07/08/2026
I had occasion to sit and have a pleasant conversation with an English teacher yesterday. In actuality, she was doing some digging for an article to be published later this month. But the teacher thing…left me feeling a little guilty for having not written anything recently. My friend, Steve, shot me a text moments later that gave reminder of something cool we’re doing here tonight.
Timing…
As most of my short stories, I’m gonna give a little background, share a few details, drag it out a bit too long and make it a long story. Hang on. Here we go…
Perhaps you’ve noticed a few ratty old chairs hanging among the beams, tools and artifacts here in the main dining room. Perhaps you haven’t. Either way, I foraged those chairs years ago for the founding fathers. OK, The C**k ‘n Bull Guitar Night Founding Fathers. Big Dave, Oill Can, Bif and me. The four of us, starting 15? 20? years ago would take down our chairs on Wednesday evenings around 7:00 and share some songs. Three guitars. One glorious mandolin. And a handsome yellow lab. We had a heck of a good time. For years. It was like a snow ball. Steve K joined us. Then Pat and Rodney. Laura and Neil and Dan and Ella and Holden. Diz and Annie and Nick and Jordan. The group grew and grew. We played a lot of songs, got tipped in beers a few times and we had a whole bunch of fun. Tugg was always in the center. Luna might come. Ruby might come. The canines made it feel like paradise. If you’re employed by the NYS Department of Health, that dog stuff never happened. Manufactured for effect! This group grew to be about thirty people you could expect to show up at least once a month. A whole bunch of friendships were made. A lot of stories. A lot of laughs. Weddings, funerals, wins, losses, babies, graduations, ci**rs. We shared em all. It’s arguable that we reached critical mass. Just too many people, too many guitars, too many distractions, too many violations of the Rodney Rules to actually make any meaningful music. But we did love it.
Then, not unlike just about everything else, it stopped dead in the wake of COVID. Some smaller gatherings have taken place intermittently, but Guitar Night as it had been, was over. Personally, I have played very little since then. Initially because after placing 43 good, hard working people on unemployment I didn’t feel justified playing anything. Then it was just inertia. A guitar at rest tends to stay at rest until acted upon by an outside force...
The force. Remember a few paragraphs ago I mentioned a text from my friend?.. It was Oill Can. He’s done all the legwork. Tracking down the gang, setting a time, getting some commitments. Tonight at 7… out on the patio, under the grand catalpa tree… The Reunion!
I can’t wait to see who shows up, raise a pint, play a little, hug a lot. Heck, we may even tune!! Take this as an invitation or a warning. We may not always be good, but you can count on us to be loud!
Thursday night we welcome Mr Sun. Among the most talented, revered and celebrated American Roots/stringband/bluegrass/progressive jazz/classical mashups ever assembled. Darol Anger on fiddle. Joe K Walsh on mandolin, Aidan O’Donnell on bass and Grant Gordy on guitar. Just incredible that they’re assembling just outside the limits of New York State’s smallest village. Amazing. And ya know what?! After we pick a little tonight, I’m gonna tell everyone I know that we opened for Mr Sun!!
Friday evening our good buddy, guitar superhero and velvet voiced vocalist, Mike O’Donnell does the dinner service duties. He’s great. Please come check him out.
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday…
Capital District Jazz LTD brings us The 2nd Annual Galway Jazz Festival. Music and food from 11:30 am to 9 pm. Come ‘n get it! Jambalaya, ribs, muffuletta, blueberry pizza and a whole lot more. Galway Griddle and Grind (aka Agway Dan’s Foodtruck!) will be doing the first shift. Breakfast sammies, beignets, coffee, mochajazzachinos!!
The lineup of musicians…long and lovely. Boppin ’ and funky. Swingin’n crooning’.
And guess what! Thanks to some incredibly generous donations and sponsorships ADMISSION IS FREE!!
If you’re still reading..
I thank you for your time, your support, your encouragement. Now GET OFF YOUR PHONE AND GET OUTSIDE BEFORE IT RAINS AGAIN!
Reservations are encouraged
Please call or text:
(518) 882-6962
Pet the dog
Hug a farmer
Kiss the chef
Tip the band
Dust off your guitar!
ENJOY BEEF
