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.
A poster-card I designed, photo-shopped lettering over a banner I drew in 1969 or so.
After Celu left the Silver Kittens in 2009, she got a weekly? spot at the Kensington Circus Pub as “Celu and Friends”. One night she was informed that the grownups had decided they didn’t want music, as it interfered with watching sports on the big TV. . A bartender from Chester’s Cafe was hanging out at the bar, and he invited her to come play; they have a cabaret license and only had music once a week.
So, Chester’s, in Berkeley’s Walnut Square, became a weekly thing, Steve and I and others were the Friends. When the Possum Family Singers formed, we found ourselves with a monthly show.
We had already made the name change by December 2009 when I put this poster together.
June 1 First-and-Third-Saturdays at the Plough kicks off with Art and Laurie playing from their huge songbook, including dance tunes from the Polka Cowboy and Wildcat Canyon repertoires.
June 15 Ann and Kurt will be back from holiday, Possums as usual.
Saturday June 8 Art and Laurie lead the Contradance Band Workshop and Dance at the 2019 San Francisco Free Folk Festival, at Everett Middle School, 450 Church Street, San Francisco.
The band workshop will be at noon in Music 5- Room 225.
The dance will be 6:30 – 8:30 in the Dance A- the North Gym
Art will also lead a sing-along at the Video: Pete Seeger Song-Leading workshop, 3-6 in Room 224.
all events free, festival parking (last time I checked) $10.
Starry Plough, 5 – 7pm Thursday, May 30th
At’s right – we got a fifth Thursday this month so we’ll be ridin’ in to the Plough, playin’ from 5 to 7pm. Art, Greg, Laurie and Ray return for an all-ages show of polkas, swing, two-step and waltzes, for your dancing pleasure. Come bring the kids and enjoy a pint, and delicious pub food– (voted among the top ten bay area burgers at sfgate)
next chance to catch us will be August 29 and October 31.
The Polka Cowboys
Thursday, May 30th – 5pm to 7pm
at The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
Is it fair to post other critturs here? Joanie van Hulle and Laurie Miller bring sweet harmonies to Joanie’s original tunes, and Laurie’s quirky and folky unoriginals as the Var Mints–
FOURTH THURSDAY hippy hour each month, 5 to 7 PM sharp .
At the Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley
- Joanie Van Hulle and co-Var Mint Laurie Miller
Possum Family Singers 