Eclectic Earwig Reviews'

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA was the place. Saturday and Sunday, June 26-27 was the time. The Moravian College's 428-seat Foy Concert Hall became the launch pad for the "North East Art Rock" festival, dubbed as NEARfest 99.

As if springing forth from Zeus' forehead was birthed the idea for a progressive rock venue to be held in the U.S. northeasterly regions. Rob LaDuca, fund raiser for the southern- based, North Carolina, ProgDay 98 event, eventually succeeded with much help from Chad "Ghost" Hutchinson in nailing down a place. In a little over two months the Internet served to aid in NEARfest 99 being sold out!

Next year, based on the highly successful 99 event, NEARfest 2000 will be held at the 1,002-seat Baker Hall in the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University. This is a few miles south, just across Lehigh River, essentially "same locale" but with a full 134% more seating!

In a picturesque and historically rich area with roots back to the early 1700's, we came to rock, to jam, to mix, to sell, to buy, to meet, to listen, and to play. Needless to say, everyone was pumped.

"Now just where is that Bethlehem Brew Works anyway?" Up the to the left . . . ah, yes.

On the down side of things, somehow it seemed my assured backstage pass* was "overlooked?/revoked?" in NEARfest-flurry, so I settled for a next-best-thing official NEARfest get-near-the-stage photo pass. The last thing "Ghost" needed, at least to my understanding, was my being obstructive in approaching the musicians with improptu interviews. Things were obviously tense -- it was pre-launch time -- mere hours prior to lift-off. I backed off. Will NEARfest 2000 see E.E.R. backstage? Perhaps.

Directions and info were detailed and accurate. Parking was ample and convenient. Lodging was, well -- for me at least a bit too far away, staying with elderly relatives, way the heck up in Scranton, PA. This served to force my driving hand, on both festival days, to miss IQ and Spock's Beard completely, as well as missing three or four Solaris songs. Mastermind beginning 90 minutes late on Saturday and Solaris' overextended set beginning two hours late on Sunday were each unfortunate snafus. I was not the only festival attendee caught in time-frame/decision- pinches with bands running way late. This was way out of LaDuca and Ghost's control, I realize, but perhaps future NEARfests will have a backup plan/ policy for bands not meeting their gig time, event window or bands needing/demanding lengthier, more time-intensive soundcheck sessions. ProgDay has handled this band delay problem in the past with band order juggling and it works in keeping the flow, flowing.

Next installment, (Click here):
DAY ONE, the bands, the music, and the sweet taste of prog and fusion.