I'll admit - I was a little worried. With so many fantastic Indianapolis bands playing on Saturday, October 13 (2007), for the Broad Ripple Music Fest, I really thought that no one would show up for the Peggy Sues.

Especially considering we played at the Melody Inn, which is really not Broad Ripple at all, and I assumed most people would stay in the Ripple limits.

I also figured most of the turn-outs for all of the shows would be in dwindling numbers, not because people wouldn't go, but because a lot of people in bands usually go to shows as well - with all of those people tied to their band that evening, I wondered what percentage of people not in bands would show.

Does that make sense?

But oh me, oh my - I was pleasantly surprised.

The Melody Inn had a fantastic turn-out on Saturday evening and we were lucky enough to play for a lot of people we do not normally play for. I even saw BRVA board candidate Bill Levin in attendance (very classy, Mr. Levin - I can honestly say I've never seen any of the other BRVA board candidates at one of our shows or any shows I've been to, so thank you for your support - when you give it, you get it in return) as well as your very own Broad Ripple Gazette Editor In Chief, Alan Hague.

Aside from our show, I hear many venues had fantastic turn-outs. I was able to sneak away on Saturday during the tail end of the last band's set (a reunion of the defunct Acid Green, featuring Vibes owner John Zeps. Atomic Bombay played some really rad surf rock, too, and there was some *interesting* spoken word in between bands. Read more in Nora's column on pages B6-7) and ventured into Broad Ripple. Stopping by the Casba, I found the place was packed, the crowd bouncing along to hip hop group, the Philosophy.

All in all, I'd say the first Broad Ripple Music Fest was a success. These shows even went to benefit particular nonprofits as well, so I was really hoping the crowds would be in high numbers simply for that. Next go around, though, I say ALL Fest proceeds should go to the charities unlike this year when the bands split the larger chunk of the door price. I'm all for bands getting paid, but places like Second Helpings and the Youth Enhancement and Training Initiative, Inc. and all of the other nonprofits probably benefit more from those funds than a band does (seriously? I don't care how broke your band is or how much you think your band deserves money. A charity is a friggin' charity).