Events

Sometimes, it can be relaxing . . .

Sitting by the water and watching the tides as they go in and then back out again.

Sometimes it can be relaxing.  And then, sometimes not.

When you are sitting by the water it may be relaxing.  Entertaining at a pub, and watching the patrons come in, fill the tables, listen for an hour or so, and then go away again, is hard work.  Good work; but, hard work, just the same.

That was how it seemed on Friday last, as we entertained at the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

I guess, since most all of the roads in downtown Mt. Clemens are under repair, we should be thankful that anyone at all that is willing to brave the construction and spend a night out with us.

Be that as it may; we began the night at 8’clock with a near full house, only to have them turn over two hours later, to nearly no-one, and then again, nearly full.  It seemed to happen all night long, just that way.  In and out.  Full, then empty, then full . . .

Ok, I think I have made my point.

“How does it affect us?”, you might ask . . .

Well, as “Entertainers“, (Lol), we need to establish an rapport with our audience.  It takes a little while to get to know them, and they us.

We begin doing what we do, (Whatever that is).  We play for a bit, and then probe the patrons for feedback on what they would like us to favor them with.  After a bit, we begin to understand what each table or group is longing for, and try and tailor our sections to match.  Only in that way, can we give them an experience that they will hopefully find memorable.

Simple?  Still, what’s the problem?

Well, all of this, takes a fair amount of time.  There is a “feeling out” period where the audience comes to except us, and lets us into their experience.  It takes a while to get people to except you.  To share their night, their dinner, their reverence or excitement of celebration with them.

And in that time, we have the ability to do the same with them.  To share with them our expertise, our passion, or our personalities.

It takes time.

And on a night where we don’t have time, we do the best that we can.  Carl and I understand that it is an honor to have people share their evening with us.  We try our very best never to betray that time and trust buy not being less than expected, or in most cases, even more.

So it went.  In then out.  In and out and in and out and . . .

It was a good night.  And although we were tired from already playing once that afternoon.  We  got through the night, as we usually do; by leaning on patrons to give us the energy we required to get through it.  In fact, our last set, (our fifth hour), was one hour and ten minutes long.  (Not exactly fading away.)

By then, the tides had come back in, and with it the flotsam and jetsam of humanity.  When that door opens next, anyone could come through it. The opportunities are endless really, when you think about it.

It could be an old friend.

It could be our next, best friend. It could be a record producer that has been looking for us for some of these long forty years.

Or, it could be someone so down-and-out that they don’t ever realize how much they need music in their lives again.  Music to lift them back away from the edge of despair.

You really never know what the tides might bring in.

That is why we all love the promise of the tides. . . .

Rb

 

Roseville is quietly, coming into its own.  If you need further proof, I offer the brand spanking new senior center addition at eleven and Gratiot.

A beautiful new facility, and a wonderful old friend.

Mary Grant, whom Carl and I have worked for through the Eastpointe recreation department for nearly thirty years, now has a brand new office in Roseville.

She was a wonderful surprise as Carl and I arrived to entertain the guests from the community after the official ribbon was cut to open the new facility.

After speeches were offered and proclamations were proclaimed, the ribbon gave way to the inpouring of excited friends, family and well-wishers who gathered from far and wide.

While the spotlight was on the new facility and its promise, we did all we could to entertain and give the evening some panache!

We played our signature line-up of musical variety.  Everything from country to pop-rock and Irish were fair game.  We even trotted out our Jimmy Buffett, to the delight of the wide-eyed dignitaries as well as the delighted downtown dwellers.

The time went by fast.  We played for lots of happy folks, and even saw another old friend in attendance.

John Fitzsimmons, best friend of Gary Miller.  (The man who got us in one of our first bands, Superman) was in the house.

It was a very good afternoon.  But it was only an precursor to what lay ahead.  After three hours of playing, it was off to the Three Bind Mice, to do it all again, in just one hour.

It might be tight; but Carl and I love a good challenge.  Better stay tuned to find out if we make it or not . . .

Rb

Carl and I have been playing Great Oaks Country Club for more than twenty years now. We have had some really wonderful/memorable days there. But, none of them compared to this day.

The word perfect, comes about as close to describing this Labor Day as anything I could ever write. But, I will try my best.

Labor Day, this year was the best of the best of the best that either of us can remember. The weather was picturesque for a day by the pool. People were not worried about going back to work. They all seemed relaxed and happy-go-lucky.

We set up in our usual corner by the pool, under our new canopy, right next to the grille.

Nice . . .

The sights, the smells, the music . . .

On this day, each and every element was perfect! Nothing that we could ever do would derail these people from having a wonderful time.

While we did have several members approach us to let us know how much they enjoyed the music, I thought that it was evident that all of the playing we had done recently was making us even tighter, both vocally and musically.

One member was having such a great time that he agreed to sponsor us to stay another hour, until five o’clock!

That is the ultimate tribute to our effort, I must say.

All in all, it was an amazing day by the pool. One that will be to forgotten for a long, long time. On this particular Labor Day, it was not just great, but maybe the greatest oak of all time!

Rb

From the moment that you arrive at Bumper’s Landing in Harrison Twp. Michigan, it becomes quickly apparent that these people are all about having a seriously good time!

If that is a problem, better just get out of their way.  They don’t need amateurs mucking things up.

And so it was on Saturday, September 2, 2015 at 6:00 when the first song dropped.

It was busy, and soon get packed.  A great problem to have. No problem, at all.

We had a great time right from the beginning on Friday night, and pretty much everyone else did as well.

We know by now that boaters are there to have fun.  You would have to really try hard to ruin their party, and we didn’t.

We lit the fire, and they kept throwing more and more fuel on it.  The numbers of people at Bumper’s Swelled by ten o’clock.  All of them smiling and singing and drinking and laughing.  It was a party all right; and somehow, we were partly to blame.

Request after request was rattled off.  And, if for some reason we couldn’t handle it; we sent them to DJ Jimmy-Jam, who hurled it right back in their direction.

Night two of this amazing Labor Day weekend in the books.  And what a book it was turning out to be.

As eleven o’clock approached, we turned the dance floor over to the DJ.  We bumped up the jamz, and DJ Jimmy-Jam took it from there.

Rb

Way back in the 70’s when television began to spotlight Rock N’ Roll artists, there was really no network or show that people could tune into to watch live performances.

Other than the occasional, scripted show, such as The Ed Sullivan, Smother’s Brothers Comedy Hour or even one of the lesser “variety” shows of the day; you never really got to see an artist playing their own music, on their own terms.

Everything that you watched was scripted, choreographed and in some cases lip-synced right down to the word or note.  All of those shows adhered to strict network guidelines when it came to content and creativity.  Some shows were not allowed to broadcast the songs as recorded or even played for fear that the words would be too controversial.

Enter . . . The Midnight Special.

On the Midnight special, things were a lot looser and spontaneous.  Since it was later at night, there was much more artistic freedom granted the artists.  Groups came on because they wanted to showcase their live performance artistry.   It was a great fit at a great time in show business.

That was kind of what it was like, last Friday night at the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub in mt. Clemens, Mich.

Right int he middle of our first set, the door flew open and in came a big group of revelers, apparently all wound up, with no where to go.

Since something happened at his usual, afternoon gig down at the waterfront in Mt. Clemens, the legendary Adam Alan brought his entire entourage to come see us.

They came from miles around to see him, and since he couldn’t play there, they could watch him play here!

Great fortune for Carl and I.

And, what a night it turned out to be.  Adam sat in again, lending his incomparable skills to each and every song that he played.  Then his friend “Piper” brought out his suitcase full of blues and joined in on the harmonica.  We had seen him before, but not without his trademark bagpipes.

Just when things started to settle down gain, there was a call to have the young lady in their group to sing a few songs.  She was amazing, favoring the salivating audience with some Fleetwood Mac and John Prine selections.

To round out the night, someone even sat it long enough to serenade the “Mice” with his classical and new-age guitar musings.

The night seemed to us just like we were back in the 70’s on the classic variety show, The midnight Special.  Full of excitement, talent and even booze!

What a night to remember.  Hope that it happens again sometime, as the audience enjoyed each and every note.

RB

Sound is a funny thing.

People think that with all the professional sound reinforcement equipment that exists these days, louder is better.

Nope.  Not how it works.

Quieter is really better.  Better on the patrons, better on the ears.  Better on the hands and body.

The truth is: Hearing is better.  Better on everyone.

On Saturday night, at the Green Lantern Lounge in Clinton Twp. Michigan, we were reminded again, just how  wonderful it is to be heard.  Wonderful on so many levels.

Arguably the greatest group of musicians that have ever existed in the modern age of Rock & Roll, The Beatles, quit playing live, for one simple reason:  They could not hear themselves.

Remember in the sixties, in rock N’ roll’s infancy, there was really not much that existed to project the sound from those bands.  Take any concert venue of the day; say, Shea Stadium in New York.  Put four tiny musicians with primitive amplifiers out in the middle of a baseball stadium, and add 55,000 screaming girls . . .   See a problem problem?  More to the point; hear a problem?

Not only could the crowd not hear the Beatles; but the Beatles could not hear themselves.  And they were standing right next to each other.

Now I would never compare ourselves to the Beatles.  On any level.  But, the sound problems that they faced, are still the same today.  All of those logistical sound inadequacies still exist today; there is just better science to solve its’ short-comings.

Fast forward: Sound reinforcement equipment has come light-years forward in both its’ design and application.  Although the latest sate-of-the-art sound systems have both the power and the flexibility to bring music and voice to any venue, it will never take the place of any well designed stage or theater.

The acoustics of any building play the primary part in how any artist or ensemble is heard.  More than anything.

You can mask problems with equalization.

You can reach the audience with brute power.

But playing in a building designed to have the artist heard is the pinnacle of the sound hierarchy.

Well, I’m not likening The Green Lantern Lounge to Carnage Hall – but we have played there twice; and the best part of our experience was not the alcohol or even the pizza.

The best thing is simply hearing ourselves.  Sounds pretty simple, I know; but its true.

On this night, Carl and I could hear each and every note of every chorus of every song.  To an artist, that is true gold.  It really makes it a pleasure to play.

We play in so many venues of beer-halls, banquet halls and barbecues that are so difficult hear ourselves; that when some place comes along that we can actually hear ourselves, I simply needed to take pause and write about it.

Saturday was such a place; and it was glorious to us.  We were working very hard to bring people in and keep them for the evening.  We were doing our part.  So was the staff, and so were the patrons who reached out to us with their requests.

There were even some people who looked on quietly, but were listening intently.  These people were wonderful too.  Just what we need some times.

I can’t stress enough what a joy it is to simply hear.  There were actually people in a booth right in front of our speakers who could have a conversation, all the while enjoying the drinks the food, and the music.  Joy.

We had a great night; if for only that reason.  Each and every song that we played resonated with us on some level.

When you can hear, you can match pitch better, match dynamics better and match artistic intensity and artistic energy better.  It all works together, for a much better performance.

Don’t believe me?  Listen for yourself.  Click here to listen to our 3rd set of the night . . .

We had fun, we played lots of great songs and even got to sing a hearty rendition of the worlds’ most enjoyed song: Happy Birthday for Nicole!

Happy birthday Nicole; so glad you could hear it.

RB

 

The calendar might say August 27th, but the thermometer says fall is coming.  Not to worry; there is still more summer-like weather on the way.  (We hope!)

On this August night however, fall was here to visit; if only for a day or two.  Good thing, as      we aren’t willing to give in, just yet.

On a rare Thursday night appearance, Carl and I set up at Bumper’s Landing around five O’clock for the evening ahead.  A night primarily hoping to raise funds for the Special Olympics through an exciting Jack-Of-Hearts raffle.

We started singing at six, to a great group of hearty boaters who just happened to be willing to brave the elements, (including our music), while sampling some of Bumpers’ best adult beverages.

It was cool.  In the high sixties.  But the music was warming people up.  Halfway into the first set, the birthday boy arrived!

Well, it was Sam’s birthday. (who knew?)

Actually, there was a great group of people who were there to celebrate Sam getting older.  We sang, they enjoyed.  It was a good night for everyone out on the landing.

DJ Jimmy and his parents helped us decide what the crowd wanted to hear; and we did our very best to satisfy them.

Boaters love Jimmy Buffett music, or course.  And Kenny Chesney, etc.  But we really never imagined the reception that country music got when we played it for them.  They loved it!

On this night, it was no exception, as we fielded plenty of requests for country music of every ilk.

As night descended on the water, the birthday party was in full flight.  The lights were out and as boaters began to head out, we played our last song.

Everyone left happy; filled with food, drink and music.  And, hopefully heeding the calendars’ warning. . .

Summer is nearly gone.  Let it fall.

Rb

It takes more than sauce, cheese and dough to build a great pizza.  Much more.

It takes good people.  Dedicated, hard-working and thoughtful people.

It takes the kind of people that own and run The Green Lantern Pizzeria, in Clinton Township, Michigan.

On Saturday, August 22, we had the opportunity to entertain the happy customers at the Fraser, lantern.  As 8:30 approached, the establishment was filled with diners; enjoying their favorite pizza pies.  It was our job to persuade them to stay, have some drinks and enjoy the music.

Carl and I had played there a few times before; always to a great reception.  Now, months later, they switched up the music location.  Previously, we had entertained in the big dining room.  However, on this night, we have been moved to the lounge area.

I will say this: the lunge area is perfect for us.  The acoustics were wonderful.  It nearly made us sound good!

The good people at the Lantern are doing all that they can to establish entertainment for their many customers.

It has been all summer now that they have had some of the best bands and artists in the city entertaining at this location.  They want their restaurant to be a “destination“, not merely a location.  We are confident that it will happen over time.

On this night, for instance, the setting was perfect for a great evening to be had by anyone and everyone.  The weather was picture perfect for doing just about anything that you wanted to do.

The problem with that was . . .  most people didn’t want to be inside doing it.  It was slow.  Knowing that summer was coming to an end was on most people’s minds; and it showed.

As the weather gets colder and darker, customers will come inside to be part of the great entertainment that is offered at this local.

As it was, we did meet some very nice, warm people on Saturday night.  An entire table that stayed for hours and enjoyed nearly every song we played.  That was very rewarding, to say the least.

The staff is always to friendly and kind; none better anywhere.  We hope that the next opportunity for us to entertain at the Green Lantern will be even more popular with the customers than the ever.

To build a great pizza, it takes a lot of things to be done right.  To build an pizza franchise, it takes even more ingredients added, over time.  The Green Lantern is on its’ way.  Carl and I are proud to be a part of the journey.

See you on Saturday!

Rb

   

Old Friends . . .

         “Time it was and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidence”

                                                                                                                            Paul Simon

 

Some things seem never to change. They fit together like one of life’s familiar puzzles; all the pieces in the right order. And when it is ever put back together; it creates that wonderful harmony that results in a something that can withstand being taken apart, only to be truly classic in its reconnection.

So it was last Friday night that the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

After playing our first set, the doors opened, and in walked some of our oldest, most talented musical friends from the past: Wayne Baraks and Adam Allen. Two of the finest musicians that the Metro-Detroit area has ever produced. (And, that is saying a lot!)

Adam and Wayne go way back with us. Wayne, since he began playing with Adam, after his amazing stint with Rare Earth; and Adam, since the seventies when we ruled the stages of Algonac with Sanctuary.

Adam is without question, the most talented guitar player that we have ever had the privilege to hear. He can play any style of music. He can sing, and knows nearly any song that can be mentioned. (since he has probably either player it or taught it at one time or another).

Adam even toured with one of the legendary bands of the rock & roll musical pantheon; Badfinger. We pretty much grew up together, and have kept in touch over the last forty years. Not too many artists can or are still doing what he has done; and for that, we are still in awe.

With Adam and Wayne in the house, we thought that maybe we could get them up to entertain. (even after they had already played their own gig that evening). As luck would have it, they agreed.

They played a wonderful set, acoustically, with both Adam and Wayne taking turns at the mic.

Listening to such great music, it was only a matter of time before I joining in, singing back-up vocals.

After finishing their set, Carl replaced Wayne, and we were jamming again before you knew it!

 Listen in on the last set of the night, when
Adam and wayne sat in and brought the house down!

                                                                                   Adam Alan, Wayne Baraks with Bob & Carl

It was a great evening. We got to spend some time getting to know Adam and Wayne’s find Bobbie, who took several pictures of the “happening” (That’s what they used to call those spontaneous musical events back in the sixties!)

There was even one incredibly fun couple there who offered suggestion after suggestion on what we should play. Great suggestions, all! Great fun!

It was a very memorable night for us; for the patrons and hopefully for Adam and Wayne. We wish them well. We hope that you check them out in concert, and most of all, we hope to see them again soon!

There are a reason that we fit together so well musically . . . most of our pieces have been etched over the long process of time. The music might be considered old by today’s standards; but there is no doubt that the music is classic.

Classic music, old friends.

Rb

As well as Friday night went at Bumper’s Landing in Harrison Township; Saturday was even better.

It seems as though Carl and I began right where we had left off Friday night before the storm. ( . . . the storm that never really was).

Saturday was every bit as beautiful as the brochures had promised, with blue skies and blue water, as far as the eye could see.  (If, you could get your eyes past the bevy of bikini-clad beauties that populated this bar)!

We couldn’t.  Beauties as far as the eyes could see.

And friends, and family and fun, fun, fun!  We were truly having a blast on the river.  The crowd loved it.  The management appreciated it, and word circulated back to us that even Paul, the owner was having a great time.

All that was left was for us to pick the right songs at the right time.  We could do that.  And, we did.

At about nine, as the sun finally went down; the water was busting with those river-monsters coming in hungry for the evening’s catch.  They filled all twenty one boat slips, and clamored for more.  Our job was to give them something to listen to, even if they were still vying for harbor.

We seemed to play everything that the boaters wanted to hear, one way or another.  If there was something we couldn’t, DJ Jimmy could.

At was a magical night on the river for us.  So many smiling faces.  So many wonderful, happy people.  A hard working staff, a happy owner; and no storms in sight.  What more could we ask for?

It was a perfect night on Bumper’s Landing, for sure.  Be sure to save the next date that we are scheduled there.  Thursday, August 27th at 6:00 Pm.

‘Til then, keep following the sunset.  We’ll be ready with a song when you finally dock.

 

 

Rb