Nothing brings folks together like the promise of a grand celebration!
And so it was, on a Sunday in Harrison Township, by the water. The location never seems to matter on this day of the year, as people will travel most anywhere to share a drink with their fellow man.
Or woman for that matter.
Carl and I were lucky enough to be at Bumper’s Landing, where we may never know what to expect; but we know we will always have a great time.
Performing at one O’clock, we arrived even earlier to find Bumper’s mostly full of thirsty patrons with bright, happy faces. Green was out in full force as everyone wanted to show their inner Irish.
While special days like this are always well attended, there are several pitfalls that are inherent in their makeup.
It’s crowded, so we have to arrive earlier than usual to set up and navigate the roadblocks in our path. Then, since we have lots of friends and family attending, we always have requests for tables or contacts or special details that logistically need to be worked out.
In the end, everything settles down and when we are all set up. Things all falls into place without much tribulation, really.
There is traditionally a big game of some type on as well, so we need to allow for the sports fan who is putting up with Irish music. At Bumper’s none of it seems to be a problem. Boaters, by nature are pretty adept at rolling with everything.
We began at 1:00, and played for more than an hour to start. Getting a firm grasp of the entire afternoon in one fell swoop. Since it’s not a traditional Irish pub, the patrons aren’t really into each song as in some places. Rather our music was more a backdrop to the excuse of doing some serious day-drinking.
With our afternoon well in hand, the basketball game got underway, and the bar took on another aspect of fun. You had your sports fans, you had your music lover, and you had your alcohol enthusiasts. Throw in some great food, and everyone had a reason to enjoy something; or everything!
Uncle Kracker was all part of the fun as well. Matthew feels right at home in his neighborhood hang-out; awaiting his next big tour.
Although spring still hadn’t arrived, the sunshine helped us all believe that it was right around the corner. There were smiles at each and every table. Even the leprechauns were part of the festivities.
All we needed at that point were some bag-pipers.
After the game, it was time to settle down to some serious partying. We had played to Green Alligators, a Jug O’ Punch and Nancy Whiskey. Now it was time to pull out some Irish sing-a-longs to make this day even more memorable.
However, as hard as we worked to make this day a success, it would have all fallen on deaf ears, if it weren’t for the efforts of the owner and his wonderful staff.
The staff at Bumper’s is amazing. They never stop working. They never take a break and they go all night without complaining about anything. Each and every one of them is incredible; and, they do it sometimes three days in a row.
We admire them all and count ourselves lucky to be a part of such a hard working group of incredible employees. Without their tireless efforts, Bumper’s couldn’t be as special as it has become.
Eight hours in, it was time to separate the amateurs from the professionals.
Playing all the Irish traditional favorites in a second wave gave the serious revelers a chance to end the night on a high, green note. We even played some Randy Travis and John Denver to make some late attendees happy.
If you weren’t there, or for some foolish reason, chose to be with someone else instead, you will undoubtedly regret it for the rest of your life.
Saint Patrick’s day in the United States has become a day when we can all feel like we are as one. We set out to do one thing; cherish and enjoy the awakening of spring.
After all, there is a saying: “If you’re lucky enough to be Irish. . . You’re lucky enough.”
Rb
