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Maberly, Ontario, Canada website |
It may be that you find the Labour Day weekend depressing. And maybe you dislike musical events, especially outdoor musical events. Can you find no joy in canoeing, camping or fishing? What about a swim through a pristine lake, or lounging on a raft amongst a gaggle of giggling bikini-clad hipsters? Less strenuously, what about lounging in the forest, sipping beer from a can or wine from a box? If none of the above interests you in the least then you are likely a mean and cheap bastard who finds no amusement in life. And even then you will appreciate the beauty of this event, the Grand ol' Mayberly Meltdown: for 40 (Canadian) Dollars every requirement for a smashing week-end long party is taken care of. The Meltdown is a private event, put on by two amiable brothers, Jeremy and Tim, primarily for their friends. As we happened to be friends of friends we happened to get a handful of the 150 available tickets. The thousand kilometer drive to the venue was the biggest hurdle we faced, and a topic of conversation amongst those we met there. The venue is an expansive private property west of Ottawa. On arrival we left our car, piled our bags and tents and booze onto a logging truck, and were driven a hilarious and hair-raising journey to a remote lakeside spot. The only sound was the hum of a bank of generators that would run the sound system, stage props, and – kindly – a string of light bulbs leading to the two-seater outhouse. And on the subject of the outhouse; while it is the instant sense of "community" that makes an intimate event like this special, we sometimes found ourselves seeking rules of etiquette that would allow us to avoid it. Laura quizzed us endlessly us on how she should have responded to the fellow seated next to her in the shitter who kept trying to engage her in conversation. It is hard to ignore someone when you're separated by a mere sliver of plywood set high off the floor. Our tent was part of a grouping that would eventually form both a small neighbourhood and an informal liquor cooperative. Our social organizer, Patti, had cleverly orchestrated a number of introductions, and had arranged swift access to the canoes. Her work was not without reward, for by the end of the weekend Laura had caught a new boyfriend and Dave had caught a prize-winning large mouth bass. Having been to many stadium concerts, week-end long festivals, and brewery sponsored gigs, Mayberly is a shining star in comparison. The organizers strove to break-even on the event, not cash in. There was no Heineken or Budweiser tent, no mall of crusty kiosks offering henna body tattoos or hemp necklaces or tie-dyed wrap-around skirts. In the style of a cottage party they invited us in and gave us everything we needed, down to an emergency shuttle services for those threatened with being able to see the bottom of their beer cooler. The music I don't really need to go into except to say it was sensational; the bands all have a decent profile and there are reviews a-plenty if you want to know more. In style they ran the gamut from alt-country to surfabilly. My favourites? The Constantines, Fiftymen, The Sadies and The Sin-Tones. What an incredible way to wind down summer. Cheers to the concept of small-is-beautiful. |
