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We had many options for titles for this blog including:
“How to vaporize your drummer 101” or “Sand, Surf and ROCK”
The day started early for everyone as we met at Kinger’s for the loading of equipment at 8:30 a.m. Originally we were going to rent a U HAUL trailer but Kinger and LuAnn decided to take LuAnn’s new PT Cruiser for its maiden voyage which freed up our space issues. As planned everything was loaded up and fit nicely and we were on the road @ 9:00 with one eye on the sky as the skies were threatening RAIN. The drive itself was uneventful and there were some stretches where we could tell it had rained but we never did see any actual rain falling from the sky. If you have been reading this blog you already know we have some experience playing outdoors as we did an 18 wheeler flat bed trailer outdoors gig at the Walters ranch in East Chain last summer. We were PREPARED for RAIN ! We had tarps for the drum kit, tarps for the amps, tarps for the PA and monitors, large tarps to cover those tarps and extra backup tarps in case. Tarps, tarps, tarps. We also had BUG SPRAY, but of course we would have someone else apply it to our bodies to avoid getting the stuff on our hands. In fact the bug spray would not be put on flesh below the elbow as sweat would make it run down to the hands. We had SUN TAN LOTION. We had coolers packed with ice, water, soda and of course a few brewskies. The beverages of choice for the gig would be water first, then soda, then brewskies as we knew we would need a healthy respect for the expected heat and humidity with temperatures nearing 90.
We arrived at the Bash around 12:30 after a quick stop at Taco Johns in St Peter and Lonzo and the CUZ making a quick side trip to the Miles Away Farm to set up the tent for sleeping accommodations later. The set up was smooth with the help of Pete’s buddy Scott and his 14 year old son Spencer who made the trip from the Cities to help out and have some fun. Spencer is also a guitar player but was “THE DESIGNATED ROADIE” for this gig. As Spence evolves in his musical career we as old goats, hope to repay his kindness someday!!
The gig itself once again was awesome. The skies ended up turning blue. There were people and boats everywhere. It never did rain. Not a drop. We had a bit of a shock just before starting our first set, literally, when we plugged in the last two items, portable fans. If Lonzo or Pete lips touched their microphones, it would be ZAP, shocking. Andy’s mic did not exhibit this behavior so we were delayed for a few minutes while we tried to find another circuit to plug the fans into. Once we put the fans (ungrounded plugs) on their own circuit the issue was solved. We opened the first set with 14 songs and the 2nd set was 13 songs. The crowd, boaters, and beach bashers seemed to be having a really good time. It was pretty cool for the bass player to be able to turn around mid song and see his own kid doing flips off the diving board into the “cement pond” behind us. Somewhere halfway through the third set Kinger starting get cramps in his arms from the heat. It was like a golf ball size knot in his arm was up near the bicep and then down towards the elbow as the muscles expanded and contracted. If you have ever experienced cramping from heat exhaustion you know this is pretty weird and painful. By this time of course the sun had gotten low enough in the west so the tent we were under was not offering as much shade. We decided to alter course and threw in a slow song “Knocking on Heavens Door” to see if Kinger was going to be able to finish the set. We put 4 songs on the back burner but then gutted it out through “Stranglehold” to close out the gig. Between our three sets we ended up playing about 36 songs. At most gigs we try to squeeze in 42-45 songs. As stated in previous blog entries we have so many songs now we want to play them all!!! We were all pretty much gassed after that and retreated to the comfort of the club house for more water, a brewskie, some food and AC. Thankfully Todd, Scott and Spencer took over most of the tear down / load out chores while we partied like ROCK STARS. (yeah right) Kinger ended up having to get iced down and pretty much had heat exhaustion and called it an early night. Thankfully he was OK later that night and didn’t need any special trips to the Red Cross tent for fluids. Thanks to everyone who came to support us and have a good time. Thanks to the Yacht Club for having us and special thanks to Richie Johnson and Randy Quiring for getting us the gig. RQ for MAYOR !!!
BUT WAIT….THERE IS MORE!!
After we got cooled down and all our gear secured we stuck around to check out the 2nd band “30 Below” who were set up on the Yacht Club deck. Of course we only caught pieces of their first set since we were still packing and trying to reload the energy level. 30 Below is a pretty entertaining band mixing it up with some blues, some originals, some classics, and some oldies. They invited up us to jam with them several times, but we were too gassed and already had our 15 minutes of fame so our ego’s were in check. (ha) The lead singer Bud crooned Neil Diamond one song and then Johnny Cash the next and sounded exactly like each. Cool ! Some pretty good harmonies with “Ditt” the drummer who is also originally from Fairmont. It was pretty obvious that 30 Below was having fun and were definitely enjoying themselves.
By the third set it was dark and they had a GREAT crowd dancing and carrying on.
Bummer for them as one side of their main speakers kept cutting out, assumed due to some hardware overheating. There were able to direct some fans blowing on the hardware and that seemed to help. One added bonus to their light show was the hundreds of fireflies or lightening bugs flying around blinking their fluorescent glows. That was pretty cool. Ended up kicking back in our lawn chairs, drinking some cold ones, listening to some good music, watching the full moon come up right behind the band, the fireflies, and the calm lake. What a great event. We hope they invite us back for next year! BUT WAIT....THERE IS MORE !!
So here is how we got to the Trifecta title of the blogs. After closing out our 3-7 ROCK the beach slot, and then partying with 30 Below for the 7-10:30 slot Andy, Lonzo and Lonzo’s bro Todd trekked up to Aardvarks in Truman for their grand reopening to see the band Sinister. Sinister was set up outside on a flat bed trailer in the parking lot. The Lava Lords have had to go head to head with competing gigs at least once before in Fairmont with Sinister and got our butts kicked so we wanted to be able to check out the competition. This is Tommy Bolster’s band covering mostly 80’s Heavy Metal. We got there in time for the last set and both encores. This band ROCKS and has spent some serious cash on their sound production and light show. Sinister has a HUGE following in southern MN as they should. We were able to talk to Tommy briefly before they started the third set and he was surprised and happy to see us. They had a good crowd of several hundred people. Check out the pics !!
So in closing, it was truly an amazing ROCKING weekend. Three bands !!! Trifecta !!
We packed in as much as we could in a 24 hour period. What a riot!!
BUT WAIT – THERE IS MORE!!!
Once we got back to the Miles Away Farm, Todd sparked up a camp fire. There we were, three happy campers hovering around a camp fire at 1:30 in the morning…..peace, quiet, solitude, crickets chirping, the fire crackling, full moon. Totally calm. What a contrast and fitting closing to an exciting day. We are so LUCKY and appreciative of what we have. Can’t wait to go at it again.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz
I informed my 11 year old daughter that I was going to the Taste of Minnesota with the guys from the Lava Lords for another “band outing” to see Alice Cooper. “What kind of music does she play dad?”
hmmmm… my daughter is a budding musician herself singing and playing the piano and in fact has been exposed to other classic rock bands Head East and Blue Oyster Cult at previous Taste of MN shows. How to explain Alice Cooper? Rather than go into the details of the evolution of shock rock, boa constrictors and Alice actually being a he not a she I remarked “more classic rock my dear” and left it at that….for now.
(she’s probably at home right now snooping through my massive vinyl collection looking for clues)
The 21st Century version of Alice Cooper and his band rocked St Paul on Friday June 30th, 2006 opening their 2006 North American tour at the Taste of Minnesota. Alice of course was the same old Alice from the 70’s fighting with his internal demons played out musically on stage in a vaudevillian rock opera, including of course the albino boa constrictor, fake blood, Alice getting his head chopped off in a guillotine and singing “Ballad of Dwight Fry" while constrained in a straight jacket.
(I’ve got to get out of here, I’ve got to get out of here”)
The 21st Century version of his band Keri Kelly / Damon Johnson on guitars, Chuck Garric on bass and Eric Singer on drums were very tight and in many stretches SIZZLED and kept to the essence of the songs but with a more edgy metal / thrash feel.
The band ROCKED through many of Alice’s older classics including “Billion Dollar Babies”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “Be My Lover”, “Poison”, “Is It My Body”, “Under My Wheels”, “I’m Eighteen” and “Schools Out” and the guitarists both switched to acoustic guitars for “Only Woman Bleed”. The songs, the costume changes, the demons and stage props along with general showmanship of the band was very entertaining in a sort of campy Alice Cooper way.
We had made our way through the crowd and ended up standing just to the right and in front of the sound booth surrounded by around 10,000 or so Alice Cooper fans many sporting the “Alice Cooper eyes”. The concert itself started at EXACTLY 7:00 PM as advertised – not 6:59 or 7:01 or 7:45 which was as it should be and they ended at 8:30.
It was like the band could not wait to get the show and the 2006 North American Tour in motion. If you did not get a chance to see them at the Taste they will also be performing at the Moon Dance Jam in Walker, Minnesota July 13
Price of Admission = FREE FREE FREE except for the $2.00 wrist band you were supposed to have to get beer sold to you which I did not know or seem to need until my last trip for a beer when I was refused since I had no wrist band !!!!
(got around that by going to the same beer booth but the other side where they did not notice my lack of wrist band)
(and what’s up with having to buy 8 tickets for $5 but only needing 7 for a beer – lame)
(not Alice’s fault)
BUT WAIT – NEWS FLASH – THE NIGHT WAS NOT OVER
After the Alice Cooper concert we spent some time “Milling About Smartly” and then headed down town St Paul to the Hat Trick Lounge to check out
“The Intangibles” led by singer / songwriter Bob Nordquist. If you have been reading this blog you already understand that going out on the town to support our fellow musician friends is one of our “2006 Band Goals”. The Intangibles also include Dale “eBuzz” Enquist and Brian “High Bun” Russ who are friends and former Fairmont natives. The Intangibles barely fit on stage with 7 members this night, and played to a very appreciative crowd. Lonzo was especially happy to hear some of his own personal Bob Nordquist favorites “You’ve Never Been So Alive”, “Waiting for the Dam to Break”, “Why Am I Still Alive” and “A Good Day”. PLUS some new cool stuff off the new CD especially "Would You Like to Buy Some Candy". We partied till the wee hours with the Intangibles and caught most of their show. A good time was had by all. It sure is nice going out on the town, supporting friends, checking out Alice Cooper and NOT having to drive home. Thanks to “the Cuz” for being the “sober cab”.
