Stew,

First I want to thank you for taking the time and effort to post all of that. It was very interesting reading. What I hear throughout Allen's letter is a great frustration with the festival as it has become.

I was one of the earlier performers, and I think I've got something like 23 performers' buttons hiding in my sock drawer. What that tells me is that I was there at close to the beginning, and I have witnessed the changes ... some for the better, most for the worse.

I'm afraid that I agree with the thought that: "... it can't be changed." It has become it's own monster, the focus is now gone from folk music. As you said, it's now just a huge carnival!

I also have to admit that I have expected more violence than has actually happened ... we've been very lucky.

For the next few years, I intend to contribute my efforts at smaller venues such as Rainy Camp, and maybe some of the alternitive folk festivals that are springing up. I'd much rather trade songs in a crowd of 30 than 100,000. CHEERS, Bob Nelson