Re: Lowell Folk Festival Final Day

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@erols.com>]

Mark Watson:

> The final day of the Lowell Folk Festival found WCAP all alone with
live
> radio coverage,anchored by Bill O'Neill in the 1974 GMC mobile home
> studio(Hey,it now qualifies for antique license plates!!!).I even
had the
> opportunity to be interviewed on the air twice during the afternoon
by
> Bill,as he did a fine job filling time in between act changes.

Thanks for dropping by, Mark.  I know that you were also volunteering
at the event, and had the opportunity to "rescue" Fontella Bass
Saturday from the rain by driving her to a dry location.  (Can _your_
beer do this?)  It was a fun day.  The 15-20 minutes between acts was
perfect for interviewing kids, grandparents, the occasional
policywonk.  WCAP arranged with their sponsors, all but one, to fly
during the lead-up week (Festival Preview Week) so that there were
minimal breaks in the program for spots.

One of the eeriest moments I can ever recall occured yesterday
(Sunday) around 4:30 p.m. awaiting the final act of the event, Steve
Riley and the Mamou Playboys (great Cajun music, IMO).  What we now
know was the northeast rim of horrendous weather to hit Boston and the
North Shore created a blend of bright sun, dark clouds, rain,
lightning, then downpours.  Then, just about 5:00, when it seemed like
the final act might be called due a potential shock risk on stage, the
sun beamed back in over the JFK Plaza/City Hall, the humidity dropped
as did the temp.  The umbrellas went down and the band came up and
continued on until after six, as scheduled.

It was a memorable 30 minutes of "solo fill" although I have no idea
if it "worked" or not.  At one point, buttoned down inside the studio
as the rain came down, I looked out to the sidewalk of Arcand Drive to
see grandparents and two very little girls who were looking up at me
through the closed window, rain drenched to the skin.  I grabbed mic
two, opened the door and walked out into the rain with them.  I know
it was nuts, but as soon as those little eyes stared at me, the kids
all soaked to the skin, there was this impulse to share the moment
with everyone else outside.  As it turns out, the rain turned to mist,
and the huge crowd out there (with nothing to distract them at that
point) were all lining up to talk to a now-soaked radio person.  They
may, but I will never forget that.

> WCCM was a no show,but a Ford Explorer with WCCM's logo("Newstrack
800")
> was parked in the spot where their Pepsi Thunder Van was
yesterday.In
> fact,it was parked there since Saturday night,blocking a handicapped
> parking space to boot.Festival officials were looking to have it
removed by
> hook or by crook,don't know how that ended up being resolved.WCCM
did
> promote the fact they would be broadcasting live Saturday and
Sunday,don't
> know what happened to them.

A high level official with the city as well as the National Council
for the Traditional Arts spoke to me off-mic about how "cheesy and low
rent" it was for a station, fully not intending to be present, to swap
vehicles, park it overnight in a prominent (illegal) spot just to give
the impression of participation. This, from a station that is trying
to make a dent in it's adjacent market, Lowell, during it's biggest
weekend of the year.  A lot of city officials who were there with
their families seemed to take notice, all right.

Bill O'Neill

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