STEEL BRIDGE SONGFEST 3!

[TheBalance]

SB2 was a monumental and historic success! The songwriting portion of the festival yielded over 50 new songs and 15 of those songs recorded in The Holiday Motel will be featured on "Steel Bridge Songs Vol. 1" (Broken Halo) out this spring.
The festival would like to thank all the supporters, attendees, volunteers and announce the confirmation of SB3 June 14th-16th 2007! Last years' fest ended with some 4,400 attendees on the waterfront with Jackson Browne and 60 other talented artists rockin' in the moonlight. This year, we expect attendance will double with more great headliners; Jackson Browne, pat mAcdonald, Emiko, Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's, James Hall of The Pleasure Club and Mike D. of S.O.B. More headliners TBA! A mix of international and regional artists will attend the songwriting intensive in The Holiday Motel and play the 8 venues in historic downtown Sturgeon Bay as well as the festival mainstage on Saturday afternoon. Keep checking back for updates as many exciting things are on the horizon for SB3.

Get to know these talented bridge supporters!
http://www.myspace.com/patmacdonald
http://www.myspace.com/emiko
http://www.myspace.com/jameshall
http://www.myspace.com/wiedlinjane
http://www.myspace.com/michaeldeandamron
http://www.brokenhalorecords.com
For advance passes email: steelbridge2@msn.com

"I dont know where to begin...THANK YOU. thank you for changing my life in the best way possible...The steelbridge song fest haunts me, and i will never be the same (i hope i hope). I now have an extended family."

-Liv Mueller (The Darkhorse Project)

"Thank *you*, also, for everything you did for SBSF2. That was one of the most inspirational things I've ever been a part of. The atmosphere and music were so great. It was terrific to see the sense of community among the musicians that you brought together--especially those songwriters from the Holiday Motel."

-Lloyd "Reid" Cole

"STEEL BRIDGE WAS F****N AWESOME ... i want to thankyou again for the whole experience of Steel Bridge -Ive never been to any festival, seminar, or camp as cool as the steel bridge festival

-Brandon Blazer

"I had the best 3 days of my life at the Songfest"

-Josh (The Darkhorse Project)

"I just wanted to be among the many extending thanks to you and your sister for the great festival. It was really heart warming to see all that great talent decend upon Sturge. Please please please consider us to play again next year."

-Josh, Little Marsh Overflow

"Hey Pat just wanted to take a sec and thank you for inviting us to steel bridge. we had an unbelievable time. hope we can do it again."

-Sleeper Car

"Hey, once again, I just want to say thanks. SBSF2 was truly magical for me and I think it was for at least 30 other people I now know personally, lol."..

-Charlie Cheney

"I really appreciate the fact that you asked us to help out with the Steel bridge songfest 2, and my drummer, Brian, and his wife Connie had a great time, as I did as well , of course. ... I had a great time playing for the crowd at Pooh's, I had a very receptive response and we have some video that my drummer captured of it. I even had multiple offers to play other gigs! Wicked!
Thanks again for the opportunity to help me get some exposure and also help out a great cause! Cheers!"

-D'Wendt (Cobalt Fur)

"thanks again for having us for the sbsfII
we had a lot of fun and hope you'll consider us for next year as well. i'm gonna go take a nap now, just got home. thanks"

-High on Stress


"I had the time of my life and then some last week Pat ... How and the hell do you describe what happened unless you got a taste of it. Man!"

-Bruce Reaves (Bye Bye Johnny)

"Thanks again to you and your family (who by the way,were so nice and accomadating to my family) for one of the best weekends of my life. Can't wait till next year."

-Jeremy Reaves (son of Bruce)
'''thank you' does not even begin to express my heartfelt gratitude for the gift you, your friends and of course your beautiful sister have given this area. I met so many great folks, had so much fun..."

-Bill Goettleman

"wanted to thank you again for having me at SBSF 2! it really was an incredible experience!.. "life-changing" seems to be what most who participated have said, and i can't disagree!.."

-Craig Greenberg

"geeeeeeeez! can it really be over with? what an extraordinarily magical week it was. loved loved loved working with mo! and dan!
thank you! thank you! thank you!"

-Layne

"On behalf of all in Forty Piece Choir, we sincerely want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts to be involved in such an amazing event Pat! We had a blast and enjoyed every moment in Sturgeon bay! Over the course of our stay from Friday through Sunday, we managed to play 4 times (two sets at the Nautical Inn on Friday, the main open air performance, and the Red Room on late Saturday night). It seemed that everyone at the festival we met wanted to hear more than just a few songs, so at any given opportunity we ran with it. We sincerely hope that you will have us out again for next years Steel Bridge Song Fest and at any other opporunity we can make to play a club (hopefully doing a show with YOU Pat!). Scott and Irene were more than accomodating at the Firefly / Viking Cottages and we felt consumed by the lake front beauty. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
-Dan Dominiak & Forty Piece Choir

and on and on...

it was a truly magical week, thanks to everyone involved. See you at SBSF3!!!

xo,p



"This festival brings it all together...tremendous musical talent,
the creative process, social commitment, historic vision and, most of
all, a real organic and comfortable vibe. I'm honored to be part of
it because I love that old bridge and I love what the organizers and
supporters are doing to save it. And making it happen with all that
great music is just too cool."

-Len Nelson, 105.7 WAPL

Steel Bridge SongFest3(SB3)
June 14-16, 2007, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Saving An Old Bridge, Building New Ones

A campaign to save an old bridge becomes a musical event of national proportions, revitalizing a small community in the process.

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin’s historic Michigan Street Bridge, the “Gateway to Northern Door County,” has long endured a questionable future. Disgruntled locals, ambitious contractors, and some state officials have all found reason to covet its demise.

A decade of debate preceded the state’s decision in 2004 to preserve the unique drawbridge, yet still its needed restoration is not a done deal. Questions persist, and funds have yet to be appropriated.

Steel Bridge Songfest

In spring 2005, musician/songwriter Pat MacDonald and his sister, historic preservationist Christie Weber, decided to throw an outdoor concert for the bridge‘s 75th birthday. Local philanthropist Sheila Turner donated her venue: the historic shipyard at Great Lakes Yachts. MacDonald’s friend, Jackson Browne, offered to play for free. Thirty other musical acts fell in line, and the first Steel Bridge Songfest was born.

It was a bold undertaking, like nothing before tried in Door County, but hundreds of community volunteers pitched in, the public showed up, the weather held out, and the June concert was a success.

The money raised (over $50,000) paid for the event and created a fund held by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, earmarked for “all expenses relating to preservation and enhancement of the Michigan Street Bridge.”

SB2

Mr. Browne so enjoyed his first Door County experience, he signed on for a follow-up. Hundreds more from across the U.S took his lead. “Bridges are good…” they reasoned. Door County’s beauty, the persuasiveness of the organizers, and the chance to meet and share a stage with Jackson Browne further solidified their commitment.

Early arrivals filled the Holiday Motel across from the concert grounds. Songs were written and recorded there, new bands formed, impromptu concerts happened all over town, and Sturgeon Bay bars and coffee shops reported record business.

Door county partied like never before. A beer-sponsored “Safe Rides” program and other temporary public transportation made sure people got home alright, and police reported an eighty-percent reduction in drunk driving arrests that weekend.

New Bridges

When the musicians disbursed, they left behind a fired-up local music scene and a wowed public. They also left over 60 songs immortalizing the bridge, the Holiday Motel, the beauty of Door County, and the kindness of the community that so lovingly received them.

Now, with SBSF3 on the horizon (June 14-16, 2007), Steel Bridge Songfest is an annual event. Its influx of creative energy, merging forward thinking with historic preservation, brings young and old, tourists and locals, the struggling and the fortunate, the conservative and the not-so-conservative, together in a common cause. New bridges made of music and song are helping to save an old one made of steel.

Steel Bridge Songs Vol.1

The 15 selections on this disc bring the message, convey the fun, and immortalize the spirit of Steel Bridge Songfest. The writers and artists have all volunteered their time, energy and creativity to this project. Proceeds and royalties will be donated to the Steel Bridge Fund. Thanks for your support!
For information about making donations or purchasing passes, call 920 495 3779 or email: steelbridge2@msn.com

See Also: http://steelbridgesongfest.com

[stoney]

Hey Mark
did you attend this last year? I was already scheduled for something or I would have gone. I need to see my cl this summer to see if I can make it. It sounds great and I always wanted to see Jackson Brown.

[TheBalance]

I did'nt get there last year. I did'nt know about it!
I came to find out about it while visiting my school days friends in the Vic Ferrari Band. I spoke with Chris Aaron awhile back, and he said he'll be participating. He claims he already has some ideas for a song, and he'll be performing with his band. I'm not sure at what time he'll be performing, or on which stage venue.
I figure a good time is to be had by all!

[TheBalance]

Last year's event was a huge success. So huge, that they decided to strap it on for round 4.

SBSF '08 "Three Days of Music & Discovery" June 12-13-14.

Steel Bridge SongFest '08
in Historic Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin

Many of the Favorites and Mainstays will be returning this year. Some that have already confirmed include Jackson Browne, Jane Wiedlin, Freedy Johnston, Eric McFadden, Blueheels, Tony Brown, Ruby James, Geri X, James Hall, Kim Manning, and more confirming every day.

Details can be found at the following link: http://www.steelbridgesongfest.org/