BRIDGETON -- Saturday's opening set at the Bridgeton Folk Festival was the final appearance of Philadelphia folk songstress Nancy Falkow.
Make that the final, final show. Falkow says it's felt more like the
"Nancy Falkow Farewell Tour" with all the "last shows" in the past month.
Falkow, born in Atlantic City, raised in Margate and resident of the
Philly folk scene for most of the last decade, is bidding adieu to the
States June 25 and heading off to Ireland.
It's been over a month of goodbye parties and last shows for the
singer/songwriter who has shared the stage with Sarah McLaughlin and the
Indigo Girls and had her work featured on an MTV soap opera.
The artist is moving to a cottage in South Dublin to be with her fiancé,
Frankie McBride. The couple got engaged just over a week ago.
Falkow has been planning the move since January, which gave the local folkscene plenty of time to say goodbye to the artist who has made a name for herself around Philadelphia at venues like the Point, Fire and the Kimmel Center. She's also gained air time on WXPN and appeared on a G. Love & Special Sauce.
There were many tears and goodbyes from friends who came for Falkow's
final show Saturday.
"Don't cry, Nancy. It's a great thing," friends told her after her set
opened the 21st Annual Bridgeton Folk Festival Saturday.
Falkow said she'd always wanted to be part of the Bridgeton festival, and,thankfully, her chance came right before departure.
"I asked Bob (Rose) year after year. He kept telling me, 'Next year, next year,'" Falkow said. "It's a well known, lovely festival. When you're a singer/songwriter, you set goals for yourself. This was one of mine."
She heard that she was playing the festival from another musician, she said.
"I said, 'Well, I hope it's before I leave," Falkow said with a chuckle.
Saying farewell to the Penn-Jersey region that she's called home all her
life is a leap of faith, Falkow said.
"I'm very much a creature of habit. This is so not me. This is my third
pair of the same shoes," she said, extending a leg to point to a pair of
sensible black clogs.
Leaving behind her family, and her fans, will be a new challenge. She's
leaving behind her job as a publicist in Philadelphia as well as the
respect she's earned on the local folk scene.
"I just know that I'll be starting at the bottom. At this point, I am what I am," Falkow said. "And I won't be that in a week.
"I really have no idea what to expect, but there is a wealth of
opportunity," Falkow said. "And my sweetie's there."
Tearful goodbye for one folk singer
