It seems like at many of our recent WED evening practices during the summer we end up with only three of us. It always gets more difficult to practice in the summer as we all have “stuff” going on. This past WED Pete, Lonzo and Kinger rocked the house as Andy was on his way for a week of relaxation in Lutsen. There have been times recently when Lonzo missed practice so the band went “sans bass”. (or brought in a substitute hacker bass playa from the”hood”) Who needs bass anyway …right!!
It can be harder to work on material and even run through some of our oldies. “hey let’s do xxxxxxx song” “nope Andy sings that one” “how about xxxxxxxxx song?” we get half way through and then have to improvise when we come to the part where Andy would solo. A Three Piece is actually kind of fun and more challenging. Some of our favorite bands have been three piece. Grand Funk, Rush (recently Wolfmother comes to mind) It’s still fun though since we still get to drink beer. Most of the time we make stuff up, or start with a riff and then see where it goes. If it’s the three of us with no Andy we sometimes revert back to the REALLY OLD STUFF we started doing pre Andy being in the band.
15 July 2008
05 July 2008
R.E.O Speedwagon - Taste of Minnesota 2008
As is our way...(although we were hoping for everyone in the band to go) - Pete & Lonzo ventured to the 2008 version of the Taste of Minnesota to check out REO Speedwagon. We started out in Pete's backyard, grilling a few burgers and nursing a couple of our favorite beverages. Pete's house isn't to far from Harriet Island so it wasn't long before we were parked and on our way to hear yet another "classic rock" band from our past. Although we had both seen this band before, the very first time was even now being fondly remembered as we approached the Harriet Island concert area.
Yes, it had been a classic event and happened way back in 1975 or 76 when REO was to be the headliner in Fairmont at the Fairmont Speedway. Although all the details of that day are a bit fuzzy, it was like a mini woodstock. The first warm up band played and then the 2nd warmup band's set was cut short due to a passing thunderstorm. Every one was impatient waiting for REO and wondering if they were even going to be able to appear due to the rain. As time passed and the rain did not seem to want to stop we had the sense of "we're DOOMED". Finally the rain let up and we could see activity on the stage. Would REO appear?? We all rose to our feet and screamed at the stop of our lungs for the band to begin. I KID YOU NOT, there was a crack in the clouds and a bright streaming ray of sun shone through onto the stage just as REO took the stage with the moog synthesizer intro opening for "Riding the Storm Out" began and the band kicked in to high gear. It was for sure one of the top ten all time concerts of our lives. (well top twenty for SURE)
So with these warm fuzzy memories of the past playing in our heads and feeling a bit giddy we approached the concert area. Was that BOSTON playing ???? We looked at each other. We did not know they were opening for REO? Yet it was clearly Boston's "More than a Feeling" and then a medley of "Smokin" / "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". We got to the stage area about the time they finished the medley. We finally figured out it was Cosmos (Fran and Anthony Cosmo FROM the band BOSTON) who were warming up for REO. That's right, we knew that was the warm up band but neither of us had taken the time to do any research.
Of course the entire concert area was PACKED. We stood in line to buy tickets to get beer. We stood in line to actually GET the beer. We wedged our selves up about half way up to the stage, stood right next to the sound engineers booth. It was pretty entertaining people watching of course. Not sure of the EXACT set list but it was something near this:
Find Your Own Way Home
Take it On the Run
Keep Pushin'
Can't Fight this Feeling
Dangerous Combination
Time For Me To Fly
Don't Let Him Go
Keep On Loving You
Roll With The Changes
Ridin' the Storm Out
Golden Country
Of course the whole night was deemed a SUCCESS by Lonzo when REO played "Golden Country" (top 50 personal favorite songs) And yes for a guy pushing 60 Kevin Cronin can stil BRING IT !!!!
Yes, it had been a classic event and happened way back in 1975 or 76 when REO was to be the headliner in Fairmont at the Fairmont Speedway. Although all the details of that day are a bit fuzzy, it was like a mini woodstock. The first warm up band played and then the 2nd warmup band's set was cut short due to a passing thunderstorm. Every one was impatient waiting for REO and wondering if they were even going to be able to appear due to the rain. As time passed and the rain did not seem to want to stop we had the sense of "we're DOOMED". Finally the rain let up and we could see activity on the stage. Would REO appear?? We all rose to our feet and screamed at the stop of our lungs for the band to begin. I KID YOU NOT, there was a crack in the clouds and a bright streaming ray of sun shone through onto the stage just as REO took the stage with the moog synthesizer intro opening for "Riding the Storm Out" began and the band kicked in to high gear. It was for sure one of the top ten all time concerts of our lives. (well top twenty for SURE)
So with these warm fuzzy memories of the past playing in our heads and feeling a bit giddy we approached the concert area. Was that BOSTON playing ???? We looked at each other. We did not know they were opening for REO? Yet it was clearly Boston's "More than a Feeling" and then a medley of "Smokin" / "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". We got to the stage area about the time they finished the medley. We finally figured out it was Cosmos (Fran and Anthony Cosmo FROM the band BOSTON) who were warming up for REO. That's right, we knew that was the warm up band but neither of us had taken the time to do any research.
Of course the entire concert area was PACKED. We stood in line to buy tickets to get beer. We stood in line to actually GET the beer. We wedged our selves up about half way up to the stage, stood right next to the sound engineers booth. It was pretty entertaining people watching of course. Not sure of the EXACT set list but it was something near this:
Find Your Own Way Home
Take it On the Run
Keep Pushin'
Can't Fight this Feeling
Dangerous Combination
Time For Me To Fly
Don't Let Him Go
Keep On Loving You
Roll With The Changes
Ridin' the Storm Out
Golden Country
Of course the whole night was deemed a SUCCESS by Lonzo when REO played "Golden Country" (top 50 personal favorite songs) And yes for a guy pushing 60 Kevin Cronin can stil BRING IT !!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)