Performance At The Freedom Picnic In Downtown Marion 6-23-18

Setlist:

Listen To Love
Train Goes Nowhere
I Just Started Hating Cheating Songs Today
Ever So Much
Does It Matter
Logic And Lies
Everybody's Talking
For What Its Worth
Cinnamon Girl
Gold Dust Woman

With: Julie Gordon on Cinnamon Girl and Gold Dust Woman

The Debut of the Urban Pie Saturday Night Acoustic Showcase:

Songs:

Get It Over With
Games People Play
I'm Waiting For The Man
Gold Dust Woman (With Julie Gordon)

The Gang:

Tony Nickels
Rose Slaymaker
Sofia Chesney
Steve Black Wolf
Dave Bonham
Julie Gordon
Adam Dinshell
Elizabeth Dinshell
Anthony The DJ
Bill Bourbon


Friday Night I sat in with Karl Hudson, Peter Ciccappio and Jeff Overly at The Shack and did Ring Of Fire

(Photo Credit: Jim Roth)

It was a cloudy afternoon as I made my way to downtown Marion for my spot at the Picnic In The Park starting off Freedom Festival 2018.  Most of the Artisan Sanctuary performers did play today, beginning with Phil Bo King at 11, Phil and Darryl at 12, Shawn Ster at 1 and Richard Edward Butler taking the first half of the 2 oclock performance.  It was supposed to be a paying gig but I have yet to say anything dollarwise coming out of this, but let's just say I'm living the dream.

This week was the first full blown of evening jams, and friday I made the rounds to see Karl, Peter and Jeff at The Shack and filled in for Karl on a bathroom break and then supporting Dave and Julie with Bob Gleason in attendance.   But I was more in concern about my gig the next day.  I have been dealing with a summertime cold that did prevented me from helping out on a benefit in April, but this one was going to be special.  My parents were coming out to see me.  They have never seen me play live before  My mom and dad had to endure many years of me pounding on the drums and screaming into a microphone while playing a two string guitar but they never heard me play actual music before. I think they were very impressed upon my energetic half hour set.  I ended up playing nine songs including two with Julie popping up later.

While I think it's great to play these benefits I tend to wonder about the support of the other musicians around here.  Only Ed Butler remained at the park for the whole thing, and Shawn may have gotten the record for fastest time to clear out after he was done with his hour set, (minutes twenty seconds).   There were kids out in the park and we had vendors as well but the actual crowd watching us was no bigger than the crowd we get a open mics.   Kathy and Bart Carfizzi were there and although Russ got there too late at least he did show up to support the efforts.    Even a good friend of mine that I have not seen in years Jim Roth showed up to see me play.  That meant something.

So Ed did a few songs, including his Comfortably Numb parody and a few other off the wall things. Since the stage was the old Milwaukee Road Caboose I had to do a train song, so I did Train Goes Nowhere from So Much For That, a album that I don't play many songs off.  While I was trying to support the 35th anniversary of Town's Edge Rock, I only played Ever So Much.  Since my dad was out there, I went with Moe Bandy's Cheating Songs.  Julie didn't have to sing but she was gracious enough for help out on two songs, to which may have been the highlight of the whole thing if people stayed around long enough.  Those who did took notice.

(Patrick Lower running sound.  Shawn Ster on stage, I'm off to the left going over some songs)

Afterwards, we had a few people come up and complimented Julie on her fine singing on Gold Dust.  Even when Pat Lower took the video even I was amazed on how our vocals blended together.  You know we would make a great dueting duo.  But I always been more toward wanting to play drums for Julie anything else.

(Dave Bonham, Adam Dinsell, R.Smith, Sofia Chesney:Photo)

Later, the debut of the Urban Pie Acoustic jam started.  It was moved over from the Long Branch when the hotel decided to go karaoke again.  By then, I was getting a bit drained and had to deal with monitor issues and tore through Waiting For The Man before my voice gave out and Julie helped on a short version of Gold Dust Woman.   I played percussion behind Adam's Sweet Home Chicago and Sofia and Steve's set.  For the first time Steve didn't play Turn The Page or Knocking On Heaven's Door.