2014 Reno Ukulele Festival Adventure!

Here we are hanging out in our special "reserved" room at Rosie's Cafe! What an awesome gang! Me, Mark S., Steve C., Sue, Dave, Margaret, John, Fred - Steve L., Vickie, Becky and Nancy

It was yet another epic experience. Hard to believe it’s my fourth Reno Ukulele Festival and that the first time I attended back in 2011, when I got stuck in that snow storm and arrived late, I was still relatively new to the ukulele world having only been in it since the summer of 2010 after my friend gave me a ukulele and I stumbled upon the Ukulele Club of Silicon Valley gang at my long-time favorite coffee shop, Dana Street Roasting in Mountain View – where 75 people played ukuleles together! I felt like I was back in the ‘60s at a folk music jam where everyone played and shared music – never will I forget how excited I was when I showed up with my ukulele, still learning to transpose the chords from guitar to ukulele in my head, carrying diagrams around.

I felt transported back to San Francisco where I grew up in the 1960s and 70’s – where people played guitars on stoops and others joined in and folk music gatherings were common, especially the one at 885 Clayton Street where Faith Petric lived. 

To be honest, at that time, I thought I’d never be able to do it – play more than one stringed instrument. It was a skill meant for the more talented and skilled musicians. 

And how could I forget that time in the Fall of 2010 when I brought my guitar and ukulele to one of the San Francisco Folk Music Group meetings at 885 Clayton Street.  I had brought a couple of songs to share, and I had such a hard time remembering the correct ukulele chords quick enough or transpose from guitar to ukulele in my head to play a song that I had to pick up my guitar, and Estelle, who was the finger pointer, said, "You'd better stick with guitar!"

We all laughed and I thought she was right. But who knew that less than a month later, I’d run off to Burning Uke with a bunch of fun, crazy ukulele players from Santa Cruz and beyond and by the end of that four-day weekend down at Big Sur, I’d not only know how to play the ukulele, but I’d become an avid ukulele playing FANATIC!!! It was really funny. I still couldn't translate to ukulele then...now I almost always play ukulele.

Which brings me to why I fought a major snow storm to get to the Reno Ukulele Festival back in March 2011 in my little red Honda Civic Coupe and even though I was a whole day late, I had the time of my life jamming with everyone because we all got stuck at Johnny Ascuagua’s Nugget when the pass closed due to the major storm. I’ve been hooked ever since and I knew in my heart that I’d never miss the Reno Ukulele Festival – that it’s on my perpetual calendar along with Smoldering and Burning Uke. I still get a thrill when I jam and play music with others, see all the smiling faces and hear the music all around. There’s nothing like it – the ukulele playing craze has taken me from Mountain View to Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Sacramento/Roseville and way beyond.

This year, I carpooled with my uke playing friends, Margaret, Nancy and John who drove. I had planned to drive but heard of the possibility of snow. This year I was not going to get stuck in the snow – at least if we got stuck we’d all be together in a larger vehicle. One way or another we would get to the Reno Ukulele Festival – armed with our “super tickets” which we’d purchased at the end of last year – to Johnny Ascuaga’s Nugget yet again!

Hangin' with Daughter Megan on the way to the Reno Ukulele Festival, YAAAYYY!

We stopped in Vacaville to have breakfast because my daughter Megan said she was staying there for the week with her boyfriend who was in training. So we had a lovely breakfast with daughter Megan and then continued on our way. Margaret had gone last year for the first time and it was John and Nancy’s first time in Reno and we were meeting a bunch of my friends up there including some of our gang from San Francisco Ukulele Rebellion and beyond. The roads were clear and we saw a bit of snow here and there, yep, still snow at the end of April. We got to Johnny Ascuaga's Nugget in plenty of time to get all of our stuff into our rooms and attend Ralph Shaw's early bird workshop in the Rose Room! Me, Margaret and Nancy shared one room and John had a room next door -- our good friend Steve was still missing in action.

hey, a real phone booth WITH a dial tone even, CHECK THIS OUT!!! 

YAAAAYYY! First workshop with Ralph Shaw who taught some stellar strummin'!!!!

It was fabulous to check into the festival and see so many friendly and familiar faces! In the past four years, I've made many awesome friends in the ukulele-playing community. This year there were over 400 people at the festival, more than ever Doug Reynolds, the dude who runs the whole thing, said. We convened in the much larger Rose Room because we outgrew the other one everyone usually came together in.

Another day has been added to the festival. I saw a bunch of people from Silicon Valley, a few from Santa Cruz and of course all my "Strum Shop" Roseville friends including Stu and the gang -- always so happy to see them, especially Dave & Sue. The first evening began with a stellar performance by Ralph Shaw, one of my all time favorite ukulele players ever! sang and played his fun cat and dog songs and my favorite about the handy man who works at mustang ranch! Then our awesome workshop leader/performers Craig Chee, Sarah Maisel, Heidi Swedberg, Daniel Ward did a little performance as well to get things started -- wow, how fabulous to hear them. Such good vibes and positive energy.

We jammed later that night just as we would do every night while we stayed at Johnny Ascuaga's Nugget...I had brought several jam packets from Bronco Billy's to share...and Leonard came to the festival for the first time ever with his music as well, so we were set! I saw my buddies Fred and Steve whom I'd met at Smoldering Uke! Yay! the gang was here, almost. Where was Steve L.? No one seemed to know. 

After we'd all crashed, at around 2:00 a.m., I got a call from Steve who was about 30 minutes away. Apparently he couldn't get a hold of John to let him in the room. He said he thought we'd still be playing Beatles songs! Nope, we crashed early. By midnight.

The next day was filled with workshops, hanging out with friends playing ukulele and fun. Ralph Shaw taught us some more stellar strums and Brook Adams taught the most amazing rendition of Imagine ever, among other things. 

I LOVE RALPH SHAW!!! HE'S THE BEST!!!!

awwww! what a sweetie!

We attended workshops and jammed, and carried ukes around...all the amazing people there. 

these are simply the chords. Brook Adams taught us a wonderful fingerpicking rendition that works perfectly with ukulele...it is forever embedded in my head...I won't forget it!

Brook Adams is fabulous!!!! (and yes, he actually played ALL songs from the Beatles' Abbey Rd. and recorded them. he has my utmost respect! ABBEY RD...oh yeah!

My only wish was that I could take ALL the workshops offered on Friday and Saturday, but there was just no way... I had to pick. And there had to be time for jamming and checking out the ukuleles and cool stuff out on the floor too, of course.

Now this dude could REALLY play!!!!

I stopped and listen to a couple of people play, and then I hung out at Iruguchi's booth and played his beautiful new 5-string ukulele...ahhhh!

Then I ended up over at another booth where my friends Steve, Ann and a couple of others hung out -- for Blackbird Ukuleles made in San Francisco! wow, what a beautiful sound it had...but my friend John had just put a pickup into my 8-string uke and I had really nice Worth strings on it. Granted I was still stretching the strings, but it sounded and played so nice... even though I managed to snap another high C string at the first night of jamming!

Me and Ann admiring how cool the Blackbird Ukuleles from San Francisco sound!!!!

me and John trying out the blackbird ukuleles! a couple of our friends actually bought these!

Heidi and Daniel were FABULOUS!

The Friday night show was phenomenal - with Craig Chee, Sarah Maisel, Heidi Swedberg, Daniel Ward, Jason Arimoto...

Craig Chee took this photo of the audience form the stage! Hey, check out my buddies, Steve C. and Fred right there in the front...and I'm in there too! rockin' audience!



Stu & Arthur!

After the show there was another night of jamming until well after midnight...with just a few hours of sleep before another full day of workshops, jams and fun!

The day began at Rosie's Cafe in what somehow became our "private" room...Our gang had became the regular hang-out joint.  Me and our gang became regulars at Rosie's cafe in Johnny Ascugas nugget. And we delighted the waitress lady whom I've seen there every single time I've gone there for anything these past years by playing you are my sunshine and Ain't She Sweet on ukes.

So my intention was to attend workshops on Sunday, and I started off okay...but then I saw Leonard in a jam circle and I just had to stop and play a song with them. Then it turned into a whole bunch of songs and, well, you know how that goes. then I found out some of my friends were doing open mic, so I had to go and watch them too.  Of course. 

Old broads rule -- Open Mic -- from our area Silicon Valley!

having way too much fun at Rosie's Cafe even early in the morning!!!

The River City Ukes Folks, yaaayyy! from the Strum Shop!! Sue, Dave, Dani and Budd and Steve on u-Bass!

me and my friends hanging out -- Steve, Linda...
good times!

Then there was the highly anticipated raffle where some awesome ukuleles would be raffled off, including the coveted Da Silva ukuleles! we all went in armed with loads of tickets hoping to win! Sue won some stuff, and Becky and Vickie's good friend Darrell won like three or four ukuleles and a U-bass! it was amazing!! and Steve L. from the Silicon Valley group won a Da Silva Uke!

Darrell with his winnings from the raffle! check him out!

Steve Laundau - a big winner at the raffle (and his wife won too!)

Daniel Ho performed on Saturday night with Gerald Ross opening...stellar performances. 

I've seen him before, and he is awesome. his wife danced too.

The Whole Gang!

We said our good-byes with Jim D'ville leading us in a final jam the next morning -- after, of course, one more meeting at Rosie's Cafe. So hard to part ways when you're having so much fun and truly living the life surrounded by all your awesome friends!

So we said our good-byes and then me, Margaret and her sister Nancy rode with John back towards home -- with ONE more stop to make on the way home. Yep, the Reno Ukulele Festival would not be complete without jamming with Albert. He's always been at the festival when I've been there except this year his Dad's 80th birthday fell on the same weekend and he couldn't make it. So he invited us over to his place.

But on the way there, we hit a bit of snow...yes, in late April even!

SNOW!!!!! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so we made the best of it and had FUN!!!!

FUN IN THE SNOW! Margaret up to shenanigans!

So we made it back down to the valley unscathed by the snow to Albert's house for a lovely hang-out and jam! Yay!

ALBERT!!!!

Albert, Nancy, Margaret, John & Me

So this was the PERFECT WAY to end a wonderful four-day adventure...where there was very little sleep lotsa jamming and then some!! I loved and cherished every moment. 

Homeward Bound!