Running With Desire holds court at Laurel Springs Halloween Bash

I gotta hand it to these people - they stick together and really hung in there.  We played for a Halloween costume party outside by the clubhouse pool of the Laurel Springs subdivision in Suwanee, you know, up there off of 141.  Temps got down into the 40's - upper 30's this morning but it wasn't quite that low last night.  Folks planning to go the party had to finish watching the requisite football game - I think it was Clemson.  After that, and you know, the Georgia Bulldogs won, they came over to our open air rock festival and proceeded to have a wonderful time.  Gas heaters were in place, and they helped a lot.  The one by me didn't work and we never got another over there.  It wasn't so bad, really.  I had 4 layers on, under my prisoner's jumpsuit.

The load in and soundcheck were brutal.  It felt like one of the biggest mistakes of my life.  It was a mistake, in a way, since I missed out on a decent paying gig by taking this one.  There is always the opportunity cost associated with committing ones self to a particular engagement;  that commitment immediately disqualifies that person from any further activity during that particular time slot.  I have, in the past, wrestled with that theory.  I have subbed out a gig that I had already taken.  It's really bad when you do that for purely monetary reasons, such as finding a better paying gig.  Not really cool.  I did have a better paying gig come up after I had committed to this one, but I didn't ever think to sub it out and cancel on these guys.  Bad karma at large in that case...  However, if I could be cloned, now that would allow me to double-dip!

So the soundcheck was cold!  We were in this windy channel where a nice, cool breeze was wafting into our faces.  How refreshing!  You can see on Mark's face, below, how much he was looking forward to the proceedings.  Mark had just acquired an "Alex Van Halen" worthy drum set, featuring 2 extended length kick drums!  Nice looking Dude!  Well, we played some Van Halen tunes, alright (Panama, Ain't talkin' 'Bout Love, You Really Got Me, Unchained)!  After the U2 stuff, of course (Get on Your Boots, Vertigo, I Will Follow, Where the Streets Have No Name).  Then we went straight into the "party" tunes.  It was a very well attended party, considering the elements.  They were a fun bunch, I must say.  Lots of cross dressing, with exposed upper extremities.  Plus, the entire cast from Gilligan's Island!  Wish my camera hardware was up to the task of these perennial low light situations.

The music went very well.  A few medleys from the old days, the country one (Friends in Low Places --> Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw --> Family Tradition) (btw, screw is pronounced "skee - roo", although a bit rushed on the 1st syllable), the funky one (Play That Funky Music --> Hot in Herre --> The Roof is On Fire --> Rapper's Delight --> Another One Bites the Dust), the Southern Rock one (Sweet Home Alabama --> Kid Rock's All Summer Long).  Other fun stuff: Bon Jovi Medley (always), Summer of 69 (not as bad as it sounds - drop D on the bass for that lowness - actually it's drop C# as we are already tuned down a half-step!), and of course, Sweet Child of Mine!!!  Good ol' GnR.  I think we played some good music too, but I could be wrong...  does Jessie's Girl count?  We were covered with a great soundman (audio engineer!), plus 2 assistants, and a kicking system.  Felt like a rock star, even if I didn't get paid like one!  Sometimes it's not about the money.  Ah, scratch that, it's always about the money!!!  Still, we had a good time and so the attendees.  I think it's one that everybody will remember, if only for the weather.  They should remember the concert we put on for their humble little Halloween throw-down.

Mark at soundcheck with his new skins.

Soundman Extraordinaire and Mike.

Tweaking the backdrop.

JT's world of pedals and lyrics.  More than most singers bring to the stage.

Strategically placed heating element.

View from the far side, just before we get down to a run through of  sorts.

Mark in costume.

Certainly one of the highlights was breaking from the cold to cruise
over to Mike's friends' home for a nosh in style and comfort.

Good hostesses!

Special guest vocalist Sandra Hogan Cochrane, who sat in on and
convincingly belted out Hit Me With Your Best Shot.

A smattering of the party crowd.

James and Susan.Terry.

Green in orange jumpsuit.

The party continues...

2nd set

My camera is given to a would-be photographer.

Johnny in action.

Wyman-esque pose.

Mike.

Looking for the cue (or was it a clue)?

The Adrian Ash Group at Java Monkey, The Haunting, Part II

Last night we gathered for another evening of wine tasting at Java Monkey.  It turned out that we didn't feel the big urge collectively to attempt anything from Bitches Brew, in spite of Adrian's (and my) interest in the project.  We all have to be on board for this kind of thing.  The songs themselves are more sketches than compositions.  I get that.  The legend of that album has almost overshadowed the music within.  I am aware of many live recordings and even tribute acts playing this stuff, many with small bands such as ours.  It's a leap of faith one must make to begin to envision playing these things in front of a crowd and actually making music at the same time!  So we didn't!

We did play Guy's new chart of Walking on the Moon, as well as the scary themes of The Munsters/Addams Family, Frankenstein, Nardis (a Miles tune that I don't think he ever recorded as a leader) & In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.  It really wasn't hyped as a Halloween Spooktacular, so I guess the marketing sector of our minds just wasn't feeling it.  I "screwed the pooch" (my term for "stepping on my dick" or just "flubbing up royally" on The Munsters medley when I didn't think to catch the coda.  I live and die by the coda.  That is an area of weakness on my part for sure.  I guess I zone out on those black dots a bit too much.  It's a real letdown when it happens.  Bad enough that I'm so dependent on reading these to begin with.  Well, perhaps I can call it a lesson learned by putting it up here for faithful readers to "tsk tsk" and shake their heads knowingly in unison.  Keep on trying and keep on smiling!  I did manage some decent pics of the gang.

Guy employed a very and seldom used envelope follower effect.

Among those who stopped by during the night, we saw Matt from Uncle Fishstick
& the Special Purpose.  He was most gracious with compliments, which mean a lot
as he is a gifted guitarist who is possibly one of the busiest  musicians in Atlanta.

About to start 'er up.

Fonk's Pedalboard du Jour

Guy & Jason nailing it!

Psst!  Adrian & Heather are expecting a baby (14 weeks along)!

Without a bass around my neck, it looks like a glamour shot.

Loadout.

Patio view from the street.

The front of our bistro hang.

Double parked for easy loading.  Got to be careful around here.
The Decatur Police show no remorse when it comes to writing tickets.

Cate Edwards' Wedding Reception in Chapel Hill, NC

Sweetwater Junction had the privlidge to perform for the wedding reception of Cate Edwards and Trevor Upham.  Check this excerpt from ABC News:

Edwards' father John hosted Saturday evening's reception on the lawn of the family's sprawling estate outside Chapel Hill.

Cate Edwards, daughter of John Edwards and his late wife Elizabeth, marries her college beau, Dr. Trevor Upham in Chapel Hill, N.C., Oct, 22, 2011.

A musical trio entertained guests during cocktails and hors d'oeuvres of shrimp and grits, Carolina crab cakes and other Southern delicacies. After dinner, a rock-and-roll dance band hired by Upham, 30, who used to book party bands when he and Edwards were students at Princeton University, took the stage.

That was us: Brian, Walt, Chris, myself, and a drummer I had just met, Carlton Owens.  We were to meet at Brian's at 8:30 am.  This was a bit of a challenge as I had played the night before with MartaY at Padriac's.  I was slow getting out of there and probably got to sleep sometime around 3 am.  Yawn.  I left my last minute garment bag packing job for the morning, but had all everything else ready to go.  Well, I was about 6 minutes late.  Not bad.  As things go, Walt's alarm didn't wake him up, so he was meeting us in Commerce along with Carlton, who lives in Athens.  The meeting spot has become Krazy Al's Mega Music, a great spot to pick up stuff on the way to a gig!  They carry some great items.  Last time there I picked up a set of Ernie Ball 6-string Bass Strings - had to support a store that caters to my slightly esoteric needs.  They also have 3 upright basses in stock, not top of the line but very nice for the price.  I might say they sound better than mine does, acoustic wise.  I remember the guy at Rolls Music Center (my old high school/college musician buddy George should retell this one day - I'll get him to dust off the cobwebs of my brain and seek his permission for re-cyber-transmission) telling me "IT'S ONLY WOOD!" as I was naively thumpin' & pluckin' on a bass guitar - so, I always keep that in mind if I'm ever inspired to pick up a store's instrument to try it out.  Anyways, Walt made a good call to purchase an "iPod friendly" cable to play break music through the PA.  This was good because, for whatever reason, his old cable no longer worked at the soundcheck.  How is that?  A premonition, perhaps.

The drive was 6 1/2 hours of fun.  Lunch was an opportune stop for gas with a built-in Subway.  I tend to go for the 6" BMT with EVERYTHING on it (except pickles - I love pickles but not theirs).  We felt pressed for time but quickly scrambled and soon we were set up.  We saw the bluegrass trio filter through the tent and the bassist complemented me on my NS WAV.  It was small talk from across the tent as she kept on walking.  A little strange but nice.  It should have been an indication that our time for soundchecking was about to come to an end.  We did manage to get through the first dance of Wagon Wheel (nice live version from their DVD with some rather present bass and faithful harmonies).  Thanks to Walt, we sincerely tweaked the harmonies.  I did my best to catch that high one and Walt sounded great on what I always think of as the "David Crosby" middle harmony that can be hard to hear but it's essential.  That song is sure catchy, and what a story about it, how it was a Dylan demo that was unfinished demo outtake from Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid.

Our green room was the big red building, which housed a basketball court, swimming pool, rooms upstairs, and TV room for us to flop down in.  We didn't learn about this until after we had all changed our clothes in the field behind the trucks and catering tent.  We sauntered over to rest, watch some football, and wait for water and dinner to be delivered.  One of the musical highlights for me was when Walt found the piano at the far end of the basketball court and went through several differing thematic choruses of Stella by Starlight.  He has tremendous facility navigating through those changes and brought so much variety in his treatment; stride being the climax for my ears.  It was a great aside, lush piano filtered through the cavernous reverb-soaked gymnasium along with cries from the children spending their evening with us in this remote setting.  Eventually, we gathered ourselves back to the tent.  We were later fed a plate of yummy roasted chicken, collard greens, sweet potato, and mixed veggies while we stood outside waiting for the initial speeches to commence.  Walt drew up some nice set lists, which made for a well paced flow to the show.

We sounded good, and that's the great gift we can give a couple on their wedding day: music they want to hear in a sincere style.  The other dances were My Girl and How Sweet It Is.  Once the dances were done, the dance floor came to life in a way I haven't seen in a long while.  Song after song, we were a force of jukebox envy live on stage.  Folks sure love their Mustang Sally!  The floor really was packed the entire night, with protesting screams for more once we reached the end of our run.  We obliged with Billie Jean (we were instructed to stay away from the funk, but hey, it worked any ways - the King of Pop is still relevant, even as rendered through a rockin' jam band).  Then we played an encore of Wagon Wheel to send them off.  It was 12:15 am and we were done at that point.  That's always a tough call - to play more or end it as abruptly as it began - but it went well.  I feel you gotta give 'em just one more, out of good sportsmanship.  We're there, set up, they're there, wanting another hour's worth at least...  Eventually we have to say goodnight.  My P-bass sounded good and it was a pleasure to play with Carlton.  He plays with some real serious concentration, but he lays it down in a very authoritative manner.  Makes it easy for all of us.

Chris and Carlton, my buds in the back seat.

Couldn't resist catching a pic of a sign for Spencer!

John Edwards in the center.

The green room.

It was an honour to play for this event.  Well worth all of the time it took.  We were reduced to fumes and finally found a motel type place to check into for the night.  Very little sleep but a Waffle House breakfast cured our blues, and then there was Starbucks too.  Had to go there as well.  It's only money, right?  I was back in Marietta around 4ish - enough time to stop to get balloons and flowers for Sabina's birthday surprise on Monday morning.