Vikki checked in with a copy of the (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat that her neighbor brought over. Art and I made the front page, above the banner, AND page 4, with our names under the photo!
p.s. i play bass, but, yeah.
The Starry Plough reopened Sundays – Wednesdays in early 2022, as yet not open weekends or booking bands. Meanwhile, the PFS dis-banded, a victim of the Eternal Lockdown and playing for beer.
Since summer of 2020 the Var Mints can be found on Facebook, with videos. Check out upcoming appearance at the Farm, 10 Cargo Way, San Francisco, CA, Sunday August 7, 2022–between noon-2 PM . .
Art and Laurie play the Cotati Accordion Festival, Saturday, August 20, at 12:40 PM.
We also host the International Musical Saw Festival in Santa Cruz and Roaring Camp, August 13/14, 2022. http://www.sawplayers.com for info.
The Polka Cowboys return for a near-yearly appearance at Sunol Regional Wilderness Cowboy Hootenanny, Saturday October 15, 2022 at 11 AM and 2 PM.
From I-680 exit at Calaveras Road (near the town of Sunol.) Turn right at the exit onto Calaveras Road and proceed about four miles to a left turn onto Geary Road, which leads directly into the park. (If you find yourself driving uphill on a narrow winding road you’ve missed the Geary Road turnoff.) To reach the Old Green Barn take the first left after the park entrance.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePolkaCowboys and thepolkacowboys.com
Thanks everybody. See you down the road.
All venues are closed , unless they have food available for takeout. Audience-wise, this is not tenable. Not likely there will be live music indoors for the summer, maybe into winter–which means, maybe a year, maybe never. Contra dance is not a non-contact sport–even outdoor festivals, even the Saw festival–are cancelled. Possum Family, Var Mints, Polka Cowboys, Wildcat Canyon–
It seems—these bands may never play again. How do you sing with a mask over your face? We shall see.
Today the pub is closed, the calendar is wiped clean. All gigs cancelled, we’re on holiday. see you mid April, I hope
Waiting for a photo- after much whimpering and reticence, as of January 18, 2020 the band graduated to the Starry Plough stage, a full 18 inches above and several feet to the west of their previous location huddled near a favorite table and pillar in the middle of the pub. Come cast your eyes upon the awesomeness!
This postcard must be from 2009, as I printed it on the back of a card listing gigs from late 2009-early 2010. I had repeated as true history that we didn’t come up with the name until January 2010, so that is proven wrong . . .
Recognize here the blackadder font, the original source of the iconic PFS logo, which I hand-lettered. The idea of a porch, to play on or hide under, was already clear.
The image is a color negative of a drawing from a photo Chris Hanson took of possums eating cat food out of pink plastic bowls on her porch at 60th Street.
Art and I will be performing, and joining Esperanza and Greg Pratt, at the Faire 
Polka Cowboys 2019
Halloween dance at the Starry Plough
Murder Ballad night, Harmony Benefit
Art on the train to Nebraska, Oct 2019
Laurie on drums at the NTCMA Festival
Cotati, Accordion Apocalypse stage, 2019
We so enjoyed playing on the Traveling Spectacular last year– the best stage at the festival!
This year we have an hour set at noon, so come on up, or down, or over, as the case may be–Sunday, August 18th, Noon to 1pm – Art Peterson & Laurie Miller – Cotati Accordion Festival – Accordion Apocalypse Stage (just inside the Main Entrance) – www.cotatifest.com
Wildcat Canyon is Art Peterson on accordion, Stephanie Costanza playing fiddle and Laurie Miller on bass, bringing rock-steady fiddle tunes to the contra scene.
We play Saturday, August 31st – 8 to 11pm (free beginners lesson at 7:30)
First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Avenue (Near Middlefield Rd), Palo Alto (upstairs in the boxy Social Hall building on the corner at Byron St.)
$20 supporters,
$12 non-members,
$10 members
$6 students or low-income
or pay what you can
Palo Alto – www.bacds.org
- wear comfortable, light clothing.
- bring comfortable shoes with clean, non-marking soles.
- avoid using alcohol or drugs before the dance.
- not wear any artificial fragrances.
Possum Family Singers 