Although Carl and I have been playing music at The Great Oaks golf course for more than twenty five year, things there have never been mundane.

Always doing what their swelling membership feels is in their best interest, the course may not have changed, but the setting sure has.

When we arrived this year for our annual Memorial day/Fourth of July/Labour Day kickoff, Monday, we got a peek at what has been happening since last year.

Still by the pool, the great staff at G.O. has been tweaking things until they are now, nearly perfect in every way.

Moved from our perch over the last ten years at one end of the pool, we have now fallen in love with our new location.  Situated at the other end of the pool, near the newly remodeled cabana, we couldn’t be happier.

The members can hear our music better now, we are in a spot that is much more easily accessible, and we have an more productive location for us to better entertain.

The food is still incredible.  And, the drinks, the setting and amenities and of course, the visuals.  Now, though, everything has melded perfectly.  Each area adjusted until the overall look and feel is nothing short of perfection!

What an honor it is to be entertaining all of these wonderful people on their holiday.  From this spot, I believe that Carl and I will have even more interaction with the membership.  Allowing us to play a greater amount of the music that they love and cherish, as the sun, food and drinks work their magic.

Memorial day was truly amazing, again this year.  For the fourth of July, we will really need to bring more music to the party; and we will!

See you there.

Rb

Not that it ever went anywhere; Bumper’s Landing in lovely Harrison Twp. is back with a vengeance.  Lats Saturday afternoon, Carl and I set up for our summer on the water tour that is the Bumper’s Landing gazebo.  And if last week was any indication, it will be better than ever this summer!

Iv’e probably said it a hundred times by now; but boaters are the happiest people in the world.

So, playing music for them is a lot more of a joy than it is any kind of work.  That being said, we do our bets to work hard when we are on stage there.

All that music just doesn’t happen by accident.  We get there early, take our time carefully setting up, and begin on time.  We try to craft long enjoyable sets and minimize our break times.

Even during our breaks, Carl and I try and talk to our audience and listen to their requests and advice.  This connects us and tunes us in more closely to whatever vibe them may be feeling.

Several of our good friends were also on hand to share our night with us.  That always makes things ever more fun and enjoyable.  Props to Freddy Fox, Dino Ciccarelli and our great friend Sam from the Mice for the good times, laughter and advice.

It’s going to be an epic summer, we can simply feel it!

Rb

Retirement Recreation.

When you put those two words together, there might be all kinds of images that come to mind.  Probably none of them apply in this case.

Holsbeck Construction was honoring one of their own, so they reached out to us to help make the event one-of-a-kind memorable.

That is just what we did.

Placing the event at The Rec Bowl in venerable Mount Clemens added a great touch as well.  So much better that a hall or a banquet center for a very intimate evening

Another grand idea to make the afternoon special was the Mexican theme, including catering by El Charro’s.  I Yi Yi ! ! !

So the music was flowing, the Margaritas were flowing and the balls were rolling!  (bowling balls, I mean).

It was a retirement party, second to none, with the owner, the CEO and all of the staff there to honor their retiring treasured family member and employee.

It was the perfect evening.  even the torrential downpour couldn’t put anyone in a bad mood.

The owner of The Rec Bowl even finally pinned us down to set a date for us to come back and entertain outside on the big stage.

It was so much fun, and we were both so very proud to have been asked to be a part of the wonderful evening.

We can’t wait to return on July 28th the have even more fun!

Rb

While this will be our fourth summer at The Three Blind Mice Irish Pub in Mount Clemens, Michigan; there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon.

From the moment we arrived, to the moment we playing our last song of the night, we had a great time with the big, enthusiastic crowd.

This summer, there is defiantly something palpable in the air that cannot be denied.  You heard it here first, but I think what we are experiencing is the return of, The Summer Of Love!

Something is in the air all right.  I can see it, feel and and even sense that this summer will be very, very special.  The vibe is just right for so many wonderful, crazy things to happen, that I am betting, something certainly will.

We are doing our part, that is for sure.  Carl and I are giving our all into every song, during every set, on every single night we play.  So far, the response has been tremendous, as the give-and-take from the patrons has been expressly rewarding, to say the least.

The Mice always has a good, fun crowd, and this Friday night was no exception.  Glasses were full and frothing, the conversation was stimulating and the music was flowing.  So much so, that we almost have a tough time taking a break on some nights.

Indeed, on one of our breaks, I had the good fortune to head upstairs to take in one of the Mice’s favorite sons’ bands’ CD release party.

Kevin Covert‘s band Auto Pilot was pulsating on the big stage upstairs.  The rafters were rattling and the people were nodding in unison as the music grabbed them and wouldn’t let go until all the encores lay echoing on the floor.

Lucky for us, that we playing at a venue that always has great entertainment, so we can count on a great crowd on any given night.

After climbing back downstairs and slinging the guitars back over our shoulders, we took the remains on the night and drained ever last drop that could be savored.

When we left, we felt that we had given everything there was to give to the appreciative patrons on this Friday evening.

That is always a great feeling for entertainers.  To simply give all, and be appreciated for it.

Rb

It seems like Irish Heritage Night was a big hit last year.  (or, the rainstorm gods put in a good word for us).  Either way, on a particularly blustery evening in may, we were back doing what we do best . . .

Wait, well, maybe not what we do best, but what people like us to do best.  Irish Music!

It was take me out to the cutest little ball-park in America night again, and we loved it!

I even got to meet and chit-chat with the owner and one-of-a-kind entrepreneur, Andy Appleby.

Arriving early, as we love to do, we found out to our great surprise that in the months since our last visit in 2016, the good people at Jimmy John’s Stadium had build a stage for us as well.  (well, maybe not for just us. but we certainly like to think so).

After spreading out and setting up, it became apparent that we were going to have lively night, fighting the wind to get our music out between innings.  No problem really, as they gave us our own intern to abuse in the down time.  Ok, that might not be the appropriate term to use, but you get the gist.

We did a short set before the game got underweight, and then parlayed that into a half-song between innings or so, throughout the night.  And so on, and so on.

Although the week-long forecast had called for rain, there was eventually not even a cloud in the sky.  There was a bit of a forty or fifty mile an hour wind though, so that was fun.

The stadium looks great again this year. More improvements, more vendors, more fun!!

I even got a moment or two to watch a bit of an exciting whiffle-ball game!

It was a magical evening for everyone involved.

Carl and I hope to be back again soon!

Rb