24 March 2013

Village people

We forget the pleasures of a simple, non-commercial community world, especially when we’re lost in screen and digital socialisation. I remembered it the other night when we went to the Village in Glebe Park. It’s a cross between circus and fair and show; all hand-made and human-sized. Not that it’s lacking sophistication. There was irony and presentation and humour, but it’s not there for the spin and your money. It’s for everyone. It’s family oriented with lots of kids, despite the erotic finger puppets. Here, we’re all responsible for each other, so the kids can just get steered away. There are colourful characters and colourful costumes and colourful pillows in colourful tents. There are things you can take part in, percussion or dancing or cooking displays. That was an oddity, as we lined up for that single Dutch pancake that was, loaves-and-fishes-like, meant to feed the multitudes. But there was patter to keep us all company. There was beer and coffee and rooburgers, so alt is welcome but not demanded. The women cart the gear and the men wear colours and the both hightail it to the vintage clothing racks. There are stages and tents and bands and roving minstrels and puppets. We went partly to catch Adam Simmon’s Origami as the played a set on the drive back from Sydney to Melbourne. It was early so the crowds were limited, but the PA was decent and the sound suited the sparse sax trio format. We’d come across a friends as we walked to Glebe Park – Joelle was meeting Gina there – and we drank and chatted for the evening. We also saw or chatted with Paul and Richard and Brian and Robyn and Adam and Robert and others. Obviously a place to be. Then the Crystal Barreca Band, who I’d missed till then. This was eight piece, playing gypsy jazz or zydeco or some style in that area. Crystal has a voice that just matched the part, and the horns and four to the floor guitar and the accordion and Phill’s bass. Very nice; very entertaining; very danceable; very community. We didn’t stay for the roaming Brass Knuckle Blues Band or the rest. But this was a pleasure. Lots of fun, very pretty in a handmade, organic way, welcoming to all and a salve for tired minds suffering the onslaught of the commercial world so close outside.

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