I never did mention the Adams Avenue Roots & Folk Festival, which is now well over a week past. I had a pretty good time, enjoying some of the carnival food and hearing some good music. The line-up overall wasn't really that impressive, and no one band really made the festival. But I still enjoyed most of the acts I caught, especially on Saturday. I found myself following around mandolin players the first half of Saturday, enjoying sets by both the San Diego Mandolin Orchestra Ensemble and the Portugese Mandolin Duo (which borrowed a player from the Mandolin Orchestra Ensemble). Between the Sicilian sound of the Ensemble and the fados of the Portugese Mandolin Duo, the festival took on a continental feel. Other highlights of Saturday were anti-folkie Cindy Lee Berryhill and Hillcrest Farmer's Market regulars the 7th Day Buskers. There were some evening performances I wanted to see, but was too worn out to stay.

I went back on Sunday, but didn't stay as long as I planned, as I was tired, and still not feeling completely well. The only performance worth noting was Anne Feeney, singing old union songs as well as her own compositions. I picked up one of her CDs, which I didn't care for as much as her live performance, but it's still not bad. I took off not too long after that, and so I missed a few acts I would have liked to see, like Trails & Rails and Los Califorios. But I still heard some good music, and am now anxiously awaiting this fall's Street Fair, as well as next year's Roots Festival.

In addition to the bands I heard at the festival, there was one other musical bonus that came out of my presence at the Roots Festival. The April issue of the San Diego Troubadour doubled as the Roots Festival official program, and in flipping through the program between sets (the beer garden was full to capacity, so I couldn't give up my seat), I came across the monthly calendar of events. And though the bulk of April was past, and I have a tendency to discover great shows days after they occured, it turned out the act I was most interested in was not until the following Wednesday, and at my school, no less. Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster was going to perform as part of Art Power, a performing arts series at UCSD I was unaware existed. I'd seen Natalie MacMaster about five years ago or so, at Humphrey's, performing with Mark O'Connor. This time, it was her and her band, including a bagpiper. I think I enjoyed her a bit more at Humphrey's, when she was just playing solo or with O'Conoor, with the focus on the fiddle. But this was a great show, too, with a good variety of tunes, but focused more on upbeat numbers, lots of jigs and reels. When I first saw her, I remembered our reaction to her at the Humphrey's show, remarking on how scrawny she is (no surprise, given the amount of calories she must burn jumping around on stage as much as she does), and thinking how it's just as true now. So when she added early on that she'd just had a baby, you can bet I was a bit surprised (she had the kid with her, and he made a brief appearance on-stage). Anyway, the important thing to note is, it was a great show, and she is an amazing fiddler in the Cape Breton tradition. And for myself, as a UCSD student, it was only $15. Not a bad deal. Though I was a bit miffed that I was unaware of the Art Power series, as I would have considered a subscription had I known of the series in advance. I've considered driving to Los Angeles in the past to see Art Spiegelman, and he was part of this series. I had considered going to individual shows in the series, but decided ultimately to pass on the Kronos Quartet for some reason, and John Cleese sold out before I could get tickets. But I look forward to the announcement of next year's series.

This weekend, I saw Peter Case, another great artist brought to our town by Acoustic Music San Diego. He didn't draw much of a crowd, unfortunately, but those of us who were there had a great time, and Case tried out quite a few new songs. If you ever have the opportunity, don't miss him.

And that gets me up-to-date, I suppose, on my recent music outings. It was a pretty good week for music in San Diego, I'd have to say.