Sometimes everything unfolds just the way it should. I arrived in Chattanooga on Saturday with A) plenty of time to check into my hotel downtown and B) warning from my team that parking at Coolidge Park would be more trouble than it was worth. So I opted to walk to the Gig City Roots venue, and I’m really glad I did.

It was a beautiful late afternoon – shirtsleeve weather in mid October. And as I reached the Walnut Street Bridge, I became acutely aware that while I’d been in Chattanooga before – mostly to eat a meal on the way home from Atlanta – I’d never seen it with clear eyes and time to take it in. To my right was the simply staggering modern/classical contrast of the Hunter Museum of American Art. To my left was a sweeping vista of river and hills from a dizzying height. Ahead of me was the elegant ironwork of an 1890 bridge that was now serving its city as a pedestrian way and a park in the sky. Groups of students were cheering rowing teams as they flew across the water a hundred or more feet below. The classic Delta Queen riverboat decorated the far side of the river, and the North Side of Nooga looked inviting with its parks, sports fields and busy-looking neighborhoods.

With that perambulation as overture, I arrived at the park to find preparations well underway for Gig City Roots, the closing event of RiverRocks and a classic community concert with one big bonus – an ambitious video production and Internet hookup with bandwidth deeper than the Tennessee River. It opened as planned, with our musical host Chuck Mead in duet performance with the legendary T Bone Burnett. Sounds easy, except Burnett was in Los Angeles, coming over the gigabit-per-second Internet connection that’s been laid into the infrastructure of Chattanooga. They were in synch and in harmony, on a connection that would otherwise have taken a satellite to pull off.

Then we flowed on with the show. As the sun set, we were treated to a completely fresh and emotionally charged vision of Americana. Roy “Futureman” Wooten took the stage with his Circle of Harmony group, consisting of a small string section, a steel pan/drum player and a banjo player. Of course! Futureman, resplendent in his signature tri-corner hat, conducted with drum brushes while playing a couple of cajòn with his feet and hands. This was composed music with some improv as called for, and it climaxed with a true mashup (not a medley but simultaneous) of “Amazing Grace,” “Simple Gifts” and the “Star Spangled Banner.” The strings yearning together in the balmy October air was enough to make anyone weak in the knees.

Things rocked up after that, with a great set from Chattanooga’s own Nim Nims. They mingled tangy melodies with angular ideas, laid over superb power pop. I hope to see them again for sure. Then gears were shifted again, like unto a mountain bike, and on stage came Doyle Dykes, another near-Chattanooga guy whom we Nashvillians know as a regular on the Grand Ole Opry. I play finger style guitar a little, and I’ve spent many hundreds of hours on it, so I have a visceral feeling for how complete and accomplished Dykes is. His energy level is astounding. His speed, ridiculous. Especially cool were his duet tunes with his son Caleb. Top-notch instrumental music, and the world doesn’t get enough of that.

The show rounded out with two artists who could be an impressive double bill at a high-dollar theater. Todd Snider is the barefoot poet laureate of acidic wit, and his set rocked hard with Dan Baird as his guitar-slinging wingman. The final artist of the evening pushed the reactor core close to meltdown. Jason D. Williams (whose most recent album was produced by Snider) played the piano like it was a boxing speed bag and sang like it was his last night on Earth. He’s truly a man possessed when he’s on stage, and the vintage rock and boogie that flowed forth clearly gave the large crowd the musical capper they were looking for.

Musical host Chuck Mead led the assembled artists and musicians in an all-hands jam – a tradition from our Music City Roots show back in Nashville. But then the night truly ended in the most spectacular and spiritual way – with a purifying fire. Andrew Nigh builds wooden sculptures specifically to immolate them, and when dancers twirled with fiery batons around the center of the park and the sci-fi artwork was set ablaze, it was cathartic, lovely and unifying. Too bad we can’t do that inside the Loveless Cafe Barn.

Thanks Chattanooga for a truly beautiful setting and for all the community support. That was some kind of field trip.

Craig Havighurst Blog

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Wild Trails, RiverRocks Chattanooga, and the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) request proposals from visual artists to create sculptural works using fallen wood on Stringers Ridge, Chattanooga. Finished sculptures will be sited along a trail on the ridge during all of September 2012 and during the first weekend of RiverRocks, October 6 & 7. They will be transported to Coolidge Park for the second weekend of the festival, October 13 & 14. Artists will receive a modest stipend to create the works. Works can be developed either on the ridge or in the artist’s studio. Up to 10 artists will be selected for the 2012 festival. RiverRocks is an annual outdoors-based festival celebrating the natural resources of the region and the activities they inspire.

Process: Artists will submit applications to be considered for the project. Artists will have the opportunity to view pictures of fallen trees along the Stringers Ridge trail and list their top three preferences for particular trees. While preferences are not guaranteed, we will attempt to accommodate particular requests if they exist. Artists will have the option to work on the trail itself or have the wood delivered to them and returned to the ridge upon completion. Selected artists will receive a $200 stipend if they work with the wood on site and $150 if the wood is to be delivered to another location such as a studio. Works must be fully completed by September 1, 2012. All works will be transported to Coolidge Park for the final weekend of the festival where they will be available for purchase at a price agreed upon by the artist and RiverRocks. Commissions for sales will be split equally three ways: 1/3 to artist, 1/3 to RiverRocks and 1/3 to AVA.

Eligibility: Open to artists and artisans residing within a 75-mile radius of Chattanooga who are comfortable working with a large piece of unfinished wood.

How to apply: Submit the application along with two jpegs or printed photographs of other wood works. Applications are due in the AVA offices by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 29. Images that are difficult to see/understand will not be considered. Send proposals to Lauren Goforth, AVA Programs Assistant by email, lgoforth@avarts.org, or by mail to AVA, 30 Frazier Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37405. Subject line or packets should indicate “RiverRocks”. Artists will be notified by July 13, 2012 of acceptance.

For more information--Contact:

Jonathan Susman

Chattanooga Presents

423.265.0771

RiverRocks Announces 2012 Dates

The third edition of RiverRocks will be celebrated October 5-14, 2012 with the inclusion of over 90 events throughout the community to showcase the natural attractions of Chattanooga and show the world the city at its best.

Featuring events as varied as history hikes to the second largest off-road race in the United States to the Triple Crown of Bouldering, RiverRocks will encompass something for everyone of any level who wants to enjoy the outdoors. The goal is to Get Out! Get Fit! Have Fun! and the events offer amateur, medium and skilled levels of competition in biking, rowing, paddling, stand up paddleboard, swimming and hiking just to name a few.

Opening weekend of RiverRocks will again feature hot air balloons in Coolidge Park for tethered rides and a balloon glow on Saturday evening. Rides will also be offered Saturday and Sunday morning. Information about cost and scheduling may be found at the website. Closing weekend will feature the type of high performance entertainment expected from RiverRocks including a new event that will thrill the city when it is announced. Closing Saturday night will be exciting entertainment at Coolidge Park after a day of arts, information and entertainment.

The website: RiverRocksChattanooga.com will have a complete schedule with information about getting involved. Check back often to see what has been announced and how the schedule has changed.

It's everyone's chance to Celebrate Chattanooga Outdoors at RiverRocks 2012.

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