Now, To Come Up With A Name for The Place...

Last Wednesday was a great day. Mary and I headed to Boston early to attend the Fleetwood Mac Concert at the Garden. We spent some time at the Museum of Fine Arts, then grabbed a great meal at Antonio's on Cambridge Street. After dinner we walked over to the Garden, and people watched at North Station until the doors were opened at 7:00.

The concert was freakin' amazing. Every age was there, from old fans like myself, to 16 year olds with their parents. Fleetwood Mac performed flawlessly.

This morning I got to thinking. I was thinking that music does so much to bring people together, all ages, all types of people. People will seek out good music. On the Channel 5 program "Chronicle" recently they were discovering the Main Streets and Back Roads of the South western Maine. One of the segments was about a couple that formerly toured as musicians, and decided to settle down and open a small venue on their farm. They took the large barn they were using for other purposes, and converted it into a fine restaurant and venue to listen to great music. Everything from classical musicians from Boston, to big names have been attracted to this small stage in the woods of Maine. The intimacy the musicians feel with their audience is something they normally do not get.

The place is a great success.

What if Sturbridge had a place like this? Nothing on the size and scale of "Great Woods / Tweeter Center / Whatever it is Called Now", but a small venue, a few hundred seats, that offered music in an intimate setting, and maybe dinner as well?

We have the location. We have the roads to get here. We have the hotel rooms. A music venue would do wonders here.

One more reason to come to Sturbridge.

So, talk it up to your musician friends. Find some land, build a big 'ol post and beam barn large enough for 300 people, toss in a kitchen, some parking, and start hiring some musicians. Chamber Music one week, folk the next, some acoustic solo sounds from a big name, maybe a night of smooth jazz.

I know, I know...I seem to want it all, don't I?

And, why not?