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AnthonyD

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Mar 23, 2005
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My band gets out to play just a few times a year to do the outdoor summer-fun stuff. This past Saturday was a big annual BBQ-bash that my Uncle throws for immediate and extended family & friends that usually draws 75-100 people.

He's been doing this for eighteen years now and earlier this year told me he was done with it. "Too much hassle, too much money, less & less people the past few years."

I literally talked him into having one last party and arranged for the band to play (first time my band played for his BBQ). This year's party drew 125+ people and we had a blast! At the end of the night I asked him if this was the fond farewell party or had he reconsidered...

My band is now booked for a summer BBQ Saturday gig for the next eighteen years! :D

Pics below...

Our equipment gets the tent in case of thunder-showers.
We got the (mostly) shady open lawn - it was actually a perfect summer day!
My Sterling was simply AWESOME! God, I love this bass!

bbq1.jpg



Guitarist is Cousin Mike - I've been making music with this guy on and off for the past
30 years. He's is the perfect front man and he's in charge when we're performing...
(I'm in charge the other 362 days of the year!)

bbq2.jpg



Some Bongo action - John Cougar version of Wild Night - monster tone - friggin' rocked!
BTW - Can you see me checking out the side markers?

bbq3.jpg



Ever been really, REALLY mad at your (soon-to-be-ex) lead guitarist? This is at the
opening of "Some Kind of Wonderful" - just me and "Phil" (our drum machine.) We've
ALL reminded him to stay out of the song until "Can I get a witness" but the a$$ can't
help but diddle with his guitar throughout the song.

bbq4.jpg



Gots me my wireless-thang going on so's I can line-dance with the party-goers! We're
doin' some "Boot-Scootin' boogie. My first wireless gig - it was so liberating.

bbq5.jpg



Another advantage of the wireless (best part, actually!) - I get to be performing with
the band AND get to be out on the dance floor with my lovely lady at the same time!

bbq6.jpg



Aside from the "lead-guitarist" issues that began the second song of the first set and continued through-out all three sets it was a great gig. We've decided our number two guitarist can handle lead going forward and we're planning to move out Mr. Unpredictable and make some room for a keyboard player. Probably also swap "Phil" for a warm body - we've got big plans for 2007! :D
 
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midopa

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That's great to hear! Looking good! :D
 
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azzy_wazzy

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I've said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE your sterling...that has to be one of the tastiest ones I've ever seen!

Nice Bongo too! :D
 

Psychicpet

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Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada
Very cool, and heck, a gauranteed gig for the next 18yrs.... not bad :p


... so the soon to be ex guitarist, is he gonna end up all 'Jersey' style and sleepin' wit da fishes??? :D
 

SteveB

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Anthony,

Glad you had fun! Yeah, can that noodler.. hell, I'm a guitard and I can't stand those types. :)
 

AnthonyD

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midopa said:
...The pics didn't show so I looked at the URLs and saw "\"s where "/"s should be...

Wow - thanks for taking the time to fix'er up! I edited the original post to correct as well. Didn't notice the problem in my browser.

Very cool... :D
 

AnthonyD

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Randracula said:
Look like it was fun show:)

Very! We each had our family with us and plenty of time before, between and after sets to enjoy the party - swimming in the pool, playing volley-ball, horse-shoes, bacci - great summer-fun day! :D
 

AnthonyD

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azzy_wazzy said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE your sterling...that has to be one of the tastiest ones I've ever seen!

Nice Bongo too! :D

*blushing*


Psychicpet said:
Very cool, and heck, a gauranteed gig for the next 18yrs.... not bad :p

... so the soon to be ex guitarist, is he gonna end up all 'Jersey' style and sleepin' wit da fishes??? :D

I know three musicians who would gladly lie on the witness stand if it came to this! ;)
 

AnthonyD

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SteveB said:
Anthony,

Glad you had fun! Yeah, can that noodler.. hell, I'm a guitard and I can't stand those types. :)
It's as good as done - and no disrespect to the 6-stringers out there... This is a unique personality who can't help but require attention.

The problem is that the attention he demands is usually coming at the expense of the song or someone else's moment. There are three of us (not just me) telling this guy to shut-up and play, stay off the mic, stick to the parts we rehearsed. Believe me when I tell you, we walk through the set list before going on and REMIND him of the crap he's done in the past and how it shouldn't happen - and he's all "Of course, of course, I understand, no problem."

Then we go on and it's like we've never had the discussion. It has become completely exhausting for the other three of us and it is one of the most frustrating things I've had to deal with.
 

tkarter

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Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. Glad you had fun in spite of a wanky guitard.

tk
 

bassmonkeee

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Apr 25, 2004
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Decatur, GA
adelucia said:
It's as good as done - and no disrespect to the 6-stringers out there... This is a unique personality who can't help but require attention.

The problem is that the attention he demands is usually coming at the expense of the song or someone else's moment. There are three of us (not just me) telling this guy to shut-up and play, stay off the mic, stick to the parts we rehearsed. Believe me when I tell you, we walk through the set list before going on and REMIND him of the crap he's done in the past and how it shouldn't happen - and he's all "Of course, of course, I understand, no problem."

Then we go on and it's like we've never had the discussion. It has become completely exhausting for the other three of us and it is one of the most frustrating things I've had to deal with.

Fire him. Otherwise, get him a shock collar and make him wear it. He gets up to his old habits, give him a BZZZZZT.
 

Brim

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Nov 8, 2005
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bassmonkeee said:
Fire him. Otherwise, get him a shock collar and make him wear it. He gets up to his old habits, give him a BZZZZZT.

Not that would be fun! I'd pay to see that....:eek:
 

Lazybite

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Sep 9, 2005
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Canberra, Australia
my band is a band of fiddlers... so I guess that makes it alright... we kind of live by the approach whatever happens on the night... generally it's either me or the guitarist doing something completely radical...my personal favourite is dropping a solo during a chorus, or we play riff's that our keyboardist/singer hates during normally structured bits ...people love it.. well we love it...

but I can see how that would be very annoying in other situations.....
 
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