to enjoy the Jam.

In addition to promoting "traditional-plus" music, a term coined by Doc Watson to describe the wide variety of musical genres and styles celebrated at MerleFest, the festival also featured heritage crafts demonstrations, instrument picking lessons and jam sessions, dancing, instrument contests, music education workshops, and the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. A record number of musicians participated in Pete Wernick’s Bluegrass Jam Camp from April 26-29 and had the opportunity to perform on the Cabin Stage on Thursday afternoon.

The Shoppes at MerleFest, located in the center of the festival grounds, was a popular area filled with merchandise vendors, the official MerleFest Gift Shop, concessions, and valuable services including an information tent, lost and found, overnight storage, and more. There was also an R&R tent for festival-goers who needed to take a break and escape the heat.

MerleFest is known for its warm, inviting family atmosphere. A key part of that effort is the Little Pickers area, sponsored by Charlotte and Greensboro area BURGER KING Restaurants®. Designed with kids in mind, the area was expanded in size and scope for 2010, offering more activities and crafts to enhance children’s experiences at MerleFest. The stage in the area, hosting kid-friendly performances, was larger, and the youth showcases on Friday and Saturday were extended from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. Also, children 12 years of age and younger were admitted free to the festival when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.

A significant part of MerleFest's mission is to give back to the community. In that spirit, the outreach program took place on Thursday, with more than 20 of the artists at MerleFest giving performances at local schools. In addition, on Friday morning, over 3,200 school children from Wilkes and surrounding counties were invited to attend the festival and flooded the event grounds.

Volunteers are integral to the success of MerleFest. Over 500 individual volunteers, 150 volunteer stagehands, and over 30 volunteer groups, including college and community organizations, helped to make the festival a success. Also, each food vendor at MerleFest supports a local non-profit, with proceeds going to further their work and mission. “Quite simply, MerleFest would not be possible without the support of our volunteers,” says festival director Ted Hagaman. "Some of these individuals and organizations have given of their time since the festival began, and we are so grateful to them.”

MerleFest 2010 was presented by Lowe’s. MerleFest is grateful to 75+ sponsors for their support in making the event possible, including: Charlotte and Greensboro area BURGER KING® Restaurants, G&B Energy, Pepsi, Taylor Guitars, Cutter, Ray’s Weather Center, WXIII-TV, The Winston-Salem Journal, WTQR Radio and 98.7 Simon. A complete listing of all MerleFest sponsors and additional information about all aspects of the festival can be found at www.merlefest.org.

Please join us for next year's MerleFest--April 28 – May 1, 2011.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

2010 Merlefest Day 2

The second day of Merlefest (our first) was quite a day. It started with Cadillac Sky on the Hillside and watching David Mayfield roll down the hill. Then some Greencards, Gibson Brothers, Great Big Sea, Phill Wiggins + Corey Harris, Donna the Buffalo, more Cadillac Sky, Steep Canyon Rangers, Ben Prestage, more Greencards, the Belleville Outfit, Harry Manx, more Donna the Buffalo, Dailey & Vincent, Brave New Combo, Dierks Bentley & the Travlin' McCourys, and Sam Bush. Sorry Little Feat; I had to retire. A great selection of music. I'm also sorry I couldn't fit in the Chris Austin songwriters - but it was Donna The Buffalo.... New music to check out. Great Big Sea was a huge hit; the one man band Ben Prestage; I was also impressed with Dierks Bentley - he's more rounded than most country artists. Want crazy; try Brave New World - they have a great sound.

Today, Saturday, we are looking forward to more Cadillac Sky, Greencards, Great Big Sea, Donna The Buffalo playing with Jim Lauderdale, Scythian, and of course, Roy Book Binders' greatest blues you've never heard acts. This list includes Ben Prestage, Harry Manx, and Phill Wiggins + Corey Harris, but also John Hammond, Mitch Greenhill, and Eleanor Ellis. Its going to be a great day.