SonsStock

Today, Saturday, August 15, 2009 was the annual "SonsStock" music and arts fair at the world famous Sons Of Hermann Hall in Dallas, Texas. The event has been put on, and spearheaded by Ranger Randall Fields for the last four years. It is held in conjunction with the anniversary of Woodstock music and arts fair in 1969.

The Sons Of Hermann Hall is a historic structure, built in 1911, at the corner of Elm St. and Exposition St. in the Deep Ellum section of Old East Dallas. It is one of many Hermann Halls located in towns and cities across Texas. The Sons Of Hermann is an old, mostly German fraternal organization.

Ok Hwa and I have been going to The Sons Of Hermann Hall for many years, to see and hear great music, and to dance. The upstairs ballroom is one of the best dance halls in Dallas, and has hosted a "Who's Who" of fine Texas musicians for decades. Many prominent Texas musicians got their start playing the ballroom at The Sons Of Hermann.

We are members of the Sons Of Hermann, Lodge 66, and as such, enjoy certain benefits, including life insurance, reduced drink prices, special member parties throughout the year, etc.

We can usually be found at the Hall on Thursday evenings for the "Electric Campfire, Acoustic Jam", which is also hosted by Ranger Randell. It's always a fun evening, with many good musicians and singers trading off songs around the electric campfires. The attendees spread out all over the lodge, from the downstairs bar, to the bowling alley out back, the meeting room up front, to the upstairs ballroom, and even in the stairwells and landings.

Other regular events at the Hall include swing dance lessons and party on Wednesday evenings, and concerts in the upstairs ballroom on Fridays and Saturdays. Special events are sometimes held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Today's "SonsStock" was one such special event.

Artists and craftsmen set up booths to sell their wares all over the hall, and there was almost continuous music on the stage in the ballroom from noon to midnight. They were selling burgers and hot dogs from the kitchen by the bar, and the bar was doing a lively business all day long. Almost all of our friends from the Thursday night acoustic jam were there, as well as many lodge members, old hippies, cosmic cowboys, curiosity seekers, patrons of the arts, and members of the general public. It was a very fun day for us.

To learn more about the Sons Of Hermann, follow this link:
http://www.sonsofhermann.com/sohh_menu.htm.

Here are the other two videos I made there today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaZ-hA62iu8, and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kksTC8R1UVg.