cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Blues magic in Chatham, a soggy start to the Roots Festival and where have all the flowers gone?

Tuesday, August 5, 2003

Well, folks, cktimes continues to grow and attract more readers with each passing month. We had over 91,000 hits on the site in July and I was very pleasantly surprised. I thought the internet newspaper business would be very susceptible to ups and downs throughout the year, mainly because of weather, but this has not really been the case so far. Of course, because cktimes is a totally new and innovative type of project, it's very difficult to figure out how things are going to go. But so far, so good. And the paper has grown mainly because of the wonderful support it's received from you, the people who read the product week in and week out. I like to think I've been able to put together a fairly diverse article base for cktimes – literally something for everyone – which is really the key to any good community newspaper – it reaches out into the community and involves the community in the product. That's what I've tried to do so far and considering I've been wandering around pretty much by myself, I feel I've been doing okay. Of course, we've got to add some serious sponsorship to the site in the next few months if we're going to survive. I mean, at some point, I've got to make some money at this, so remember to support our sponsors – check out their websites where possible and make use of their goods and services. And, again, thanks so much for helping me get my dream this far. This is definitely a work in progress.

As anyone who reads this space regularly will know, I am a real fan of live music and particularly, live blues music. Well, last week I had the chance to see some great local talent doing some terrific blues and jazz tunes right in downtown Chatham at the Elephant's Nest. There's a core group of Chatham musicians, guys like Scott Meriano, who are jamming at the Elephant's Nest every Thursday night – they're all awfully good players to be sure and I apologize for not knowing more names. Anyway, I'd have been happy with these guys, but shortly after I got there, local guitar wizard Michael Schatte showed up with his axe and a couple of minutes later in walked my favourite keyboard pheenom Scott Galloway, originally from Wallaceburg but now from Watford-area. So, add Mr. Schatte and Mr. Galloway to an already excellent music scene and things really got cookin'. There was some pretty smooth stuff on the burner that night. Anyway, as I was saying on the Good News Report on CFCO on Sunday, you'd have to do some real driving to catch tunes any better than these. Yet I was talking to the bass player (again, no name and sorry), and I congratulated him on the great playing. His answer told me he was a bit bummed out because I guess they're not drawing too many people to the Thursday night jams. And that really is a shame – because these guys are really good and they deserve a good crowd. I hope the musicians will keep making music and I'm hoping the people will start to show up. It's really a great time.

A few words about the Roots Festival held in Tecumseh Park on Sunday over the weekend. It was sponsored by the Capitol Theatre and there was an army of Capitol Theatre volunteers on hand in the park for the event. This was a first time event and was held, I think, to sort of "test the waters" for the whole idea of making Afro-American roots and heritage a major focus of the Capitol's program. First, let me say that this was an excellent event. There wasn't a huge crowd there when we were there and the rains descended shortly after we left, so I'm not sure they drew the crowd they were expecting. But I hope the powers-that-be will give this event a chance. I know that cktimes would love to be a media sponsor for an annual Roots Festival. Chatham-Kent is the perfect location for such an event and I came to realize how perfect on Sunday. I was talking to people from the South Buxton Historic Site, the Chatham-Kent Black History Society and Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site and there are some wonderful connections to this area. The Capitol Theatre people had planned some great entertainment and many hands-on activities for children in Tecumseh Park on Sunday. If you were one of the no-shows, you really missed a great time. Anyway, keep at it you people. You do good work!

I spent some time over the last couple of weeks watching the movie version of the Woodstock Music Festival, held away back in 1969 on Max Yasgur's Farm in upstate New York. First, is there anybody out there reading this who was at Woodstock or tried to get there? If so, let us know. Anyway, the musical part of the Woodstock movie is wonderful, filled with energy and the kind of spontaneous creative originality that I loved back in those days. But it was the bits between the musical acts that I really loved. I mean, they did lots of live footage, candid stuff, of Festival goers and their thoughts about the event. There were also plenty of interviews with townspeople and local residents who were affected by the huge happening. What a classic time capsule. I was in absolute heaven as I watched, cast back to a time when life seemed simpler and more innocent. But even as I watched, I was somewhat troubled. Where did all that youthful enthusiasm and idealism go? Because it sure went somewhere and it's left me in a place I'd rather not be most of the time. I have tried, in my own small way, to stay true to the ideals of the sixties – it's sort of what cktimes is about – remember those good vibrations I talked about in the early months. Well, I'm still trying to make it happen and i can with your help. Be happy people and think positive and we can change the world. Strange, but true.

I've gone on a little too long this week, but seemed to think i had something to say. Remember, I'm looking for a political columnist for cktimes. Let me know if you know someone. And remember...."Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may."



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.