Events

“I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be.”

Whitney Huston

People ask us why we drive two hours to Bay City on a Wednesday morning in the summer, and this is our answer.  Surly we could be doing other things.  Yes, we could.  However, children are our future.  And bringing them music is something that means a great deal to both Carl and I.

This year we we’re lucky enough to have been asked to come back to the city by the bay, (no, not San Francisco, the other city by this bay). Bay City.

Actually the ride up in the van was a great time to talk about all the things that we have achieved this summer, already, and over our long career as local musicians.  Probably no way to make the ride any better.  Well, maybe one way . . .

Anywho, we were chatting about how long that we have been doing this, and it brought us back to the old days and how we packed four of us young lads in a van to get to our gigs.  Add lots and lots of musical gear, and you’re in for a good time.  Just ask the Boys.

So, where were we?

Ah yes, the city by the bay . . .

Driving up through the scenic Michigan countryside gave us time to figure out about how many songs that would possibly cram into 45 minutes.  Yes, we were driving all that way to only play forty-five minutes?

Why?

Because of the children, remember?

As Whitney so eloquently put it, they are our future.  Be nice to them, because they will be the ones visiting us in the home.  Or, maybe not visiting.

So it was a slam-bang, live on the racer’s edge, laugh in the face of death kinda whirl-wind set of songs that kids to could relate to.

We began with the classic feel-good tune, You are my sunshine.  One that children and parents alike should each be invested in.

Then we did some We-mo-whacking to the Lion Sleeps Tonight, and then straight into The Unicorn Song.

You see where this is going?

Kid nirvana.  Throw in a generous amount of balls, whistles, shakers and props of all ilks and you have the makings of a matinee hit!

The forty-five minutes vaulted by, until it was time for our big finish . . . Under The Sea.  Nothing kids like better than being wet!  (even some adults).

Before you knew it, Carl and I were on our way and heading back home.  We did what we set out to do; bring some fun to Bay City.  And we did accomplish that.

Apparently there will be a brand new amphitheater down the road on this very location in the future.  We certainly hope that we will be a part of it when it is ready to welcome more kids in the years to come.

Children are our future.  Our music is a bridge from things that were meaningful in years past to what we envision our kids to enjoy in the days they have awaiting them.

That is our gift.  We are so very lucky to be able to share it with Bay City, and every city we play in between.

Rb

Well, you get the reference, hopefully.

All the unrest and turmoil that the French have come to associate with Bastille Day was nowhere to be found by the water in Harrison township Michigan on this particular, amazing day.

Whew.

Its was a very pleasant afternoon as we took the pavilion at Bumper’s Landing.  Hot, but nice.  It was fun and upbeat, with everyone in great spirits, looking forward to an impending night of musical enjoyment.  Too bad it was us they we’re listening to!

So the summer night was in full swing with lots of drinking, eating and relaxing to be had.  There were even those that wanted to dance, of all things!

Why not.

We could arrange that.  It was apparent that both Carl and I were in a bit of an eclectic mood, as the crowd and the weather conspired to turn up our creativity nob to eleven.

There we’re all sorts of songs that we treasure and only pull out when we believe that the people we are playing for would appreciate them.  Most of the time, the patrons want to hear a certain kind of music that is expected.  Like, “boat” music.  We get that most of the time, that genre goes over very well with the nautical type.  That being said, there are times when we want to be a little selfish, and do some songs that we really enjoy playing.

Songs like, Galway Girl, Big Iron or even Into The Mystic.  We love these songs.  Although we treasure them, they my not be for everyone, or even every venue that we entertain at.

So it was that kind of a night.  We balanced requests with some songs that we really wanted to play for ourselves and made it a perfectly eclectic musical evening.

Great friends, lots of family and even meeting one or two new people cast a perfect spell on this enchanted evening.

By the water, with drinks aplenty and guitars at the ready.  That’s how you spend any day you can get your hands on.  Although we weren’t doing anything that would provoke the French Foreign Legion to throw us into the Bastille to rot, we were pretty devil-may-care with our last set song selection.

Who knows, if playing music badly was a crime, we could be arrested and wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

But not tonight.  Tonight, we had almost everything we could ever want; including our  FREEDOM!

Rb

Back in Eastpointe for another summer show.  Always a good time, always fun, always entertaining.  Sometimes its quite hot, playing on the cement slab by the Eastpointe offices, but always a reason to smile.

We arrived early, and this time, needed to avoid the street sweeper guy who had it out for us.  Dodging that bullet, it was a pretty easy experience setting up our gear.

Playing in Eastpointe always gives us lots of musical options when it comes to what we can play.  They like all types and genres of music, and even an Irish tune or two.

Since the summer was truly upon us, there was no doubt that we would begin with our trademark, Jimmy Buffett song or two, to get us started on the right musical foot.

The good folks who arrived for the concert were all very welcoming, right from the onset, as we took several requests in the first few moments.

There were Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett and even some Neil Diamond songs that were asked about.  All of them sounded just perfect on this wonderful summer night.  People were happy and very cordial.  Who could ask for anything more?

Eastpointe has become almost timeless to Carl and I, since we have been playing in this community for more than forty years now.  The only thing that differs over the years has been the location of the concert venue.

Be it Kennedy, Spindler or the recreation center, we always enjoy the opportunity to entertain for these great people.

We both hope to come back next year, as we have many, many more songs that need to be heard.

Now, it’s time to enjoy another Eastpointe treasure . . .  Cloverleaf pizza!

Well, we’ve earned it!

Rb

“C’mon in and have a drink!”

This immortal words will forever beckon the tired stranger or the grizzled life-veteran to walk through those doors, sit down and cast off all the troubles and cares that imprison their psyche.

Sounds pretty good, actually; to find a place that can shed your inhibitions, and worries if only for a little while.

Well, such a place does exist, right here in historic, downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan . . .

The Three Blind Mice Irish Pub.

Of course by now you realize that people have been arriving on this very spot for over one hundred years to escape from whatever malady or infliction the world has saddled them with.  The escape hatch being the front door of the Mice.

Once inside, the tired become rested.  The hungry become fed and the thirsty become slated.  And while they are at it, we ply their souls with a little bit of song, for good measure.

It relaxes some, and emboldens others.  It stokes their flames and touches their hearts.

Music mixes between these walls with the right measure of alcohol to fuel the heart, mind and soul.  Not a secret recipe, but one that time has honored no matter what culture, creed or race you happen to be.

We realize, Carl and I, that when people come into the pub for en evening, they want to find whatever they are looking for.  To quench their thirst, to contain their hunger and to share their lives with others of their own ilk.  Our music is designed to weave a tapestry that will somehow wrap them up in, if even for a few hours, without their knowing.  To hold them captive while alcohol and song transport them to the place they really want to be.

Our music may not bring them in; but it certainly is a conversation starter, once here.  It opens doors and lights rooms without question.  It enables thought and curries optimism.

Each song, a modern day classic by a songwriter who traded his or her  identity for immortality.

Our gift is to make it all new again, each time we sing it.  If entertaining is anything, it is immortality, for many of these same songs have been sung for more than fifty years now.

What a thought . . .  to create something that will stand the test of time.

The music we perform, like The Three Blind Mice, has done just such a thing.  Stood the test of time.  It’s been open for more than five years now, and still going strong.

We always enjoy being there, and hope to be back soon.

Rb

Nothing says summer has arrived like the climbing temperature.

By now, you know how many times that I have lamented the fact that weather was not conducive to big crowds outside at Bumper’s Landing, in Harrison Two. Michigan.  I’ve been pretty much a broken record about it.  “It’s so cooooold!”, blah, blah, blah . . .

Well, forget all that.  “It’s sooooooooo hooooooooot!”….

Just kidding.  I’m not complaining about the extreme heat.  And, to be honest, true to their form, none of the big crowd of boaters that we entertained, Saturday every said a single word about it being too hot to drink.

It was pretty hot though.  About 90 degrees will slow down any party.  Folks were there, but pretty much hiding from the sizzling sunlight.  They were under the awning, under umbrellas, and even nestled inside from the oppressive heat.

Nothing will stop us though, Carl and I.  We were there, set up and ready to play right on time, sweltering sun or no.  We just switched on our Island music play-list.  (Just kidding, there is really no such list.)

Island music

Music is so personal and so evocative of time, place and mood, that simply hearing a soulful melody will catapult the listener to a moment and location they might have treasured some years or even decades past.

It can stop your heart and mind until all of those feeling come rushing back, reawakened once more.  Island music by my definition is comprised of slow, easy, tranquil melodies that urge us to relax, rethink and renew.

The melodies don’t shout at us, they beckon.  The beat is simple and straight-forward, hiding nothing along the way.  Even the chord structure, while outwardly pleasing is quite simple and true.

The listener is not being asked to focus their time and energy on the lyrics, solos or even complicated chord changes.  It is simply, “Happy” music.

So when it is hot.  Really hot!, playing island music tends to cool everyone down.  Or when we play it in the winter months, aching for the hint of summer just off the horizon; it even warms us up!

Island music fits right in at Bumper’s

From the cool of the shade coveted spots, we can see and hear patrons singling along with us, despite the heat.  We already know that these people don’t complain about anything, so the heat is certainly not going to bother them.

Singing in the Gazebo on the deck is a great place to be actually.  We can see everything, and of course hear everything.  Especially when these racing boats come in establishing their audible dominance, or trying to.  Something worth hearing, that’s for sure.

As you already know, we begin our night around six O’clock with Jimmy Buffett, the usual first round pick.  Then some Seger, and Young and even Chesney right out of the gate.

But on this afternoon, we thought that we would cast off much of our usual, and let the Island Music wash over those oppressed by the heat.

After the first couple of sets, the sun retreated a bit, and let the boaters emerge into the light.  We began to play music with a little stronger structure as the night drew close at hand.

There was still not a lot of craziness, since by now, the sun had zapped much of everyone’s energy.  That was fine too.  We simply brought out the romantic music, as the darkness settled in the moon crept over the dock.

It was clearly time for romance and passion.

Bumper’s Landing may occasionally  be windy, it may be cold, yet most times hot.  However, there is one thing that Carl and I know for a fact; it is never, ever dull, not matter what type of music is in the air.

Rb

we’ve waited, we’ve watched and we’ve even begged for it.  Finally, summer has arrived to stay!

About time.

While we can’t complain about the weather now, we just need to manage the crowds.  Keep them happy, that is.

Not too much trouble at Bumper’s Landing, since they are usually exceedingly happy to begin with.

On this particular Saturday, while the warm weather finally and ultimately arrived, so did those pesky clouds.  Not to matter.  Nothing could keep away this group of contented revelers.

As we arrived to set up, no one was confident in what Mother Nature had in store awaiting us down near the water.  The skies were grey, but as of yet, warm and pleasant.

The weather maps were a bit inconclusive, and watching the sky was not yielding us the pertinent information that we needed to make an informed decision about where to set up for the evening.

So, set up outside, we did.  If things changed, we would roll with it.  After all, that is pretty much what we did at Bumper’s Landing every time.

Playing by the water on a summer Saturday is an idyllic scene, unless, you add water dropping from the skies.  That is what made us move inside.  That, and Captain Morgan!

Captain Morgan, you say?  Yup, in came the good captain, resplendent with his peeps, entourage and first & second mates in tow.  Also, complete with his own marching band.

We had to take a break for all of that.  While we did, we tore down our equipment and hustled it inside to set up once more.  For as soon as we set up again and began to play, the rain unloaded its’ vengeance on the unsuspecting crowd.

No matter.  They joined the Conga line inside and everything was good!

The music got hotter and hotter and the dancers found their groove once again.  It was utter chaos, but utter fun at the same time!

The rain, the music and the Captain made this night one of the moist memorable we had ever played.  (And, by now you know that we have been playing for a long time.)

Beach music, country and rock ballads and party songs filled the lungs of every patron that night as the roof was nearly blown off the bar.

We escaped with our lives, only after playing three or four encores to the drones of, “One more!!”

When the weather truly cooperates, we know that we are going to see something like never before at this place.

It’s gonna be epic, and we are gonna be right in the thick of it!!!

Rb

Rb

While many changes have been taking place in and around Macomb County, some of them good, some of them bad, there is one thing that you can always count on.

While all this has taken place, some things still remain constant; like the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub in downtown Mt. Clemens.

The building has been a pub for over one hundred years now, and although many proprietors have come and gone, it has more than stood the test of time.

The Mice always delights.

The acoustics are warm and rich.  The architecture is timeless, and the walls resonate with a truth and honesty that cannot be easily measured without experiencing it first-hand.

When you walk in for the first time, you realize that stepping inside these walls is a treat to all your senses, not just your eyes and ears.

While the alcohol beckons, the traditional bar and wood detailing pleases your soul.

Add the smell of sumptuous comfort-food and you can see why the Mice is whirling through it’s fifth year of service to a thirsty community.

Carl and I love playing at this venue.  So close to the people that they can’t help but feel part of the entertainment suits us just fine.  Something akin to street magicians, standing inches away from our audience is almost like working without a net; exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

Once we strike up the first chord however, we are in charge of our own musical destiny.  Standing alone with two guitars is a very good way to quickly find your worth as a musician.  If you can entertain like that, in its’ simplest form, you can do anything, we believe.

At the Mice, when the clock hits eight, the lights go on, and we begin the first song.  Most always, we ease into our night with a selection that will make the transition from quiet conversation to easy listening, enticing and palatable.

There are many people that came for dinner and didn’t expect musicians to pop up, seemingly unannounced.

It is our job to help those folks make the decision to extend their stay.  Customers are our bosses, and ideally each one of them must be won over and hopefully satisfied.

We want them back, and we want them to feel welcome and happy and the desire to spread the word.

Everything we do is to accomplish that goal.  We begin easy and as the night evolves, turn up the volume and the tempo to a level that matches the pace and pulse of the patrons we engage.

There are lots of ways to get it done, but the easiest way is by simply selecting the right song at the right time of night.

Reading the eyes and requests from the audience, we can tell when to pick it up, when to slow it down and even when to get a little irreverent or completely sentimental.

That is always part of the fun.  It is the best reason why Carl and I have never used a set list to dictate how the night should go.

We would rather let the audience dictate to us, what they would feel and like.  Most of the time, that works pretty well.

Friday was just such a night.  As people came in and were reluctant to sit right in front of us, they quickly realized that we weren’t too loud or too annoying.

Nothing that a fair amount of alcohol couldn’t rectify.

Actually, we had pretty good luck playing all the requests that we fielded.  Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and Cat Stevens led the pack.  Of course we scattered some traditional Irish favorites their way without incident.

We play five hours when we entertain at The Three Blind Mice.  Five hours of three minute songs is a pretty good way to sharpen your musical chops in this business.

Friday evening was pretty typical night at the Mice.  Although we could have gotten fair amount of walk-ins from the fireworks that were happening downtown, the rain unfortunately curtailed most of that throng.

We always feel at home in this pub. It speaks to us.  And it listens to our song, if that makes any sense.  We are a good fit.  It’s incredibly hard work, but worthwhile each and every night.

We’ll be back in a week or so, and we can’t wait.  We know that it will be waiting for us, as it always is.

Rb

There are those who love to be by the water.

To them, it is calming.  To them it is a source of their happiness and well being.  I believe that some of us simply feel better when they are in, on or by the water.

Michigan is very fortunate to have water surround us on so many sides.  It affords those of us that need it, the calming effect that their psych hungers for.

It could be the gentle rocking that reminds us of our treasured infancy; a happier, simpler, care-free time.  It could be the boundless eternity of flowing water; the giver of all life itself, surrounding and embracing us.

I suppose that when it comes right down to it, none of that matters.  Boaters simply enjoy being around water.

Carl and I have played many a performance over the years for boaters, boat clubs and sailing groups.  We have entertained on boats, on the water, weather it be in the summer or in the bitter cold of the long. frozen winter.

However, these last few year, since we have become lucky enough to be at Bumper’s Landing, (nestled in the water-rich confines of Harrison Township Michigan), we have learned so much that we had never imagined about these amazing individuals.

They are happy.  All the time.  Happy.

I endlessly marvel at that.  The trivial trappings of everyday life seems unable to stick on them or weigh them down, as they do the rest of us.

I really think that the water gives them some immunity to the minutia that assails most of us landlubbers.

We go through our hectic lives, Monday through Friday, only to reach the weekend, where we spend endless hours trying to catch up to that elusive concept called, “Relaxation”.

However, once we arrive there, we are too exhausted to even begin to know how to actually relax and revel in it.

For those who get their energy and collective center from the waves, each and every day seems to be calmed by the ebb and flow of the water, seemingly coursing through their veins.

We are truly envious of them, Carl and I, to be that blissful all the time.  Where nothing or no one can push them over the edge, like us mere city folk or country bumpkins.

That is one of the reasons that we feel so lucky to be included in their group.  Kind of like, honorary boat people.

When we arrive, we take it all in: the interactions, the sights the sounds the smells and even the vibe that permeates the waterfront.  It is all so amazingly healthy that one could even make a case for each one of us to move by the water; permanently.

As we set up each week, we observe the people, the interactions and the goings-ons around us.  Boats pulling up, people congregating and drinks being consumed.  All while we ready our gear for the night of entertaining ahead.

Saturday, things are a bit slower and easier than other days of the week.  We feel less rushed and able to enjoy the entire process of playing music for this venue.

We love Bumper’s.  We are very happy and lucky to be included in their musical line-up. Everyone there works so hard at what they do, each and every time they arrive at their job. We see that, and appreciate it greatly, as it makes our job so much easier.

When the staff does such a wonderful job, the customers are happy.
Happy patrons translates to a wonderful night, for everyone.

We believe that playing music in an establishment like this is pretty simple and straightforward.  Show up on time, ready to entertain, and just have a good time doing whatever it is that we do.

I guess, making people happy via our music.

Simple.

Our first set started out a little bit more up-tempo that we usually begin with, since, no-one wants to feel like they are being blown out of the water with loud offensive music.

Not for our first set, anyway.

It has been our goal this summer of 2018 to introduce lots of new music into our sets.  Maybe not, “new” music; but music that is new to us, and the people that we see regularly.

They deserve it, and above all, we do not want to become stale for our patrons.  Every week, we want to try to bring several new pieces of music into our shows.  It also has the effect of keeping Carl and I more focused and involved in the shows.

So far, we have introduced about ten new songs, that have all been received well by our audiences.

I’m sure that it goes unnoticed, but we work on our craft each and every week to improve it in all aspects of our performances.

We study and research new equipment to continually deliver better, more enduring sound.    We upgrade and groom our equipment to withstand the rigors of our week-in-week-out gigging.

We coordinate our wardrobe.  We learn new music, we practice the delivery of each song that we introduce into our performances.

We even work at keeping ourselves healthy and in good physical shape, so that we are always able to fulfill our musical schedule.  We are very proud that we have never missed a performance in over forty-five years of playing music together.

So with all of these things that are part of our inherent work ethic, it is so nice to be lucky enough to perform for people that are so appreciative of us and what we do to bring our shows to life.

We have studied them, Carl and I.  We have observed them now for this third summer.  We still don’t understand them, much.  Or even how lucky we are to be able to be entertaining them on Saturday nights.  But we certainly do appreciate being right here by the water, with them.

And, one more thing . . .

Working with tan owner and his staff that treats us like family is truly the best experience we have ever had in nearly fifty years of playing music professionally.

When I say working with, I mean just that.  While some people direct from afar, the true leaders jump right in, should-to-shoulder and pitch in on every level to accomplish their goals together.

This has been what we have always admired personally.  So I am acknowledging the incredible boss and amazing staff of Bumper’s Landing.

Being by the water for so long now, hopefully will rub off on Carl and I.  We will become more pleasant and easy-going.

Or, maybe we will just play happier songs.

Either way, if we are playing them by the water, they sure will sound relaxing!

Rb

Everywhere we look, (even despite what some people say), there are signs that people want to take an active hand in “Making America great again“.

Let’s forget the politics of that phrase, for a moment.

Of course, we all look back at days gone past, and somehow yearn to reclaim the joy and happiness imagined within.  Everything seems better as we reflect on it, weather realistically or not.  Things were always better.  Things were always easier, or longer, or shorter or simpler.

We all realize too, that some of that might not have been appreciated or valued at the actual time that it was experienced.  We tend to romanticize things as we look back at them.  It’s part of the human condition.

So when we look back at the simpler time of being a child and having no responsibilities other than just listening and doing what our parents told us to do, life sure could seem wonderful.

When Carl and I arrived in the quaint little town square in Auburn Hills last Friday afternoon, we were both struck with how picturesque it was.

America as it was always intended to be.  Inclusive, warm and glorious.

Since Auburn Hills is going through such a transformation from what it was, to what it ideally wants to be, the cityscape is undergoing some growing pains right now.

Apparently there will be a brand new amphitheater next year near the park, down near the river.  The town square is under an upheaval, as new store-fronts are being created and some updated.  The streets were being widened and re-faced for better pedestrian and automobile interaction.

All of this to say that right smack in the middle, we were to do a concert!

It was a great honor to be included in their concert series line-up with such other accomplished entertainers.  Since we have played several time over the past few years, we were quite excited to be back.  And, looking ahead to the new venue on the horizon, it was even more of an incentive to step up our game just a little bit, so were were asked back.

So they rolled out the red carpet for us this time.

Well, the green carpet to be exact.  About an entire football field of green Astro-Turf.

They ingeniously transformed a small town square into an impromptu concert arena for this years’ concert series.  The new amphitheater should be done by 2019.

When we show up at a new location or venue, and we are greeted by warm friendly faces, it begins the entire experience perfectly.  It was very evident, that so much care and attention had been focused on this event, that we both knew it was going to be a great night.

The weather was going to cooperate and people were arriving even then to stake out their space for the upcoming show.

We set up casually and easily on the cute little stage they had prepared for us.  As people were arriving and congregating, we changed our clothes and prepared to start.

After the emcee gave us a warm welcome, we began our hour and a half show with some Bob Segar music to get everyone accustomed to our sound.

We played music from many artists and several genres as the evening unfolded.  We even played several Irish favorites to the delight of the passionate attendees.

An hour into the performance, Carl called for some requests from the appreciative crowd.  The Monkees and Neil Diamond were right at the front of the line as time was beginning to grow short for our show.

Watching people dance, smile and sing along is always a great way to gauge how effective we are at engaging our audience at any performance.  The Auburn Hills crowd seemed to enjoy the night as much as Carl and I were.

It was a wonderful evening.

We finished with our rendition of, Love The One You’re With; our way of letting the audience know how much we enjoyed the entire Auburn Hills experience.

We certainly hope that we we be asked to return next year at the new venue.  It will be very hard to top this years’ event.

Someday, when we look back at this night, we will both smile at the memory of us reflecting the greatness that America can be, through our musical performance.

Rb