Before the torrential downpour and lightening transformed our clever cakeWADE into an umbrella toting laughfest. Pat Grimes said the most wonderful thing. I can't recall the quote exactly, but he had started to improv lyrics while he & Steve Newhouse were playing. The lyrics were discussing how ridiculously petty people can be-- and that as a result we all need healing-- especially the democrats in the area. The round of spontaneous applause during this song was genuinely heartwarming. I have watched my friends and neighbors wasting a lot of energy on negative thinking and familial infighting. Thank you Pat for pointing out that we need to get on with it!
Gerrry Butterwick was in top form. I can listen to him forever. I wish I could have been more attentive and not so nervous about the giant black clouds rolling in. My stomach was in a huge knot the whole evening. The one thing (besides dead jellyfish) that freaks me out is bad weather. There is nothing I can do to control it. It just happens in all its scary glory. I kept telling myself it was just twilight but the occasional raindrops turned into a shower and then the lightening flashed. Eric whistled the kids from the pool. Chris and Mark tucked the tableful of beautiful pastries under the shade fly and the party rocked on.
Warren got the squeezebox all ready to roll and there was much cake dispersal. How quickly can we get distribute sugar? Go kids go! I am not taking all that frosting home! Gerry joined in unplugged and the cakewade was nearly complete. One more cake to go-- It was Jaime's b-day that night and her man Kif got her her very own candles glowing in the raindrops birthday cake! How cool is that? What a lucky girl! To have an accordian/guitar combo and 50 of your friends and neighbors sing happy birthday in a thunderstorm? I bet she doesn't forget this night soon!
HULLABALOO
I am in love. What a rockin band! They are as much fun as Groovespoon used to be. Groovespoon was group from my wildwoman South Haven-Sauagatuck days with Eric & Petey. Groovespoon was my favorite party band. I haven't seen (or heard of them) since I lost my shirt (literally) and was dancing barefoot in broken glass. That was the night we picked up the hot Korean bungee jumper and ate chilicheese fries. RedlightPete reminded us of our own mortality that night.
Aside from my reminiscing about my wild youth, I really enjoyed Hullabaloo last night. Their funky spirit and can do attitude despite the dangers of trombones and lightening have endeared them to me. Pete&I have promised each other to seek them out live. Gotta get a CD! Here is a quote I snatched from their myspace page-- Blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms and a swinging horn section with original punky ska rock, Hullabaloo really live up to their name, creating an outrageous uproar everywhere they go. With an almost Mothers-like approach, the band variously contains anywhere from six to eleven members. Either way, stripped down or stacked up, Hullabaloo is an upbeat, dance crazy, chaotic joy ride that is both catchy and weirdly experimental. Based out of Ann Arbor, Hullabaloo is well known and well respected and rightfully so.
-Ryan A. Bunch, Toledo City Paper
"Rockin..totally rockin." That was my comment as we finally herded the chilldwens to the safety of the truck. Isabel and I ran back through the heavy rain to the deck to share her comment with them. "You guys should be on NPR!" I translated that she meant WEMU. They grinned. They knew exactly what she meant.
Now...I think it was awesome that they even agreed to do a charity gig. But that their poor sound guy, Carl, set up everything and then broke it all back down (stoopid conductive water) before they even got to play-- was sad for me. But then... during the Cakewalk, when I noticed that in the boiler room, these amazing folks were warming up?!? I was flabbergasted. It was pouring rain. The thunder and lightening were making their presence very well known. The brass line came out and started a New Orleans Parade of follow the leader around the pool deck. I almost cried with relief and happy vibes. I had NO idea what to do after the cakewade ended. My voice was cracking from this crappy summer cold. A little tutu girl was in tears because she didn't win a cake. At that precise moment I was about to lose it. But then music truly makes things better!
Les Bontemps Roullez!! The Saints are Marching in! It was so real and so good. It also made me very happy when they played a version of Midnight in Tunisia. How often does one get to hear one's ring tone live?? (Just kidding I do love that song!) Thank You Hullabaloo.
