Saturday morning I awoke to a campground that had turned quite muddy from the rain that fell during the night. Fortunately I was able to stay mostly dry in my tent. I started the day by waddling through the mud to the writing seminar tent. I found myself learning quite a bit about poetry, which surely isn‘t a talent of mine, but I can certainly appreciate people who can write it. After the seminar, rain started falling again, so I seeked refuge in the Flickerings barn, where I caught the second half of Jesus of Montreal, a movie I had seen a couple of months ago but I couldn‘t understand why critics really liked this film so much. I had the chance to discuss the film afterward with some friends from the Arts and Faith board, including my friend Peter, who is a Canadian citizen himself. I had the chance to learn quite a bit about the political and religious context of the film, and could learn to appreciate the film more fully, despite its theological inaccuracies. I then caught a few songs by Jonathan Rundman and Beki Hemingway before catching some more of Peter’s memory and movies seminar. I then caught a few bands playing at various stages. I saw some of Annie Quick’s high-energy New York-style girrrrrl rock. I caught a new band called the Urban Sophisticates which consisted of hip hop with a cool horn section. I was so impressed, I bought their CD. I then caught a few songs by an Irish punk band called Flatfoot 56. Hearing their energetic punk rock with bagpipes, I was ready to grab a broadsword and fight the Battle of Hastings all over again! OK, I wouldn't have really fought; that sounds like a good way to get hurt. But I had to fight a fleeting urge to don a kilt.

That evening, I caught another Flickerings screening and was introduced for the first time to the world of Greek cinema through a movie called Hard Goodbyes, My Father. It was a touching and well-done film about a child's reaction to the death of a parent. I then headed back to the Gallery Tent to see some of my favorite bands who have been playing Cornerstone for years. I saw Bill Mallonee, formerly of Vigilantes of Love on solo acoustic guitar. I then caught the Lost Dogs, a band consisting of the lead singers of Daniel Amos, the 77s, and The Choir. They played an hour of satisfying acoustic music with harmonies inspired by the Traveling Wilburies and Crosby Stills and Nash. The strangest moment during the show was when one of the Dogs, Terry Taylor, felt the need to expunge some of his memories of 1970s-era fundamentalist Christianity. He shared an amusing story of a reaction he had to reading a “Chick Tract” and led the crowd in "rapture practice", which allowed for the audience to get a little bit of exercise. After stepping outside the tent to catch a fireworks display to celebrate the Fourth of July (technically the Third of July), I then was caught up in a buzz of anticipation, because for the first time in my life, I would be seeing a show from one of my favorite rock bands from the '80s, The Alarm. They didn’t disappoint as they gave one of the most energetic and rocking concerts I have seen in years. They played quite a number of familiar songs, as well as a few new ones. After the show, I could tell most of the people in the tent were as buzzed as I was, using words like "awesome" to describe the show. It will go down as one of the best shows I have ever seen at Cornerstone.