Wednesday, September 03, 2008
NY Thruway Tour 2008
Wow.
I spent large parts of this past weekend on my old home turf, reconnecting with people I hadn't seen in as much as 36 years. And it turned out very well.
The whole thing started a couple of months ago, when I got email from someone in my high school class. I have heard *nothing* from these people in well over 30 years. I sort of shook upstate NY off my shoes when I moved to California in 1976, and never really looked back, which tells you how happy my younger days seemed to me at the time.
Anyway, my classmates were planning a reunion for August, and asked what it would take to get me there. I told them. They said yes.
I then was posting about this trip over on Meet The Phlockers, and one of my fellow Trop Rock musicians in a band called Pirate Dreams said, "Hey, we're playing this festival on Sunday in Buffalo that weekend; why don't you come out and play with us?
And that's how the whole thing started.
So I hopped a plane last Thursday for upstate NY, arriving somewhat late at night. I'd been out there last year, so I knew how to find my way around.
The reunion was up at the Saratoga racetrack - the flat track, not the harness track. We met there for the afternoon. We spent most of the time in one of the restaurants, watching the races on closed circuit TV. I actually got up and went over to the track side to see one race, just because I wasn't feeling entirely like I was *there*, if you know what I mean. We got about a dozen people out of a class of 38 - not a bad turnout.
Then we went over to Vapor at the "Racino." Craig, one of my classmates, knows the people there and got me booked for an early evening gig before the main band went on. So I did an hour or so show over there, closing with "Pirate Looks at 40," during which everyone came up and pictures were taken of the group of us. It was a touching moment.
On Saturday, I drove out to central NY to reconnect with several of my cousins. I went to Verona Beach to my cousin Dean's place - it's lovely. There's a particular feeling to a place by the water, where people are as much in and on it as on the land, and Verona Beach and its neighbor Sylvan Beach definitely have that. Dean took me on a tour of the area, including several rather interesting and comfortable beach bars that I wouldn't mind playing at.
In the evening, he and his band (DVD) were playing at the Turning Stone Casino. I went over and caught up with a couple more cousins, won $5 playing blackjack, and had a great time. If you're out that way, keep an eye out for DVD - they'll be playing some of my songs soon. :)
Finally, Buffalo on Sunday.
I stopped at the airport to print a boarding pass, to make sure I got into the A group. I discovered, to my horror, that I'd reserved my flights on the wrong day! I was very fortunate to have a good ticket agent, Joanne, who not only got me rebooked onto Monday flights, but didn't charge me any more for the privilege. Southwest Airlines, you have made a loyal customer!
The festival wasn't quite what I'd expected. We were a bit off on one side, so our audience wasn't what I'd been hoping for. But the folks in the band were very nice, and the crowd really enjoyed my stuff.
My flight home took me to some new territory - changing planes in Baltimore, and I got to see Washington DC from the air. I could clearly see the Capital Building and the Washington Monument - first time.
So I closed some circles and reconnected with some folks from my distant and sordid past. I had a great time, and I think I laid the groundwork for a return visit and mini-tour next year. Stay tuned!
I spent large parts of this past weekend on my old home turf, reconnecting with people I hadn't seen in as much as 36 years. And it turned out very well.
The whole thing started a couple of months ago, when I got email from someone in my high school class. I have heard *nothing* from these people in well over 30 years. I sort of shook upstate NY off my shoes when I moved to California in 1976, and never really looked back, which tells you how happy my younger days seemed to me at the time.
Anyway, my classmates were planning a reunion for August, and asked what it would take to get me there. I told them. They said yes.
I then was posting about this trip over on Meet The Phlockers, and one of my fellow Trop Rock musicians in a band called Pirate Dreams said, "Hey, we're playing this festival on Sunday in Buffalo that weekend; why don't you come out and play with us?
And that's how the whole thing started.
So I hopped a plane last Thursday for upstate NY, arriving somewhat late at night. I'd been out there last year, so I knew how to find my way around.
The reunion was up at the Saratoga racetrack - the flat track, not the harness track. We met there for the afternoon. We spent most of the time in one of the restaurants, watching the races on closed circuit TV. I actually got up and went over to the track side to see one race, just because I wasn't feeling entirely like I was *there*, if you know what I mean. We got about a dozen people out of a class of 38 - not a bad turnout.
Then we went over to Vapor at the "Racino." Craig, one of my classmates, knows the people there and got me booked for an early evening gig before the main band went on. So I did an hour or so show over there, closing with "Pirate Looks at 40," during which everyone came up and pictures were taken of the group of us. It was a touching moment.
On Saturday, I drove out to central NY to reconnect with several of my cousins. I went to Verona Beach to my cousin Dean's place - it's lovely. There's a particular feeling to a place by the water, where people are as much in and on it as on the land, and Verona Beach and its neighbor Sylvan Beach definitely have that. Dean took me on a tour of the area, including several rather interesting and comfortable beach bars that I wouldn't mind playing at.
In the evening, he and his band (DVD) were playing at the Turning Stone Casino. I went over and caught up with a couple more cousins, won $5 playing blackjack, and had a great time. If you're out that way, keep an eye out for DVD - they'll be playing some of my songs soon. :)
Finally, Buffalo on Sunday.
I stopped at the airport to print a boarding pass, to make sure I got into the A group. I discovered, to my horror, that I'd reserved my flights on the wrong day! I was very fortunate to have a good ticket agent, Joanne, who not only got me rebooked onto Monday flights, but didn't charge me any more for the privilege. Southwest Airlines, you have made a loyal customer!
The festival wasn't quite what I'd expected. We were a bit off on one side, so our audience wasn't what I'd been hoping for. But the folks in the band were very nice, and the crowd really enjoyed my stuff.
My flight home took me to some new territory - changing planes in Baltimore, and I got to see Washington DC from the air. I could clearly see the Capital Building and the Washington Monument - first time.
So I closed some circles and reconnected with some folks from my distant and sordid past. I had a great time, and I think I laid the groundwork for a return visit and mini-tour next year. Stay tuned!
Labels: Albany NY, Buffalo, DVD, Pirate Dreams, Saratoga NY, Southwest, Sylvan Beach, Verona Beach
