Happy New Year !!!

Looking Back 2005

The year 2005 was an awesome year for the Lava Lords. We have been together as a band now for 5 years! Even though we still lay claim to being a hobby band we had set goals for the year and pretty much accomplished everything we had set out to do. We practiced about once a week all year. We performed about a gig per month. (13 to be exact) We upgraded some of our gear. We got to play our first outdoor gig. We got to perform at our 30 year high school class reunion. We got wild and crazy at the Halloween gig. We got to the point where we have so many songs we want to do and have practiced that we can’t play all our songs in one night !!! (without bleeding fingers and cramps anyway) We weeded out some of the weaker songs. We got this blog up and running. (Thanks Skip !) We worked on a couple new originals. (not ready for primetime…maybe 2006?) We got some digital video clips of us performing. (Thanks Todd!) It is going to be pretty tough to top 2005 but heck we ain’t even 50 years old yet so we got some energy left!!

Musically, outside the Lava Lords lead guitarist Andy joined forces with the band Open Element and has been working with them all year on a CD’s worth of all original tunes.
We will let you know when Open Element releases the CD or where they will be performing in 2006!! Lonzo continued performing the usual 4-5 gigs with the Jameson Drovers including the annual GOOSE gigs. It’s been 18 years jamming with the Drovers !!! Pete went “solo” and played guitar at a few acoustic gigs /weddings. Thanks to EVERYONE who came out and supported us over the last year. U ROCK !!!!!! If you are new to this blog or are curious about the evolution of our band you’ll have to start with the March 2005 archive. The very first entry is called “Beginnings”. You got a lot of reading to do !

2005 New Year's Eve gig weekend

Here we are in the midst of the Holiday Season and New Years Eve approaching.
If you did not already know the last and FINAL gig for the Lava Lords in 2005 will be:

Fairmont American Legion Hall
Fairmont, Minnesota
Friday & Saturday December 30 & 31 2005
Evenings 8:30 to 12:30

NO COVER !! (as far as we know)

For now the Fairmont Legion is located on State Street.
We have recently discovered that the Legion in Fairmont is moving to a new downtown location effective January 1st 2006 – The Lava Lords have the honor of being the LAST BAND TO EVER APPEAR at this venue as it is known today. Over the last 40 some years the Legion has been host to multitudes of bands / wedding dances / class reunions and the like. Kinger the drummer in the Lava Lords has gigged there many times with several bands including the Bakin Powder Biscuit Band. (now there is a blast from the past)

If you live in Martin County come on down and enjoy one last favorite beverage, party with the Lava Lords, bring in the new year and say goodbye to a venue that has been a Fairmont tradition.

Shrimp Feed Lava Lords Meat Raffle Bingo !!

As the title for this blog implies there was something for everyone at the New Year's bash at the American Legion in Fairmont. (that is if Bingo, Meat Raffles and Rock n Roll are important to ya) I guess it is not exactly what would appear on a marquee at say Madison Square Garden or First Avenue for that matter....but "it is what it is". We of course had a great time BOTH nights and a pretty good turnout both nights. Saturday evening was especially awesome. We closed out 2005. We helped the Legion have one last hurrah before moving to a new location in downtown Fairmont. We got a really nice article about the band in the local Fairmont paper the Sentinel and our band PIC was on the frontpage ! A lot of people who came out commented about the front page picture. Finally we got to do a gig in Fairmont and not have to compete with the local band Sinister as they were OFF that weekend. Got a lot of offers from people to perform Fairmont gigs this summer !!!

From the weekend:

Turn ON's =
having FUN !! seeing old friends, receiving many kudo's, playing well, female dancers flashing the band (and one male - you know who you are.... DOH !!), drinking responsibly...hmmmm, getting our picture on the front page of the newspaper, having your band mates put grocery bags over their heads (like the unknown comic) to make a point

Turn OFF's = Ted Nugent's song Stranglehold was a TRAIN WRECK, one LOSER trying to steal some of our gear at end of the night, having to throw your clothes away due to the fact they smell so badly of cig SMOKE !

Anyway it was yet another memorable gig ....first time playing New Years eve and at the same time the LAST time we will ever play the Fairmont Legion.

2005 New Year's Eve Legion pics