Cajun fun in wintry Sisters

Michael Doucet, BeauSoleil's lead singer and fiddler, mounted the stage last Saturday night and peered through the lights at the large crowd gathered for the second of the winter concert series hosted by the Sisters Folk Festival.

"This is dancing music and y'all are in your seats," he said. Somewhere from the left rear of the auditorium a voice rang out: "Not for long!"

The reply turned out to be more than prophetic, as by the time the thunderous applause rang out in tribute to the group's first song, there was a steady trickle of concert-goers headed to the front to dance to the lively music. A number of normally staid Sisters residents found a rationale to cut loose and dance in a free form expression of pure fun. An occasional fan trapped by a seat in the middle of a row resorted to dancing in place.

Sisters resident Jack Nagel was wistfully observing the small crowd that was gathering in the aisles and said: "Not that many people are dancing, I am surprised. It is pretty hard to sit still." When asked why he hadn't joined the group, he replied, "I'm not a very good dancer, so I don't like to get up there in front of people."

However, even his reluctance to perform in public couldn't spare him as he wandered forward after the intermission and joined the growing throng that was filling the front aisles.

A short way into the performance, Doucet exclaimed, "Laissez les bon temps rouler" (let the good times roll), and it served as a signal to break free even more reluctant dancers.

Nlnie Galakis had driven from Eugene to visit some friends in Bend and was invited to come to the performance. She was glowing as a short break appeared between two songs and as she was catching her breath from a rather spirited dance she said, "It would have been painful to sit in the seat."

Lizzy Chapman had come from Bend to take advantage of the two tickets that had been given to her by a friend for Christmas.

"The band is wonderful," she said. "This is the second time that I have heard them." She had only the highest of praise for the Sisters Folk Festival bringing the group to Sisters and was impressed with the venue saying, "I think the acoustics are really good. This is the first time I have been in this building, and I am really surprised that Sisters has such a nice facility."

Bend residents John Caito, his wife and a few friends proudly announced that they had ticket numbers one through six, saying that shows how anxious they were to see the group again.

"Actually we saw BeauSoleil two years ago when they were in Bend for the Cascade music festival (Cascade Festival of Music)," he said.

BeauSoleil has been involved in relief efforts for the victims of hurricane Katrina, and Doucet told the audience that there are still a lot of people who are suffering, particularly in the small towns that everyone, especially FEMA, has forgotten.

He concluded with a light hearted, "Louisiana is half under water and half under indictment."

James Allen Boraas, owner of Sisters Carpet Cleaning, had a smile that stretched all the way across his face.

"I really like it," he said. "It's excellent. I was doing some chair dancing, you know sitting down and dancing. I am not quite ready to go forward yet."

Boraas is impressed with the Sisters Folk Festival and the richness that it brings to the area. "I am going to all the concerts this year, and I can't wait for the folk festival this year," he announced.