sprawling package.  Though they call it a lodge and we stayed the night there as part of our performance agreement, I don’t think they regularly let rooms.  Though it looks like a road house from the exterior, with weather beaten wood and hand-lettered signs, the food is absolutely delectable.  Though it’s in the middle of NOWHERE it has a buzzing community of people surrounding it, both patrons and employees, who radiate a sophisticated, artsy aura.  In short, it’s a whole lot of fun. 

Our stage at the Dream Away Lodge in Becket, MA. There were lots of little instrument finds if you went exploring in the cases. I never DID check to see if the piano was in tune, but judging by the condition of the myriad guitars in the room I imagine it was unlikely. A tenor banjo, a trumpet, a ukulele, a tiny djembe, myriad percussion toys and a violin.

Dinner was unending, with food leading to coffee and coffee leading to dessert.  May I recommend the crème broulee?  Oh, and the singing Vietnamese chicken?  And whatever it was that Heather had.  Hwah.  And the cocktails! 

The show itself was sparse.  We had a big crowd for the first part of the evening but since we were pre-camping season most parties have an hour+ drive home and our first

break turned into our finale as most people gathered themselves for the long drive home but the environment was so wonderful and the people that WERE there were so exquisitely friendly it hardly mattered. 

Heather sound checking at the Dream Away Lodge in Becket, MA.

And then… we were led to the shed.

It doesn’t SOUND appealing and indeed, in the dark after having recently seen The Cabin In The Woods there some unease about the environment deep in my soul – but the rough-hewn timbers, the wood fire, the comfortable quilts and the cool night air swiftly got me over any distress.