8/16/09 – John & Mary – amazing night!

John & Mary plays at the Cafe

Sunday, August 16, 2009 – “Wow!”  That’s pretty much all we can say about last night. Over 100 people showed up to see WNY treasures (and mighty fine musicians) John & Mary. With twinkling lights above and the forest aglow, the Café in the Woods took on a surreal appearance last night. I have been to hundreds of musical events and this night was special…it just had that feel that something very cool was happening in the woods of Chautauqua County.  Our guests have to be the happiest group ever…so friendly, fun and complementary. There were tons of friends who trekked great distances for the show last night, including many from the Buffalo-area. The Cleveland Hallenstein crew, Barb, Jayme & Pete, Lynn and crew, and many others – we luv ya! Thanks Mindi, Sam and Anna for all the help.

The crowd

Saturday was pretty warm!  After making a run to Mayville and some lakeside ice cream at Boxcar Barneys, we returned to the Heron to work. Julie and Steve were fluttering around making continuous improvement on NIGHT LIGHTS. They are the best! The pond was the place to be to cool off. A good 20 minute swim was just what the doctor ordered.

There was a great crowd waiting at the gate when NIGHT LIGHTS opened.  We had campers too! It was cool seeing so many people out on the trails, walking with their glow necklaces. The outside area around the café quickly filled up with everyone sitting on picnic tables and lawn chairs. Some people brought some fun picnic supplies, with some good bottles of wines and ales spotted at numerous tables. The lights around the café create a colorful canopy, which is a sight to behold. After a little detour John & Mary arrived.

The consummate pros that they are, John & Mary quickly got set up and launched into a 75-minute set of John & Mary songs, a few 10,000 Maniacs songs (Can’t Ignore the Train), and covers.  The crowd received an intimate performance, with seemingly everyone having a front row seat.  Armed with vocals, John’s guitar, and Mary’s viola, the duo captivated the appreciative crowd. We were very fortunate to host such incredible talent on our little café stage. As quickly as it began the show ended ‘round 11:00 p.m. It was a very special night indeed.

Thanks again to everyone who showed up last night. Tell your friends…we’ll be back at it next Friday and Saturday night.