Sweet Potato Jam 2008

While planning our trip South this year I got kind of a wild hair and started checking to see what opportunities there might be to see some entertainment this year while in Florida. At any rate, I came across what was described as a blues, rock, rock-a-billie.......concert called the "Sweet Potato Jam 2008, with Delbert McClinton as the headliner followed by Teresa James, Big Joe and the Boys, and the Super Grit Cowboy Band. A Mr. Kendall Hill and entrepreneur was having a Birthday Party to which he invites a few people (500-600)to see his favorite entertainers. After being interviewed for 45 minutes (quite literally) with questions like ..."When you drink beer, are you a lover or a fighter?" we were invited to come to the concert. Mr. Hill owns this huge complex to store his crops and for some number of years has had this event as his "birthday party" in his potato storage area.

The warehouse itself is surprisingly clean and big

We were staying in Kinston at the Nature Park shown in the previous post and not being too sure what we gotten ourselves into we went out to explore where we were going to be for the concert.

The electrical and lighting was being done when we check the area out

You'll notice there was no specific seating and we had been told to bring chairs and treats, no glass, and an Hors d'oeuvre to pass and of course BYOB. The tables were bins used to store the potato's until shipment.

We had fun meeting new people and were surprised to some extent the age group of the crowd...I would guess the average age was 55 or more which was interesting because this party had no end time and we were told that it goes well past 2:00AM (doors opened at 6:00 PM)
There were of course the characters that always show at events and this guy below was really that. He dozed off about 11:30 and I hope he made it home in one piece. He really was a good and funny guy.
We did meet other couples that sort of took us under wing and taught us the proper use of the term barbecue in North Carolina
The couple below were from Virginia and the first in line to get in....we were second... and had a nice conversation while waiting to get in. They invited us to join them at their "table" which was very much appreciated.
The music was fantastic! People were at the stage front most of the night with people dancing everywhere. The entertainers mixed with the crowd and it was just a down home party.

If opportunity presents itself, we hope to be invited back next year!