Fair Report: Day 3

Discussion

July 22, 2007

Anonymous The Meridian Star Sun Jul 22, 2007, 10:45 PM CDT

Post-Show

10:45

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Meeting the Band

7:09 p.m.

Back from the interview with Kutless and my first experience with the Neshoba County Fair. Ironically, my first impression is much more favorably towards the Christian rockers than the asthma attack inspiring fairgrounds. Maybe it's just fatigue or my own party-less nature, but this place can wear a kid out pretty quickly. If you're not getting overwhelmed by the air, smell, or high quantity of people- there's always the insane traffic and crazy fair atmosphere.

Seriously though, I promise I'm going to have fun and not rain on everyones parade.

Kutless was a pleasant surprise. The guys are a very self-aware group of individuals who actually aren't some religious tripping generic wanna-be rockers. I haven't heard them play live tonight, but on the basis of our conversation, I can at least respect them. They don't take themselves too seriously but do recognize some of the problems with "Christian Music"

and they had seen the South Park episode.

Look for a full interview with the band in an upcoming issue of the Star

now I'm off to rock out with Jesus

\m/

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Feed The Intern

By Nathan Martin

3:13 p.m.

I’m a virgin to this whole Neshoba County Fair thing. Even though I was born and raised in Mississippi, I’ve never experienced the dust covered sauna party of the fair. When I found out Fredie was planning on going all out with coverage this year, I was both apprehensive and excited. Apprehensive because I’m not entirely sure what goes on in an all week fair, but excited because whatever happens it’s something that keeps drawing people back year after year.

I love music, so I’ve been thinking of the fair as one week long festival, centered around family instead of rock and roll.

Even though the fair may be about family rather than rock music, it’s not going to be entirely bereft of any musical experiences. Concerts take place nearly every night of the fair, and tonight Christian rockers Kutless will take the stage at 8:00 p.m.

I’m off to talk to the band before they play. I’m interested to see what type of person would choose to “rock people’s faces for Jesus.” Somehow whenever I see Christian rock music, I can’t get past the “Christians Rock Hard” episode of South Park.

Hopefully this will be better than Cartman’s monetary manipulations and semi-blasphemous lyrics.

Hopefully.

On a side note:

I’m going to be at the fair at least through Wednesday morning, so if you read this and want to help make a slightly confused reporter feel a little more at home, come up and introduce yourself to me. I’ve got blue eyes, brown hair and a bewildered expression- I should stick out. I think I packed three days worth of wrinkled khaki shorts and t-shirts, so look for the tall white boy with more hair than fat.

Speaking of fat.

When I asked about food expenses for the week, Fredie told me that he never had to pay for food because people at the fair were more than happy to feed just about anyone, and that if you talked to enough people, all your meals would be taken care of.

As a growing boy with high metabolism, I want to participate in this fair experience.

So.

Here’s the deal.

You provide food, drink and conversation to me, and I’ll do my very best to get your name onto this blog, or the paper.

Bribery?

I think not. I want to experience this fair completely, and try and understand what keeps bringing people back year after year- this is a great way to do it.

And I just like to eat.