Rock and Roll Weekend

Best. Weekend. Ever.

It started Friday night when I played at the old firing range with my old friends from The Funions, now known at Reasonable Doubt. Good times with good friends for The Mighty One's mother in law birthday party.

Saturday we had the official grand opening for Second String Music and I've never had so much fun playing music. Tons of people in the store and an epic jam session that turned legendary when the guys from Jake Owen's band showed up, and a couple of them actually joined in to play.

Jake put on a tremendous show Saturday night at QJHS Morrison Theater. Thanks Scott for the great front row tickets, and the guitar we donated was raffled off for the Firefighters 63 charities.

We got backstage to meet Jake, and in the photo above, concert organizer Scott Westhaus is explaining to Jake how he took the band over after sound check to hang out.

Today Reasonable Doubt played at the State Room for a benefit. This was the first time I've been on the stage since the infamous 2007 ice storm show with Bartholomew, a high-water mark of sorts for The Funions at the time.

Lotsa fun again, we actually played pretty well and got a good response.

Now I'm ready to sleep until Tuesday!

Bella destroys moles, snakes

Click on the video below to see Lucy and Bella at play today ....



At the risk of offending PETA - actually, I couldn't care less - I must report that Bella The Destroyer killed a mole and tortured snakes today.

The mole was digging up Woodland Cemetery. So Bella dug it up. Lucy helped finish it off. Shey Fey and I are thinking of making some money on this mole-killing service thing.

Last year we saw a harmless garter snake slithering around the backyard and figured it was living in the neighbor's railroad ties. Turns out the snake was a momma, because now we have three or four in the backyard, and they've made holes to actually live in our lawn.

Bella and Lucy like to play with the snakes too, as you can see in the video, but we like snakes so we try to save them from being dog toys.

Sorry PETA. Well, not really.

New guitar lines

Shey Fey and I have had a blast since we opened Second String Music earlier this month. She has done an unbelievable amount of work getting us up and running.

We are close to getting a really good guitar line in the store, and I'm excited about sharing the news very soon.

Updated the Cheeseburgers shows. We ended a phenomenal run at Sawyer's Creek last night, a good reminder that while it is a business and we are doing a job, playing music is more than you should be allowed to have. Unless it involves setting up with narrow stairs and impossible tight corners. But that's besides the point.

Full moon tonight. Behave!

Yes to NoCeBo

Gittin Cheesey in Keokuk tonight, it's always fun to play a venue you have never been to, and the people up there say the Mardi Gras party with be nuts. If it's half as good as the SSBC last Saturday ....

Looking for a big day at Second String Music. Yesterday a couple of guys came in from the death metal band NoCeBo, the bass player bought strings and he restrung his guitar in the store. The singer, Kraig, gave us our first ever dollar when we opened so he's in the Funions Hall of Fame and he's a very nice young man.

These guys play fast-paced and aggressive music. I'm not a fan of death metal but they are passionate and hungry and care about what they are doing, and all they want to do is play.

They are heading up to Joliet tonight to play at a big show with a bunch of bands. They are spending a small fortune in gas and had to sell a bunch of tickets and are not being paid a dime to play.

That, my friends, is rock and roll. I tip my hat to the NoCebo boys and wish them the very best!

Cowbell Medley

Here's The Cheeseburgers "Cowbell Medley" as performed at the South Side Boat Club last Saturday. A big thanks to Becky for playing the cowbell, Greg Ellery for shooting the awesome video and Shey Fey for editing the clip. Come out and see us do it live!

South Side Party Monsters

Holy Mardi Gras party, Batman.

They started on the first note of the first song Saturday night at the South Side Boat Club, and they didn't stop until we played until we almost dropped.

Geesh. How much fun are you really allowed to have?

Facebook pics and video coming soon. Greg Ellery was also there with a camera and we might have more coming.

Now we get ready for what might be another massive party this Saturday at Keokuk's South Side Boat Club.