Sunday, March 28, 2010
Callahan's 3/27/10
This show in Auburn Hills, MI, was really fun. The crowd was friendly and appreciative, and the staff has a deep respect for music. I wish them well for years to come! The sound man, Robert, snapped some shots of us for the blog. Joe's injured wrist wasn't hurting him as badly as last night, and he really stepped up his game. This show felt good from start to end. Duke helped a 16 year old birthday boy build a memory he won't soon forget. Let's just say that it will probably be a while before his buddies let he and his girlfriend alone together. When the gig ended, we jumped in the car and drove back to Indy to fall asleep around 6:00am.
Rhino's 3/26/10
When Bill Ritter and I met up with Duke Tumatoe and Joe Maddox in Plainwell, MI tonight, we found out Joe had injured his wrist playing basketball earlier in the week. He had it wrapped up in a bandage, and I'm sure it hurt him all night. But Joe's a pro, and he played the gig like nothing was wrong, and he sounded great, as usual.
The club was a bit different than the last time we performed there. They've remodeled. The front door was on the opposite side of the front of the building than it was last time, and they built a small stage. It was a packed show with lots of dancing. The only down side to this gig was how smokey the place can get, but we still had a good time!
The club was a bit different than the last time we performed there. They've remodeled. The front door was on the opposite side of the front of the building than it was last time, and they built a small stage. It was a packed show with lots of dancing. The only down side to this gig was how smokey the place can get, but we still had a good time!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Zydeco's 3/21/10
Today was the first crawfish boil of the season at Zydeco's! We had so much fun performing for an energetic crowd. Karl Liechty on sax once again joined Joe, Bill and I to run through my tunes and some familiar favorites. The staff of Zydeco's was busy with a bunch of reservations, a crawfish eating contest, and the now famous "walk of shame" that Chef Carter had to do because the Colts lost the Super Bowl!
Kingston Mines 3/20/10
Our second night in Chicago was much colder, but the crowd still showed up to listen. The hardest part about this show was just the fact that when we wrapped up for the evening, we had to load our gear out, and by the time we arrived at our hotel, it was almost 5am (which is 6am Indianapolis time). That wouldn't be so bad, but we had to be on the road by 9am to make it to Mooresville on time for our gig at 3:30pm. Plus, it didn't help me fall asleep when, as I walked into our hotel, some guy ran in front of me to the desk clerk, freaking out about a friend of his who was "somewhere in the hotel, about to O.D. on pills". Yikes.
Kingston Mines 3/19/10
Chicago was nutty this weekend. We played to a packed house, and the people were there to party. Joe Maddox really brought some power to his playing, and he kept the energy high all night. Duke had a couple of record label guys come out to see our show. He may end up working with them on the next CD.
I think the best thing about playing to a packed house is that for us on stage, the crowd becomes our entertainment. We love all of the odd dances, random bits of conversation, and all the air guitar for the crowd. Funny stuff!
I think the best thing about playing to a packed house is that for us on stage, the crowd becomes our entertainment. We love all of the odd dances, random bits of conversation, and all the air guitar for the crowd. Funny stuff!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Royal Theater 3/13/10
DHG backed Duke in Danville tonight! Delightfully, we dumbfounded the dutiful crowd diligently until dawn. Not really. It was about midnight when we finished, but "dawn" sounded better with my alliteration attempt. As always, alliteration allows another annoying attempt at analyzing an announcement amazingly. In other words, the gig was fun.
King James and the Verses (with special guest Jake Henson) opened for us, and they did a fine job.
King James and the Verses (with special guest Jake Henson) opened for us, and they did a fine job.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Howl At The Moon 3/12/10
I was called in to perform at the dueling piano bar at the last minute tonight. Since the big ten is happening right now in downtown Indy, the bar was crazy-packed full of sports nuts, and they extended the piano player's night to eight hours! The way the shift worked out, I was there for seven of the eight. Whew! Looong night, but at least I was working!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Zydeco's 3/7/10
We had so much fun this afternoon in Mooresville, IN, that I had almost forgot that the day started with a panic attack. Our drummer, Joe Maddox, who also performs for his church on Sundays, Sent me a text an hour before the show to tell me his sub for the church was injured, and he wouldn't be able to make it to our show. Yikes. I quickly called an old friend (and a great drummer) Steve Brunner in to play with us. He was thankfully able to make it! To top off the whole situation, this was the first gig performing my material for our new guitarist, Jake Hahn. Once the show started, we had so much fun, all worries went out the door.
After we finished, Joe joined us at Zydeco's for a promo photo shoot, shot by my wife, Christine Barton-Holmes. Thanks to the crew at Zydeco's for making today go smoothly!!!
After we finished, Joe joined us at Zydeco's for a promo photo shoot, shot by my wife, Christine Barton-Holmes. Thanks to the crew at Zydeco's for making today go smoothly!!!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Indiana Live Casino 3/6/10
Last night was packed at the casino in Shelbyville for Duke's Saturday night performance. We had more of the most interesting dancers in the midwest come share their gift of dance with us. All was fine until the boot-scooting line dancers made Duke uncomfortable enough to want to quit playing guitar. Forever.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Howl At The Moon 3/5/10
Tonight, before we went to Howl to perform, we drove to Shelbyville to set up for our second gig of the evening with Duke, then rushed back to downtown Indianapolis to perform for a couple of hours for the Happy Hour crowd. Bill, Joe & I finished at 8p, then jumped back into my truck and headed back to Shelbyville to perform at the casino with Duke Tumatoe. Whew!
Indiana Live Casino 3/5/10
We had a good crowd and lots of interesting dancing tonight at the casino. It used to be that when we played the casino, our drummer was forced to use the house's electronic drum kit. Now, they let us bring a real kit in, and it's so much more fun to play there. We'll be back for round two tomorrow night!
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