HOT AUGUST NIGHTS!

Ah yes, the dog days of summer and blues fans at their peak of partying and festival going. Now that winter approaches, it is important to reflect fondly on these sunny days and carry such carefree thoughts with us as we face the cold and growing darkness.

And Toto Too??

The Hardin Kentucky Festival of Aug. 26 began as one of the most oppressively hot days we had experienced yet, and then ended with quite a punch! The line-up was killer...a guitar lover's paradise, as I was sandwich between Big Mike Griffen and Micheal Hill. I hadn't heard Big Mike in quite a few years and had actually forgotten what a hellacious guitar player he is...just phenomenal. And he's so big that a 335 looks like a mandolin on him. Even though the temperature was hanging out around 100 degrees and the humidity about the same, Big Mike was full on high energy; walking out into the crowd of dancers who kept cool by spraying each other with beer, and pouring a few over big Mike's head. A total crowd pleaser, he loved every minute of it, and obviously has a huge and loyal following in the area. When he roared into Jimmy Thackery's tune, "Sell the Bithche's Car," the crowd roared back! I couldn't help but worry about the gal dancin' barefoot on the cement and balancing a glass bottle of beer on her head. But apparently, some people can maintain a great sence of balance, even when intoxicated. And don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of body piercings...in fact I was one of the first of my generation to have three holes in one ear in the early '70's, but I'm not so sure that all of these looks age that well. For instance, it was a little tough trying to see the 60-something aging -biker, sporting a long grey beard and long grey pony tail, as attractive, when he pulled off his shirt and exposed two sagging, pierced nipples!! But then again, who can blame him for the move in that kind of heat. And me? I could barely move in the heat. I just sat under a tarp overhang that had been set up offstage for the performers to create some shade.

The stage had a tarp over-hang also; like a big ship's sail, it was stretched horizontally by ropes attached to poles, with the intention, of course, to create shade for the bands, but when I performed, the sun's slight angle put me, being upstage, right in it's direct rays, shading only part of the drum kit. I covered my amps with white towels to deflect some heat, and tried like hell to keep my nerves in check...that kinda heat can make me uncontrollably irritable, and I do hate to snap at undeserving bystanders! Amazingly enough, once we started our set and the audiance responded, I felt great and could really do my thing. Funny how it works that way.

And then suddenly it wasn't so hot...oh, clouds had quickly moved in and it was raining...oh...feels so good! But the sound crew was frantically trying to lower their hydrolic equipment that suspended the sound system, and get more plastic tarps over all that was electronic. At this point in the performance, I figured it was certainly my option to quit playing and try and cover my stuff too. But I had caught my groove and was having too much fun to stop. Besides, I had just launched into one of my requests, "Bald Headed Baby," and then I didn't want to leave the stage without playing "Picture This" for our fan club of tamborine girls.

Big Mike was all compliments as we came off stage which made me feel great! And Micheal Hill asked if I would sit in during his set...oh yea!! So when the little rain storm passed on by, and the heat returned, Micheal's band began to set up their stage gear as we pulled ours off, leaving my amp up the for the finale.

I returned to my seat in the shade to rest again, and enjoy the view. Did I mention that this festival sight was also on the water...it's a cool resort called Kenlake, and I was enjoying watching all of the folks partying off shore in their boats, enjoying the festival for free!!! Suddenly the wind came up again, bringing clouds and then more rain, but this time it was a serious downpour, coming at us almost sideways! Don, who had been seated next to me, jumped up and raced to the stage to help cover all the gear, including my amp. But like a good drummer he then turned immediately to help Micheal's drummer, Will, pack up his kit. We all were feeling confident that this would blow over quickly again, but suddenly I realized that my feet were in two inches of water. Had I ever seen rain come down so fast?...and the wind! Now the wind was catching the tarps that covered our seats and the stage. I looked out at the stage and Don and a few others who had remained to try and save the gear were holding on to the ropes like sails in a storm at sea, and with the water rising all around us, that's exactly what they looked like. And speaking of the boats, we began to hear screams and then cracking sounds of boats smacking into each other in the storm. Just as the tarps above us and the metal structures holding them began to lift off of the ground, someone in the National guard, who were there helping out that day, yelled the order for us to rush into the girls bathroom; the only solid brick structure on the grounds. So all of the artist and backstage helpers piled into the building, sloshing through what was now about four inches of water to get there. More sounds of people yelling and poles toppling and wind howling, and the rain didn't stop. But after a while, when the wind subsided a bit, we crept out. The national guard was telling those who still remained to evacuate, and I looked at Micheal and we exchanged glances of melancholy, knowing that his headline performance had been cancelled.

The next day we received confirmation that a tornado had passed over the lake and that some folks that had been camping on the grounds had had their tents lifted into the stratosphere and were nowhere to be found. Good God, Dorothy!!

Aftermath:

Back at the Kenlake Resort that evening I got a page to come to the front desk...it was Michael Hill..."we're gonna set up in the conferance room and play for everybody; wanna join us?" So we dragged all of our gear into the hotel and played for the folks. Michael brought the band down so low to tell his tales and sing his blues with no michrophones or P. A. system. That's when Don and A.J. built a michrophone stand out of some of Don's drum hardware and ran a michrophone through A.J.'s Hartke Kickback speaker to help amplify Micheal's voice. It worked, and as the room was packed, and many folks still needing to party, these festival goers got everything that they came for, and Michael Hill's Blues Mob got to share their music and their souls. It was rightious!!