With LUBE playing Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson's Freedom Ride for MDA, we're capping off a busy 7-week stretch that took us from Mt. Horeb to Middleton (2X), Sun Prairie, Cross Plains, Monona, Madison, and lastly Prairie du Sac. It's been a great run of shows and we've made countless new friends along the way. Aside from a little rain in Cross Plains, the weather's been awesome. With a show lined up for over 1000 bikers, it was a fine end to that run.
This show was also the end of another long run, an 8.5 year run behind the drum kit for Steve Schroeder. Steve came aboard in 2002 after the departure of Todd Schroeder (no relation) and clearly gave LUBE the kick in the ass we needed to elevate our game. Steve has an amazing ear and great sense of rhythm and tempo, and his skills have been invaluable to LUBE's success over these past 8+ years. Yet nothing is forever, and Steve felt it was time to move on and experience the things in life often missed due to the time commitments required for a band. We were committed to sending him out on a high note!
As Nick and I descended upon VFW Park in Prairie du Sac, my car was reading 98 degrees. Factor in humidity, which was quite prominent, and it was beastly hot. Maybe even Africa hot. It was so hot that merely keeping a lawn chair from running away made you sweat. Despite the nearly oppressive conditions, well over 1000 motorcycles turned out for a beautiful ride to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Like I mentioned last week, the motorcycling community doesn't get nearly enough credit for all the charitable work they do. We love you guys!
A small kink was thrown into our mix this past week, however. Nick managed to nearly slice off the tip of his left index finger on some pruning shears Monday night. He required 4 stitches to put the flap back in place. For a right-handed guitar player, this is a huge setback. Nick was able to bandage it up and put a finger condom over it, and despite some persistent bleeding throughout the night, was able to play the show. Many thanks go out to Nick for gutting it out and Charles for stepping up and handling a lot of the soloing work. He's an awesome guitarist and the show flowed smoothly despite Nick's injury. It also allowed me to create new "nick"name for him. From now on he'll be known as Nicky Nine Fingers.
After consuming a mammoth pork chop dinner and relaxing in the shade, it was go time. We took the stage at 7:30pm to a good crowd of thirsty people. After all, they had been out in the blazing sun since about 10am and thus were plenty primed to party! We had good energy and the crowd ate it up. The lower the sun went, the more into it they got. Everyone was a sweaty mess...everyone...but we tore it up and rocked it out!
For the last song, "Roadhouse Blues" done LUBE style, we invited Justino from Johnny Rocker & The High Rollers to get up and play his sax with us. JR&THR had just played there the previous night. Justino is notorious for playing with his pants down, and it happened again last night. Charles was inspired enough to join him. The rest of us, not so much, but it sure was funny! The rest of us were laughing so hard we could barely play! We ran over our time limit a little bit (Sorry, SPHD folks! We just wanted to give you your money's worth!) but it was a perfect, over-the-top way to send Steve off to retirement.
Huge amounts of thanks go out to the great people from Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson for hiring us and putting on a fantastic event. Thank you to all those who sucked it up and defied the stifling weather to rock out with us! And there are no words to adequately thank our skin-bashing brother for the 8+ years of blood, sweat, and tears he gave to make LUBE the best band it could be. He & his wife Jenny, maker of probably a thousand frozen pizzas on rehearsal night, webmaster, photographer, and drum tech/roadie, have become not just good friends but part of all of our extended families. We will miss them, no doubt.
With that said, we move on to a new era in LUBE history. Rob Jolin will be assuming full-time drum duties effective immediately. We've been rehearsing at his house and getting him up to speed on what a LUBE show is all about. Rob is poised to make his official debut on August 6 & 7 at the Wo-Zha-Wa Sports Bar & Grill in the Ho-Chunk Casino, Wisconsin Dells. Keep your eyes and ears open for new things from LUBE! One thing you can be assured of its that we are committed to giving you the best show we can give, to continue to work up new material, and to be all-around good guys. And don't be surprised to see Steve hanging out at some future shows and maybe even making a guest appearance. It's onward & upward from here, baby! See you in the Dells in a few weeks!
V V out!
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Some gigs are just set up to be a great time. It would take an act of God to foul them up, otherwise the basic ingredients are in place to craft the most savory of times. Take this last show, for example. A beautiful, hot, sunny Saturday in July, 500 Harleys, Green Bay Packer legends, good food & beer, and LUBE. Don't be afraid to admit it...your mouth is watering right now!
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So Saturday about 12:10pm I'm on way to Capital City Harley-Davidson (CCHD) to set up and get an early sound check before the Thunder Run returns to the dealership. Instantly putting a smile on my face was the roar of 500 motorcycles coming right at me! It was so cool! I know not everyone digs motorcycles, but the sound of all those bikes truly put the thunder in the Thunder Run! The purpose of the Thunder Run-Ride to Cure is to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the American Diabetes Association. The motorcycling community goes out of it's way to help those in need, and it showed again on Saturday.
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Once we were set up, we checked out all the vendors, got neck tattoos, ate some tasty food, shopped for HD apparel, sat on some sweet-ass Harleys, and simply relaxed. About the time we thought about maybe heading into town to kill some time, the ride returned and we were surrounded by hundreds of motorcycles, essentially blocking us in. That was ok, though. Charles caught a nap, some of us put our lawn chairs in the shade, and Coconut Joe & Cousin John played some acoustic tunes. There were also Best Motorcycle and Tattoo contests, and there was some amazing stuff on hand! Custom bikes and custom ink go hand-in-hand.
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Also on hand signing autographs in support of their fundraising organization Hoops For Hunger were some legendary Green Bay Packers- Doug Hart, Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, and Antonio Freeman! These guys are bona fide football studs...Hall of Famers, winners of many Super Bowls, and they all donate their time to participate in these kinds of events. We had a chance to meet them and get some autographs, although Antonio Freeman was rather animated in his "No Thank You!" when we offered him a chance to get up and sing a tune with us! It was hilarious!
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It was kind interesting to see that the crowd changed over throughout the day. Once the motorcycles returned, people hung around for a while but had spent a long, hot day in the sun, and so they slowly started filtering out. Folks who hadn't done the ride came in for the event itself, and quite a few of the LUBE faithful came out just to see us. At the end of the night, we had a cool mix of familiar faces and a whole host of newbies, and they were all dancing their butts off having a good time! It was pretty warm in the tent but the party rocked on about ten minutes longer than we had intended to play. No one wanted to shut it down!
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None of us won any of the big raffle prizes such as the 2010 HD Street Glide, but the 2010 CCHD Thunder Run turned out to be one of the most fun shows we've ever done. We made a ton of new friends with this event, and we don't take that for granted. We hope to see you again soon! Our point-of-contact for the event was Linda, and she was very pleased with how things turned out. There's already talk of trying to book LUBE for next year's Thunder Run, and all we have to say about that is, "HELL YA!"
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Next Saturday, July 17, has all of the needed ingredients to create yet another masterpiece. We're playing at VFW Park in Prairie du Sac for the Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson's 25th Annual Freedom Ride to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This ride is in the top 5 nationally in raising money for MDA and has been know to have over 2500 motorcycles participate in the ride. That's unbelievable! If things go as planned, both Nick and I will do the ride and then play the show. Things kick off at 2:00pm, the infamous pork chop dinner starts at 4:00pm, bike games and the raffle from 4:30-6:00pm, and then LUBE plays from 7:30-11:30pm. This is going to be an amazing day, so come join us and help support MDA!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday July 3, 2010
Monona Community Festival
Monona, Wisconsin
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I always try hard to be prompt with the LUBE blog. People who come to shows, or who wanted to but couldn't, like to get the skinny on what went down at the show, and they like it by Monday. This I know, I've been told a million times! However, finishing vacation, spending time with family from the 808, and a return to 5am wakeups had me running behind schedule. I apologize for that, but sometimes real life gets in the way. So anyway...on with the story.
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July 3rd was LUBE's third trip to Winnequah Park to be part of the Monona Community Festival. We have had unbelievable shows there in the past and hold the record for beer sales for the entire history of the event. LUBE fans know how to par-tay! This year was a slight change in that we were not playing on the night of the fireworks, which for 2010 was July 4th proper. We staged a "Meet & Greet" with fans before the show, and as you can see by the photos, people were lined up all the way to LaFollette just for a chance to get an autograph or a picture. It was cool!
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At the start of the show, the crowd was toward the smaller side of what we'd become accustomed to, but again, the fireworks watchers weren't a captive audience this time. It didn't take long, though, for the legendary LUBE/Monona Fest gig to kick into high gear! The tent quickly filled up and the show was thumpin'! It was hot & sticky for sure, making the beer and other beverages flow freely. I can assure you I was grateful for my beat up old fan that was blowing up my shorts!
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Like last year, our show had a bit of a wrinkle to it. If you recall the event of 2009, we formally announced that Jeff was leaving the band and introduced you to Charles Thomas, the musical wizard who would be filling Hermanator's substantial shoes. We played a block of songs with Charles to give everyone an idea of what to expect after the transition. I think it's safe to say that things have worked out well for all involved parties.
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This time around, we announced another pending lineup change. After 8+ years behind the drum kit with us, Steve Schroeder is stepping away from the band. There are no hard feelings here, folks. Steve just felt it was time for a change. Those of you who have never been part of something like a band, with weekly practices, 3-4 shows a month, and all the behind the scenes stuff, have no idea of the level of commitment that is needed to sustain a quality product. Steve has been a rock for us, solid and steady on the drums and a gracious host for rehearsals. He has two more shows with us, Saturday July 10 @ Capital-City Harley Davidson's Thunder Run (630-1030p) and Saturday July 17 @ Prairie du Sac for the MDA Ride (730-1130p). We wish him all the best!
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Taking his life into his own hands and rolling the dice with LUBE is none other than veteran drummer Rob Jolin! I feel kinda dumb here, but I couldn't tell you all the bands Rob has been in aside from Badwolf, Nerve Tonic, and The Piano Fondue Band. What kind of band mate and blog writer am I if I don't know this stuff?!? Suffice it to say Rob kicks ass, both on drums and vocally. He's a great harmonizer as well as having lead vox capabilities. In fact, those lead vocals were showcased when we had him start the 2nd set by playing a few tunes with us. We resurrected a couple of favorites from set lists gone by and added two new ones. Rob sang lead on "Still The Night" by The BoDeans, an infectious sing-along song, and we also added "Bad Things" by Jace Everett. You might know that one better as the theme song to HBO's "killer" series "True Blood." RJ will be a great addition to LUBE. His official debut shows will be August 6 & 7 at Ho-Chunk in Wisconsin Dells. Come spend the weekend with us!
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After Rob's block of tunes, Steve returned to the skins and we rocked the snot out of that big beer tent! The crowd was on fire and the show was everything we've known it to be when we play Monona. You just had to be there, and if you weren't, well, I guess you missed it.
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We were fortunate enough to have pre- and post-partied at the Henry residence, a short walk from Winnequah Park, for the third straight year,. There was abundant food, abundant drink, and good times had by all. Big thanks to B for having us once again. It's a great way to spend the day!
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In case you missed it earlier, we have two more shows with Steve, July 10 @ Cap City HD and July 17 @ VFW Park in Prairie du Sac following the MDA Ride, which I think Nick and I are actually going to ride in. After that, Rob Jolin will assume the drumming duties beginning with an out-of-town weekender at Ho-Chunk in The Dells August 6 & 7. Monona, you once again showed us how you roll, and the party was awesome! Thank you for having us...we look forward to coming back next year too!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Cross Plains Worlds Fair
Cross Plains, Wisconsin
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It was a dark and stormy night...
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Beer was Esser's, burgers freshly grilled, ball games dusty...
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Heat and humidity rampant in the tent, natural muskiness in the air, fans of little avail...
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Electrified band, volume adjusted, harmonious tones amplified...
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Whirling, dancing, revelry of all kinds...
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Torrential rain fell late; beer, party, band unfazed...
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Thrice-invited LUBE thankful to Cross Plains and it's worldly fair...
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To return again to Monona, 3rd day of July, unparalleled happenings in Winnequah Park...
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There will be music, there will be beer...there will be LUBE!
Tour Blog: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Quaker Steak & Lube Bike Night
Middleton, Wisconsin
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Who's up for a mid-week party? LUBE sure is! We have a good history with playing Quaker Steak & Lube's Bike Nights. Big crowds, warm weather, and often times over 1000 motorcycles! This past Wednesday was our first of two scheduled Bike Nights for the season.
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Like I said, we've had some killer Bike Night shows in the past, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been drama. More than once we've set up gear outdoors with an eye to the sky and tarps within arms reach. This show was no different. All week the forecast was crummy, including an 80% chance of thunderstorms. By gig day, it varied from a 10% chance to a 60% chance. Who do you believe? Personally, I think they meteorologists are all a bunch of liars!
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Anyway, under gray skies thick with scary-looking clouds, we set up on the open-air stage and prepared to RAWK. At 5:30pm, the show began and the crowd was starting to trickle in. Some good tunes and a bunch of energy drew them to the stage and the party was on! By the start of our second set, there was a good crowd at QSL. The weather still looked ominous and we could see storm cells moving all around us. I think some people were scared off and stayed home, but we soldiered on. Our fingers were crossed it would stay dry!
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During our third set, there were a couple of occasions where we felt a few rain drops. Just a couple, enough to make us peek at the sky again, but the rain never came. As we were finishing, the sky got really dark and the wind picked up. I thought for sure we were going to get it! Charles made a proclamation that with the power and energy of our rock & roll and the good people still with us, we were going to direct the storms away from QSL. I don't know the why or the how, but it worked! We did NOT get rained on even though all around Middleton it rained.
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We also had the fastest tear down and load out in the history of LUBE. In 22 minutes, we had all 5 band members' gear packed and loaded in our vehicles. That might not sound like much to those unfamiliar with performing, but that's some serious shittin' & gittin', if you know what I mean, especially working in the small area of the QSL stage.
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Thank yous for everyone who braved the threatening weather and dared to RAWK with us. There was a great group of people who stayed right to the end, and if we were going to get stormed on, they were too. But those people joined forces with our rock & roll, and with the spell that Charles cast, helped us avert the weather. Those people had a ton of energy and we had an absolute blast entertaining you for a few hours, on a dreary old Wednesday. That's what it's all about!
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Come see us again soon, and by soon, I mean this Saturday night in Cross Plains! We are once again honored to be playing the Cross Plains World's Fair from 8p-12a. The festivities are held in Baer Park and include a nice midway for the kids, good food & beer ( of course there's beer!) and bands under a big tent. It's always a great time in Cross Plains and crazy stuff happens. We look forward to RAWKING with you!
V V Out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, June 19, 2010
Motors & Music
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
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Motors & Music...what a concept! Who likes cool cars? Everybody! Who likes radical motorcycles? Everybody! Who likes kick-ass bands! Everybody! Motors & Music put together a solid event, and we were honored to headline the inaugural effort at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie.
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The custom car and motorcycle show ran from 9a-5p and was a good reason to drag your butt out of bed. I grudgingly have to admit to not seeing it, but those who did were impressed! There was food from Erick's and Hooters, cold beer, and like I said, good bands. The weather cooperated and it was a splendid day for an outdoor gig!
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The bands started with Southbound playing from Noon-4p. They were followed by The Country Twist Band from 5-7p, and the LUBE from 8p-12a. What I know of Southbound is that they're a very good band, so hopefully you were there early to see them. The Country Twist Band played a nice mix of tunes and set the bar pretty high. Their strong performance brought out the best in us!
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We've played Angell Park once before, and the set up is nice. There is a good-sized stage in a sturdy, open-sided pavilion. Beer and food in the back, tunes up front! With the lights of the pavilion off, it was wicked dark when Tracy killed the stage lights! But if you check out the pictures from Saturday, you'll see just how good those lights looked.
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Like I mentioned, the weather was good and aside from the mosquitoes that were feasting on everyone outside the pavilion, it was about perfect. We played with great energy and received the same back from the enthusiastic crowd. For the second time this summer, LUBE was unofficially sponsored by the Dollar Tree, and we were able to dispense with a bounty of crowd-pleasing gifts. How I ended up in a shower cap at one point I don't quite know, but I looked damn good in it! We're having fun with these "sponsored" gifts and hope you are too.
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After a quick tear down and load out, we'll recuperate for a couple of days and then head west to Quaker Steak & Lube for their infamous Wednesday night Bike Night. This Wednesday, June 23, we'll be playing from 530-930p at Bike Night. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather. We want to play outside! However, if it rains, the show will still go on inside the bar area, so don't let a few rain drops get you down. Then on Saturday June 26 we'll be back in Cross Plain for the World's Fair from 8p-12a. We've had some unbelievable shows there in the past and this year will be no different! Get ready, it's gonna be a great week! And don't forget to get your LUBE 2010 World Tour tshirts while supplies last! Talk to Bartho between sets and I'll hook you up!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Thursday, June 10, 2010
Gio's Garden Launch Party at Scatz
Middleton, Wisconsin
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This past Thursday night, LUBE was very honored to be a part of the Gio's Garden Launch Party at Scatz in Middleton. It isn't often that we are able to do benefit gigs. Band commitments and real life consume a huge part of our calendar, and weekday shows end up being a rarity as a result. Each year we receive an incredible amount of requests to play benefit shows, and each and every one is for a wonderful cause worth supporting. Whether anyone wants to acknowledge it or not, being in a band is the same as running a business, and so it's not always possible to support every good cause that wants/needs/deserves your help.
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Sometimes, however, planets and circumstances align just right and allow us to lend our support to something. In this instance, it was Gio's Garden. Gio's Garden is a non-profit organization to help families with special needs children in any number of ways. Please see their website (Gio's Garden) for further details, because my explanation won't do it justice.
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Long-time LUBE supporter and current Channel 3 News personality Marc Lovicott came to us and asked if we could help support Gio's Garden and play at the launch party. Things worked out such that LUBE was able to commit to helping in the only way we know how...by playing some rock & roll! With over 600 people attending this event, with many wonderful items donated for a silent auction, with musical support from LUBE, SuperTuesday, Whitney Mann, and Jeffrey Powers, over $25,000 was raised on what would have been just any old Thursday night. That is a fantastic number, yet it's just a start. Gio's Garden will need more and continued support from our community, and though times are tight for everyone, it's certainly an organization deserving of your consideration in terms of charitable donations.
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This was a bit of a different gig for us as most of the crowd came to Scatz dressed in "proper adult wear," i.e. shirts & ties and dresses and such. And once the jazz music stopped, LUBE put a whole new spin on what is termed dinner music. But we did what we do best, we played hard and succeeded in entertaining the crowd. There was a great representation of LUBE fans that came out to support Gio's Garden, and we thank everyone who helped us make this event a success!
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LUBE would like to thank Marc Lovicott, Charlotte Deleste and everyone else associated with Gio's Garden for inviting us to be a part of the festivities. It was a nice feeling to be able to contribute to such a deserving cause.
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It's now time to return to the debauchery and resume beer tent season! Join us Saturday June 19 at Angell Park in Sun Prairie for Motors & Music (Motors and Music). Two other bands play before us, Southbound (Noon-4p) and Country Twist (5-7p), and then LUBE hits the stage from 8p-12a. Rain or shine, it's going to be off the hook! See you there!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Friday June 4th, 2010
Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic
Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin
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HOLY CRAP...It's beer tent season!
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One of the finest creations by mankind... the beer tent. A delightful place to congregate with your family and friends, slake your thirst with a savory fermented beverage, and enjoy the harmonious sounds of a good band. We here in Dane County are blessed in that there is a beer tent in virtually every city, burg, and incorporated crossroads at some point during the summer. From now until Labor Day, it's officially beer tent season!
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We were very honored to be invited back to the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic. Last year was our first time, also on a Friday, and the weather was cool and somewhat threatening that day, yet substantially better than the weather on Saturday. Looks to be the same again this year, although the early rain on Friday gave way to sunshine and a stunningly beautiful evening. So in Charles' home town, in a tent under a star-lit sky, we began what will be at least nine outdoor shows this year.
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Mark Webber and his crew took good care of us and had a big cooler stocked with our favorite drinkables. All of the Frolic workers and security staff were very pleasant and seemed to enjoy the show. Of course, it helps when there are bodies as far as you can see out partying with us!
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Sometimes at a bar gig, the crowd needs to infuse themselves with dancing fluid in order to start having a good time. Sometimes this doesn't happen until well into the show. In a beer tent, however, it seems as though the people come primed & ready! Hey, it was a beautiful Friday night, the end of the work week, and so nobody really needed an excuse to have a few. Makes for a fun night for us!
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One thing you may have noticed with other bands is that they have sponsors. Corporations pony up some money for posters, banners, swag, etc. and in turn, the band pumps their product and plays a "free" show or two for them at some point during the year. Beer tent season brings out the sponsors like flies on a horse apple. Pay attention this summer, because LUBE will be having multiple sponsors.
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For the first time ever, LUBE was unofficially sponsored by the Dollar Tree store! Well, not really. Charles made a shopping excursion and picked up some of the best things you can get at the Dollar Tree...shower poofs, a rubber snake, mouse traps, shower caps, an alligator hat, bubbles, etc. These became our giveaways, and based on the crowd's response, they were a big hit! I have never seen two grown men fighting for a shower cap before, and the result was well worth it. Those dudes wore a shower cap like none other! So like I said, keep watching to see who our next "sponsor" will be!
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Friday at the Frolic we also debuted our new 2010 World Tour t-shirts. For a mere $12, you can get a classically styled, black concert tee featuring a large LUBE logo on the front and a list of cities we'll be playing on the back. Without a doubt, you'll be the coolest kid on your block in a LUBE 2010 World Tour t-shirt! You might want to act quickly as they are a limited edition product, and when they're gone, they're gone. There were some sales last night and we look forward to seeing those shirts out in another beer tent near you. There were even a few vintage LUBE shirts in the crowd, and we never get tired of seeing that!
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I think it can be safely said that the Friday night edition of the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic was a bona fide success! We played well, the people were full of energy, and beer sales were definitely brisk, a trait of the LUBE crowd. We'd again like to thank Mark Webber and everyone associated with the Frolic for having us back this year. Give Amy a call...we'd love to come back again in 2011!
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No rest for the wicked this June. Thursday, yes Thursday, June 10th, we're doing the Gio's Garden Benefit Launch Party at Scatz. Doors open at 6:00pm, LUBE plays from 7-9p and will be followed by our friends SuperTuesday at 9:30p. This is a great event and will also feature music by Whitney Mann. Check out Gio's Garden for more details. We have at least one show a week for the next six weeks, so take your vitamins and rest up...you're gonna need it! See you Thursday at Scatz!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, May 15th
Scatz
Middleton, Wisconsin
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Hey...have you recovered yet? If you have, maybe you didn't hit it hard enough Saturday night. LUBE's last club show before the summer beer tent season was fan-frickin-tastic!
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Sure, we all love the beer tents. Lots of people come out, the proceeds usually benefit some municipality or fire department or church, and the weather is good more times than not. At the same time, the climate is controlled inside of buildings, and for those who don't drink beer (like me), bar gigs are pretty sweet. Outdoor events are a nice change of pace, though, and we're looking forward to them.
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Saturday at Scatz was a super night! There was a great crowd despite the pleasant weather and other events happening at the same time. And true to form, celebrants of all kinds descended upon the LUBE show as there's no finer way to commemorate your event!
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There were three bachelorette parties that hit Scatz that night...Lauren, Lisa, and Angie. Angie's crew was at least 35 young ladies in descriptive, matching shirts, and they were a blast! Buzz even challenged Angie to a contest to see who was best at doing "The Worm." I'm sure you won't be shocked to know that Angie was the victor! The entourages with Lauren & Lisa were all smiles all night as well, and we had a great time partying with them.
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But it doesn't stop there, no sir. Our long-time friend and local music scene veteran Nikki was out celebrating the completion of her master's degree! Congrats to you, Nikki! That takes a lot of hard work & commitment, and you should be proud of your accomplishment. In addition, there were at least 6 birthday parties celebrated with us...Becca Rae, Lesley (and the LaFollette crew), Pam, Chad, Laura (also having a going away party), and our very own Niiko! Needless to say, there were tons of people having a great time with us Saturday night. Niiko's birthday is actually Tuesday, and while we won't say how old he is, suffice it to say he remembers when the Grand Canyon looked like a drainage ditch.
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We've had a lot of things going on lately, yet we were able to add one new song to the set list. We covered The Ataris' cover of Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer," a tune we'd just run through a few times at rehearsal this past week. The crowd loved it! The energy exchange was smokin' all night and having people dig the new tune the way they did made it even more special.
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So that's it! In a matter of a few short weeks, we'll be playing our first beer tent of the season. Friday June 4th we kick it off with the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic, and from what I recall of it last year, it's going to be insane! Start resting now, you're gonna need the energy! After that, we play the Gio's Garden Benefit @ Scatz June 10 @ 7pm, Motors & Music in Sun Prairie June 19, QSL Bike Night June 23, and the Cross Plains World's Fair June 26. That's 5 shows in June! Cripes! It's gonna be a blast!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Dry Bean
Fitchburg, Wisconsin
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With a day of pleasant weather and the Mifflin Street Block Party downtown, I wasn't sure what kind of turn out we'd have at The Bean Saturday night. The sun can tire a person if you're out & active, and that does not bode well for a long night of rawkin' & drinkin'. But in true LUBE @ The Dry Bean form, it turned out to be one helluva night!
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At the start of the first set, I was still a bit nervous as there weren't that many people present. Right as we started playing, however, a steady stream of folks started rolling in and it stayed that way all night. Everyone was in a good mood and full of energy. It didn't take long to raise the temperature 30 degrees!
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It was another night of celebration at the LUBE gig. Our beloved and locally famous, body-building grunt Curt, who takes pictures and provides security for us, was celebrating his birthday. In past years, Curt has ended up taking off his shirt and dancing on stage for the ladies, but not this time. He had an early start on the partying but managed to keep himself together quite well. Stephanie was also out with her posse of chicas celebrating her birthday (which was actually that day). She was resplendent in her dress and all the ladies were up front partying with us virtually all night.
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I know there was at least one other birthday but I can't recall the name. We tried to pump Buzz's birthday which is coming up this next week but he wasn't having it. Party pooper! And lastly, a bachelorette party dropped in to celebrate the pending nuptials of some young lovebirds. Again, I missed her name but if you look through the photos, you'll see some shots of her.
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Like I mentioned, there was a ton of energy flowing last night and everyone rawked hard! We kicked off the second set with our newest tune, "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz and it was met with a roaring approval. Sure love that kind of response! The two songs we debuted at our last show, "Womanizer" by Britney Spears and "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, were also very well received. I had a suggestion for LUBE to play "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne when I was out hanging in the crowd between sets. We'll have to see what the other guys think. You know, if you have song suggestions for us, send us a message through the contacts page and we'll take it under advisement. Be an active part of our team!
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By the end of the night, I think we were all pretty gassed after a hot & sweaty show. Yet this morning, when I woke up, I felt like a million bucks! Good honest rawk at a tasty price will do that to you. Hmmm...there's something familiar about that.
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Anyway, we close out our spring club schedule on Saturday May 15 at Scatz in Middleton. Scatz is a great venue and we can't wait to get back there. Our last show there was NYE and it was unbelievable! After this show, it's officially beer tent season! We kick it off with the Mt. Horeb Frolic on Friday June 4. Come out to Scatz and work yourself into shape for beer tent season...you're gonna need it! See ya there!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, July 17, 2010
Freedom Ride for MDA
Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
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With LUBE playing Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson's Freedom Ride for MDA, we're capping off a busy 7-week stretch that took us from Mt. Horeb to Middleton (2X), Sun Prairie, Cross Plains, Monona, Madison, and lastly Prairie du Sac. It's been a great run of shows and we've made countless new friends along the way. Aside from a little rain in Cross Plains, the weather's been awesome. With a show lined up for over 1000 bikers, it was a fine end to that run.
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This show was also the end of another long run, an 8.5 year run behind the drum kit for Steve Schroeder. Steve came aboard in 2002 after the departure of Todd Schroeder (no relation) and clearly gave LUBE the kick in the ass we needed to elevate our game. Steve has an amazing ear and great sense of rhythm and tempo, and his skills have been invaluable to LUBE's success over these past 8+ years. Yet nothing is forever, and Steve felt it was time to move on and experience the things in life often missed due to the time commitments required for a band. We were committed to sending him out on a high note!
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As Nick and I descended upon VFW Park in Prairie du Sac, my car was reading 98 degrees. Factor in humidity, which was quite prominent, and it was beastly hot. Maybe even Africa hot. It was so hot that merely keeping a lawn chair from running away made you sweat. Despite the nearly oppressive conditions, well over 1000 motorcycles turned out for a beautiful ride to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Like I mentioned last week, the motorcycling community doesn't get nearly enough credit for all the charitable work they do. We love you guys!
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A small kink was thrown into our mix this past week, however. Nick managed to nearly slice off the tip of his left index finger on some pruning shears Monday night. He required 4 stitches to put the flap back in place. For a right-handed guitar player, this is a huge setback. Nick was able to bandage it up and put a finger condom over it, and despite some persistent bleeding throughout the night, was able to play the show. Many thanks go out to Nick for gutting it out and Charles for stepping up and handling a lot of the soloing work. He's an awesome guitarist and the show flowed smoothly despite Nick's injury. It also allowed me to create new "nick"name for him. From now on he'll be known as Nicky Nine Fingers.
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After consuming a mammoth pork chop dinner and relaxing in the shade, it was go time. We took the stage at 7:30pm to a good crowd of thirsty people. After all, they had been out in the blazing sun since about 10am and thus were plenty primed to party! We had good energy and the crowd ate it up. The lower the sun went, the more into it they got. Everyone was a sweaty mess...everyone...but we tore it up and rocked it out!
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For the last song, "Roadhouse Blues" done LUBE style, we invited Justino from Johnny Rocker & The High Rollers to get up and play his sax with us. JR&THR had just played there the previous night. Justino is notorious for playing with his pants down, and it happened again last night. Charles was inspired enough to join him. The rest of us, not so much, but it sure was funny! The rest of us were laughing so hard we could barely play! We ran over our time limit a little bit (Sorry, SPHD folks! We just wanted to give you your money's worth!) but it was a perfect, over-the-top way to send Steve off to retirement.
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Huge amounts of thanks go out to the great people from Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson for hiring us and putting on a fantastic event. Thank you to all those who sucked it up and defied the stifling weather to rock out with us! And there are no words to adequately thank our skin-bashing brother for the 8+ years of blood, sweat, and tears he gave to make LUBE the best band it could be. He & his wife Jenny, maker of probably a thousand frozen pizzas on rehearsal night, webmaster, photographer, and drum tech/roadie, have become not just good friends but part of all of our extended families. We will miss them, no doubt.
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With that said, we move on to a new era in LUBE history. Rob Jolin will be assuming full-time drum duties effective immediately. We've been rehearsing at his house and getting him up to speed on what a LUBE show is all about. Rob is poised to make his official debut on August 6 & 7 at the Wo-Zha-Wa Sports Bar & Grill in the Ho-Chunk Casino, Wisconsin Dells. Keep your eyes and ears open for new things from LUBE! One thing you can be assured of its that we are committed to giving you the best show we can give, to continue to work up new material, and to be all-around good guys. And don't be surprised to see Steve hanging out at some future shows and maybe even making a guest appearance. It's onward & upward from here, baby! See you in the Dells in a few weeks!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, July 10, 2010
Capital City Harley Davidson's Thunder Run-Ride to Cure
Madison, Wisconsin
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Some gigs are just set up to be a great time. It would take an act of God to foul them up, otherwise the basic ingredients are in place to craft the most savory of times. Take this last show, for example. A beautiful, hot, sunny Saturday in July, 500 Harleys, Green Bay Packer legends, good food & beer, and LUBE. Don't be afraid to admit it...your mouth is watering right now!
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So Saturday about 12:10pm I'm on way to Capital City Harley-Davidson (CCHD) to set up and get an early sound check before the Thunder Run returns to the dealership. Instantly putting a smile on my face was the roar of 500 motorcycles coming right at me! It was so cool! I know not everyone digs motorcycles, but the sound of all those bikes truly put the thunder in the Thunder Run! The purpose of the Thunder Run-Ride to Cure is to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the American Diabetes Association. The motorcycling community goes out of it's way to help those in need, and it showed again on Saturday.
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Once we were set up, we checked out all the vendors, got neck tattoos, ate some tasty food, shopped for HD apparel, sat on some sweet-ass Harleys, and simply relaxed. About the time we thought about maybe heading into town to kill some time, the ride returned and we were surrounded by hundreds of motorcycles, essentially blocking us in. That was ok, though. Charles caught a nap, some of us put our lawn chairs in the shade, and Coconut Joe & Cousin John played some acoustic tunes. There were also Best Motorcycle and Tattoo contests, and there was some amazing stuff on hand! Custom bikes and custom ink go hand-in-hand.
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Also on hand signing autographs in support of their fundraising organization Hoops For Hunger were some legendary Green Bay Packers- Doug Hart, Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, and Antonio Freeman! These guys are bona fide football studs...Hall of Famers, winners of many Super Bowls, and they all donate their time to participate in these kinds of events. We had a chance to meet them and get some autographs, although Antonio Freeman was rather animated in his "No Thank You!" when we offered him a chance to get up and sing a tune with us! It was hilarious!
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It was kind interesting to see that the crowd changed over throughout the day. Once the motorcycles returned, people hung around for a while but had spent a long, hot day in the sun, and so they slowly started filtering out. Folks who hadn't done the ride came in for the event itself, and quite a few of the LUBE faithful came out just to see us. At the end of the night, we had a cool mix of familiar faces and a whole host of newbies, and they were all dancing their butts off having a good time! It was pretty warm in the tent but the party rocked on about ten minutes longer than we had intended to play. No one wanted to shut it down!
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None of us won any of the big raffle prizes such as the 2010 HD Street Glide, but the 2010 CCHD Thunder Run turned out to be one of the most fun shows we've ever done. We made a ton of new friends with this event, and we don't take that for granted. We hope to see you again soon! Our point-of-contact for the event was Linda, and she was very pleased with how things turned out. There's already talk of trying to book LUBE for next year's Thunder Run, and all we have to say about that is, "HELL YA!"
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Next Saturday, July 17, has all of the needed ingredients to create yet another masterpiece. We're playing at VFW Park in Prairie du Sac for the Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson's 25th Annual Freedom Ride to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This ride is in the top 5 nationally in raising money for MDA and has been know to have over 2500 motorcycles participate in the ride. That's unbelievable! If things go as planned, both Nick and I will do the ride and then play the show. Things kick off at 2:00pm, the infamous pork chop dinner starts at 4:00pm, bike games and the raffle from 4:30-6:00pm, and then LUBE plays from 7:30-11:30pm. This is going to be an amazing day, so come join us and help support MDA!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday July 3, 2010
Monona Community Festival
Monona, Wisconsin
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I always try hard to be prompt with the LUBE blog. People who come to shows, or who wanted to but couldn't, like to get the skinny on what went down at the show, and they like it by Monday. This I know, I've been told a million times! However, finishing vacation, spending time with family from the 808, and a return to 5am wakeups had me running behind schedule. I apologize for that, but sometimes real life gets in the way. So anyway...on with the story.
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July 3rd was LUBE's third trip to Winnequah Park to be part of the Monona Community Festival. We have had unbelievable shows there in the past and hold the record for beer sales for the entire history of the event. LUBE fans know how to par-tay! This year was a slight change in that we were not playing on the night of the fireworks, which for 2010 was July 4th proper. We staged a "Meet & Greet" with fans before the show, and as you can see by the photos, people were lined up all the way to LaFollette just for a chance to get an autograph or a picture. It was cool!
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At the start of the show, the crowd was toward the smaller side of what we'd become accustomed to, but again, the fireworks watchers weren't a captive audience this time. It didn't take long, though, for the legendary LUBE/Monona Fest gig to kick into high gear! The tent quickly filled up and the show was thumpin'! It was hot & sticky for sure, making the beer and other beverages flow freely. I can assure you I was grateful for my beat up old fan that was blowing up my shorts!
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Like last year, our show had a bit of a wrinkle to it. If you recall the event of 2009, we formally announced that Jeff was leaving the band and introduced you to Charles Thomas, the musical wizard who would be filling Hermanator's substantial shoes. We played a block of songs with Charles to give everyone an idea of what to expect after the transition. I think it's safe to say that things have worked out well for all involved parties.
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This time around, we announced another pending lineup change. After 8+ years behind the drum kit with us, Steve Schroeder is stepping away from the band. There are no hard feelings here, folks. Steve just felt it was time for a change. Those of you who have never been part of something like a band, with weekly practices, 3-4 shows a month, and all the behind the scenes stuff, have no idea of the level of commitment that is needed to sustain a quality product. Steve has been a rock for us, solid and steady on the drums and a gracious host for rehearsals. He has two more shows with us, Saturday July 10 @ Capital-City Harley Davidson's Thunder Run (630-1030p) and Saturday July 17 @ Prairie du Sac for the MDA Ride (730-1130p). We wish him all the best!
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Taking his life into his own hands and rolling the dice with LUBE is none other than veteran drummer Rob Jolin! I feel kinda dumb here, but I couldn't tell you all the bands Rob has been in aside from Badwolf, Nerve Tonic, and The Piano Fondue Band. What kind of band mate and blog writer am I if I don't know this stuff?!? Suffice it to say Rob kicks ass, both on drums and vocally. He's a great harmonizer as well as having lead vox capabilities. In fact, those lead vocals were showcased when we had him start the 2nd set by playing a few tunes with us. We resurrected a couple of favorites from set lists gone by and added two new ones. Rob sang lead on "Still The Night" by The BoDeans, an infectious sing-along song, and we also added "Bad Things" by Jace Everett. You might know that one better as the theme song to HBO's "killer" series "True Blood." RJ will be a great addition to LUBE. His official debut shows will be August 6 & 7 at Ho-Chunk in Wisconsin Dells. Come spend the weekend with us!
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After Rob's block of tunes, Steve returned to the skins and we rocked the snot out of that big beer tent! The crowd was on fire and the show was everything we've known it to be when we play Monona. You just had to be there, and if you weren't, well, I guess you missed it.
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We were fortunate enough to have pre- and post-partied at the Henry residence, a short walk from Winnequah Park, for the third straight year,. There was abundant food, abundant drink, and good times had by all. Big thanks to B for having us once again. It's a great way to spend the day!
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In case you missed it earlier, we have two more shows with Steve, July 10 @ Cap City HD and July 17 @ VFW Park in Prairie du Sac following the MDA Ride, which I think Nick and I are actually going to ride in. After that, Rob Jolin will assume the drumming duties beginning with an out-of-town weekender at Ho-Chunk in The Dells August 6 & 7. Monona, you once again showed us how you roll, and the party was awesome! Thank you for having us...we look forward to coming back next year too!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Cross Plains Worlds Fair
Cross Plains, Wisconsin
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It was a dark and stormy night...
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Beer was Esser's, burgers freshly grilled, ball games dusty...
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Heat and humidity rampant in the tent, natural muskiness in the air, fans of little avail...
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Electrified band, volume adjusted, harmonious tones amplified...
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Whirling, dancing, revelry of all kinds...
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Torrential rain fell late; beer, party, band unfazed...
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Thrice-invited LUBE thankful to Cross Plains and it's worldly fair...
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To return again to Monona, 3rd day of July, unparalleled happenings in Winnequah Park...
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There will be music, there will be beer...there will be LUBE!
Tour Blog: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Quaker Steak & Lube Bike Night
Middleton, Wisconsin
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Who's up for a mid-week party? LUBE sure is! We have a good history with playing Quaker Steak & Lube's Bike Nights. Big crowds, warm weather, and often times over 1000 motorcycles! This past Wednesday was our first of two scheduled Bike Nights for the season.
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Like I said, we've had some killer Bike Night shows in the past, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been drama. More than once we've set up gear outdoors with an eye to the sky and tarps within arms reach. This show was no different. All week the forecast was crummy, including an 80% chance of thunderstorms. By gig day, it varied from a 10% chance to a 60% chance. Who do you believe? Personally, I think they meteorologists are all a bunch of liars!
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Anyway, under gray skies thick with scary-looking clouds, we set up on the open-air stage and prepared to RAWK. At 5:30pm, the show began and the crowd was starting to trickle in. Some good tunes and a bunch of energy drew them to the stage and the party was on! By the start of our second set, there was a good crowd at QSL. The weather still looked ominous and we could see storm cells moving all around us. I think some people were scared off and stayed home, but we soldiered on. Our fingers were crossed it would stay dry!
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During our third set, there were a couple of occasions where we felt a few rain drops. Just a couple, enough to make us peek at the sky again, but the rain never came. As we were finishing, the sky got really dark and the wind picked up. I thought for sure we were going to get it! Charles made a proclamation that with the power and energy of our rock & roll and the good people still with us, we were going to direct the storms away from QSL. I don't know the why or the how, but it worked! We did NOT get rained on even though all around Middleton it rained.
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We also had the fastest tear down and load out in the history of LUBE. In 22 minutes, we had all 5 band members' gear packed and loaded in our vehicles. That might not sound like much to those unfamiliar with performing, but that's some serious shittin' & gittin', if you know what I mean, especially working in the small area of the QSL stage.
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Thank yous for everyone who braved the threatening weather and dared to RAWK with us. There was a great group of people who stayed right to the end, and if we were going to get stormed on, they were too. But those people joined forces with our rock & roll, and with the spell that Charles cast, helped us avert the weather. Those people had a ton of energy and we had an absolute blast entertaining you for a few hours, on a dreary old Wednesday. That's what it's all about!
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Come see us again soon, and by soon, I mean this Saturday night in Cross Plains! We are once again honored to be playing the Cross Plains World's Fair from 8p-12a. The festivities are held in Baer Park and include a nice midway for the kids, good food & beer ( of course there's beer!) and bands under a big tent. It's always a great time in Cross Plains and crazy stuff happens. We look forward to RAWKING with you!
V V Out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, June 19, 2010
Motors & Music
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
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Motors & Music...what a concept! Who likes cool cars? Everybody! Who likes radical motorcycles? Everybody! Who likes kick-ass bands! Everybody! Motors & Music put together a solid event, and we were honored to headline the inaugural effort at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie.
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The custom car and motorcycle show ran from 9a-5p and was a good reason to drag your butt out of bed. I grudgingly have to admit to not seeing it, but those who did were impressed! There was food from Erick's and Hooters, cold beer, and like I said, good bands. The weather cooperated and it was a splendid day for an outdoor gig!
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The bands started with Southbound playing from Noon-4p. They were followed by The Country Twist Band from 5-7p, and the LUBE from 8p-12a. What I know of Southbound is that they're a very good band, so hopefully you were there early to see them. The Country Twist Band played a nice mix of tunes and set the bar pretty high. Their strong performance brought out the best in us!
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We've played Angell Park once before, and the set up is nice. There is a good-sized stage in a sturdy, open-sided pavilion. Beer and food in the back, tunes up front! With the lights of the pavilion off, it was wicked dark when Tracy killed the stage lights! But if you check out the pictures from Saturday, you'll see just how good those lights looked.
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Like I mentioned, the weather was good and aside from the mosquitoes that were feasting on everyone outside the pavilion, it was about perfect. We played with great energy and received the same back from the enthusiastic crowd. For the second time this summer, LUBE was unofficially sponsored by the Dollar Tree, and we were able to dispense with a bounty of crowd-pleasing gifts. How I ended up in a shower cap at one point I don't quite know, but I looked damn good in it! We're having fun with these "sponsored" gifts and hope you are too.
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After a quick tear down and load out, we'll recuperate for a couple of days and then head west to Quaker Steak & Lube for their infamous Wednesday night Bike Night. This Wednesday, June 23, we'll be playing from 530-930p at Bike Night. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather. We want to play outside! However, if it rains, the show will still go on inside the bar area, so don't let a few rain drops get you down. Then on Saturday June 26 we'll be back in Cross Plain for the World's Fair from 8p-12a. We've had some unbelievable shows there in the past and this year will be no different! Get ready, it's gonna be a great week! And don't forget to get your LUBE 2010 World Tour tshirts while supplies last! Talk to Bartho between sets and I'll hook you up!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Thursday, June 10, 2010
Gio's Garden Launch Party at Scatz
Middleton, Wisconsin
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This past Thursday night, LUBE was very honored to be a part of the Gio's Garden Launch Party at Scatz in Middleton. It isn't often that we are able to do benefit gigs. Band commitments and real life consume a huge part of our calendar, and weekday shows end up being a rarity as a result. Each year we receive an incredible amount of requests to play benefit shows, and each and every one is for a wonderful cause worth supporting. Whether anyone wants to acknowledge it or not, being in a band is the same as running a business, and so it's not always possible to support every good cause that wants/needs/deserves your help.
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Sometimes, however, planets and circumstances align just right and allow us to lend our support to something. In this instance, it was Gio's Garden. Gio's Garden is a non-profit organization to help families with special needs children in any number of ways. Please see their website (Gio's Garden) for further details, because my explanation won't do it justice.
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Long-time LUBE supporter and current Channel 3 News personality Marc Lovicott came to us and asked if we could help support Gio's Garden and play at the launch party. Things worked out such that LUBE was able to commit to helping in the only way we know how...by playing some rock & roll! With over 600 people attending this event, with many wonderful items donated for a silent auction, with musical support from LUBE, SuperTuesday, Whitney Mann, and Jeffrey Powers, over $25,000 was raised on what would have been just any old Thursday night. That is a fantastic number, yet it's just a start. Gio's Garden will need more and continued support from our community, and though times are tight for everyone, it's certainly an organization deserving of your consideration in terms of charitable donations.
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This was a bit of a different gig for us as most of the crowd came to Scatz dressed in "proper adult wear," i.e. shirts & ties and dresses and such. And once the jazz music stopped, LUBE put a whole new spin on what is termed dinner music. But we did what we do best, we played hard and succeeded in entertaining the crowd. There was a great representation of LUBE fans that came out to support Gio's Garden, and we thank everyone who helped us make this event a success!
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LUBE would like to thank Marc Lovicott, Charlotte Deleste and everyone else associated with Gio's Garden for inviting us to be a part of the festivities. It was a nice feeling to be able to contribute to such a deserving cause.
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It's now time to return to the debauchery and resume beer tent season! Join us Saturday June 19 at Angell Park in Sun Prairie for Motors & Music (Motors and Music). Two other bands play before us, Southbound (Noon-4p) and Country Twist (5-7p), and then LUBE hits the stage from 8p-12a. Rain or shine, it's going to be off the hook! See you there!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Friday June 4th, 2010
Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic
Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin
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HOLY CRAP...It's beer tent season!
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One of the finest creations by mankind... the beer tent. A delightful place to congregate with your family and friends, slake your thirst with a savory fermented beverage, and enjoy the harmonious sounds of a good band. We here in Dane County are blessed in that there is a beer tent in virtually every city, burg, and incorporated crossroads at some point during the summer. From now until Labor Day, it's officially beer tent season!
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We were very honored to be invited back to the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic. Last year was our first time, also on a Friday, and the weather was cool and somewhat threatening that day, yet substantially better than the weather on Saturday. Looks to be the same again this year, although the early rain on Friday gave way to sunshine and a stunningly beautiful evening. So in Charles' home town, in a tent under a star-lit sky, we began what will be at least nine outdoor shows this year.
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Mark Webber and his crew took good care of us and had a big cooler stocked with our favorite drinkables. All of the Frolic workers and security staff were very pleasant and seemed to enjoy the show. Of course, it helps when there are bodies as far as you can see out partying with us!
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Sometimes at a bar gig, the crowd needs to infuse themselves with dancing fluid in order to start having a good time. Sometimes this doesn't happen until well into the show. In a beer tent, however, it seems as though the people come primed & ready! Hey, it was a beautiful Friday night, the end of the work week, and so nobody really needed an excuse to have a few. Makes for a fun night for us!
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One thing you may have noticed with other bands is that they have sponsors. Corporations pony up some money for posters, banners, swag, etc. and in turn, the band pumps their product and plays a "free" show or two for them at some point during the year. Beer tent season brings out the sponsors like flies on a horse apple. Pay attention this summer, because LUBE will be having multiple sponsors.
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For the first time ever, LUBE was unofficially sponsored by the Dollar Tree store! Well, not really. Charles made a shopping excursion and picked up some of the best things you can get at the Dollar Tree...shower poofs, a rubber snake, mouse traps, shower caps, an alligator hat, bubbles, etc. These became our giveaways, and based on the crowd's response, they were a big hit! I have never seen two grown men fighting for a shower cap before, and the result was well worth it. Those dudes wore a shower cap like none other! So like I said, keep watching to see who our next "sponsor" will be!
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Friday at the Frolic we also debuted our new 2010 World Tour t-shirts. For a mere $12, you can get a classically styled, black concert tee featuring a large LUBE logo on the front and a list of cities we'll be playing on the back. Without a doubt, you'll be the coolest kid on your block in a LUBE 2010 World Tour t-shirt! You might want to act quickly as they are a limited edition product, and when they're gone, they're gone. There were some sales last night and we look forward to seeing those shirts out in another beer tent near you. There were even a few vintage LUBE shirts in the crowd, and we never get tired of seeing that!
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I think it can be safely said that the Friday night edition of the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic was a bona fide success! We played well, the people were full of energy, and beer sales were definitely brisk, a trait of the LUBE crowd. We'd again like to thank Mark Webber and everyone associated with the Frolic for having us back this year. Give Amy a call...we'd love to come back again in 2011!
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No rest for the wicked this June. Thursday, yes Thursday, June 10th, we're doing the Gio's Garden Benefit Launch Party at Scatz. Doors open at 6:00pm, LUBE plays from 7-9p and will be followed by our friends SuperTuesday at 9:30p. This is a great event and will also feature music by Whitney Mann. Check out Gio's Garden for more details. We have at least one show a week for the next six weeks, so take your vitamins and rest up...you're gonna need it! See you Thursday at Scatz!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, May 15th
Scatz
Middleton, Wisconsin
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Hey...have you recovered yet? If you have, maybe you didn't hit it hard enough Saturday night. LUBE's last club show before the summer beer tent season was fan-frickin-tastic!
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Sure, we all love the beer tents. Lots of people come out, the proceeds usually benefit some municipality or fire department or church, and the weather is good more times than not. At the same time, the climate is controlled inside of buildings, and for those who don't drink beer (like me), bar gigs are pretty sweet. Outdoor events are a nice change of pace, though, and we're looking forward to them.
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Saturday at Scatz was a super night! There was a great crowd despite the pleasant weather and other events happening at the same time. And true to form, celebrants of all kinds descended upon the LUBE show as there's no finer way to commemorate your event!
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There were three bachelorette parties that hit Scatz that night...Lauren, Lisa, and Angie. Angie's crew was at least 35 young ladies in descriptive, matching shirts, and they were a blast! Buzz even challenged Angie to a contest to see who was best at doing "The Worm." I'm sure you won't be shocked to know that Angie was the victor! The entourages with Lauren & Lisa were all smiles all night as well, and we had a great time partying with them.
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But it doesn't stop there, no sir. Our long-time friend and local music scene veteran Nikki was out celebrating the completion of her master's degree! Congrats to you, Nikki! That takes a lot of hard work & commitment, and you should be proud of your accomplishment. In addition, there were at least 6 birthday parties celebrated with us...Becca Rae, Lesley (and the LaFollette crew), Pam, Chad, Laura (also having a going away party), and our very own Niiko! Needless to say, there were tons of people having a great time with us Saturday night. Niiko's birthday is actually Tuesday, and while we won't say how old he is, suffice it to say he remembers when the Grand Canyon looked like a drainage ditch.
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We've had a lot of things going on lately, yet we were able to add one new song to the set list. We covered The Ataris' cover of Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer," a tune we'd just run through a few times at rehearsal this past week. The crowd loved it! The energy exchange was smokin' all night and having people dig the new tune the way they did made it even more special.
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So that's it! In a matter of a few short weeks, we'll be playing our first beer tent of the season. Friday June 4th we kick it off with the Mt. Horeb Summer Frolic, and from what I recall of it last year, it's going to be insane! Start resting now, you're gonna need the energy! After that, we play the Gio's Garden Benefit @ Scatz June 10 @ 7pm, Motors & Music in Sun Prairie June 19, QSL Bike Night June 23, and the Cross Plains World's Fair June 26. That's 5 shows in June! Cripes! It's gonna be a blast!
V V out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Dry Bean
Fitchburg, Wisconsin
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With a day of pleasant weather and the Mifflin Street Block Party downtown, I wasn't sure what kind of turn out we'd have at The Bean Saturday night. The sun can tire a person if you're out & active, and that does not bode well for a long night of rawkin' & drinkin'. But in true LUBE @ The Dry Bean form, it turned out to be one helluva night!
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At the start of the first set, I was still a bit nervous as there weren't that many people present. Right as we started playing, however, a steady stream of folks started rolling in and it stayed that way all night. Everyone was in a good mood and full of energy. It didn't take long to raise the temperature 30 degrees!
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It was another night of celebration at the LUBE gig. Our beloved and locally famous, body-building grunt Curt, who takes pictures and provides security for us, was celebrating his birthday. In past years, Curt has ended up taking off his shirt and dancing on stage for the ladies, but not this time. He had an early start on the partying but managed to keep himself together quite well. Stephanie was also out with her posse of chicas celebrating her birthday (which was actually that day). She was resplendent in her dress and all the ladies were up front partying with us virtually all night.
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I know there was at least one other birthday but I can't recall the name. We tried to pump Buzz's birthday which is coming up this next week but he wasn't having it. Party pooper! And lastly, a bachelorette party dropped in to celebrate the pending nuptials of some young lovebirds. Again, I missed her name but if you look through the photos, you'll see some shots of her.
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Like I mentioned, there was a ton of energy flowing last night and everyone rawked hard! We kicked off the second set with our newest tune, "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz and it was met with a roaring approval. Sure love that kind of response! The two songs we debuted at our last show, "Womanizer" by Britney Spears and "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, were also very well received. I had a suggestion for LUBE to play "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne when I was out hanging in the crowd between sets. We'll have to see what the other guys think. You know, if you have song suggestions for us, send us a message through the contacts page and we'll take it under advisement. Be an active part of our team!
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By the end of the night, I think we were all pretty gassed after a hot & sweaty show. Yet this morning, when I woke up, I felt like a million bucks! Good honest rawk at a tasty price will do that to you. Hmmm...there's something familiar about that.
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Anyway, we close out our spring club schedule on Saturday May 15 at Scatz in Middleton. Scatz is a great venue and we can't wait to get back there. Our last show there was NYE and it was unbelievable! After this show, it's officially beer tent season! We kick it off with the Mt. Horeb Frolic on Friday June 4. Come out to Scatz and work yourself into shape for beer tent season...you're gonna need it! See ya there!
V V out!
Tour Blog: 4-17-10
Badger Bowl
Madison, Wisconsin
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I'm not trying to jinx us or anything, but I think we can finally say that spring is here. The weather is better, people are enjoying the opportunities for outdoor activities, yet we're not quite to beer tent season just yet. LUBE still has some bar gigs on the calendar before we head to a festival near you. Saturday night we invaded Badger Bowl.
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Despite the fact people are being more active outside and being on the go, those who came out to see us brought their full-on party game! Sure, it may have taken them a few tunes to get started, but once they did, it was a crazy dancefloor for the rest of the night. New tunes, old tunes, it didn't matter. The energy and fun factor were high!
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Buzz went scooters on the set list and came up with yet another creative arrangement, opening the show with "Superfreak." That sent a message...this was going to be a good night for dancing! One tune that has been receiving very positive reviews from the crowd is our version of "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors. With a little dirt, chunky guitars, and some supreme wankering by Nick & Charles, this song not only showcases the guitarers but gets the crowd singing along as well. How can you go wrong with, "I woke up this morning and got myself a beer!"
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Like I mentioned, we broke out two new songs in the second set. I had thought LUBE should play "Womanizer" by Britney Spears right when it came out, but sometimes you have to wait for the proper time. Charles came into rehearsal with an idea for it and voila! It's dark, rather aggressive, and totally fun! We also played "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga. You should have seen the faces in the crowd when Buzz hit those first few notes...priceless! We rock this one out, too, but the bouncy danceability of the song is still there. Without question, these two songs received the loudest roar from the crowd Saturday night.
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For all of you who came out and partied with us, we offer our sincere thanks. We had a great time! We were able to help long-time LUBIE Linda celebrate her birthday, as well as Tina and one other person who's name I can't recall. Sometimes my memory get a bit fuzzy after a hot, sweaty night and a few hours of crummy sleep.
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Our next show, one of the final two bar gigs of the season, is at The Dry Bean on Saturday May 1st. It's going to be a birthday celebration for two of our own, that being Buzz and our picture-taker/grunt Curt. If you've been out on Curt's birthday before, you realize there's a strong likelihood he'll end up on stage shirtless again! After that we play at Scatz May 15th and then kick off the festival season at the Mt. Horeb Frolic on Friday June 4th. You'll probably want to start preparing yourselves now because this is going to be a summer like no other!
V V out!
Tour Blog: 4-10-10
Cardinal's Nest
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
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Yo Sun Prairie...it's good to be back! LUBE hadn't played Sun Prairie in quite some time. Previously, we'd had some great shows at the Windsor Street Grille. The business has changed hands and is now JB's Italian Grill. We were actually booked to play there but the owners asked if we'd move the show to the one of the other properties they have. Cardinal's Nest used to be called Champ's back in the day and was the New Town Grill after that, I think. At any rate, they are trying to make a go of it with live bands at Cardinal's Nest, and so we took the LUBE circus there.
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Our initial impression is that the owners might just be onto something. We had a GREAT, energetic crowd, especially for our first time playing there! There was a decent amount of people there to watch the Badger men's hockey team play for the national title (Sorry fellas, just gotta tip your cap to BC) and most of them stayed for LUBE. Before you knew it, the place was packed and the rawk took over!
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We're currently in the process of a new batch of tunes but they weren't quite ready for this show. Nonetheless, Buzz put together a great set list with good flow and a ton of energy. But LUBE shows tend to be that way. We'll play 5-8 songs in a row without taking a breath. You better be ready for a workout on the dance floor!
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There were a lot of our "regulars" who helped us make our first trip to Cardinal's Nest a big hit. We thank you for your continued support! There were also some friends we don't get to see that often, such as Jean & Katie & Lisa(?), Nicki Hermans & her neighborhood friends, and a large group of our medical staff from work. It was awesome to see everyone! It sure looked like you were having a splendid time! I was able to meet Bill who's running Motors & Music Saturday June 19th at Angell Park Speedway, and he's pumped we're headlining their initial festival. We'd also like to thank John from Cherry Pie for contributing to the fun.
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At the end of the night, it was hot & sweaty in the Cardinal's Nest. We were stoked about our first time there being so successful. The bar staff totally dug it and made some good cash. LUBE fans know how to party! All involved parties were happy with the results, and that's the goal. We look forward to coming back and rawkin' Sun Prairie again!
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Next week we bring the rawk parade to the Badger Bowl, sight of many killer LUBE gigs. We're there on Saturday night, 04/17/10, show time is 9:30pm. Maybe one or two of the new songs will be polished enough to play out...you'll just have to wait & see! After that we have a few weeks off, so be sure and come out to the Badger Bowl Saturday night!
V V out!
Tour Blog: 3-27-10
Cardinal Ale House
Columbus, Wisconsin
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What's shakin', kids? Sorry for the delay in posting this very exciting and informative blog. With my birthday celebration encompassing several days and a death in the family for Webmaster Jenny, things got pushed back. Sometimes real life gets in the way, you know?
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Anyway, following Friday night's boss-ass gig at The Club Tavern, we took the show on the road to the Cardinal Ale House in Columbus. We've played there a couple of times previously, including last year at their Winter Fest bash, which was happening again Saturday. The good people at Ale Asylum were on hand and serving up their savory suds at a measly $2/pint. It's a nice room at CAH and we were glad to be back!
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Buzz was in charge of the set lists again and changed them up from the night before. We really like doing that! There are a lot of people who come to virtually every show (we love you!) and they deserve to have a little variety in their LUBE gigs. We're going to be tackling a few more new songs in the very near future, so be on the lookout for new stuff!
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While we were tearing it up and rawkin' out, our old band mate and all-around good guy Jeff Hermans walked in. The night wouldn't be complete if Jeffy didn't get up and jam a tune with us, so Charles handed him his SG and grabbed the cowbell (MORE COWBELL!) and we played a spirited version of "Shake Your Bon Bon." The consummate professional he is, Jeff played it like he wrote it and we had a blast jamming with him!
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There was also a bit of a celebration of the anniversary of my birth...many, many years ago. I (Bartho) received many nice birthday wishes over the weekend and I can't thank you all enough. It makes getting old worth it! A lot of these nice people bought me shots, and I took on "quite a few" of them but did end up sharing with others as there's no way I'd have been able to drink them all. I think the evidence is in the pictures. Thanks for the fun, everyone, and let it be known that I am still the youngest guy in the band!
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We had a great time playing CAH again and look forward to booking some more shows there this fall (most likely). We'd also like to thank Mark Schultz for filling in for Matt and running sound for us. He did an awesome job, and I heard a lot of compliments on Tracy's lights, too. LUBE is going to take a brief respite after a double-header weekend and get ready for the April 10th show at the Cardinal's Nest in Sun Prairie. We've never played there before and would love to see a huge turnout. Let's show 'em how the LUBE crowd rolls! See you 4/10!
V V out!
Tour Blog: 3-26-10
Club Tavern
Middleton, Wisconsin
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Friday night at The Club Tavern. Let me repeat that ...FRIDAY night at The Club Tavern. That's right, a seemingly rare Friday night gig for LUBE! It feels like forever since we played two nights in a weekend, like we're doing this weekend, and in order to do so you must play Friday. So that's what we did.
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Despite the fact that most of us (band and patrons) were up early and worked all day, you couldn't tell it from the atmosphere in the bar. It was hoppin'! In addition, I managed to smash my left index finger at work and then tear off a chunk of my right index fingernail while loading in. It was not lining up to be a good night for me, but the energy of the crowd turned it right around!
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It also felt good to have a totally revamped set list for the night. Buzz opened his box of Crayolas and heavily modified all three sets, bringing back some tunes we hadn't played for 6 months and mixing up the ones in the regular rotation. This made the night feel fresh and new, and it also made us pay close attention to what was coming next! It's easy to get used to the flow of one particular song into the next but we had to pay attention last night. I think everyone enjoyed it.
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Even though our old friend Moose wasn't at the door checking IDs, his staff let in A LOT of people (although I'm sure it was within the acceptable limits, Mr. Fire Inspector). To make up for the fact Moose wasn't on site, Buzz did his impression of Moose and I have to say it's pretty good!
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We saw quite a few people we hadn't seen out in a while. That's always nice, especially on a Friday night. Our regular LUBE animals were up front like they are virtually every time out. We can't thank you enough! By the end of the night, the floor was a murky mess of spilled drinks and dance-induced sweat and we were physically spent. It was a great night!
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Alas, to complete our double-dipper weekend, we're off to Columbus Saturday to play at the Cardinal Ale House. They are hosting their annual Winter Fest, complete with beer from Ale Asylum. We played this event last year and head a good time, and in fact, I wore my "complimentary" Ale Asylum t-shirt last night! Columbus is just a short drive so put some go-go juice in your tank, hit the ATM and then cruise on over to the Cardinal Ale House for another bad-ass LUBE gig Saturday night!
V V out!
Tour Blog: 3-20-10
Red Mouse
Pine Bluff, Wisconsin
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Can someone please explain to me what is going on with this weather?!? Yes, I know it is still March and I know it was the WIAA State Basketball Tournament weekend which always has snow. What I don't get is how it was 65 degrees Thursday, allowing me to put some very pleasant miles on my V-twin, and by Friday night it's snowing sideways right into my ear when I'm taking my wife out for dinner! Sure it warmed up a bit on Saturday...whoopee! 45! I feel so much better! I would like to formally request a return to sun & 60s.
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LUBE's show at the Red Mouse sort of echoed the weather. When we arrived and set up our gear, the big room was downright frigid. Buzz was draping hangars on his nipples, for crying out loud! We were doing sound check with partially frozen fingers and we were a little concerned people might not want to stay and party if it was going to be that cold.
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But like our weather of early last week, things definitely warmed up! Tracy, our regular light dude, had about 12 gazillion watts of lights aimed down on us. With the high ceiling of the room and the large stage, it's a perfect environment for a big-time light show. Then you bring in several hundred people and get them dancing and drinking and suddenly I needed to turn my fan on! It turned out to be about perfect, temp-wise...warm enough to work up a good broth but far from stifling.
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As per usual, there were several birthday's being celebrated with us, however I can only remember Staci's name. What's my problem when it comes to this? In the future, make a point to come up to me (I would be Bartho, the bass player) and fill me in on who is celebrating so I can accurately detail it later in the blog. To all the revelers, Happy Birthday from LUBE!
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We managed to sneak a little surprise into the 3rd set. John Richardson, brother-in-law and former Badwolf band mate to Charles came up and jammed a little AIC "Man In The Box" with the fellas. I fought my way to the front row to take it all in, and let me tell you, Mr. Richardson played like a monster! He marauded around the stage, played a juiced up bass line, and sang backups. Not cool, John...now I'm going to be looking over my shoulder all the time. JK! It was really cool and the crowd dug it!
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I personally had a nice surprise Saturday night. My old high school buddy Craig and his girlfriend Tina came out to the show. Craig still lives in my home town of Port Edwards, barely a speck on the map (yet regular LUBIES Matt & Kim are very familiar with it), and was visiting Tina in Fitchburg. They saw on Facebook that we had a nearby show and came out to see us. We had a good time catching up and making plans for future get-togethers.
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It turned out to be a really good time at The Red Mouse. The renovations they made to the band room are very nice and load-in/out was easy. I know there are a lot of people who balk at going "out of town" but the reality is that The Red Mouse is only 10 minutes from Madison heading out Mineral Point Rd. With good drink prices and just a $3 cover, I hope more people make an effort and patronize a great venue for music. Look for LUBE to be back in the fall if not sooner!
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Next weekend is a double-dipper! Friday night is a no-cover show at The Club Tavern in Middleton. Moose always takes good care of us and we've had some killer shows there! Saturday night we're back at the Cardinal Ale House in Columbus. Due to some scheduling issues, it's been about a year since we've played there, but it's a nice big room and we're looking forward to being back. It's their annual Winter Fest party featuring Ale Asylum beer (yummy!), so take a little roadie and RAWK with us in Columbus Saturday night!
VV out!
Tour Blog: Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Dry Bean
Fitchburg, Wisconsin
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.)
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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!
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On a sad note, LUBE would like to dedicate this show to Dolores Henry who passed away from cancer this past Tuesday. Many of you know her son Brian, he of the pictures & stickers as well as Rob Zombie-singing fame. Dolores shared our love of music and liked to sing and play piano. Our sincere condolences go out to the Henry family.
V V out!
Tour Blog: 2/20/10
The Post Polar Plunge Party @ The Coliseum Bar
Madison, Wisconsin
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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
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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?
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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...
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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!
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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!