Last Tuesday at In The Pocket rehearsal, our trombone player, Tony, got a voicemail on his cellular telephone from a man claiming to be Tommy C, the tour manager for Chubby Checker. Chubby was scheduled to play the Dutchess County Fair this past Saturday, and Tommy wanted to talk to us. So, Tony called him back. Apparently the Chubby Checker tour was having a problem with their equipment and they were interested in borrowing an organ or a keyboard with an organ sound. He found us simply by doing a search for bands in the Hudson Valley (the internet works!). Tommy said that money was tight, but that we could obviously come to the show, as well as go backstage to meet Chubby. I offered my Roland RD-300SX, and he said that would work and he would call us on Thursday with more details.
On Wednesday, the idea was floated that this might be some kind of scam. Was this really the tour manager for Chubby Checker or just some guy trying to pull a fast one on us? My first thought was to call the fair and ask them to independently confirm that the person who called us really was from the tour. But then I thought, "Let's just Google his phone number!" Ingenious! So we did. And the first thing to pop up was the Chubby Checker tour rider through Paradise Artists, including the guy's name and phone number. We were convinced. But to be safe I decided that I was going to insist on staying with my keyboard until it was set up on-stage. I wasn't going to just give this guy my equipment and leave.
On Thursday, Tony got a call from Tommy C telling us to meet him at 11AM on Saturday morning, and to call 45 minutes before we got there. Boom. I was going to the fair for the first time in at least 5 years (and for free), we had arranged to meet some friends at the fair and bring them to the show, and we was going to meet Chubby Checker. Random and cool.
Now, I know you see where this story is going. Enter Hurricane Irene.
We were setting up for our Friday night pre-Irene show at Pat Tarsio Lanes when I got a text telling me that the fair was going to be closed both Saturday and Sunday. I verified it when I got home. No fair. No wonderfully unhealthy foods. No 4H milkshake. No carnies. No Chubby. Only rain.
And so it was.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
8 Things I Learned or Reinforced Playing Beach Gigs in Jersey
The sun is hot. This might come as news to some of you, but during the summer the temperature outside can get well up into the mid-90s. And when you're loading and setting up a band's worth of gear and PA equipment after you've spent the day on the beach and in the ocean, it can knock you on your ass. Drink plenty of water, and stay in the shade.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
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