Lake Martin Voice Realty
Aquapalooza At Lake Martin 2011 – Setup Tips
Sea Ray and Russell Marine are once again bringing Aquapalooza to Lake Martin, Alabama, – on July 23, 2011.
Aquapalooza is a free, on the water concert that you can boat up, anchor, and go dance by the stage. It is tons of fun, and, in my opinion, becoming the 4th big lake holiday behind Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
Lake Martin has experienced two really big Aquapaloozas – the nationally promoted signature event in 2009 featuring Alan Jackson, and this pretty doggone big event in 2010 with John Anderson.
In 2011, the headliner is Sawyer Brown. Here’s the full lineup:
Lake Martin Aquapalooza 2011 Lineup
Sawyer Brown
Rhett Atkins
Chase Rice
Derek Welsh and the Cold Hard Truth
Lake Martin Aquapalooza 2011 Schedule
11 AM – 7 PM on July 23, 2011.
Memo to all you fast timers – we’re on Central Time.
Click here for the Official Aquapalooza Site
Lake Martin Aquapalooza 2011 Setup Tips
The prior years of fun have given us all some valuable experience. I shot a quick video below to go over some tips for Aquapalooza on Lake Martin.
Here are some more Lake Martin Aquapalooza 2011 tips:
- Have a sober driver and sober spotter – I say this in the video but it’s worth repeating. The driver will need someone at the front of the boat that is looking out for other boats, swimmers, kayakers, etc.
- Obey all Alabama laws – if you’re coming from out of state, study up.
- Idle speed only – west of Kowaliga Bridge is idle speed only until you get to Governor’s Island. The surest way to get pulled over by the AL Marine Police is to be above idle in this zone. Make even the smallest wake and they will hammer down on you. Quite frankly, you deserve it.
- If you anchor up, use an anchor line – so many times I see folks throwing out their brand new mushroom anchor that is tied to ski rope. Bad idea. It may be easy going down, but at the end of the day when you are hauling in 75 feet of it, and it’s slick, that thin ski rope will burn your hands.
- If you swim to the stage, use a PFD – it looks like a short swim, but trust me, you will get tired. Swim with a life vest on your person.
- Bring twice as many boat bumpers than you think you will need – even if you only use 2 to attach to your pier, you will need a bunch more when your friends (old and new) sidle up to you and anchor with you.
- Buy all your provisions locally – OK, so I’m a big believer in supporting the Lake Martin locals, yes. But on the practical side, I can tell you that the local C Stores will have plenty of ice, snacks, and beverages. It’s the same price as your hometown’s. Unless you just like to load a cooler 2 days in advance, the smart move is to get it in theater.
- Take plenty of pics and video – you won’t believe how much fun it is to look at them later. Local Lake Martin photographer Kenneth Boone usually has the best ones on his SmugMug account here.
- Tweet it out – if you’re on Lake Martin and hip to twitter, use hashtags of #lakemartin and #aquapalooza and @SeaRayBoat
- Check in on FourSquare – there’s a musical event set up on Foursquare – Aquapalooza on Lake Martin
Homes For Sale On Lake Martin Near Aquapalooza 2011
Do you have some time to kill, and maybe would like to cruise by some waterfront homes that are for sale near Lake Martin’s Aquapalooza site at Kowaliga Marina?
Click on the Request List link below:
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST HOMES FOR SALE
You will be asked for your name and email, and then you will be emailed two lists we have compiled of waterfront homes for sale on Lake Martin right now. One list is east of Kowaliga Bridge, the other is west of it. This list is from the Lake Martin Area Realtors’ MLS, so it’s any brokerage’s listings, not just mine. Also, don’t worry, we DO NOT SELL, GIVEAWAY, or otherwise distribute your info.
Have a fun and save Aquapalooza 2011 on Lake Martin!
Lake Martin’s 2009 Jazz Fest Will Start And End Strong
The Alex City Jazz Fest continues to provide the Lake Martin area with the best value in music and entertainment. Since the Jazz Fest is free, it’s hard to beat that value.
You can also make the case that, on the Lake Martin concert scale of things, the Jazz Fest offers some of the best music, regardless of price.
A look at prior years’ Jazz Fests rosters shows you talent that you might pay heavily to hear: Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, just to name a few.
OPENING WITH A BANG
Don’t be late to downtown Alex City on Friday night, June 12, 2009. The first act is old style delta blues master Kent DuChaine. He starts at 6:00 PM, so you better get there early.
Kent is a throwback to the blues pioneers of the pre-1950s era. He plays an old steel Dobro, with a slide, of course. He plays anywhere, anytime. In fact he has been in the Netherlands or something playing the week before Jazz Fest. Kent has headlined blues festivals in Europe and the US, but (for some reason) you can still see him at local bars (Marty’s in Birmingham) and private parties. He plays hard no matter if the crowd is 10 or 10,000.
I won’t go on and on about his impeccable blues lineage, except to say that through his days with Alabama blues legend Johnny Shines, he has a direct tutorial line to Robert Johnson. In fact I think he plays Johnson’s tunes to perfection. Most musicians I hear, even self b
illed blues players, do horrible justice to Robert Johnson songs. Most feel the need to try to have a modern interpretation that just falls flat. Or, they attempt acoustic and just sound weak, tinny, and condescendingly corn pone hokey. Kent plays Robert Johnson’s blues not exactly how he sounds on the Library of Congress recordings, but how he would have played them in a beer joint outside of Clarksdale, MS on a sweltering summer night. Think Clapton’s Unplugged “Rollin and Tumblin.” Rip-roaring. Brazen. Pillaging the countryside. Unafraid of the Crossroads. Mocking the hell hounds.
DuChaine also expertly covers the Chess era of the blues. Muddy, the Wolf, Sonny Boy, and the like. He switches effortlessly between the boasts of “Red Rooster” to the solemn wail of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” Kent also mixes in his own material with the masters.’ Solid Gold.
I’ve heard Kent play probably 30 times in my life. He only gets better. Do yourself a favor and get a taste of real authentic delta blues. I almost hate to label him like that, for fear that some may judge too quickly. But, as my wife - who “does not like Western movies” – sobbed uncontrollably through the last 2 hours of Lonesome Dove, I think that most people won’t realize he played delta blues, they will just know they loved it.
CLOSING WITH A BLAST
Susan Tedeschi will be the last act for 2009 Jazz Fest, Saturday Night at the Lake Martin Amphitheater.
She is super talented. I hear her a lot on the Sirius – XM Blues Channel. From her recordings, I think we can expect more original stuff than covers, but that’s OK by me, because she’s really good. It seems like every time I hear a strong, soulful female voice singing on the Channel, I check the artist’s name and it’s her. Tedeschi also just so happens to be married to former Jazz Fest headliner Derek Trucks.
Did I mention the Jazz Fest is free? Don’t let my lack of ink on the other acts deter you. I’m trying to say that it wil all be good.
Full 2009 Alex City Jazz Fest Schedule
Click Here for Jazz Fest on Facebook
Click Here for Jazz Fest on myspace
