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Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
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Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v04n17)
Buzzing Around Town - by Nora Spitznogle
posted: Aug. 24, 2007
This is the all State Fair edition of Buzzing Around Town. I am a State Fair junkie. I have a 4-H license plate, enter baking and ugly lamps in the open show and considered not taking the Second Helpings job because I would not be able to attend the Fair every single day (like I might have for three years running). My only political aspiration is to be on the State Fair board of directors.
I only made it to the Fair five times this year, a record low. I get to see plenty of art and music.
I was thrilled to see the giant cheese sculpture being created. Sarah Kaufmann, the "cheese lady" from Fairfield, Ohio, sculpted 1360 pounds of Indiana cheddar into an Indy 500 scene. Sarah said she tasted the cheese when she started the sculpture but soon got her fill.
Sarah Kaufmann carved cheese at the fair.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
This year I spent a good deal of time in the Pioneer Village. The Purdue Extension program has run the living history exhibit since 1961, "almost 50 years ago" as the narrator was telling us. I had to pipe-up and correct him. 1961 was barely 46 years ago. I know of what I speak!
They set up and run a threshing ring, a lumber mill, blacksmith shop and butcher shop and mill. It's all terribly dirty, loud and amazing. The threshing ring was complicated, more steam, belts, gears and cogs than you can imagine.
I love the antique tractors and consider them works of art. Wendell and Mary Kelch from Bethel, Ohio, brought three tractors from their collection to the Fair.
The 1908 "Friction Drive" is one of the first tractors they owned. For all practical purposes, it is a stationary "famous" engine mounted on a steam engine running gear. A large friction disk transfers the power from the engine to the drive wheels. It was primarily used as a power source for belt driven machines - grain separators, corn shredders and the like.
The 1915 McCormick Mogul 30-60 weighs 23,000 pounds, has a two cylinder motor - 10 inch bore and 12 inch stroke (just in case you were wondering). They found it buried in a fence row in North Dakota. I asked Wendell about the green color; it is not typical of other tractors. Olive green was the color of the engines that McCormick produced at the time and they used the same paint on the tractors. Only 800 of them were built, only five remain and this is the only one that runs. The original owners found the bill of sale and several photographs of the tractor, including one of the day it was delivered. I would love to see those.
A 1915 McCormick Mogul tractor in the Pioneer Village at the State Fair.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
The third tractor, a 1917 Titan, is a sister tractor to the Mogul. Mary accidentally purchased it at an auction by saying "yes" at the wrong time.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
Pioneer Village also features bluegrass and old-time-y music. I had the great pleasure of seeing a version of the Circle City Bluegrass Band and the Witch Hazel Valley People.
I'd mentioned to my dad that I've wanted to ride in the tractor parade since I was a little kid. He arranged for me to hitch a ride on a wagon for the tractor parade that goes down the main drag of the fairgrounds every evening. Riding in the parade was everything I imagined. I giggled and waved the whole time.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
David Cassidy
August 15, 2007
Indiana State Fair
I think he loves me. Of course, I've known it for years.
When I was young, my family did not watch much television and all four children needed to agree on the show. As it turned out, we watched the Partridge Family almost every Friday night. The show was my first introduction to pop music and dreamy boys.
David Cassidy was the highest paid performer of his time. His teen idol status is unmatched. He played to thousands of hysterical teenagers in stadiums around the world (including Wembley - six sold-out shows in one weekend) and he holds the seating record for the Houston Astrodome.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
I feel comfortable using the "rabid" when describing his fans, then and now. David had to stop mid-song a few times because of women screaming and tugging at him. Fans were waving albums, magazines and toddlers (an adorable little girl named Cassidy) at him.
Cassidy's 57 year-old voice is still strong and his touring band is solid. He played up his former teen idol reputation and gave us what we wanted; stories about the Partridge Family, a little hip shaking and his classic songs. He sang "Echo Valley 2-6809", "I'll Meet You Halfway", "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" and "Cherish". The encore included a respectable hard-rocking version of Cream's "Crossroads".
If you closed your eyes during "I Think I Love You", you could pretend the dreamy Keith Partridge was singing to you. . . Or so I heard.
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
image courtesy of Nora Spitznogle
Previews:
Katastrophe, TEAM GINA, Athens Boys Choir
Monday, August 27, 2007
10 pm, $6
Melody Inn 3826 Illinois Street
Katastrophe is an emo-hop MC whose lyrics merge with beats to that slide from slick to raw to solid to eccentric, "creating a sonic otherworld that snags you in a dance-trance while teasing your head with rhymes that snap, pop and educate." Snap, pop and educate might quite possibly be the best music bio thing that I've read in ages. Katastrophe was a featured slam performer in the documentary Poetic License.
Seattle's TEAM GINA features synchronized dance routines and matching outfits. They are resident performers at their hometown's monthly 80s/electro/hip hop night. Don't be deceived by the name Athens Boys Choir. A choirboy he is not. The more than spoken-word performance deals with the topics of gender, politics, love and sex.
Broad Ripple Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8:00-noon
Behind Broad Ripple High School
August 25, 2007 - Market favorite Christine Barton will sing.
September 1, 2007 - Chad Mills will make his BRFM debut. Chad is one of my favorite singer/songwriters.
September 8, 2007 - il Troubadore, Indy's 16th century band. 'Nuff said.
Not-for-profit director by day, music writer by night, Nora Spitznogle reviews music that happened and previews music and events around Broad Ripple Village. Nora managed CATH Inc coffeehouse at 54th Street and College Avenue for seven years. During that time she hosted hundreds of local and touring musicians, both at the coffeehouse and her home. When CATH closed in 2004 and the music was no longer coming to her, she had to wander from her corner of Broad Ripple to see what is happening elsewhere. You can find her at Second Helpings during the work day, waitressing at the Red Key on Saturday nights and prowling Broad Ripple music venues the rest of the time. Visit Nora's Web site nora-leona.blogspot.com, send any questions, comments or suggestions to Nora@BroadRippleGazette.com
nora@broadripplegazette.com
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