Birth of the Beltane Women's Music Festival

Spiral Muse began envisioning a Beltane celebration at Moon Mothers Nursery in early 2020. Kathleen, Alison, Dionne and Lana imagined women dancing as our best and brightest songs filled the colorful nursery setting for this carefree moment between Spring and Summer. We all know what happened next. Live music went on indefinite hiatus and many of us found ourselves estranged from communities and practices that had been central to our spirituality and our well-being. Beltane 2020 was never to be.

At the start of 2022, Spiral Muse and Moon Mothers Nursery began brainstorming what the year could hold for our growing collaboration. The vision of a Beltane celebration re-emerged like a sleepy underground animal poking her head into the first streams of sunlight after a long winter. Slowly and steadily, the vision took shape and we began to gather the women musicians with whom we would co-create this celebration. In the process we connected with even more singers, songwriters and musicians than we initially imagined, several of whom couldn't make this event but are eager to join together in song at a later date.

We feel acutely aware of the privilege of being able to make music in an outdoor space as the pandemic still looms quietly outside our doors. Bringing the vision of a Beltane Women's Music Festival to life restores in us a sense of hope and expansive possibilities. And we are SO THRILLED with the group of women we will be performing alongside on May 1st.

We first met Lisa Azzolino at a Freight and Salvage open mic in early 2019. Later that year, we put on a Halloween show together at The Lost Church in San Francisco, "Calling All Witches." Lisa Azzolino is a singer-songwriter and guitarist known for her heart-wrenching performances. Her confessional lyrics, combined with her commanding, powerhouse vocals, forge a compelling act of vulnerability and raw strength.

Sally Magness is a veteran of the Bay Area music scene. She has played in several successful bands and as a solo artist. Her powerful vocals blend with spirited guitar playing to create energetic rock songs with a funky vibe. Sally will be our closing act on Beltane, and she will no doubt close out this magical day with a potent, exhilarating vibrancy that will leave as all aglow during the week to come.

Sammi Joy is a singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist who loves to record, perform and use music with others in community. Sammi made her way into the music scene in New Orleans and produced an album there before relocating to the Bay Area during the pandemic. She is also a music teacher who runs a therapeutic music business, We had the pleasure of performing alongside Sammi recently at the Moon Mothers Spring Equinox Festival and look forward to again hearing her voice, harp, ukulele and whatever other instrument she brings along!

Susan Dolder is a longtime friend of Spiral Muse and will be the opening act at the festival. She is a ukulele player and singer and she'll be sharing songs by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Holly Near, evoking that early era of feminism for our women's music festival.

We are also delighted to have Kellie Morlock, singer and radio personality, as our MC for the event. She's even agreed to sing a song as part of her Mistress of Ceremonies duties.

The day starts at 11am with a Drum Invocation and Blessing led by Dionne and a group of women drummers. We hope to see you for part or all of this free, community event. At Moon Mothers Nursery, you can walk the sacred labyrinth or find a new plant friend to take home with you. Bring your picnic lunch and settle in a pretty spot amidst the flowers while the music plays. Or come into Emerging Space Greenhouse where there will be seating available to watch the performers. What better way to celebrate these Beltane than with an abundance of women's voices and instruments in a beautiful, coast-side nursery space overflowing with vibrant plants and colorful flowers.