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John Sebastian’s “Jug Band Village” at Bearsville Theater, musically relives Greewich Village Days

by William A. Brenner
Posted 12/7/21

John Sebastian’s “Jug Band Village” show at the Bearsville Theater on Friday, December 3 at 8 P.M. started over 1/2 hour late. Late because the predominately white haired line of …

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John Sebastian’s “Jug Band Village” at Bearsville Theater, musically relives Greewich Village Days

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John Sebastian’s “Jug Band Village” show at the Bearsville Theater on Friday, December 3 at 8 P.M. started over 1/2 hour late. Late because the predominately white haired line of customers patiently waited outside the theatre steps, down the steps, and along the path and deep into the parking lot, waiting to pay to get standing room, or at least stand somewhere in the lobby by the bar to hear the concert.
Inside, John Sebastian had brought together an entire stage full of the regions finest folk and blues musicians and two show-stopping women performers, namely Anne Raines on slide guitar, and Cindy Cashdollar on several harmonicas and singing a rowdy, rousing Betty Smith blues vocal.
Also participating were Fred Neil, Tim Harden, Steve Boone, Paul Rishell, Jimmy Vivino and James Wormworth.
The rest of the stage was packed and stacked with the finest sound, recording equipment and speakers. And on stage were two hand held cameramen. In the audience by the side of the stage was an elevating camera recording the event for some future showing.
It was worth the wait or even coming in late. I believe everyone got in and listened somewhere inside.
The Bearsville Theater has a kinship with Sullivan County, the music mecca of the Catskills. As I recall, the Bearsville Theater was built for musical entrepreneur Mr. Grossman by the Cyperts, a family of old country German craftsmen, who also supervised its expansion. The Cyperts lived in Claryville which is just up the hill from Grahamsville which is in Sullivan County.
The jug band music was interspersed with John Sebastian’s historical notes, stories and anecdotes of his lifelong quest to discover the source, definition, meaning, and current and future status of jug band music. And several of the original music innovators, long since forgotten, appeared and performed on the crowded stage, then immediately got off to let another guest on.
Most of the songs were never popular and little known, but was an important building block in the popularity of jug band music.
And the sitting audience frequently stood and clapped. And the standing audience weaved and swayed with the music, and many danced.
John Sebastian seem surprised and appreciative of the overwhelming response.
As an encore, John performed an extended medley of Lovin’ Spoonful songs. At the end of the show, the stage crew was busy dismantling all the speakers, electrical equipment and moving it from the stage into a large truck, John said in passing that he had to be in Albany tomorrow for his next show.
Congratulations to John Sebastian and his group of excellent and versatile musicians for reviving and reliving Jug Band Music.
Incidentally, for the record, during the entire Jug Band Music performance, from where I stood, I didn’t hear or see one jug or even a kazoo.

William A. Brenner is a lawyer from Grahamsville N.Y. He attends and reviews local theatrical productions and musical concerts. Brenner graduated from the New York University School of Law (1965) which is located at Washington Square in the heart of Greenwich Village. Brenner plays the banjo.

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