[Bish]

I just got home (1am CST) from the second gig we played this week. Our local fair is in full swing and Tuesday we played for the section of fair where the horses, stables, rodeo corral and south entrance to the fair grounds are. Most people drifted by to their intended destinations when coming - and beelining it to their cars after 4 hours of hot, humid weather conditions that brings even the stoutest of tough guy down. We were experiencing 90 degree temps and 70% humidity and this was at 8 PM in the evening. We still managed to draw and crowd, never mind it was the designated beer tent within a half mile of anything remotely hospitable.


Starting last Saturday we had record heat of a little below the 100 degree mark. . . 97,98...at 10 am. That morning was the final day of our week long annual Bix Beiderbeck jazz festival in which the town holds a 7 mile run, gruelingly painful, with many long hills. This was my second year. So I ran/walked the 7 miles in a little over an hour and 45 minutes...missing my time last year by 1 minute. :evil: Knowing what was to follow during the rest of the day I chose to just be a participant this year and not try to break any records or barriers.

That afternoon, I had to setup and play for another big event held outside our area. A bicycle ride called RAGBRAI. I don't know if anyone is familiar with it but it's a bike ride across the entire state of IOWA. This year Lance Armstrong rode in a couple of segments. Well, the ride ended in Muscatine Iowa on the shores of the Mississippi River. This meant traveling a about an hour to this other town. We were the entertainment. The band set up on a double wide semi trailer arrangement with no cover from the sun. Our gig lasted from 3 pm until 8 pm. We roasted in 100-103 degree temps and played our hearts out. I was out in the sun for the majority of the day on Saturday. Sunday I got out about 10 am and did some lawn maintenance and that was the last time you caught me outside until Tuesday night at the Fair.


Tonight we played in the main pavillion located on the main run of the front of the grandstands. Tonights featured act in the grandstands was Brooks and Dunn. What happens when the main act encores and everyone leaves it, they come see us. We must have had 4000 people crowding around the place. It was head to head as far as I could see. Some of the (pardon me ladies) hottest women there got up and grabbed a tamborine or just shook their thangs during different songs. We had to actually go two full hours without a break due to the crowd being all over us. This was the most amazing performance I've been a part of. The weather was about 15 degrees cooler and everyone was a lot more comfortable than the first night.

Friday night we were scheduled to play at one of our regular places (after being away from there for two months) and due to a work overload this week, I actually had to cancel the first gig that I can ever remember canceling. You've seen videos from that place so it's nothing new. From here on out we are booked every weekend through the end of the year. I may actually have some Christmas cash. Ha, the first plug for Christmas of the year. I even beat the media with that one.

Monday our company is going live with the latest release of software used to support the company. You may not think it much but we've been out of the upgrade loop for over 10 years. For those who understand, that means the programs have progressed from Unix into the Windows environment. Our current version is 5.1. THE current version is 8.1. We have been trying to seriously phase it in for a little over a year. This is partially why I've been away from here for so long. I just flat out had too much going on. This weekend everything gets ported from the UNIX system to Windows and that includes replacing roughly 30 HP UNIX terminals with Windows XP based PC's. This is partially why I had to cancel Fridays gig. I have to go into work after 2nd shifts stops and run all the labor and workcenter reports to close out the days activity (usually done on Monday) so we can port all the current data over to the new Windows servers. This will take all weekend so I'm swamped at work and barely coming up for air.

The singers wife took some video of tonight performance. If I can get a copy, I'll post it here. I do have a video of last Saturdays' "hot" performance. I'll have it posted on my website in a few days for anyone who's interested.

Sorry to yak so long. My ears are still ringing (forgot my earplugs) and I'm having a hard time winding down even tho work becons in 4 hours...yawn............


Thanks for reading this lengthy post. I'll be glad when this week has come to a close. I need a vacation. Good night!

[00SoSlow]

Congrats man... sounds like u guys must be good!

[Bossman351]

Well, the weekend is here! Time to party bro! lol

[99mustang232]

damn, sounds like a crazy week, i feel your pain i gotta migrate a site with about 50boxs from a win2k/NDS/ccmail enviroment over to an AD/Exchange setup with a few servers tomorrow

[B0mb3r645]

^ ouch that's a bitch.

Sounds like a good week you had Bish.

[Drgnracin72]

sounds like it was a little hot outside!anyways lets here the band!!

[Bish]

You guys know NOT what you ask for.

Here goes. This is a little unorthodox as I just got a new Digital camcorder and not sure how to get the right digital format yet.

This should work using Windows Movie maker.

Click the link. Select open. Movie Maker will open. Click the video picture in the left pain and that should allow you to click play in the player on the right.

Sorry for the whacko way to play this. I'll work on something better next time. For now....hope you like....

+links not working+


After testing the link, (I hadn't watched this yet) there are two sets. The second set I panned a little closer to the band but both sets have some good songs.

[Bish]

Well I'm at work and the file playing isn't working for me. I'll see what I can do to fix it. Sorry for the confusion.

[Horseshoeing]

I guessing that you have not did any mods to your stang? You better slow down or you will fall over dead!

[Bish]

Originally Posted by Horseshoeing I guessing that you have not did any mods to your stang? You better slow down or you will fall over dead!

I guess it depends on what you call mods. I've added some exterior and interior accessories but so far nothing to the engine compartment, exhaust for suspension.

I did however get my music links to work. Here is the first of 4. (They are still uploading...)

http://204.97.91.110/HHMusc1.wmv

I'm uploading the rest and should have the links working by tonight. If not, check back tomorrow. These are some big files so give it a minute or so to load up.

Thanks for your time and patience.

[Bish]

OK, I have the other parts of that gig up and running.

Hope you enjoy!!!


Http://204.97.91.110/HHMusc2.wmv


*Removed non-working links.

[Bish]

Hey all.

I finally got this video production under control. Sorry about all the probs earlier.

I redid the videos and was able to compress them to be much more internet friendly.

If you'll please humor me one more time and try these links I think you'll have much faster success.

Again, very sorry for my blunder.

http://204.97.91.110/HHMusc1.wmv
http://204.97.91.110/HHMusc2.wmv

Actually any of the above links 1 or 2 will work.

THANKS!!!!!

[Horseshoeing]

I am not getting any sound. My guess its on my side. I will check it latter, I just woke up and I don't think so good when I just wake up.

[B0mb3r645]

Un-mute!

I hate sound problems, you think there's something worse with the problem, then it just turns out like a simple fix that it could be just one of your volumes is low.

[Bish]

I hope you got your sound working. Why? Becuz I got mo vids.

Here a short segment from our night at the fair when we had more people than you might expect.

Hope you like........

I finally was able to get a copy of the video our singer's wife took of our larger than average crowd we had at the Fair that hot August night.

I can't say much for content or quality but it sure lets you see the vast amount of people that were there.

http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...=HHFair806.flv

I also have it on my server if you want a little better quality. It takes longer to download but to me the quality was much better.

http://204.97.91.110/HHfair806.wmv

[Horseshoeing]

Sounds good. I got it working at work