Strange Blog

Bill's "Strange Blog"

(or "Tales From Stage Right")

-------------------------------------------------------------------

8-23-09 Two great gigs in two days!

This weekend is the embodiment of why I love being in a band. First, on Friday the 21st, we had the honor of playing the Rio Grande Zoo's Feast With the Beasts even for the second year in a row. It's an incredible rush to be able to play on the same stage I've seen so many great performances on. Just like last year, the crowd was great (already wonderful people for being Bio Park Members), the staff was awesome (special thanks to Judi and Greg for having us, and Eric for all his assistance), and Vaux Hall did amazing sound for us. No surprise there--he knows the music because he's done sound for some of the artists whose music we play. Again, Todd filmed it, so there'll be You Tube videos up soon as I can do the editing. Stay tuned!

The next day I thought would be a little bit of a letdown by comparison: a parking lot as opposed to a big stage, but I was mistaken. Mike Lovato, the events director for Thunderbird Harley Davidson, did an incredible job promoting his event, so there was an awesome crowd. Plus, the tent and the stage were well protected from the afternoon heat (more rare of an occurrence than you'd think) so we were more than comfortable considering the weather. Thanks to everyone who came out--a lot of loyal fans like Lindsey, Brett, Ben, Julie, Martini, and more, plus new fans like Catherine, Ed who played air guitar (is it still 'air guitar' if you use a cane?) and young Dylan and his dad who had great stuff to say about how much they enjoyed the show. Big thanks to everyone for making us feel so fantastic.

We gotta do this stuff more often. We'll work on beefing up the gig schedule, we really miss being on stage on a regular basis like we were last summer. We'll keep you posted as we go into the fall and winter months on where we'll be--and we'll try and be out more often.

Keep rockin', see you all soon!

7-25-09 What happens in Vegas...

We just got back from an awesome gig Friday night in Las Vegas, NM, at the 4th annual Rough Rider Motorcycle Rally. We played the park in the center of Old Town and had a blast. A big thanks to the Rally Committee (especially Suzanne) who put all the events together, the many folks who hung out to rock with us and had great stuff to say, and Fido and James from the sound crew who were awesome.

Pictures will be up soon.

Now...on to Belen on Sunday!

April 09--Time Marches on

Well, as you've no doubt seen and heard at the gigs, changes have taken place. We had an incredible summer of 2008, with too many great shows to mention, the biggest and best of which was the Rio Grande Zoo on August 22nd. Filmed by our friend Todd Perchert (thanks, Todd and Danielle, you Rock!) it was the high point of our time as a band so far. With the busy summer we had, we took that stage well rehearsed and are very proud of the results--check out the Video page for the evidence. As it turns out, it became a document for the end of an era for us.

The first bad news came when Kent told us he and his family were moving back to Minneapolis. We were sad to see him go, bue we understood and we miss him and thank him for his hard work, wonderful talent, and friendship for the last three years. As luck would have it, we found another talented (and slightly insane) keyboard player in Chris Thomas. Our batting average in this area has been nothing short of amazing. Keyboardists for Classic Rock are hard to find, and we've scored top musicians three times in a row. One of the most fun moments we've had is having both of them on stage together (Chris on keys, Kent on sax) at UNM one night. Fortune smiled upon us.

That is, until Randall decided to part ways with us. He has his reasons, and we wish him luck in the future. I've played with Randall more than any other single musician in the 11 years since I moved here, and he's responsible for my even being in this band. For that, and his time and dedication, I can't thank him enough. It was tough to move on, and we had to make a couple tries to make it work. In that area, we want to thank Bill Harris for his time with the band. He kept us going at a very difficult time, doing a gig just 10 days after first meeting us. Personally, I made a very good friend (another radio guy!) that I hope to have for a long time. However, due to time and scheduling, we decided to try someone else and found John Huchmala. I don't know how to describe it, but he's made it fun to play again. He and Anthony lock in together musically in a way that hasn't happened in a while. Chemistry is a hard thing to pin down, but you know it when you hear it. We're trying new things (More Pink Floyd, some Bad Company, and more surprises) and having a blast doing it. Stay tuned for some great new songs, as well as a lot of old favorites.

Thanks to our fan base, who has stuck with us and continued showing up (Lindsay, Brett, Ben, Julie, and too many more to mention). Seeing your faces out there means more to us than we can say. It's a rough economy out there, and due to our changes, we're less busy than we'd like to be, but we hope to change that in the near future. We're back up and running with a vengeance and we'll be on stage around town again soon. Thanks for your patience, and as always, for rocking and rolling us like you do.

See you soon!

February 08--You didn't...you DID?

So I walk into practice last Tuesday, lugging my guitar and (rapidly disintegrating) accessories bag into the room. Anthony is already there as I plug things in and get situated. I’m complaining about my day for a few minutes when I notice the 1/4” input on the bass drum. My mind doesn’t immediately snap to the fact that his Yamaha set doesn’t have one of those. Neither does it have a cool sunburst, non-glossy finish. It stopped me in my tracks.

He’d made good on what he’s been talking about for...well, ever, and bought an amazing DW (Drum Workshop) set. It looks breathtaking, but sounds even better. When he started playing, the tones were so rich and crisp, it knocked us all back. Eventually, that is--it took both Randall and Kent about the same amount of time to notice. If you haven’t already, take a look at the new set here.

New gigs on the schedule including a place that used to be my westside sports hangout: Sidelines Sports Grille. We’ll be there a couple Fridays in March and May--if you’re a westsider as well, please come out! (For the record, my new westside sports hangout is my living room).

January 08--Into the video age!

First things first--WOW! We'd always known that it was beautiful down around Ruidoso and Mescalero New Mexico where Inn of the Mountain Gods is located, but it's even better in Winter. The lake was partially frozen over (video forthcoming) and the crowds were awesome. We figured that the folks coming to see the Guess Who and Starship in the big theater would drop by afterwards, but to have so many folks show up Saturday--a line out the door almost all night!--was mind blowing.

Our first 'official' Crazy Croc's gig was fun, too. Lots of fun, lots of dancing, and a great crowd. A big thanks to the 'first timers' that showed up--JJ and friends, Yolanda, Roger, and the elusive and mysterious J-Lad. And as usual, Reina and her group were inspiring folks to join them on the dance floor. Plus, of course, thanks to Brenda, Steve and their incredible staff.

And at both those gigs, we were able to get some video. Just a single camera, but a little taste of what we're like live for those of you who haven't made it out yet. Thanks to YouTube (and iMovie) it's pretty easy to post that sort of thing now, so we're hoping to have some special things up in the future. Check out the first handful of songs we've got on the Concert Footage page.

We're off for about a month (drop our name at your favorite live venue!) so we're using the time to do new songs--and not just covers! We've already begun working on some of our originals, and we hope to expand into that area soon. Look for audio here on the site; we'd love to hear your feedback on the songs. It's interesting to have played together for so long and branch into a totally new area like this. I find it cool that we're still finding new and exciting things to do after all this time.

Thanks for checking in, see you on stage!

December 07--Who writes this stuff?

...and do you think he could update it a little more often?

Obviously, it's been forever since I wrote last. There's always so much to say after gigs, but we're always so tired (but it's a good tired, don't get me wrong). We go into December celebrating a great year of live music, lots of old and new friends, and a lot of confidence and enthusiasm for 2008.

The most recent gig, the Toys For Tots fundraiser in Bernalillo was incredible. What a great crowd, and every one of them was there to help kids in need have a better holiday. They danced, they sang, they had a great time, and so did we. Having fun for a good cause is a great feeling; we hope this one turns into an annual tradition.

Over the Spring and Summer there were a lot of shout outs to give, and I know I'll miss a bunch of them, but here goes a few: Thanks to the staff at Garduno's On The Green--we only wish the weather had been nicer to us all, but it was fun while it lasted. To all at Bean and Associates, especially Jennifer, congratulations on 30 years, and we'll be glad to play the 60th (if we're still able to pick up our instruments). Please send our regards to R2D2, Dr Dale. To all the folks we met at Red River over the Memorial Day Weekend, thanks for the kind words and big tips!

And of course, to all our friends and fans down south in Ruidoso, you guys rock. We love going down to the Inn of the Mountain Gods. Not only is the staff there a great group to work with, but the surrounding area is so beautiful, it takes your breath away. We're looking forward to the gigs there in '08. (And thanks for the great pictures--coming to the website, soon, I promise!)

Finally, the biggest thanks of all to everyone who's come out to see us; especially the ones who've come back with friends. Your support means more to all of us than we can say, and without you none of this would be possible.

Thats all for now, thanks for another great year of live music, see you later this month and in '08 and may you and yours have a happy and safe holiday season, and a wonderful new year.

February 25, '07 - It's my birthday, too, yeah.

What a great night at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown! The crowd was fantastic, the bachelorette party was amazing (granted, they probably don't remember much, but we've never enjoyed playing Red House as much as we did last night), and it was good to have so many friends there to see us (Yelena--it only took 26 years to finally see me play for real!). I'm just sorry we didn't get to go longer--that's the upside/downside of the 3 hr gigs--they're over before we know it and it seems like there's so many songs we've left out! But the ones we did play went over great, but one more SRV tune would have made the night!

Last Wednesday at Route 66, the staff was great as usual, and the crowd was small but enthusiastic. It's a great place to play--I remember the weekend and post-concert gigs we did there were amazing. Keep your fingers crossed that they'll give us another chance for a Friday-Saturday run. Like Doubletree last night, it's a kick to win a crowd over and make new fans.

We also spent an evening at The Barley Room in NE Albuquerque for their open mic night. The P-Tails were great hosts, and it was fun to play to such a festive crowd. We're happy to announce we'll make our official debut there in May on a Friday night, (join the mailing list for a reminder e-mail). Can't wait! In fact, we plan to show up for more Thursdays from here on out, drop by if you're in the neighborhood.

And finally, today's my 43rd Birthday. It's a strange feeling--to be acting like a teenager in a rock band at this age, but it makes me realize how lucky I am to be able to do this. It's not my livelihood, I'm not famous, but to be able to have that moment with fellow musicians (and friends) where it all comes together is pure magic. I want to say to everyone and anyone--starting with my band mates, and extending to anyone who's ever applauded us, danced to us, told a friend, hired us, given us the thumbs up, or had any part of making that experience happen:

Thanks.

See ya next time.

January 2007--My, how time flies when you can't update your web site

Well, things change in life. Like for example, our server changed over and I didn't know it. Then I couldn't get in. Then it was somehow blocked...anyway, all's well now, and new exciting things are on the way.

But first...where were we? If I'd been able to write in the last three months, I would have written about our best Santa Ana Star gig ever (finally perfect sound in the big room--on a Friday the 13th, no less!), the Tacky party in Santa Fe (Larry is a man amongst men, even in a leisure suit), the Holiday Party in December ("Where's Kent? I hear the sax...did he go in the other ballroom?"), and my vacation in Seattle (the EMP is worth the price of admission just for the Hendrix exhibit). I'm sure I've left some stuff out, but you get the idea. In short: we've had fun and survived the snow. We learned some fun new songs and are combing through your requests for more stuff all the time.

The T-Shirts came out great; we've got them for sale at the gigs. As expected, Bekah's design looked awesome in reality (just like the banner--she's three for three counting Anthony's bass drum head). We'll be giving away those and CDs randomly at gigs (hint--great man once say, "dances help your chances").

Come see us wrap up the month at Route 66. It's a weeknight, (Wednesday the 31st), but it's at a new earlier time--we hit the stage for set 1 at 7:30. See you there!

October 06 Time off? What time off?

Ok, so we took a break from gigs, but a lot has happened. Kent had a family vacation, Anthony started his business (Alignments Plus), Randall went just about everywhere in New Mexico (not that that's anything different), and I...I'm sure I did something. The demo came out great; we're putting it on the web and also posting song samples soon.

And then, there's the T-Shirts...

Yes, after much discussion and debate, we've got T-shirts coming any day now. A very cool design thanks to Bekah, Randall's daughter. She's responsible for our banner, our lettering, and the background on the top of the website. She's done a lot of great work, but the shirts are the best so far. We'll have pictures on the web soon--we're really excited about it.

Can't wait for Santa Ana Star. See ya there!

Aug 06 - Braving the Elements in Santa Fe, Creating in Albuquerque

The Santa Fe Realtor's Association Picnic was fantastic, wonderful food and great people (both the attendees and the neighbors who came over when they heard us). Thanks to all who helped us bring the tarps up when the rain started--during "Riders On The Storm" no less. True story--the next song was "Couldn't Stand The Weather", but we decided we'd done enough rain-based material by then. Thanks to all the folks we met and talked to, and for the beer, of course!

We've got some time off between gigs right now, and we're using it to our full advantage. Kent has brought in the heart and soul of Padded Room Productions into the rehearsal studio and stared recording our new demo in digital multitrack. Most of the work was getting the initial levels set, musicially we didn't catch fire until later in the night. Once we did, we did a really good version of Superstition. It's one thing to hear ourselves when we're playing, but it's really a kick to finally hear quality recordings of us playing together live. As it turns out, we're pretty good! When we've got a bunch ready, we'll be posting song samples on the web.

Big news on the personal level--Anthony's new business, Alignments Plus, opens Labor Day weekend (officially--he's taking appoints now, actually) and we're playing Monday the 4th to celebrate. It's really convenient if you're going to the Bernallilo Wine Festival anyway, it's right up the road. We're doing it as a trio because Kent's on vacation for a couple weeks. Hey, he plays three instruments, sings, records the band...he deserves a little time off with the family!

July 06 - I Love LA! (Los Alamos)

Had a lot of fun playing for the Los Alamos High School Class of '76 Reunion. What a great group of people, what a fun place to play (Central Avenue Grill). Kent went wild roaming around the place with the wireless Sax during "Tequila." We could hear him, so we knew he was ok, we just didn't know where he'd gone. Not to mention we didn't realize he was that limber. Also, kudos to the couples who danced through all of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (that's dedication!). Thanks to everyone for having us, especially Tommy and everyone on the Reunion committee, to the great staff of the Grill, and to Lynn for the killer sound. Hope we can make it up that way again soon.

We also got word that we're going to be playing in Roswell again, this time for their annual Chile Cheese Festival September 29th. We're looking forward to another sojourn down south!

June 06 - So much, so fast!

Well, obviously a lot has happened in the last two months, and I know I'm usually very long winded, but this time I'll make a long story short. Circumstances forced a change in the band, and good fortune smiled upon us for it. We're glad to welcome Kent into the group, and he's really fit in better than we ever could have hoped. His sense of humor, his outlook, his chemistry, and most importantly, his talent have really kicked us into high gear. If you've seen us before, you've got to check us out now!

Ok--couple of quick takes:

Thanks to Bud Hewett for his outstanding keyboard and vocal work at our Ruidoso and Red River gigs.

Speaking of Red River, thanks to the Jagerettes for...well, just being Jagerettes I guess. That's really all they have to do. Check out out our photo with them on the Jagermiester site. (Click on "Connecting" on the top menu, then "Photos" on the left menu, and we're on page two--second row, third column. Sorry, I couldn't make the link any closer than that. If you just want to skip all that and see the photo, it's here).

To the Alb Country Club crowd-we still have one pair of shoes left. The catch is, they don't match.

Trust me--see the Beatles' LOVE show at the Mirage.

Kent-thanks for going fishing.

That's it for now--come check out the new 'Brew! See you on stage!

April 1 - Great fun, No foolin'!

What an amazing day! We went up to Ski Santa Fe to play the Jeff Gladfelter Memorial Bump Run. It was the next to the last day of a "light" ski season (to put it mildly) and we were looking forward to sunshine and crisp, cold breezes. Mother Nature, however, had other plans.

As we finished setting up on the deck outside at Totemoff's Bar a little ways up the mountain, a little snow began to fall. (Just minutes after Anthony took this picture). Then more. Within minutes, it was easily the biggest single snowfall of the whole season. We used a ton of trash bags for tarps over our equipment in hopes that the storm would pass. We ended up moving quickly inside once we got word it was ok to do so, and set up in the downstairs corner. Once we got up and playing, the crowd was great--just the hardcore skiers and snowboarders making the most of the final day, and overjoyed that snow had finally fallen to make the last day out that much better. Great fun was had by all, and a big thanks to Paul at Santa Fe Cider Company, as well as all at Ski Santa Fe, Santa Fe Brewing, and Santa Fe Mountain Sports, and especially Christian and the staff at Totemoff's. Hope to see you next year--out on the deck!!

March 2006: more fun, more music

This month has been an adventure in many ways. I've been re-making my setup once again (no new equipment, just making what I have work more efficiently). Also, Randall, Anthony, and I went down to Ruidoso to play a wonderful little place called "La Cave" (the lower level of the wonderful restaurant, "Le Bistro"). Had a chance to play with some great musicians (Bud and Sam were a blast to jam with) but it was over all to quickly. Big thanks to Richard, the owner of Le Bistro who was a gracious and wonderful host. Got to road test my new vehicle, my Mazda 5, and it performed well, too. Considering the amount of traveling we're looking at this year, that's good news!

We're gearing up for a busy season ahead. We were just confirmed for the Red River Memorial Day Bike Rally (we're Friday and Saturday of that weekend), an event we're honored to be a part of. This weekend, if the snow holds out, we're playing the Gladfelter Ski Competition up at Ski Santa Fe, so those of you from The City Different who say we don't get up north enough, here's your chance to catch us and not loose any sleep!

Also, there's some exciting private events on the way and we're learning more new music to keep it fresh and exciting. Randall's daughter Bekah did a fantastic job on our new banner, and we're looking into T-shirts and stickers, so stay tuned!

Remiss in my duties II - The Sequel! Feb 2006

Well, I did it again--let time get away from me and haven't updated in way too long. My apologies once again. Who ever thought I'd run out of things to say?

So life (personally and professionally) has been challenging lately, but though all the changes, the band has been consistently fun and inspiring. Since my last entry we played the best-planned and best-executed surprise party I've ever seen, hands down. (Dr A--you are my hero in that area!) We also continued with strong nights at our favorites over the holidays--Santa Ana Star, Isleta, Route 66, and more. There's been great reaction from crowds everywhere, and thanks to everyone who's been filling those dance floors. Our private party in Ruidoso was amazing--in three decades of playing, I've never had live deer watching me set up!

We also looked into upgrading our setup--specifically, a Bose Cylindrical Radiator speaker system. But it's like pulling teeth to try one out! Anyone know a band that's using one in New Mexico? We'd love to hear what they sound like before we lay down that kind of $$. Thanks in advance.

Well, I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. Happy New Year to anyone who follows this, and to whom we haven't wished one already. See you at the gig!

Remiss in my duties 11-12-05

It's been pretty busy lately, so I've gotten behind in my writings (meanderings?); my apologies to anyone who's following these with any regularity. Anyone out there doing that?

Let's see--what's happened--we had a great night at Route 66 Casino's Cabaret Del Rhea once again, as well as Santa Ana Star--thanks to everyone who came though, danced, and had great song suggestions (one day we'll be able to play them all!). It was really cool to play facing the casino, the bar, and the restaurants at Santa Ana; we really enjoyed the crowd.

Plus, of course, we had the honor of playing the Duke City Marathon. Our earliest gig so far (playing at 7:20am! Wow! Musicians get up this early?) and a treat to once again play at Civic Plaza. A big thanks to everyone who took part (staff and participants) who came out and melded their personal goals with helping out a great cause, the UNM Cancer Center. Two of my friends, Phil and Reina did the full marathon. Reina gets extra points for coming to work on Monday (Phil took a whole week off...but I shouldn't talk since I didn't even break a sweat!)

Two more great shows! 10-09-05

A very cool night at Santa Ana Star Casino's Cheenah Lounge--our debut in that venue. Had a lot of fun and a small but enthusiastic crowd made everything worth it! We were the first band to play on Thursday nights there, so we were the guinea pigs. It's a great place to come out and hear us--come on out on November 3rd for our next appearance!

The following Sunday was especially cool--the Car Show at San Felipe's Casino Hollywood. Got to see some incredible cars, meet some very nice folks, and had fun playing there. Special kudos to Bill and the staff of San Felipe and the staff of the show--they made it incredibly easy to relax and play at our best. Can't wait to go back for something special again!

See you at Route 66 on the 19th!

NMAS AIDS Walk 2005 9-24-05

Our earliest gig ever! Out at 8am (yikes!) to entertain the participants in the 14th Annual NMAS event. Something special to be a part of, and that would have been true even if they hadn't shaved Donnie's head. We were proud to be a small part of helping out a great cause. Thanks to Maggie Smith and all the people at NMAS for having us!

The Donnie in question in Donnie Chase, the traffic reporter on our stations at work and part of the morning show on 100.3 The Peak. For reasons even he couldn't quite describe, he'd agreed to have his head shaved at the event. In the end, they raised almost $400 to convince him to do it on stage (during our break--we covered as much equipment as we could!). A fun time was had by all, and luckily his skull is not strangely shaped so it looks fine. But he'll need sunscreen for a while at least.

Speaking of which, I didn't have any and my face was the color of this web page background by 4pm. With the line of my hat at the top of my forehead. Guess I'll start wearing a hat for the time being...

Anyway, for some reason our sound wasn't what we were used to, and my tone seemed to be lacking somewhat. Not sure why that was, but I'm investing in a Direct Box to solve the problem (thanks to the Line 6 web site's Support department). If you kinda liked us out there, please come see us again for a longer show. We'll be sounding our best when we do our debuts at Santa Ana Star this Thursday and San Felipe's Casino Hollywood next Sunday, October 2nd.

A busy week lies ahead! Come see us and join the fun!

Back up to Ohkay 9-17-05

Another fun night in Espanola last Thursday! Great crowd once again (did I mention these folks know how to party?) who filled the dance floor almost all night. Tried almost all of the new tunes we'd been working on (really, you owe it to yourself to hear us do Pink Floyd's "Time"!) and they went over great. Since we've been practicing "in line" (through headphones only) for the last few weeks, I was worried we wouldn't sound good once we got our amps back. However, as it turns out we sounded fine. Guess I'm a "worrier" (my mother's son, indeed).

I'd also started to merge my two guitar setups together, and it seems to work pretty well. I'm starting to nail that elusive tone I've been looking for that makes the most of the Variax's abilities and be consistent between rhythm and lead parts. It's still a work in progress, but it's a lot closer. In fact, I was getting so into the tone I had during "Red House," I dropped to my knees at the end of my first solo to throw it to Dale. Randall later told me he thought I'd tripped over something! Anthony thought for a second that I'd done splits, but realized I would have needed help (possibly from medical professionals) to get back up!

On another subject, we're proud to be a part of the 2005 AIDS Walk here in Albuquerque on Saturday the 24th. You've still got time to get involved--Click Here to put a team together and help out.

Ohkay Casino 8-13-05

Our first foray into Northern NM was very cool. For a Thursday night especially, the crowd was exciting and danced probably 80% of the night. Also, it was Dale's first time turning his keyboard set up 90 degrees so he's not trapped behind his setup. More eye contact, more onstage communication, and even a second mic so he can walk away from the keys when he's singing. Almost a whole new world! The other cool thing about this show was the fact that, for the first time, we got hotel rooms as part of our payment. It was quite a rush being able to eat dinner (free also), walk down the hall to the hotel room, shower and change, and walk back to the club 5 minutes before showtime.

Now we've got about 5 weeks off, and we're retooling with more songs, more show-stopping moves, and more things to keep us and you interested and coming back for more. Thanks again to everyone who's come out to see us so far, and if you haven't yet (a) thanks for reading my ramblings and (b) COME OUT AND SEE WHAT YOU'RE MISSING! You'll be glad you did!

Route 66 Casino 8-07-05
(and our brush with Hollywood)

After the incredible experience at Civic Plaza, playing to 1/100th of the audience could have easily been a letdown, but it was great. The Cabaret Dell Rhea is a cool room, and the audience was fantastic. The neat little extra was, they were filming a movie called "Three Wise Guys"--a Christmas movie that'll be airing on USA on Sunday, November 20th. They'd covered up the Route 66 logos to do some outdoor shots when we first got there. (It's called the "Regal Crown" Casino in the film, and it's supposed to be in Vegas.) The second night, when someone I knew was involved with the movie production was there, was when our "Hollywood Moment" almost happened.

The stars of the movie are Tom Arnold, Katay Sagal, Judd Nelson, and John Turturo. (We're told that Judd could have been there during the first set, but we're not sure.) My friend Bill, working on the film, was really complementary and was going to try and get us to play the wrap party for the filming, but alas, it didn't happen. That's the kind of private party we'd like to hook up with. Overall, a good time was had by all, and the audience was awesome. Can't wait to go back in November!

Civic Plaza was amazing! 8-02-05

So it was everything we could have hoped for and more! As I wrote before, we were really looking forward to this gig and it was so cool. First of all, a beautiful evening. Though the clouds threatened on the horizon, and rain fell en masse on several parts of town, our event was spared! We set up while the dance troupe was performing on the lower stage west of us. From Casper onstage to Bo doing the mix to Craig running the main show, to whoever did the cameras for the big screens (if you're reading this, e-mail us!!!) everyone was totally accommodating.

We opened with three Beatles tunes (Nowhere Man/Day Tripper/Octopus' Garden) which went over really well. Black Magic Woman was as good as we've ever played it, and though a few jitters showed on it (like my stealth count to the rest of the band--oops!) The Wind Cries Mary went well. The crowd, which had been positive already, really cheered for Light My Fire. We actually had people two stepping during Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress). Momentum, energy, and the audience were on our side. Then it happened.

We were in the flow of the music, playing a nice intro to Find The Cost Of Freedom, our harmony showpiece. The first verse--the four of us in unison--went beautifully. Just as we finished the last line...the loudest train whistle you've ever heard rings out over Civic Plaza. I've watched the video I don't know how many times now, and I don't think there's a worse note the train could have hit against a D minor chord. Vocally, it could have ruined us as we went into the acapella verse. The last two lines sounded alright, so I think we did ok, but there's no way to tell. The whistle dominates everything! (I've had worse--the jukebox in Sacramento that came on unexpectedly during our set belting out Sinatra louder than we were for example--but this was pretty bad.) By the time we did the segue into Ohio, we were back in the swing of things. A crowd-pleasing version of Don't Bring Me Down followed.

The big risk was next--would they come with us into In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida? As it turns out, they loved it! Judging from the applause after each of our solos (especially Anthony's) we won them over. (Admittedly, on the video tape, there's one woman who's leaving from the front row area who's NOT happy. I'm not sure if she's upset at us or at the fact she couldn't get a good seat for Mitch Ryder, but you have to show up early to these things--what if the opening band kicks ass? I mean...just as an example. But I digress...). The sun was now going down and the lighting crew and video crew went into high gear. From the looks of it, they did a great job. I just wish we knew who did it! We want to buy a copy!! Anyway, we were given the signal that we could do two short songs, so we launched into Story In Your Eyes by the Moody Blues (after a quick decision) and then into Born To Be Wild (after a less quick one). The cheers that followed were possibly the finest moment in my musical life. To have around 5000 people (by the city's estimate) applauding for you is something beyond words. I've been up in front of big audiences in radio, but this was different. This was cooler (and the other one doesn't suck by any means).

To top it all off, as we were packing down, everyone was very positive and complementary which was great. When Mitch Ryder came up and said he liked my playing and the band as a whole, it blew me away. I tried to be cool about it; I don't know if I succeeded! (It's the second time I've caught the attention of a rock legend I'm proud to say, but that's another story!). Anthony was the only one smart enough to have Mitch sign our setlist! Why didn't we take some pictures!?! 20-20 hindsight I guess...

Anyway, the pictures are posted on the pictures page, and we're working on getting video and audio on the web as well, but we don't have enough space! So--oh darn--you'll have to come out and see us live. Thanks to Dale's son Tony for doing the video tape and Anthony's brother Frank for taking the unbelievable pictures!

Plus, there's some great stories to tell from last weekend's run at Route 66 Casino gig, but I'll get to that in a few days. If you were there, thanks so much for sharing your time with us, and as Eric Idle once said, "If you've enjoyed watching this show half as much as we've enjoyed bringing it to you, then we've enjoyed it twice as much as you have."

The Website is here REVISED! 7-17-05

Well, now we DO have the address we wanted (Strange Brew ABQ.com) so that's pretty cool. Pictures and bios are coming soon!

We're really looking forward to the gig at Civic Plaza next Saturday--it's a great event every week, and we're proud to be opening for Mitch Ryder. The only problem we're having--too many good songs! We're picking our favorites that fit into the "Oldies Night" theme, but we're itching to play our 70's and 80's stuff, too. It's like we tell each other when we put set lists together and realize one of our favorite songs didn't make it: "We can't play every song every night..." however much we'd like to. Then again, the longer we play, the more time we can wait to start lifting our equipment again...

Today's rehearsal was awesome. I swear, it's such a rush to play in this group. Every now and then we kind of kick it to another level. Today was one of those days. It's gonna be a great gig next week! Be sure and check us out next Saturday; it's a fun event for the whole family, so bring the kids and enjoy a Saturday night downtown with great music. For those of you who like to do only family outings and not hit the casinos or bars, this is a great change to see us.
We'll see you there!

The Website is here! 7-3-05

It may be cheating by riding on the back of my old band's site for now, but at least it exists! The band deserves better, but it's better than nothing until we get the web address we want.

We're Hoping to turn this into something special (both the band, of course, and the site) that we can share with our friends, including the new ones we make as the band plays for more people. There's lots more to come: pictures, videos, a full schedule of gigs, fame, fortune, world domination, etc, so do come back often to see what's up.

This particular page is my ramblings about how I love being in the group, the challenges, triumphs, and (hopefully not) tragedies that come along with being in a band and the "Thank You's" that we may forget to say while we're there.

Isleta Casino 7-2-05

We did the second night of our casino run last night and it was the first time we had a packed bar--even a line of people dancing at the door waiting to get in. We went over great, had a full dance floor several times and to top it all off, it was a concert night on the other side of the stage wall. The giant Bingo Showroom becomes the Rock Showroom as about 2000 New Mexicans rocked to the power and might of...wait for it...Rick Springfield.

At one point, for fun, since we knew he was on stage (you can see in out in the casino though the doors of the Bing...uh ROCK Showroom) we hit the back wall of our stage and said, "Hey! General Hospital Boy! Keep it down! We're trying to listen to Strange Brew in here!" Our friend Paul (the one who owns a REAL vintage KISS pinball machine, sports a wraparound KISS tattoo formed from all four of their eye shapes, and runs the local award winning Smooth Jazz station) went to the concert, is a huge Rick Springfield Fan--seriously, and he knows that's odd--and grew up down the street from the Bissinette brothers, one of whom is in Springfield's touring band. It led to him hanging out an hour backstage with the band, complete with Rick, and inviting him to come see us. An early flight was his excuse to bail, but what the heck. Seriously, a guy who can sell that many tickets annually in a market our size almost came to see us. Kind of a rush, actually.

Back to the Brew: Believe it or not, we had a full dance floor for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (yes, about 10 minutes in our version complete with drum solo from Anthony that had the room on their feet and clapping) and pulled off just about everything well on the same night. And Bernadette was there as well--she finally saw us a few weeks ago at a private party, and she's impressed. It means a lot to have her there; plus she knows it's not all just cover for some elaborate affair!

Also, our stalwart friends Jenny O and Jeani were there, and Dean Clark, a talented guitarist/vocalist I'd auditioned for a few years back. Had a band, Backpages, doing all 60's and 70's rock with full harmonies but no keyboards, was a great unit, but we were on different paths at that moment. Ironically, his new band, Rapid Fire, is playing the same venue next weekend--all of them were there and were really complementary. Anyway, we tore it up. When we ended our last song just after 1am (we're supposed to stop by then), the audience clapped and cheered for another two minutes until the bar manager gave us the sign we could do one more. Man, that's a great feeling! Even if it's only about 50 people or so in a cramped, smoke filled casino bar, it feels great! Thanks to everyone who made it such a wonderful night, including the staff, especially Rider and Ron the bartender, one of our most ardent supporters!

Oh--and all of that with my new pedalboard and guitar controller (the Pod XT Live) in the shop. Just went dead on Wednesday during practice--no power the first time I plugged it in. Tested it with tons of other power supplies (all Line 6's are the same) and it wasn't that. Long story short (within a longer one) it's going to be gone the better part of a month, so I have to make do with the AX212 and it's partially functional floorboard. However, it's much better than nothing, and it shows just how good the Variax is at it's job--I'm using less amp presets and making guitar changes to the sound instead. It's a really cool toy, and damn useful. Now if I could just stop breaking my B strings all the time (on both guitars--go figure!).

------------------------------------

Home - Meet Strange Brew - Upcoming Gigs - Pictures