I just want to let you guys know that I’m having some kind of problem with logging on to the internet the last several days. It may be something simple like the computer that sends my wireless signal is shut off but, I don’t know for sure yet. I stopped by the office this morning while on my walk and there was nobody around.
I got to tell you what happened at the gig last night, the big Cider Days/Autumn Moon/Hoedown/Hootenanny/Festivoolay. Thirst N’ Howl was the second band, scheduled to start at 8:00. We got there around 7:15 and Steve Smith and the Sneakers were playing; tearing it up pretty good. Bluesy, kind of stuff with some New Orleans stroll grooves; do you know what a stroll is? Some folks call it a rub shuffle. Dave Painter was playing guitar, by the way. He’s real good, solid and tasteful solos, good tone. Dave plays with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils too.
Anyway, there were several hundred people out on the lawn, kids dancing on the grass; a picturesque night in the Ozarks. A good, outdoor concert sound system, and my buddies Danno and Eric were running the desks and it sounded really cool.
So, we’re standing there, beside the stage area, nervous energy running rampant because, we are only going to have “10 minutes” (written in stone but, I know better, I’ve been to town before you know?) to set the stage when those guys are done. NO SMOKING too, by the way, as the otherwise helpful golf cart guys let me know right off the bat upon seeing a fresh Pall Mall Light dangling from my lips after the no smoking ride up to Springfield with Allen.
So, I’m standing there talking to Danno, whose running the stage sound, and he says; “It’s gonna rain”. Just real deadpan like. Five minutes later this little yellow-grayish cloud comes and hovers right over Jordan Valley Park. Last song of Steve Smith’s set, it starts raining; sprinkling. Those guys are striking their gear and I’m looking around, the sound and light guys all look irritated/edgy/unsettled and, pretty soon, they start dragging out the tarps, and ladders, and plastic bags. It starts raining harder and those guys are like sharks at a feeding frenzy covering stuff up.
People are sticking around out on the lawn, and I keep hearing staff guys say stuff like; “It’s going to blow over, it’s not even raining a drop two blocks away”. It keeps coming though and, after about 40 minutes the last holdouts have evacuated the lawn and then, a few minutes more and it starts to ease off. I’m hearing scuttlebutt about the Park Board is discussing the possibility of postponing for 24 hours and as the rain eases the crowd returns. But, the word came down and this is what it was; “The only way we can make it work is to skip Thirst N’ Howl’s set and let M-Dock play theirs”. Boom; just like that.
We hauled the stuff back on the golf carts and headed for the house.
What a drag.
So, that was the big gig for the weekend. I’m going over to my pal P.T.’s place and watch a little NFL football for the first time this season.
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