Party at the Marquis: Paid to Wait it Out

Sometimes the corporate party is more about the awards ceremony and speeches than it is about the dancing.  It's too bad, but all we can do is try.  We get there early to set up and deal with last minute changes in available time to check our audio.  We wait it out in the green room.  The room is nice and the parking was comped.  We were fed a wonderful hot meal with salad and desserts, plus lots of drink options.  They even had Monster energy drinks.  I tried to read a little and tune out the conversations, but my concentration was waning.  Great joke from Dianna: "You know John, that works a whole lot better if you hold the book right-side-up!"  She got me!

Still, when a band has to sit around and let the night wear on, it's hard to just jump in and make it outstanding.  We played fine, but the crowd thinned out and we were left entertaining about 30 folks near the end of it.  Compared to previous years, we were told that we kept them hanging around.  Felt like a mid-week gig, as that's when we usually do this sort of thing here at the Marquis.  My phone camera settings got messed up and I didn't know it until after the fact, so the pics were not happening either.  Here is what I could salvage...

I hope it's okay to re-post some better pics taken by our fine audio and lighting tech Jason Chapman.  His iPhone captured some good moments.  In a massive ballroom such as this, everything feels far away.  Thank you Jason!

Above 4 photos courtesy of Jason Chapman.

Intensities In Tent Cities: Platinum Takes the Magnolia Ball to Kentucky in Carrollton

We have played here every year that I've been in the band.  And then some.  This time was a great one, with lots of party people and good weather.  As a special guest, we had Derek "D-String" McCoy on guitar, filling in for his former self.  It should be noted that he sounded good, really good.  The kid is super smooth.  It was seamless and easy.  He was sporting a beard, which gave him an aura of a distinguished gentleman.  We had the same sound crew from last year, with Gyro operating front of house.  It was a nice system with line arrays and some large stacks.  With this enormous tent, we needed some serious sound.

The theme this year for the big shindig was the Kentucky Derby.  I wonder why it isn't that every year, but they do a great job in mixing it up.  We were asked to play My Old Kentucky Home, which is the theme song of the derby.  We worked up a version by John Prine with 2 guitars.  I listened to it enough times that I learned the words and a harmony vocal.  As I just started singing into Glen's mic, they thought it was kind of funny.  I guess it was.  I'm not one to draw attention by asking about singing, I'll just do it, which draws attention anyways.  It sounded good to hear Derek play acoustic again.

My NS-WAV output jack came apart again.  Must keep an eye on that and remember that the plate doesn't need to come off to adjust the action.  I tweaked the action, which is the bridge height and messed it up a bit.  Got it back to normal, thankfully.  I used my NS Strap System so I could wear it, and with a big of awkward prep, I put my jacket on after the strap and the wireless unit, which conceals the strap and makes it a bit magical.  It was fun to get over next to Bethany near the end of the first set.  That was the thing this evening - we kept on going after the jazzy openers.  I ended up playing the whole set on the NS, including songs like Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe and September.  Gus gave me a look, but it actually worked out ok.

We ate well back in our usual tent.  I made my way to the deluxe porta-potties to wash up with soap.  It was a perfect spring evening, not the usual muggy or soggy night we typically get out here.  I even found the place without making a wrong turn this time.  Good gig.

Intensities In Tent Cities - yes, I thought it was worth using twice...

This shows the scope of the tent with a potion of the available tables in the foreground.

Beverley graces the shot.

Gyro and crew in high ambient light.

Chilling in the green tent with Derek and Anton.

The strap is under the tux jacket.

I was able to hang the NS WAV on the ultimate stand (safely).

Gus giving me that look.

Memorial Day 2014

Your bravery, Patriotism, and sacrifice for this country will never be forgotten. 

We enjoy Freedom in the USA because of your sacrifice. 

May you have a happy Memorial 's Day.

A Return to The Estate: An Evening With Platinum at Buckhead's Historic Antebellum Mansion

Heard ya missed us, we're back!!!  Well, it's been a mere 6 months, if that, since we settled in for a mid-week Christmas gala event.  This time out, we just happen to be performing in the very same room for a wedding reception of the highest order.  Also, this time out, we we shifted around the room 90 degrees and given a generous stage to give our robust presence even more robustness!  Nice.  I brought my usual multitude of instruments, only for the first time I brought 2 acoustic guitars.  The second was for When You Know, which I believe I shared a chart of in a previous session.  I really worked on it and learned the opened tuning version, so I brought Jack's Fender acoustic electric tuned to open D for that song alone.  I know it's a bit overkill, but so is re-tuning a 12-string acoustic on the fly!  Don't want to try that.  I guess I should have practiced I Hope You Dance a bit, as I did a half-beat panic just before that intro bass riff, which begins as a pickup on the and of 2...  Hey, sometimes a good recovery is what separates the men from the boys.  We never did get around to When You Know...

Band meals were much better this time, with salad, chicken, potatoes, asparagus, rolls, sodas, no complaints.  The rest of the night was splendid.  We threw down and they responded.  Good to have Brian Bartlett back with us on guitar.  He is the right man for the job, but I guess he has family commitments and doesn't want to sign off onto our hectic schedule.  he's been there - done that.  Still, he's a real pro and would be a great fit.  The guests made for a young crowd that loved to dance, so we felt good about the gig.  Cool venue with a much better vantage point this time around.

Platinum in the The Tent at Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation: The Night Two Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

There's a bird in here!

Awesome serendipity happens every so often.  I pull into the front area of the Ritz Carlton, asking how to get to the big tent.  I figured it was around back, but I wasn't sure how to get there and I didn't know the code to the gate anyways.  Well, I got directions and then see another employee near the gate.  He recognizes me from the night before, when I was with Last Call at Coldbrews in Roswell.  Isn't that amazing?  Come on!  I thought it was, I mean, what are the chances?

Always great to have Tony Hightower on the front line.  Nobody can sing a jazz standard like Fly Me To The Moon like Tony.  He tears it up and then takes a scat solo after the horn.  I look forward to it every time I see his name on the itinerary.  This was a great evening with the dinner set that allowed us to stretch out on the mellow stuff for the dinner portion.  I like that as it gives us ample time to warm up with some non-traditional choices.  If we leave the jazz out, it just doesn't feel the same.

When a bird gets in a tent, it's tough to get it out.  I learned that this evening.  I also learned that anything can happen on a gig.  Our guitarist decided he had had enough and packed it all up as we were about to begin the 2nd (and last) set.  Yep, he packed his gear up in front of us and the unsuspecting crowd and wheeled it out of the tent and out to his car.  I kid you not.  I've never seen anything like that before.  What a long drive that must have been for him.  We were at Lake Oconee.  We did the set without guitar, but guess what?  Nobody ever noticed!  That's the advantage of situations like this.  Folks aren't necessarily quite as critical, I guess.  Does he know I write a blog and have to mention this?  I mean, I gotta!  We're we picking on him because he didn't learn the songs?  If you're a guitarist that takes a gig, what are you going to do if you don't know the songs?  Fake it?  How much can you get away with?  Learn them all at the soundcheck?  Our soundchecks are long, but they're not that long!  Well, I'm not going to mention him by name on this entry, but you can figure it out.  I only regret not getting some pics of him leaving.  I think I was dumbstruck.  Oh well.  Life goes on.  Now perhaps the blog title makes more sense!

Checking the sound and rehearsing Take Me Home Tonight

Cake view

Tony Hightower

Glen Perdew

Gus Melton

Big Bad John

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Last Call at Coldbrews: A Benefit for Nikki

This was a club performance for Julie's good friend Nikki Green Phillips, recently diagnosed with cancer.  We all felt for her and wanted to help this beautiful young woman who has been through more than anybody should have to endure.  As it turned out, we were a quartet for the evening, with David, Ira, Karl and myself culling many of our older tunes and some newer ones to flesh out the sets.  We met at David's to ride in the deluxe van.  Always great to get there early and have some time with the logistics.  It's quite a bit of stuff, as we used Ira's sharply constructed stage extensions, along with David's deluxe speaker arrangement.  We even arranged for a triple stack of the cabinets on either side of the stage.  With the sub, it is a massive sound indeed.  There's actually rumor of another sub, but that would be mighty grand.  Is Roswell ready for dual subwoofers?  All was well and ahead of schedule until we realized the mixer was still at David's house!  Ooops.  Ira made the return trek and knocked out a conference call in a fine multi-tasking moment.

The sets were expertly arranged and executed, with many highlights.  No Matter What was fine, with my "guitar" solo (on the NS/Stick of course) getting a glorious moment.  I now recall it went well in Athens as well, so I guess it's old news.  We had a guest vocalist Eric sing The One I Love, and that was in the spirit of Mr. Stipe for sure.  Perhaps the big surprise was an impromptu run-through of Helter Skelter, a generously grungy take on the White Album proto-metal anthem.  We love our Beatles, so we can't help ourselves some times.  Other big news was the triumvirant trilogy of The Who: Pictures of Lily --> Substitute --> The Kids Are Alright.  Makes me wanna swing my microphone around like Roger!  POL is tough, with a lot of chords and vocals, not to mention that french horn solo!  We raised close to $2000, thanks to a silent auction and some very generous friends.  We are sending prayers and wishing Nikki a miracle or two.  Must put it out in the universe that miracles do take place, and this lively lady deserves the gift of an angel to grant her more time to fight this.

Man, we had a lot of fun breaking down the gear... enough said there.  Next show for this band is Friday May 23 at The Southern Club, formerly The Peachtree Tavern, formerly The Chameleon Club (going way back).  We are headlining, so wake the kids and call your neighbors, it will be a party!