The Backroads: My new baby

By Sean Hart
Monday, May 18, 2009 12:21 AM PDT

There’s a new member of the humble Hart household: Takamine.

While my cat, Shinobi, and dog, Frank, can be plenty audible, Takamine really has quite the voice.

Of course, with six strings, a hollow body and a solid spruce top, I suppose you’d probably expect it to make some noise.

That’s right, I finally got a new guitar.

My old one had seen better days, and, although we had many a good time together, I felt it was time for something new. Perhaps because I’m finally going to play a show.

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Yes, you actually read that correctly: At long last, your so-called musician lifestyle editor friend is going to live up to the title. Of musician, of course — I’ve never claimed to be very good at the latter.

At 8:30 p.m., toward the end of the Art Beat On Main Street May 30 in downtown Vale, Take 22 — myself and fellow Valeite Cory Sappe — will take the stage, armed with acoustic guitar and harmonica, to entertain the masses. Best of all, it won’t cost you a dime to come and watch.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 40 years, you’ll know some of the songs we are going to play. They’re mostly covers — our versions of songs we really like — but you’ll get to hear our songwriting too.

Basically, we’re set up to be pretty easy-going and entertaining, and that’s what we hope to do: make the crowd have a good time, while enjoying the art-promoting event that benefits the Drexel Foundation’s free youth programs.

I actually participated in Drexel’s annual talent show in high school and must say it’s nice for us artists to have a place to shine.

So come on out to Vale in a couple weeks, May 30, and let’s have a good time.

There’ll be plenty of other bands you’ll hear about in the Argus as the date draws near — including headliner P36, featuring former Valeite Jeremiah Strohmeyer, who took the stage with me in the Drexel show back in high school.

There’ll be lots more going on, too. You won’t want to miss it.

If nothing else, here is your chance to meet my new baby and see us in action on stage.

(To the blogging naysayers, feel free to bring your tomatoes.)

Sean Hart is the lifestyle editor for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com. Care to comment? Post a blog at www.argusobserver.com.