If you rolled your eyes reading the title of today’s column, you’re in good company. Like many of you, I’ve been hearing the new-ish idiom a lot lately, but I have never used it myself until now. And if you’re new to the expression, it’s not about suitcases, per se—unless they’re filled with emotional baggage, and that is somewhat self-explanatory. 

Simply put, “there’s a lot to unpack here” is a phrase indicating there is a great deal of information to digest or analyze, and while I’m loath to admit it—as of today, the shoe fits.

As usual, I raced around a lot over the last week, and it’s (you guessed it) too much to unpack here, so I’ll do my best to stick to one subject: music. It fills the air at this time of year. Be it a free concert in a local park, an open mic at your favorite watering hole or a concert under the stars at Bethel Woods (BW), music has the unique ability to bring people of diverse backgrounds together, mend a broken heart or “soothe the savage breast.” I’m pretty sure all three of those were in play as I bounced from venue to venue in search of entertainment. I wasn’t expecting any life-changing experiences, but…

Before Rich Northrup or Cris Spinner (and the Spin City Band) get any high falutin’ ideas about their brand of entertainment being filled with “life-changing” moments in Kauneonga Lake’s Gazebo Park last Thursday, I have this to say: calm down. 

According to the Google, Northrup is “a traveling musician hailing from Eastern Pennsylvania who plays and sings folk, traditional and Celtic tunes on an Octave Mandolin and Tenor Banjo.” That’s exactly what he did with great ease and style at last week’s Bethel Lakeside Music—a summer-long series that entertains folks like us. He even threw in a little Jimmy Buffett for good measure, a theme that continues to follow me in the mean streets of Sullivan County.

Not to be outdone, Spinner and Co. (Steve Schwartz, Ken Windheim, Eric W. Nies and William “Billy” Paschal) had the crowd singing along to familiar songs such as “All Night Long,” “To Love Somebody” and “Moondance.” Cris invited songstress Joanna M. Gass to join her on a couple of tunes and together they harmonized beautifully through a nice rendition of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” which might have spurred my feelings of navigating through the aforementioned broken heart, but that’s a lot to unpack here.

As for life-changing, there was a smattering of that as I strolled the grounds of Bethel Woods last Friday. Prior to the reggae-pop song stylings of Jason Mraz and his “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride-Out Now” tour on the pavilion stage, BW hosted “Hello Inclusion.” It was a “one-day all-encompassing music festival of possibilities” showcasing musicians with disabilities, and it offered a wide range of activities including dance parties, drum circles and songwriting workshops. 

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to stop by the Horizon Stage before Mraz and see/hear opera singer Iolanta Mamatkazina, who (according to her bio) lost her sight at a young age as a result of a “botched surgery” in Russia. In an interview with Eyewitness News, the teenaged singer, who has fans all over the world, said “I do believe in the power of music because it also touches my heart. I think without music, there would be no light. There would be no love.” 

In keeping with the theme, “Hello Inclusion” (in association with Daniel’s Music Foundation) also presented George Dennehy, a “multi-instrumentalist” who is capturing attention all over the world for his unique talents. “Born without arms” his website declares, “Dennehy plays music from his heart using his feet.” Uh huh. 

Not only is the man a talented singer/songwriter, but his wit and wisdom in the face of what many would consider adversity is (IMHO) inspirational and thought-provoking. If I was feeling sorry for myself having to deal with parking and a parched throat at BW that afternoon, I thought better of it while chatting with George after the show. Charming, affable and genuinely amusing to boot, when I asked for his card, I had to laugh. Check out where you can see this amazing guy and learn more at www.thatarmlessguy.com. ‘Nuff said.

And then there’s Jason Mraz. I don’t know much about him, save for the relatively new-to-me feel-good vibes of his head-bobbing, toe-tapping tunes. But after opening funk/pop band RIPE (featuring the highly entertaining Robbie Wulfsohn) warmed up the crowd with an energetically fun set, Mraz hit the stage with his band of merry men (and women). The band included the members of “Raining Jane,” described by you-know-what as “an independent, eclectic rock-folk band based in Los Angeles, CA.”

Having little experience with this guy, I had no idea that his songs were often autobiographical. Aside from his compositions, which are often infused with lots of ooey-gooey, romantic love stories, Mraz is influencing entire generations with the “peace, love, music” philosophy that emanates from the hallowed grounds of Bethel Woods, where the Woodstock generation made history in 1969.

Mraz is beyond appealing and his show is a tribute to all things nicey-nice, but there’s more to the singer/songwriter than palm trees and beachy vibes.

Songs like “Feel Good Too” and “Pancakes and Butter” are fun, but the lyrics of songs like “Living in the Moment” “Be Where Your Feet Are” and “Little Time” are deeper, and hit me in an unexpected, emotionally moving way that still reverberates, days after seeing him perform. 

Sighing wistfully, I leashed up the dog and we did some stargazing after the show. Maybe living in the moment is a good idea, but life can be complicated, confusing and difficult—and that’s a lot to unpack. 

For more on Bethel Lakeside Music, visit its Facebook page and go to www.bethelwoodscenter.org for info on future events.

Fun Fact: “Music has charms to soothe a savage breast” is a famous line uttered by a character in William Congreve’s 1697 play “The Mourning Bride.”