October 2018

Bumper’s Landing, where anything can happen.

What fun to be able to entertain in such an amazing waterfront bar.  While the patrons are always fun, exciting and above all, interesting; the biggest plus is being able to work with the owner and his incredible staff.

Carl and I have entertained all over Michigan for many, many years.  We have been around, so to speak and seen it all.  We have worked with some very good employees in so many places.

The staff at Bumper’s Landing is the best of the best!

The just work so very hard.  They like each other and support each other, which makes everything go.  There have been reviews where service at Bumper’s Landing has been skewered for their service.

I wonder why?

Drop three hundred people on an unsuspecting staff, all at once on a Saturday night, and see how a normal staff would react.  Well, these superheroes do all that they can to handle the situation, go above and beyond what is normal, and they do it each and every night.

It is almost expected how hard they work at Bumper’s.  I think many people take them for granted, because of how easy they make everything look.

Trust me, “It ain’t easy!”

We see it over and over again.  They never stop, they never slow down and they never give in.  Trouble customers, unruly customers, and downright pain-in-the-ass customers; they handle them all.

From the cooks and busboys right up to the owner, they all do an outstanding job.  Always with the customers in mind, and always going above and beyond what they are paid for.

The real reason that we are there is the owner and his wife.  Two of the greatest people we have ever met.  They do everything they can to make Bumper’s the best establishment that it can be.  We see it in all the things that go on there.

They are always creating events that make the customers want to come back, over and over again.

All great leaders are visionaries.

They see things that others cannot.  It is a rare gift, and one that when used wisely can accomplish much.  His wife is beautiful, smart and savvy.  She possesses a keen eye for business and a great rapport with the staff.  Together, there is really nothing that they cannot accomplish.

Carl and I have played in many places over the years, where the owner or proprietor, is hardly visible to us at all.  We come, we work our hearts out, and never get any type of feedback or dialog what about our efforts.  It is very frustrating, since we need to know how we are perceived by the patrons and also the staff.  As I have written before, our job is to represent the venue we are playing at.  To keep the customers happy, entertained and wishing to return.  When we get no word of wether or not we accomplished that goal can be extremely frustrating to us.

At Bumper’s the owner supports us 100%, and makes sure that we are always taken care of.  He has our backs and makes us feel like family.  Personally, and as entertainers, it is the greatest feeling in the world.  He knows that we would go the extra mile for him and his staff, and frequently do.

Bumper’s Landing has been our summer home for three years now, and while we will be back through the long winter, we always will be awaiting that summer sun, those tall glasses, and that crazy patio!

Rb

Some things are eternal.

And it seems to us that The Three Blind Mice in downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan is one of them.

Eternal

Kind of a strong word don’t you think?

Well, when you consider that the building the “Mouse” now occupies has been dispensing alcohol to the local constituents for more than one hundred years now, it certainly is fitting.

Some things are simply, timeless.

Certain fashions never go out of style.  Bikini’s, bluejeans, Yoga pants for example.

Some watches, some art and of course, some music.  I would call artists who have written songs that were popular fifty or sixty years ago, and are still being sung and recorded today, as timeless.

That is our goal as well, Carl and I.

To last.

To endure.  To be, timeless in our art and in our craft.  The is why we hand select the music that we perform to be songs we believe will stand the test of time.

Sure there are a multitude of songs that have a lot of flash and get plenty of attention from the media.  But in the end, they will be forgotten and fall into that place that all music without substance forever dwells.  Forgotten and unsung.

We take a much different approach.  We sing the music to the soundtrack of people’s lives.

The songs that they shared.  The songs that played when they were down, and picked them back up.  The songs that gave them joy unexpected.  The songs that mean something, and meant something to them for one reason or another.

Songs that lift up, not tear down.

We sing music that enriches people’s lives, not imprisons them in fear, loathing, hatred and guilt.

With two simple guitars in our hands, we can communicate so many positive emotions that by the nights’ end, people actually go home feeling good about themselves, rather than mired in the troubles and tribulations of our withering world.

It is our fifth autumn as we took the stage at the TBM this evening.  Beginning slowly and carefully as the diners in front of us, we’re hardly even beginning to digest their meals.  We didn’t wish to scare anyone.

So, we sing careful and calmly; saving the dramatic songs for later.  A little soft boat music.  Some heartfelt Segar to connect.

Once our musical feet were firmly planted on the ground, it was time to stretch our musical wings a bit.  Entertaining in this intimate environment affords us the ability to play pretty much anything that we could possibly imagine.

The B sides from some artists.  The eclectic hits that maybe didn’t get as much attention as the big songs, but are every bit as good.

Sometimes artists and songwriters conform to the normal type of current music, in order to establish their careers.  However, once they have a musical foothold, they can introduce music that is more personal and introspective to their captive audiences.

Some of these songs are our favorites.  Not B sides so much as songs that the artist was more passionate about.

The people at Three Blind Mice are always so supportive of all our musical ideas, that we can jump right in to just about anything and be appreciated.

Something about the room and the atmosphere gives us the ability to play just about anything.  As long as it have passion and honesty in it.

We played Irish for a while, then country, pop rock and folk.

We were having a blast. By then we had the audience, and when they were smiling and singing along, it was quite apparent that we could play just about anything at that point.

People gathering together to share their lives with others is timeless.  So is good music, and people who share it with others.

We hope to be able to do it for more years to come.  And do it well.

Rb