Sunday afternoon, I attended the annual Virginia Highlands Summerfest. I hate photographing festivals. They remind me of the myriad boring art festivals my parents dragged my brother and I to while we were growing up. Also, they generally have a high proportion of non-photogenic persons (NPP), requiring me to work much harder. I prefer events that I can walk into half (or fully) crocked, do one lap around the venue, and walk out of with thirty great shots. However, I will put up with endless amounts of walking if an event offers something in return, like cheap Martinis. The Midtown Martini March would be a good example.

As art festivals go, this one was quite boring and had more than its share of NPP. While I was chilling on the lawn at John Howell Park with recurring Propeller Skies character Jamie and her hot friend Danielle, The Drexlers began playing on the 99x Sound Stage. They managed to save the festival from total mediocrity.

While they were setting up, I pegged them as people that would play tree-hugging hippie music. They actually had a soft-rock sound, which I generally dislike, but Annie’s excellent voice helped their case and convinced me to stick around. It turns out that they started out as an acoustic duo playing coffee houses, so my initial assessment was partially correct.

They are worth seeing if it happens to be convenient. For example, if they were on the bill with a band I really liked, I would not run out of the venue with my hands over my ears.

notes:

PHOTO: Annie Drexler of The Drexlers at Virginia Highlands Summerfest in Atlanta, GA. June 6, 2004. Courtesy of d.2263 Photographics. View more Virginia Highlands Summerfest photos.