uff. This type of an evening doesn't come along very often around here and certainly not for 10 bucks. But let's not bring money into it. Let's talk friends.
So many great friends were there for the magical, musical evening. Indiana, Illinois, Missouri we all showed up to celebrate the fantastic talent. It's always such a great night when you get to be around those that love the same things you love. It means so much to me to be able to stand/sway among you all and dance and sing and adore the music together. Each song having it's own meaning for each of us. It is completely intoxicating in itself and for that I thank the musicians. I will thank the Grey Goose company at a later time.
I arrived in Washington, Mo after a 5 hour drive with my husband. The ride was uneventful and gladly Black Betty didn't throw us any curves. She is my 12 year old VW Beetle. I love her, but, she scares me sometimes with her age. I baby her to the best of my ability. She only has about 144,000 miles and I think she's going to live a much longer life, longer than even she knows. WHY, because I love her and they say, love is all you need. I may have to reward her with a Tom Skinner sticker.
First stop the ever so nice Super 8. I think we all are in agreement here. Great space for the price and the staff was over the top helpful. Not quite the Marquart Inn B & B, but next time we'll stay there. Thought we better give them a break during the holidaze and all. After a quick rest, I got, as some say," freshened up" all the while eating what I think is a snack, xmas and thumbprint cookies from Jubelt's in Litchfield. If you're traveling on I-55 North of STL look for Jubelt's Bakery in Litchfield, you will not be disappointed. I assure you. You can slap me silly if you disagree. Mike and I have a couple cocktails in the room while we snack on our cookies. We're talking about what we might do for dinner. We discuss Marquart Landing or maybe just a piece of pizza at Casey's, since we'd eaten so many cookies. I checked in with a couple of "my girls" after they had arrived and they were all filling there bellies after a treacherous trafficky drive. After a fun little welcome, "it's always exhilarating when you first see your frans at the hotel or bar", and it had been too long. I left them alone to "freshen up" and Mike and I headed down to Front Street.
Nabbed a parking spot and then Mike wanted to catch up with our friend Priest, so we went looking for him. He was just inside Otis Campbell's so we stick our heads in, cause it's pretty early yet and we're on a dinner hunt. We're motioned in and we oblige. On the other side of the bar there are just a few people and they are the Mike McClure Band. They're just a hanging out, having dinner I don't want to bother them, "just yet," but they give up some hugs and offer their dinner to us. I'm offered a couple pieces of pizza. And ladies and gentleman as it turns out, that WAS our dinner. That and those cookies. We were caught up in the night and never made it across the street for our Marquart Landing fix. Next time. :) We gotta eat.
After some time catching up with the early crowd, The Damn Quails flew in for the worm. I was introduced to each one and had some fun conversation with all of them. What great individuals. Gabe, Bryon and Biggie. We shared a few stories and several laughs before the show. I was becoming even more eager for the show, by now. All of our group arrived and we were all visiting and carrying on.
Seriously, lately, it seems everywhere you turn you're either hearing about The Damn Quails or Mike McClure or 598 Recordings or The Great Divide. I personally have probably read 100 reviews of Down the Hatch, and 50 Billion. I can't recall reading that many reviews about anyone in this genre at any one time. I'm no critic or credible person to review anything. I'm more of your "blue grass" kinda blogger. But all of these great reviews have me thinking, what's next? Mike McClure is on fire. He has his creative hand in a little bit of everything. How does he find enough hours in the day? All of us have our ears open, waiting for his next release, which I read is coming quickly with a Tom Skinner EP. Mike definitely has already made his name, now perhaps he and Chance Sparkman and 598 Recordings have helped The Damn Quails, make theirs. I'm very happy for all of the above, you all deserve the best accolades that can be given. Really top notch people and super talented musicians.
Once The Damn Quails took the stage it was nothing but PEACE for everyone and there wasn't a Christmas ornament in sight. To view some video from the evening check out ellebee101 on YouTube.
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| Some PEACE from Mrs. Fun |
http://youtu.be/obrngIAuZqs Graceful Swan Dive, http://youtu.be/1larv1dFZiw Another Story
She does great work with the camera at many a show. Sometime when you're needing a music fix, check out her stuff. You'll be smiling in no time.
I couldn't begin to tell you all the songs they played. I was somewhere lost in AWE. That first time, that happy feeling, watching those "old souls" go to it. I didn't take any notes on my phone, not one picture just stood and watched and fell in love with the music from The Damn Quails. Once Mac took the stage with them it got all kinds of crazy fun. Mac the drummer. Eventually everyone was on stage for TDQ&MMB philharmonic. It was absolutely fantastic. True Story. I hope someday I get to see something like that again. WoW
I was as intoxicated as the next person when The MMB took over. That Grey Goose/No Dinner combo was really working for me and somewhere in there I was drinking some cinnamon whiskey with a couple people, coughcatrinabryonjoycough, which was a first. Whew, bring it MMB, I need to do some rockin'. Ha and they started out with Calling all Cars, somebody got drunk and drove their car, down in a ditch....and then we Danced like Idiots to In my Ears. Never a set list from the MMB, they almost always play what you ask to hear. That's such a great trait, most bands can't pull that off. Off of the new CD we heard 50 Billion and Horseshoe. We rocked and rolled to Belly of the Beast and Modelo and that was just the beginning. I was calling out to hear, Sometimes it's hard to tell, but probably next time. That song is practically poetry. It was just an outstanding evening with some of the best music and best friends a girl could ask for. I can't wait to do it all again. xxJan27thin RivertonMMBandFeb4TDQRivertonxx note: see calendar below
The evening ended with a stop for some much needed food. But I barely remembered that Jack in the Box Chicken Teriyaki. More thanks to Grey Goose and Joy. Who eats that at 1 A.M.? The alter ego that's who. She knows who she is, little troublemaker. After a good nights sleep, ice water and advil, I felt perfectly able to go to breakfast with everyone, I think there were just about 10 of us. But not before we took over the hotel lobby and had the hotel clerks laughing their tails off. Probably the tubesock talk. I overheard them call us a HOOT. Straight from the hootenanny, that's how we roll. Ya can't NOT love us, I don't think and on that note.
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| Sweet little something from Catrina |
Peace & Love
xxmusicgypsyxx
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| Xmas gift from my daughter Les, It means so much to have received such a well thought out gift. Thanks & love you girl. |
JANUARY 2012
13th Red Wanting Blue-The Rathskellar-Indianapolis, IN
13th The Damn Quails-Grady's 66 Pub - Yukon, OK
13th Todd Snider-Sheldon Concert Hall-St. Louis, MO
14th Todd Snider-Hoogland Center for the Arts-Springfield, Il.
14th The Turnpike Troubadours w/ The Dirty River Boys, Cole Porter-George's Majestic-Fayetteville, AR
15th Billy Joe Shaver-Knuckleheads Saloon-Kansas City, MO
19th Midnight River Choir w/ Cole Porter Band- Crazytown -Joplin, MO
20th Todd Snider-Castle Theatre-Bloomington, IL
20th Midnight River Choir-Old 36-Riverton, IL
21st Red Wanting Blue-Windjammer Lounge-Bloomington, Il
21st Todd Snider-Space-Evanston, Il
21st Stoney LaRue- George's Majestic Lounge-Fayetteville-AR
26th Mike McClure Band w/ Brian Lumley&The Red Dirt Underground-Outland Ballroom-Spfld, MO
26th Randy Rogers Band-Crazytown-Joplin, MO
27th Mike McClure Band-Old 36 Inn-Riverton, IL
27th Randy Rogers Band-The Cotillion-Wichita, KS
27th Adam Hood-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il
28th Randy Rogers Band-Beaumont Club-Kansas City, MO
28th Mike McClure Band-Snorty Horse Saloon-Columbia, Mo
28th Randy Rogers Band w/ Kip Moore, Sam Sliva- The Beaumont Club-Kansas City, MO
28th Jackson Taylor and The Sinners w/ Cole Porter Band- The Outland Ballroom-Spfld, MO
FEBRUARY 2012
1st The Damn Quails-Last Chance- Manhattan, KS
2nd The Damn Quails-Lee's Liquor Lounge- Minneapolis, MN
2nd Bleu Edmondson w/ Chad Sullins and the Last Call Coalition-Crazytown-Joplin, MO
3rd The Departed- George's Majestic Lounge-Fayetteville, AR
3rd The Damn Quails & Josh Abbott-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il
4th Stoney LaRue-Off Broadway-St. Louis, MO
4th The Damn Quails-Josh Abbott-The Blue Note-Columbia, MO
9th The Turnpike Troubadours-Snorty Horse-Columbia, MO
7th Red Wanting Blue-Schuba's-Chicago, IL
7th Reckless Kelly-George's Majestic Lounge-Fayetteville, AR
8th Red Wanting Blue-Mother's Pub-Ames, IA
9th Turnpike Troubadours-Snorty Horse Saloon-Columbia, MO
9th Ray Wylie Hubbard-George's Majestic Lounge-Fayetteville, AR
10th Bleu Edmonson-Old 36 Inn-Riverton, Il
10th The Damn Quails-Slinger's-Hayes, KS
10th The Turnpike Troubadours-The Woodshed-Leon, Ia
11th The Turnpike Troubadours- Knuckleheads-Kansas City, MO
22nd Jason Boland and The Stragglers-Snorty Horse Saloon-Columbia, MO
23rd Brandon Jenkins-Crazytown-Joplin, MO
25th Eli Young Band-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il
MARCH
9th Randy Rogers Band-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il
23rd Casey Donahew Band-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il
APRIL
20th The Damn Quails-The Gas Lamp-Des Moines, IA
29th Ray Wylie Hubbard-Rose Bowl Tavern-Champaign, Il
MAY
17th Jason Boland & The Stragglers-Luke's-Altamont, Il
18th Jason Boland & The Stragglers-Joe's Bar- Chicago, IL
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