-- Barb and Bill have a really busy weekend Sept. 15-16, but it should be great fun! On noon Saturday (9/15), they kick off this year's Tree Frog Music Festival in Faribault's Teepee Tonka Park with a 45-minute set of their very favorite tunes. It's their first appearance together at the festival. Then they unplug their guitars, hop in the car and race to Vinton, Iowa, where about 30 guitar buddies are gathering for the third annual IdiotJam. (The name's origin is complicated, but suffice it to say that the organizer is no idiot!) There will be an afternoon jam session and chatfest, dinner en masse at a local Chinese restaurant and then a much anticipated concert featuring a tune or two each from a couple dozen very talented musicians. This show will be recorded, and we hope to post clips of our performance here once we return to Minnesota. (Bill plans to play a new instrumental that he is calling "Bobby's Boogie," and even Barb has not heard it yet!) -- Bill enjoyed a warm reception at his initial gig at Sontes Wine Bar in Rochester, Minn., on 9/8, and was asked back for 10/06 and 11/17. It's a stylish place with great food and drink, and Bill supplies the aural ambience with three hours of instrumentals, using various guitars and tunings. You can converse and still hear the music -- what a concept! -- Speaking of initial gigs, Barb and Bill make their duo debut at the venerable Ginkgo Coffeehouse in St. Paul's Midway District on 10/27. And on 11/9 they make their first appearance ever at the widely respected Oak Center General Store near Lake City, Minn., opening for the wonderful Johnsmith. John and Bill know each other from previous involvement with the incredible Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, N.C. (www.swangathering.org). -- Bill will perform solo in Greenville, S.C., on 10/24. Watch this space for details, Southerners! -- Bill also continues to host the twice-monthly open mike at the Coffee Grounds in Falcon Heights (when he is not gigging, that is!). These are held the first and third Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. Go to www.thecoffeegrounds.net for details.