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Saturday, March 20th, 9:30 PM

The Red Mouse  [Web site]



Pine Bluff, Wisconsin  [Map/Directions]

Tour Blog: Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Dry Bean
Fitchburg, Wisconsin

In case you've never attended a LUBE show at The Bean, let me just explain this to you briefly. Shows here are not of the same ilk as those at most other places. There must be something in the water, or drinks, that brings out the savage party animal in people. It's as close to a crazy summer beer tent as you can find indoors. In other words, Bean shows kick ass!

In accordance with our past history, LUBE seems to attract birthday parties. This is a good thing! The people that are out celebrating birthdays with their families and friends have the best times! Buzz must have rattled off at least five or six names of those having birthdays with us, and I personally knew of one, Matt, who was out with his gang. If I could remember the names of the others, you might think me a sage and savvy bass player. We all know this to be false.

There was a nice crowd that assembled at The Bean Saturday night in addition to the birthday revelers. Many of the "faithful" were there as usual. You know who you are, and we really know who you are, and we can't thank you enough for continuing to support us. We love ya! It was also great to see some other friends we hadn't seen in a while, in particular our fiery-haired original Gimme Gimme Girl Rowan. She's been a little "relaxed" with the local music scene since having a baby, but she showed us that she still knows how to party when the opportunity presents itself. Thanks for the J-bomb, chica!

One of the things we love about The Bean is that the crowd stays until the very end, filling the dance floor and getting their money's worth. Saturday was more of the same, and I know that if time wasn't an issue, we'd still be there playing tunes and they'd still be there drinkin' & dancin'! There was good energy flowing all night, and that's a high no drug can match.

I keep getting accused of being too wordy with these blog entries, so I'm gonna wrap this one up. How about we go for more pictures and less words? I'm digging that idea! Instead of one picture per paragraph, I'll give you two! I'm sure Webmaster Jenny won't mind! (Gee... thanks for the challenge Bartho - hope you like my creativity in picture placement.)

Just two weeks off until the next gig, that being March 20 @ The Red Mouse in Pine Bluff. The following weekend bring us both a Friday and Saturday show, plus it's my birthday weekend. How old? You don't want to know, but at least I'm still the youngest guy in the band! By the time that's done, spring will be ready to hit us full-force with nice weather, and the gigs will just keep on rolling. Thanks again, everybody, and we'll be seeing you at the Mouse!

Tour Blog: 2/20/10
The Post Polar Plunge Party @ The Coliseum Bar
Madison, Wisconsin

While it's nearly impossible to play all the shows we'd like to play, and even more difficult to do shows for specific causes, we were honored when Mark Horstmann contacted us and said he wanted LUBE to play the Post Polar Plunge Party. I'm sure you're all familiar with the Polar Plunge, where people jump in a frozen lake to raise money for the Special Olympics. This was the second year there was a party after the Plunge, and it turned out to be a very fun night.

The party was held upstairs at The Coliseum Bar in Madison. It's conveniently located near the Plunge site and is easy to get to. Universal Sound (www.universalsound.us) opened the show, playing from 1-4p. These veteran musicians know what they're doing, have excellent vocals, and play a fun variety of music. They definitely got things off to a good start!

Next up was Wicked Lily from 5-7:15p (www.myspace.com/wickedlily), my favorite band of all time! Those of you who know us on a personal level know that Steve's wife Jenny and Bartho's wife Tammy are members of WL along with Tammy's sister Heidi and Rockford natives Wendy and Kerri (They put the rock in Illinois!). These ladies have been working hard and refining their set list, and the effort is paying off. The broke out songs from bands like HaleStorm, Shinedown, Flyleaf, Lady Gaga, Rhianna, and Iron Maiden. 4 of the 5 band members sang lead on at least one song and they also played musical instruments, with Heidi sitting in on drums and Wendy playing guitar. They played two energetic sets and kicked the party up another notch!

LUBE hit the stage at 8:00pm, if not a few minutes before, making it the one and only time we have ever started early. Hey, it's fashionable to be a little late, you know? We hadn't played in about a month and it felt really good to be back at it! The down time has given us an opportunity to work on some new material and so we broke out three new songs and resurrected an oldie but a goodie. The new tunes were "Only Happy When It Rains" by Garbage, "Sex On Fire" by Kings Of Leon, and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. People have been asking us to play "Sex On Fire" ever since it came out, and they seemed glad to hear it. The Garbage song just has a cool feel to it and it's impossible to not dig the energy of SLTS. Charles handled the lead vox on all of them and did a great job. Then just for grins, we brought back "All The Small Things" with Nick singing lead. It's another one of those catchy, fun, energetic songs that keeps the dancers movin'! The guys keep harping on me to sing lead on something. I think they need to see shrinks. The reality is we rawked so hard, lightbulbs were falling out of the ceiling fixtures!

All in all, the whole day was a great success! Not only did a lot of people come to and enjoy the Post Polar Plunge Party, but they raised half a million dollars jumping in the lake! One particular team, Chassity's Chill Seekers, consisted of 40 team members who raised $32,000. That is amazing! There was another team, I forget their exact affiliation but I think it was one of the schools, and they set the national record with 225 members! The after-Plunge revelers ate, drank, and danced their way through the night and enjoyed all three bands. Like I said, the whole day was a success!

We'd like to thank Mark Horstmann for hooking us up with a fun show for a good cause. There was a lot of money raised to support Special Olympics, and the athletes & their families greatly appreciate all that was done to help them. LUBE fans, you were awesome and should feel good about helping!

This show closes out our February calendar. We are all looking forward to March, because March brings us 4 shows! We'll start things off with another bombastic show at The Bean on Saturday March 6. We love The Bean and can't wait to rawk your butts off! See you there!

V V out!

Tour Blog: 1-23-10
Badger Bowl
Madison, Wisconsin

Saturday night, LUBE's first show of 2010...how was it going to go? New Year's Eve had been a show for the ages- packed house, line at the door, the kind of night you want for every show. It was a grand ending to a rather crummy year, and it gave us good hope for 2010. But how were people feeling? Is there still a post-holiday hangover? Would anyone want to come out and RAWK with us?

I felt it as soon as I walked into Badger Bowl with a bass in each hand. There weren't a whole lot of people there yet (it was 7:15pm), but there was a simmering energy in the bar. I don't know if that's a sixth sense or some sort of innate capability humans have used since the dawn of man, but I just had the inclination it was going to be a gonzo night. How did it turn out? Gonzo indeed!

Once the people started coming in, they kept coming and coming. Packed house, line at the door. Sound familiar? This gig turned out to be a lot like NYE, just in a different venue. From the first notes of "I Ran" through the final big chord and drum-bashing end of "My Own Worst Enemy," the dance floor was shoulder-to-shoulder. If you guys could just see how great you look from the stage! Well, check out the Pictures page and see for yourself.

It was absolutely awesome to see so many people coming out for a great night of partying with LUBE. There were lots of familiar faces...yeah, you know who you are! There were some Lube Virgins (it only hurts the first time, trust us...), who were excited for the show based on what their friends told them. Once the fun got underway, it was drinks and smiles and dancing all night long for them! It was also a pleasant surprise to see Doug and Brent from Photograph & Naughty Chair checking out the show. We just saw Photograph last weekend at Badger Bowl and they will be back again soon with Naughty Chair. Nice guys and fantastic musicians...keep watching and check them out when you can!

As history has shown, LUBE gigs are the perfect setting for birthday parties. Christi, Linda, Jennifer, April, & Maureen were out celebrating Sarah's "25th" birthday. We all work together and it was great that they, and a whole host of other work friends...Erin, Tammy, former Badger legend Kalvin Barrett, Jim, Roger, Bryan, the Mexicutioner, Becky, Casey, Christie, and anyone else I forgot, all came out. There were two other young ladies having their birthdays with us. They were wearing blinky star necklaces in the front row but amidst all the chaos, I didn't get their names. We hope you enjoyed your birthday party!

One thing about cramming 300+ people into Badger Bowl, along with amplification gear and stage lighting, is that all these things generate heat. Then you season nicely with dancing, drinks, and conversation, and you have your very own oven. It was a warm one Saturday night! I had my supermegapowerblower fan on full blast and it was virtually no use. All it did was blow more hot air on me! Like a fine wine, the froth we all created with our activity fermented over the course of the night. If any of you stepped outside and came back in, you know exactly what I'm talking about! But it's an earthy, all-natural smell...

I have to hand it to you, folks. You made the first gig of LUBE's third decade (really? is that possible?!?) a most excellent adventure, one that we earnestly look forward to repeating again. We offer our sincere gratitude to everyone who came out and made it an awesome night. We WILL see you again in a few short weeks!

The next LUBE gig is slated for Saturday Feb. 20 @ The Coliseum Bar. No, it's not a regular spot on the local band circuit, but they are hosting the Post Polar Plunge Party (you know, when crazy people jump in a hole in the frozen lake to benefit Special Olympics). There's going to be almost 12 hrs. of music that day, starting with Universal Sound at 1:00pm, followed by my personal favorites Wicked Lily at 5:00pm, then your LUBE boys bringing it home from 8-Midnight. It's going to be a great party for a great cause, and it's definitely an opportunity to show some new people how the LUBE party rolls! Then once March hits, we're off & running with 4 shows on the books for that month alone. Maybe if we make it hot enough spring will come early! See you Feb. 20 @ The Coliseum Bar!

V V out!

Tour Blog: December 31, 2009
New Years Eve at Scatz
Middleton, Wisconsin

OK friends, it was time to close out another year and say goodbye to 2009. Those of us in the LUBE family hope that you had a good year. It would be easy for us, and probably you, to complain about all the things that weren't quite right in '09...on-going war, poor economy, etc.. Instead, let's all take a moment to reflect on the positive aspects of our life, because frankly there are a lot more good things than bad. One of my favorite sayings is that 90% of the people don't care about your problems and the other 10% are glad you have them. So while 2009 may not have been the greatest year on record, LUBE is blessed in so many ways and thankful for the opportunity to play Scatz on New Year's Eve. Seriously, what could be better?!?

Scott, Rick, Dejay Double A & Caroline at Scatz went all out to show us the rock star treatment. Not only was it an honor to be chosen to play their NYE bash, but they set us up with hotel rooms at the neighboring Courtyard by Marriott. Believe me when I say no illegal substances were consumed nor was anyone assaulted with a fish! After a 3:30pm sound check, we checked into our rooms and began a leisurely evening before the show.

I know Charles and Buzz had dinner at Scatz, but a few of us ventured out on the town. Steve, Jenny, Nick, Curt the grunt, Brian the camera/ sticker guy, and I headed to West Towne Mall as I was on a quest for new earrings. Insert your own joke, here, you evil buggers! After finding some hoops, we went to the Granite City Brew Pub for a most savory meal. Once we finished there, it was back to the hotel for drinks and pre-show relaxation.

Eventually we cleaned up and headed over to Scatz, and by the time we arrived at 9:00pm, there was already quite a crowd assembled. Things would only go up from there! It was nice to have all the gear ready and sound check done so that we could mingle and socialize before the show. I don't remember my bartender's name but she was making me some wicked-good Grey Gooses! Finally, at 10:00pm...we hit the stage to a packed house!

You've likely heard me mention this before, but when things are clicking, the time absolutely flies by. We played an extended first set, going to about 11:20pm, and it was practically over before we started. The band had a lot of energy and the crowd was absolutely electric! Struggling economy or not, the people at Scatz were having a good time! We brought back a couple of tunes from our past, the Alien Ant Farm version of "Smooth Criminal" and the cult-classic "Scotty Doesn't Know" by Lustra and reinserted them into the set list. There were two brand new songs as well, "My Sharona" by The Knack and "Somebody Like You" by Keith Urban. One thing I hear over and over from people at the shows is how they love that we are always bringing new music into the show. That's not changing anytime soon!

During our break, DJ Double A took over and spun dance tunes and kept the momentum going until it was time for the magical countdown. With much fanfare and a background of "Auld Lang Syne," the masses ushered in 2010 in grand style! I couldn't begin to tell you how many people were there. I just know that before the end of the first set, the bar was at capacity and there was an extensive line at the door waiting to get in. We saw lots of faces, and so I have to think the majority of the crowd turned over a couple of times. Both the band and the bar were very happy with that!

Once it was officially 2010, we got back on stage and played two more sets. Often times on NYE, the crowd thins considerably after midnight. People want to stay out to see in the new year but then pack it in for the night. Not this time! This was a major-league party and it just kept on going! By the time we were through playing at about 2:30am, I'm guessing the bar was still close to capacity. DJ Double A took over once again & kept spinning tunes and the dance floor stayed full. Even when last call was announced and we were departing at about 3:30am there still had to be 250+ people there. A kick-ass night to be sure!

Once back at the hotel, there were a couple of small gatherings in the rooms, taking in some much appreciated munchies (Thanks, SW!) and a final drink or two. But after a full night of hot, sweaty LUBE gig action, we were all pretty bushed. I called it a night about 4:30am and the rest of the crew dispersed shortly after that. Despite seeing the clock after 5:00am, I was awake and in the shower by 8:30am. WTF?!? I guess being dehydrated and over-tired can do that to you.

So while 2009 was hardly the best year we've seen, it definitely had it's share of upsides. Capping it off with a NYE show like this was unbelievable! Everything about it...the crowd, the show itself, the great treatment from Scatz...far exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much! Our goal for 2010 is not to maintain status quo, rather to improve and be a better band for you. There is so much we want to do, so much music we want to play...if we can do even a fraction of it, 2010 is going to be one hell of a year!

Thank you Scatz and thank you LUBE fans! We had a blast and can't wait for the next time...which just happens to be Jan. 23 @ Badger Bowl. Book it & bring it...we will! See you there!

V V out!

Tour Blog: December 5th, 2009
The Club Tavern
Middleton, Wisconsin

Alrighty, then! Friday night at The Bean was awesome. We hadn't played in forever and it felt so good to hit the stage again. Playing shows is an addiction, not unlike narcotics or booze or pizza. When you truly love what you do, you crave it when it's not there, and trust me, we've been jonesing for the stage. Friday's show was like ringing the dinner bell for Pavlov's dog and come Saturday night, we were ravenous once again!

The night for me couldn't have started off better. If you read the blog from Friday's show, you noted that LUBE has addressed the rumors going around about the band. The Club Tavern was unfortuantely one of the venues we were forced to reschedule with, and when I saw Moose sitting at the bar as we were setting up gear, I took the opportunity to talk to him. I explained to him that we really appreciated the fact he brought us back after cancelling a show. Moose said that he understands that life in general is tough, not just the current times. We've had great shows at his bar in the past and he had no reason to think that was going to change. Moose was happy to have LUBE play his bar again. It was music to my ears! Moose has always treated LUBE like family and it made us feel good to hear his kind words. Though we didn't need any encouragement, Moose gave us even more incentive to play a kick-ass show...and we delivered!

They have changed the way they do bands recently at The Club. In the past, like many other venues, they have charged cover at the door. This has now changed and there is no cover. What a great way to help draw people in! Despite the fact there were some great bands playing in the area Saturday night, we had a super crowd. If the bar wasn't at capacity, it was darn close! Early on people came up top and filled the dance floor. They were full of energy, and probably drinks too, and it was high octane right out of the gate. The Badgers were playing in Hawaii with a late kickoff, and even though the game was on the TVs, the crowd was totally into the show. I have to admit, however, to sneaking peeks at the score when we took breaks in the set. What can I say, I bleed red!

The drinks were good, the crowd was pumped, and we played our asses off. It was an awesome night, no question! A special word of thanks goes out to those people who came and got LUBE'd both Friday and Saturday night. You R-A-W-K!

It was a bittersweet night for at least one LUBIE, that being Elizabeth, our "intern." She started helping our former production crew with lighting a few years ago and became friends with us as a result. Through the changes over the years, Elizabeth has been a mainstay at our shows. She recently got a job with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas and will be moving there after Christmas. Initially she was going after the first of the year and would be able to make the NYE extravaganza at Scatz, but those plans have changed. This was her last LUBE weekend for the forseeable future. While she had a blast and rocked hard with us both nights, it was a teary goodbye at the end. LUBE wishes her the best with her new endeavors in Las Vegas! Come back and see us again sometime, ok? Better yet...book us a gig there!

As I write this from the cozy confines of my office, I have to tell you I feel like I was hit by a bus. Insert your own joke here, but I am totally spent and hurt like I went 0:26 with Mike Tyson. Considering this came after two rock gigs this weekend, I couldn't be happier! Thank you to Moose and everyone at The Club who welcomed us back with open arms. It was great to be back and we're looking forward to many more good times!

Next up on the LUBE calendar...the granddaddy of them all...New Year's Eve! We will be ushering in 2010 with a bash of epic proportions at Scatz in Middleton. This show is going to be so good! Admission is only $10, which is awesome for NYE. They are also selling VIP Packages which includes 4 admissions, one of only 9 VIP booths, dinner for 4 (prime rib or shrimp), a pitcher of your favorite beverage, champagne toast @ midnight, and party favors, all for $150. It's a $200+ value for $150, and considering it gets you in, buys your dinner and some drinks, it's a great deal. Book it now because these will go fast! LUBE would love nothing more than to ring in NYE with you...see you there!

Scatz

LUBE would like to dedicate this weekend's shows at The Dry Bean and Club Tavern to Steve's dad, Thomas Schroeder, who passed away November 6 after a battle with cancer. Tom was an accomplished musician who played his accordion for folks at nursing homes right until the end. The fans and friends of LUBE passed along many prayers and warm thoughts to the family during their difficult time, something that didn't go unnoticed. We played our shows this weekend in Tom's honor and again offer our condolences to the Schroeder family.

Tour Blog: Friday, December 4th, 2009
The Bean
Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Before we get into a recap of last night, allow us to post a small announcement:


We're well aware of the rumors going around about LUBE. The truth is that it has been a challenging year for us. Jeff Hermans left the band and was replaced by Charles Thomas, and while his arrival has been a blessing, it also demanded a lot of extra time and effort from everyone. Buzz has had to adjust to a new role in life, that being a first-time father. Steve and his family have dealt with his father's battle with cancer and subsequent passing. This band is very much a family, and so the difficulties faced as individuals affect us all. The result of all this is that we were forced to rearrange our calendar and move shows for the first time in over 10 years. That was not part of the plan yet life is far from predictable. For the record, however, LUBE still is and will continue to be a major player in the local music scene. We're not going anywhere, folks! LUBE is working on new material and charging head first into 2010! This band is committed to working hard and giving everyone- fans, festivals, bar owners, and ourselves, the best we can give. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support!

So...with those thoughts in mind, we brought our dog & pony show to the scene of countless killer gigs, the Dry Bean in Fitchburg. It had been some time since our last performance, a Halloween show 5 weeks prior. While we weren't dressed as cast members from Hee Haw this time, we brought the same fun attitude and energy to this show!

I think everyone was freezing their buns off due to the chilly air outside. We've gone from autumn to arctic cold practically overnight. 19 and breezy sure felt cold to me anyway, but once things got underway indoors, the cold was all but forgotten.

As always, LUBE gigs sort of turn into a family affair. We have an incredibly loyal following and we've become friends with thousands of wonderful people over the years. That said, our friend Lesley managed to find a couple of the few remaining LUBE virgins and brought them to the Bean. I saw lots of smiles from them and now that the hard part is over, that being the first time, we hope to see them again soon!

Some of our fellow local musicians came out Friday night as well. Jeff, Shane, Dia, & Chris, along with Super Cam Dave from SuperTuesday were in the crowd. In fact, Jeff & I had a clandestine Girl Scout cookie exchange in the parking lot between sets. Best of all, they were already paid for! Thin Mints for everyone! Former ST & Gladstone bassist Craig was there, too, not to mention the lovely & talented Becca Rae, formerly of Wild Heart. I know I'm missing some others, but the double Grey Goose & 7s were mighty fine last night and my recall isn't fully engaged at this point.

We had a very fine contingent of Gimme Gimme Girls in the 2nd set. Back in the old days, the GGGs weren't quite sure what to do and so they sacheted around and just looked nice. Now, after some practice, they can smell when it's coming up in the set list and flock to the stage! They have also learned that they're supposed to sing "Gimme Gimme" at the appropriate time, and based on what I heard through the monitors, they did a mighty fine job with it.

As promised in the past, I'm trying to keep the blogs to a reasonable length these days. I'll just top it off here by saying that we had a most awesome time with you last night! The staff at The Bean treats us very well and it's always nice to play there. Also, Steve looked incredibly handsome in his new $94 shirt. Charles, too, was very fashionable in his GAP jeans and striped dress shirt.

The weekend's not over, though...Saturday night we tear it up once again at The Club Tavern in Middleton. Based on my past professional experience, I can attest that the Grey Goose & 7s will once again be splendid! We always have a blast there and based on the layout, the crowd can get right up close and personal there. See you in 7 hrs & 2 mins!

V V out!

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Tour Blog: Saturday, October 31, 2009
Halloween @ Badger Bowl
Madison, Wisconsin

Ok boys & ghouls, following the mass hysteria that was the LUBE 10th Anniversary Show, we had a few weeks to collect our breath and prepare for our next venture...Halloween @ Badger Bowl! We've played some pretty bad-ass shows at Badger Bowl throughout our history but never a Halloween. For this year's gig, we decided to do a "Hee Haw" theme based on the TV show from our youth. We probably dated ourselves in do that, given that much of our fan base is "a little bit" younger than we are, but it turned out to be a good time!

If you recall some of those old "Hee Haw" shows, a country & western themed variety-type affair, they were a mix of good & bad. Popular entertainers, quality musicianship, but some hokey/amateurish acting. It all added up to bad jokes and lots of laughs. That part is right up our alley! We donned the apparel of hillbillies, and I hate to say it but we looked good. Sound guy Matt even provided us with hay bales and corn stalks to decorate the stage with.

There were many excellent costumes on display Saturday night. We saw an evil bird-witch, a dead prison bride, the Flintstones, a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader & referee, Eve (from the garden of Eden), a supersized Ronald McDonald, the Blue Man Group, James Hetfield from Metallica, the UFC ring girl, etc., and it was clear that some folks put a tremendous amount of time and energy into their outfits. The Badger Bowl sponsored a costume contest with the winner receiving $100. Buzz did a nice job emceeing it, and in the end, the person in the electric chair walked away with the top prize. It was a great costume! Also, it was Amanda's birthday and I forgot to mention it at the gig. Sorry for the belated announcement, but Happy Birthday from LUBE!

On our end, we worked some tunes back into the set list that had been given a breather for a while. Not only does that help keep things fresh for us but for our fans as well. There are A LOT of people who come to see us regularly, often times both Friday and Saturday when we have weekend double-headers, and they get to know the way we organize our set lists better than we do! In addition to bringing a few songs back, we added two new ones that Charles sang lead on. If you haven't noticed, he's got a killer voice! Stepping outside the box and playing what normally isn't a rock song, we covered "(You Drive Me) Crazy" by Britney Spears. With a little creativity thrown into the arrangement and some crunchy guitars, it turned out to be a good rockin' dance song that people liked. The other new one we did has rocketed to the top of my personal list of favorites that we play. It gives me goose bumps! We put our own twist on "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes and it abso-frickin-lutely RAWKED! It's not a traditional dance song but it's hook & groove are nothing short of infectious. A big hit, to say the least.

Like I said in the blog from the anniversary show, I'm going to work hard to keep this one brief. Scheduling and life issues have created a circumstance such that we have another little layoff before we hit the stage again. LUBE's next show is Friday December 4 @ The Bean followed by Saturday Dec. 5 @ Club Tavern. I know it seems like a long ways away but it really isn't, just a few weeks, plus it's a double-header weekend. Back-to-back nights of LUBE! Kick ass! We'll be dropping a few new tunes in the set list again, so write that weekend down in your little black book we'll see you then! Might as well write down New Year's Eve @ Scatz, too, because that is going to be THE NYE party!

VV Out!

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