I must say, we really out-do ourselves...  Ménage has got the camping thing DOWN!  We had a wonderful weekend in Black Mountain, NC at the Lake Eden Arts Festival! 

Ménage played three shows this weekend.  We had a very exciting opening show on Thursday night for the crew and early birds in Eden Hall.  There were so many early birds this year it was amazing.  The festival sold out at 5,500 people and the grounds filled up quick.  We played right after our friends Rising Appalachia.  These chicks are amazing, so soothing and yet so funky!  You should definitely catch them if you can!   It rained all night long on Thursday after everyone was tucked in our tents and by Friday we could tell the worst was over.  The rest of the weekend was absolutely beautiful and full of sunshine.  It got really cold though and we woke up on Sunday morning to frost.  Thursday Matthew experienced his first "Veggie Thing" and predicted that we'd each eat two more a piece before the weekend was over.  So sad, we didn't meet that prediction.   

Friday night was a very lively show played to a packed out Eden Hall.  Ménage has been hard at work in the wood shed cranking out new tunes that we were very excited to try out.  Thanks go Jay Murdock for sending along a few pictures from the evening.  If anyone else got any we'd love for you to share!  That night we danced our butts off to Donna the Buffalo along with thousands of others. 

Saturday was our day off.  Matthew and I took a mini swing lesson on the trapeze.  I was very confident after watching everyone do it for two days.  Once I climbed the ladder though, it was a different story.  I was suddenly terrified and shaking like a LEAF.  I've never felt my body so frozen...when told to jump I really thought I did...but I just stood there.  Finally I went for it and it was quite a ride!  I got video of Matthew doing it (very well I might add!) and plan to post it soon.  We were shaking for almost an hour after!   We visited the kids craft fair...watch out for those kids they drive a very hard bargain.  Our friend Jana and I got one fingernail painted for five cents a piece.   There were some really cool crafts there, especially a girl who made animals and people all out of pipe cleaners...they were amazing!  We spent Saturday afternoon camped out at the main stage listening to music and hula hooping.  It got so cold that night Jana and Jonathan left and came back with a cast iron fire pit for the compound.  Saturday night after a B-Boy Hip Hop dance lesson and s'mores we all met at the drum circle.  No naked people, I think we went too early...  that night was the most beautiful moon over the lake.  

Sunday after an egg in a hole it was off to The Barn.  (Thanks to Janathan for bringing the grill and food!) Sunday was  Ménage and friends and so Evening Post kicked off the first set.  These guys are so talented, Lange Eve plays the banjo has a voice that will make you weep.  Aaron Post holds down the guitar, harmonica and sometimes banjo too with beautiful harmony as well.  We hope they'll get a cd out very soon!  The Pitch Slickers is another project of Mary Ellen's.  They all crowded around the mic with ME's upright bass, Sarah Wooldridge on the fiddle, Jed Willis on the mandolin, and Jeremy Odon on guitar.  Then Ménage did an acoustic set around the mic and Cary Fridley ended the show.  We closed the day watching Bella Fleck at the Main Stage.  It was such a great time!!
Thanks to everyone at LEAF..hope we see you again soon!

Sarah

Ménage is pleased to announce the renewal of the Hunt's Tomato Commercial for yet another year!  The commercial has changed a little but our song, "Tomatoes"  is still there.  We have just posted the 15 second spot on our myspace page however the 'hunt' is still on for the full 30 second version.  If anyone can catch it and get it up on youtube for us we'd love to have it!!

Thanks!!!

Hey guys and gals...
I've been hard at work at my new little jewelry business.  It doesn't have a name yet, but I am slowly...very slowly getting my earrings posted on etsy.com.  You can log onto sarahenglish.etsy.com to see and purchase my stuff.  If you are a local Ashevillin you can visit Pura Vida on Biltmore Ave. or The Honey Pot on Lexington Ave. downtown Asheville to purchase the goods.  Keeping my fingers crossed for the West Asheville Minx....
Enjoy!

Sarah

Hey everyone!!
We sure are enjoying our time off the road, it's good to take a little break once in a while.  Mary Ellen and I are deep in the throws of the design world, staying cool and looking hot.   Matthew will soon be teaching music to 20 pre-schoolers and Matt is kickin it in the back yard on his new patio when he's not solving math problems, playing soccor or doing the frog swim.  If you caught us in GA at the end of April you may have noticed we had a new guitar player.  Scott Stewart was kind enough to fill in for Matt on our little tour of Macon and Griffin.  We stopped at the famous "Varsity" for lunch. Their specialty is burgers, dogs, onion rings, fries, chili on everything... I ordered a salad.....yeah, don't do that.  We stayed in the lovely  home of MEM (Mary Ellen's Mom) and got to spend lots of QT with Aunt Margret.  Scott Stewart had to sleep outside.  No hippies were allowed inside the house.  We were spoiled with pimento cheese and frito scoops and then an amazing home cooked lunch complete with fried chicken, limas, corn on the cob, tomatoes (my personal favorite) and greenish pink eyed peas.  Corn bread, of course.  Our first show was in Macon, GA at the Christ Church where MEM and Aunt Margret attend every Sunday.  It was a lovely concert outside under a tent with flowers and amazing food.  Sairdy night we opened for our buddies Chris Barron (of the Spin Doctors) and the Time Bandits at the Cox Capital Theatre.  Mary Ellen and John (piano playin Time Bandit) grew up together and even performed in the talent show together several times in school.  I hear they did "Makin Woopie" one year :)  Next was Griffin, GA where our gracious host, Dallas, set us up at the Hollywood Hills.  This place reminded me of the Nu Way, but alot darker, smokier and alot more booty shakin.  The dj played "Baby Got Back" after our set..........?  It was a great weekend on the road again! 

Ménage gears up for a show at the Diana Worthen Theatre with Holiday Childress (The Goodies) and the Terpsicorps troup.  We will be performing songs by the Violent Femmes along to some dancing and ..... well, who knows what...we're not even sure yet! This will take place the last weekend in June. 

If you just can't wait that long to see Ménage, please come out to the Veranda in Black Mountain, NC for the Full Moon Farms Benefit.  We will be playing there from 7-9pm on Sairdy, June 7th

Hope y'all are enjoying your spring!  The summertime is fast approaching and you know what that means...Bele Chere!  Yes, we're back this year on Friday, July 25 at 6:30pm on the Lexington Ave. stage.

See you soon!! 
Sarah

That's right folks!  The song "Tomatoes" by  Ménage is now featured on a national Hunt's Tomato commercial.  The song was written by Sarah McDonald in the summer of 2003 and was recorded for Ménage's second album, "Miss Conduct" in 2004 and later on the EP "7 Songs" in 2005.  "7 Songs" is currently available at  http://cdbaby.com/cd/menage  The commercial has been spotted during Oprah, on Lifetime, TNT, Bravo and the Food Network.  So go to the bathroom and get a snack during the show and stay glued to the commercials!!