7-7-07, the music festival with Half Japanese, The Tinklers, Coo Coo Rockin' Time, Ricky Dreyfuss and others...

A much happier affair than all of those idiotic, faux-Satanic 6/6/06 concerts that had taken place just over a year before, the 7-7-07 all day music festival that took place in Westminster, Maryland was one of the best, most fun days I've ever had enjoying rock 'n' roll. The legendary Half Japanese, their alumni and friends were the performers, playing outdoors and to an audience that consisted only of family and friends. The Tinklers played. David Fair resurrected his band Coo Coo Rockin' Time and worked the women into a frenzy, with several pulling their tops up in appreciation. Jad Fair rocked the leaves off the trees and Half Japanese, always best when it's Jad AND David in the band are still one of the greatest bands in the history of not just rock 'n' roll but music in general. The Tinklers, who I saw and heard for the first time, are now ingrained deeply in my subconscious and I will need to go on meds to stop hearing their songs in my head over and over and over. Glenn Danzig would have hated this and felt horribly out of place. I watched Half Japanese from a swingset in front of the band, taking photos of them as a stranger pushed me. I ate stale marshmallow peeps that someone had brought along. There was picnic type food but no ants. I watched my friend Jon Strymish, who'd I brought along with me, happily dance with his veggie dog by the swimming pool. I had cousins there. I rolled up the legs of my slacks and put them in the pool, the closest I come to swimming. I saw one of the most amazing homes I've ever been in - David Fair's - and enjoyed seeing a lot of his amazing artwork and home decorating talents. In short, the day couldn't have rocked more. I photographed it like mad, never quite able to divorce myself from that demon photography even at my most relaxed. If you click on the arrow below, you will see photos of the day. Wish you'd been there if you weren't. It doesn't get any better than the kind of day we had.