Ohio Summer Recap — Megan Palmer

Last week I was in Ohio for some gigs, Comfest and a family reunion. What an exciting time! Jason and I got to play on WCBE 90.5 FM, Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza, Easton Town Center, Dick’s Den, Comfest and The Rambling House. It was a true tour of the town. I had a great band too, with Jen Miller, Dave Vaubel, Brett Burleson, Manny Quintero and Sam Brown. After missing the last two years of Comfest due to the P-word, it felt so good to be back and hug everyone again.

Unfortunately on Friday the 24th we learned of the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. I felt paralyzed and sad and wondered how to proceed on the heels of such a busy and dynamic weekend, where I would be on many stages. It’s hard to immediately come up with words of wisdom when you feel so helpless. I went to Comfest on Friday at noon as planned to see Elisa Nicolas, my longtime friend and inspiration. She had a Gazebo set and I wanted to support her. Also she is someone I look to when I don’t know what to do. She is just that way. She has a song called ‘No Answers’ and it’s really a perfect song that applied to my mood in that moment. Listening to her perform that song helped me realize that music is one of the most important things we have when we are feeling so lost and immobile. The reason I believe this is because it moves us from overthinking into a place of feeling. As the song progressed, I felt myself become more aligned in my body, and some of the repetitive thoughts I was having, about women being turned away that very moment, and what will happen to women who may need to terminate a pregnancy for a huge number of reasons, and on and on, and I replaced that anxiety with action. The action of sending peace to those places and to all of us, for so many women I know have been faced with impossible decisions, and I think we always assumed it would be still up to us. I am still angry. I am still frustrated. But I learned again music has the power to modulate pain into peace.

Dancing with Frank Tennyson at Elisa Nicolas' set at Comfest

I took this with me to my set that night at Dick’s Den. It was the warmup gig for our Comfest to follow the next day. I always say Dick’s Den is one of the places that so many scenes would take place if my life were a movie. It’s a place that feels like home always. It’s the ‘Cheers’ of my peers of many years. When I walk in, literally everyone knows my name, and I know most of theirs, or at least their faces if it’s been awhile. Some memories are hazy from days passed but Dick’s will always hold a special place in my heart and I was feeling so lucky to get to play there Friday night. I kept my feelings from earlier during Elisa’s set in mind, and as soon as we got started, I felt like we cast a spell on the room and everyone was with us on the journey. Singing with Jen Miller and Dave Vaubel felt so so good. Sam Brown on drums turned every song into something danceable. Manny Quintero on bass ensured the groove. Brett Burleson is a guitarist I can always count on, and is my quasi Musical Director. Music is joyful and even in times of strife, it emerges as healing salve for those who play and those who listen. We are so damn lucky.

JP Olsen closed out the night and continued to take the energy to a good place. I caught up with friends and my sisters Amanda and Katelyn were there and it was so special to be out with them. I closed the place down on a high note.

The next day was my set at Comfest. The previous night released all of my nerves about my set. I knew we’d be just fine. I sat in a little earlier with the Repo Pilots, a band with Sean Woosley I made a virtual record with, a rock opera called The Ghost of 1918 and then my set was shortly after.

One of the highlights of the set was inviting my nephew Arthur Bailey to join me. He lives in Portland OR and is 10 years old. This was his first Comfest, and he was ready to rock. He joined us for Knifetwister and did an amazing job. Stayed up for Take Good Care and even managed to throw a couple of tshirts into the audience. One of them hit my sister and I audibly laughed but it was a great moment.

Megan Palmer and Wally Mitchell at the Comfest Museum

We finished out the evening by playing at Rambling House with Blind Engineer and the Woosley Band. It was a great way to close it out and hear the harmonies Jen, Dave and I had perfected. We were lucky to have Paul Abbott join us on drums as well. I enjoyed introducing each band member as a former sports player that fit their personality.

I sat in with Jen Miller at her set on Sunday and the rain held off as she cast her own spell by singing Blue Skies. She made us all cry with her last song ‘Mary Don’t you Weep’ and the choir on stage brought back Arthur and also my sister Amanda and nephew Hollis and also some Columbus all-stars. Tony Monaco closed out Comfest and we all were misty and moved by his performance.

The next day we headed out and hit Cedar Point, America’s roller coast. It had been over a decade since I’d been there and it still holds up! I love roller coasters. I screamed my head off with what little voice I had left and it was a great time. We took my nephews (age 6,8,10) on their first real coasters and they acquired the taste of adrenaline by the end of the day (maybe starting with the Magnum XL 200 wasn’t the smartest idea) but they came around.