Crowd braves falling snow for musical night at Hunt Library

FALLS VILLAGE — The annual Midwinter’s Night in the Village fundraiser at the David M. Hunt Library started as scheduled at 6 p.m. on a snowy Saturday evening, Feb. 15.

Garth Kobal, acting as master of ceremonies, thanked everyone for coming out in less than ideal weather, and got things started with a selection from Walt Whitman.

Katelin Lopes played guitar and sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a song made famous by Elvis Presley. As the song concluded, a member of the crowd thanked Lopes for the trip down memory lane.

Katelin LopesPhoto by Patrick L. Sullivan

Brook Martinez, flanked by his son Leo on guitar, led the Galactic Overtones vocal group — Adam Sher, Jaimie Sadeh, Rebecca Bloomfield, Sara Heller and Lara Hafner.

The first piece was an audience participation exercise. The audience participated happily and, it must be said, competently.

Then the group charged through the traditional “Down to the River and Pray,” Stephen Stills’ “Hopelessly Hoping,” and “Red Clay Halo” by Gillian Welch.

Before the first number, Martinez paused for a moment and said “Wait, I need a banjo.”

He disappeared for a moment and returned, bearing the instrument.

“Anybody play banjo,” he asked the crowd.

“Yeah, me neither.”

While all this was going on, people munched at the massive table of hors d’oeuvres, sipped at wine, beer and soft drinks, and visited quietly so as not to disturb the readings.