Big Ten Memories

So I just got home to grab some lunch and I flip on the tube and the 2000 Orange Bowl is on the Big Ten Network.

I love the Big Ten Network.

I remember this game well because Michigan beat Alabama in overtime. Wish I could have been there to see Tookie turn blue in the face.

The night before I worked at The Whig doing turn of the decade stories. That day I remember going to church at Trinity and a great standing room only crowd at the service.

Then that night the Orange Bowl was on and it was a fantastic game. The family was up in Michigan for New Year's and I had the basement to myself and it was glorious.

I think I hid behind the couch during the overtimes ....

Useless Olympic Events

While catching bits and pieces of the Olympics it's been fun viewing different sports.

But they lost me today with something called rhythmic gymnastics and the preening synchronized swimming.

Wonder if anybody will stay up to watch the U.S. play for the gold medal in men's basketball ... game starts at 1:30 a.m.

Sure sign fall is near - QND football practice and Frank Cash on the PA during last night's Blue-Gold scrimmage.

And ... hearing the Heidelberg German Band all the way from South Park into Calftown.

Thinking about going to see the Jimmy Buffet thing tonight downtown ....

Music Scene

A music scene? In Quincy?

You bet.

Lots of good stuff this weekend, including Blues In The District Friday night (Reverend Raven) and the Jimmy Buffet tribute band Fins downtown Saturday. Don't forget about Germanfest Friday and Saturday at South Park with the Heidelberg German Band, a good time outfit if there ever was one.

Kudos also to Jessica Martin of The Herald-Whig and her new blog on the local music scene.

Demos

I put together an eight-song demo last night for The Funions. They've been recorded over the past few years on my home studio system.

It will be interesting to see what they think. I am hoping for maybe four or five to really shine when we tackle the band CD project.

They'll turn out much differently when the band does them. I remember I did a few demos for "Just Pretending" and they weren't very good, fortunately Chris and Mark rescued some songs and made them a ton better. But one song, "Gone," was better on the demo than the recorded Funions version, in my often wrong opinion.

We've played a few of these new songs during shows, like "Stay Strong" (about Frank Calkins) and "Who Hears You Tonight" (the band liked it and JB and Jack were really into the solos).

I'd like to get Pat to do more lead singing, and work on harmony vocals.

Chris is getting better and better in filling the guitar role. With Jack and JB, it will be very interesting to see what ideas we come up with how lead-heavy it will be. I am an average rhythm guitar player, it lets the other guys step up and shine.

I do the demos on my Boss home recording system. I think they are fine for what they are, demos and ideas, not necessarily finished or polished products. Wish I had the tenacity and knowledge to work the system better, especially with drum tracks and "squeezing" the sound, compressing it to make each instrument come out.

A great adventure awaits!

Guitar Lessons

I'm starting guitar lessons with a new student and it's very interesting to hear motivation and inspiration for learning.

Most of my students have been younger. They pick it up in a hurry and quickly move on.

Right now I'm working with two students. One is a girl in junior high who is playing the bass and really rocks, she's at the point where we just basically play a few songs and she experiments.

My new student is a mom in her early 30s who has always wanted to play. She says she's always been frustrated when siblings try to teach her.

I taught myself and I'm living proof you don't need to be a musician to play an instrument. Certainly you want to play well, use good technique, learn your craft. The Funions have really good musicians, but our band is about energy and the vibe, not how well or perfectly we recreate a song.

So I'm looking forward to a new challenge with this gal and I think it will be fun. She wants to learn. She's already shown she can do it. It's up to her to see how far she can go — I'll get her started, and she can zoom from there.

Iron Eagle

Nothing is better than mindlessly watching the Olympics and Iron Eagle, one of the worst 80s movies ever, playing on AMC.

Catching my breath now because this is another busy weekend in the Q-town. Working the weekend shift for The Whig, Fielder tonight and Blue Healers tomorrow night at Turner Hall, the K of C BBQ, and Gus is in Macomb for a one-day tournament Saturday.

Wring me out Sunday morning ....

Good luck to Brown Eyed Girl on the big move today!

Also, more Macker staff bad dancing here.

Goony Beach Race

To see the Lake Michigan Goony Beach Race of Doom, click here.

I can still feel the water, taste the suds, the sun on my face and not a thing to worry about.

Not a thing.

Back From The Beach

Thank me very much for bringing the beautiful Michigan summer weather back to Q-Town.

Made it back at about 2:30 this morning. An amazing four days in Belding working for Gus - it's all about family and making friends. I am now the proud owner of a Miss Elizabeth's Fan Club jersey and a Flying Knueppel Brothers T-shirt. HUGE ...

Did the PA in Belding and had a blast on the Front Porch, just beside the main stage, where I interviewed people and teams. Tom Cole and Bill Gorman, Macker legends, busted out into a "Forever" dance with Jennifer Elvis Pressley and it was so bad it was good.

We work hard but we have some "serious fun" as Shey Fey likes to put it.

Time to suck out all the Lake Michigan sand from the car, pay the bills and get back to life itself. Sigghhhhhh .....

Staff games

This morning we had the Gus Macker "Hall of Fame Classic" pickup games onsite in Belding. I actually got to play with one of the famous Kneuppel brothers, Klint. What an honor! I am terrible at basketball, what they call an all-airport player - looks good walking down the runway, can't take off.

At least my back hurts and I can't walk.

Tonight is the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It's great to get back here and see old friends and strike up new friendships.

Tournament starts tomorrow, on the downward side of vacation ....

Working For Gus

Scott and Mitch McNeal, the two brothers who started Gus Macker 35 years ago, are having a blow-out bash this weekend at the Belding, Mich., tournament.

At today's golf tournament at the gorgeous Candlestone in Belding, blasts from the past showed up and the laugher rolled through the course. They don't call this thing the "Macker Hacker" tournament because Tiger Woods is here ....

Never leaving the beach ...

It's 105 in Quincy?

Bwahahahahhahahahahaha ....

Except for sunshine, waves crashing into the beach, cool nights and my aunt Helen's awesome coffee, nothing to write home about from Lake Michigan.

So the big decision this morning has been made - a run into civilization to re-stock the cooler.

You'll find me in nowhere ... on a beach that time forgot.

No More Dirk Harts In GR

My father announced Saturday he is selling his Grand Rapids condo and moving to Louisville.

We moved to Grand Rapids in the summer of 1980. My old friend David Wilkins reminded me last night of how my father and I came a few weeks before the actual big move from London, Ont., and cleaned up the house on Rosewood.

My father sold that house in the late 1980s and eventually bought the condo off of Breton just south of 44th. It was a good move for him and the condo retained value.

Now he's leaving, moving to the city where my sister Kathy lives.

Much has changed in 28 years. Five of the seven of us are left and are scattered around the country - Phoenix, Denver, Quincy, Louisville.

I now have no official attachment to GR, save my mother's grave site. Still have good friends, especially the Wilkins in Hudsonville, and my father's brother, Peter, who lives on Lake Michigan and whose beach I'm about to claim for a few days.

Here's to being home, wherever home is.

Bee You Ta Full

Simply gorgeous in West Michigan ... the beach awaits tomorrow with family and good company on the way.

Golf with Rev. Dirk Friday, more golf with Hooterville Hoser today .... life is good.

Geesh do I LOVE vacation ...

Beach Time!

Counting down the last few hours.

I'll update once in a while but not that much.

Don't try to find me. If it's really necessary, go to Holland and take a left and go about 10 miles down the beach.

Also doing the GR thing and working for Gus in Belding next weekend.

Great meeting last night at the R&L Center. Let's see if the ball keeps rolling.

http://www.whig.com/story/neighborhood-meeting-7-29

New Funions Videos

A big thanks to Shey Fey for this video, "Just Pretending," from a recent Turner Hall show.

Three More Days

Bit of a dark and stormy night in the Q-town ....

Great feedback from the Friday night show.

Did not attend the Hannibal flood thing. I do know there was misommunication about the sound stuff from the beginning.

Gotta get through Wednesday ... gotta get through Wednesday .... gotta get through Wednesday ....

Slow Sunday

Thanks goodness for slow Sundays. Mental health is important too you know.

Huge fun hanging out at the 24th and Harrison hood last night. If the weather holds might have to see if the King will be in the pool this afternoon.

Yesterday I woke up twice to take naps and it was a beautiful thing.

Congrats to Wayne and Sherry! Wayne proposed at Sheridan last night at a cookout on the deck. Sherry is the MVP employee at the 18th and Broadway Sandwich Shop of Doom, she rocks! Maybe The Funions will play at the reception.

Four days until Dirk Junior's Most Excellent Michigan Beach/Belding Macker vacation begins. Vacation Brain is a terrible thing. Can't fight it much longer ....

What a blast

Just when you think you can't possibly have any more fun, just when you think you can't play any better, just when you think you've played the perfect gig .... you play again.

Crazy good times last night in the Oakley-Lindsay Center parking lot to celebrate the flood relief effort. All the bands were on - St. Amy's, Raised on Radio, Fielder - and The Funions were ON FIRE.

Burt Shackelton blew everybody away with sax solos from the heavens and the depths, great keyboards too. Pat and Mark were right there with the timing and Chris keeps getting more and more confident on guitar.

We unleashed some new songs and got a huge response. My favorite was Walking On The Moon by the Police, that caught a lot of people by surprise.

There were 400 to 500 people there I think. Hard to see from the stage .... Jeff Stroot jumped up and sang La Grange with us, making up for some guitar problems (stupid wireless).

Pat Cornwell, our fearless drummer and owner of Vegas Music, did sound and this was one of the few shows where I think it wasn't too loud and we could all hear from the stage. Pat is working all day today in Hannibal so he's a trooper .... gotta give him some love.

Big thanks to Chicken Man and Rob Ebbing from the OLC.

Now it's time for a little R&R, some stuff coming up perhaps later in August and September.

Copy, Storms, etc.

Utterly fascinating story here about the trickle down effect from newspaper demise ....

Spectacular storms last night. I have a beleaguered potted plant on the landing which appreciated the rain, that's for sure.

Hope you can make it out Friday night to the Oakley Lindsay Center for the free flood beach bash. It starts at 8 with St. Amy's, The Funions, Raised On Radio and Fielder. Slide on down from Blues In The Park and check it out!

Steamy in C-Paign

Heard Bluesfest was good and the after-party at The Club was amazing. Dave Chastain was in town and blew people away during a jam session ... no surprise there, Dave is one of all-time great guitar players, a true Illinois and Midwest legend.

Working for Gus in Champaign was .... hot. Sticky. Sweaty. A lot of fun. Gus and I did Dream Court games Saturday and mostly just laughed at ourselves. Sunday I was on my own and the teams, parents, officials, organizers, Champaign Park District, everybody was great.

The CPD organizes the event around West End Park and it ranks up there with one of the most beautiful settings for a Macker.

Only one case of idiots getting out of control, and later I might post on the distinctly urban feel of the tournament, much like Springfield, which I think is a great thing.

Nine more days and then it's vacation time .... these are the toughest days of all, I think, except for the day after you get back.

And ... big bash at the OLC Friday night!

Hot hot hot

Steamy here in the Q-town ... I'm heading to Champaign to work for Gus. Have fun at Bluesfest, good luck especially to The Healers and Fielder. Albert Cummings, Saturday night's headliner, is amazing, so if you are in town make sure you catch him at Washington Park.

Catch The Blue Healers here from a recent Turner Hall performance

Excellent practice last night for the Funions. Lately the practices have turned into parties and there's nothing wrong with that. Last night we were more about working on songs and arrangements and we'll have five or six tunes to unleash at our July 25 flood party.

Be safe!

St. Amy's

St. Amy's has been added to the July 25 show at the OLC parking lot to honor flood relief workers. Here's your chance to see three very talented young men.

I bought a new cell phone for my daughter and we've added texting. How do you punctuate using these dumb things?

Lots of good work going on near the back of Woodland Cemetery, in case you were wondering.

Lots of work going on at the Notre Dame High School baseball field. Looks like they've gone ahead and are planning to turn the field around so it faces north.

Downtown is ... dusty.

Albert Cummings returns to Quincy this weekend for Bluesfest. He was fantastic when he was here in 2004.

Unfortunately I have to work for Gus in Champaign. Well, not unfortunately ... Champaign will be cool because it's the first time for me and I've heard great things about it. But it's a bummer to miss the Bluesfest.

Ever get about two weeks away from going on vacation and just hit the wall?

Good. I'm not alone.

Dream Court Love

An interesting couple of days in Springfield working for Gus. We got hammered with a storm Saturday about 3:30 and halted play. The tournament organizers were worried but we weren't, not the first time Mother Nature has interfered, and we managed to get caught up today, games were done by 6:15 and we were on the road by 7.

Dream Court was a blast as usual. We had the Special Olympics guys and gals Saturday morning with Troy Boyer running the show and my favorite Gus Buster of all time, former professional wrestler Dave Conrad.

Today we brought a girls court over and finished up their bracket, then did the same for a boys bracket. It's amazing how well the parents behave when you stay positive and have Busters who blow the whistle. The Enforcer and The Duece did a great job, as did my scorekeeper extraordinaire, Panic.

Not to blow my own horn, but for Springfield Journal-Register coverage, click here and here.

Beach Flood Bash

We are playing Friday, July 25 at the Oakley-Lindsay Center parking lot in a free four-band show to celebrate flood relief efforts.

No sand, thank goodness.

Click here for more info.

Raised On Radio and Fielder are the other confirmed bands, with one more TBA.

We'll have more info on the order and other stuff.

Heading to Springfield tonight for Gus, be back Sunday night with a report.

Hope the weather holds for the Blue Healers tonight at Washington Park. Be safe!

Springfield, Gus, etc.

I'll never judge anybody just by appearance again.

Getting ready for Gus in Springfield this weekend. You can always count on it being 120 in the shade around the Horace Mann building.

We have the Special Olympics guys on Dream Court Saturday morning and it's a blast. The Greenville (Mich.) crew will be in the house and it's always fun working with those guys.

It does mean I have to bolt Friday afternoon so I'll only be able to catch a bit of the Blue Healers, which bums me out.

Getting closer to making an announcement about a huge show near the end of the month.

Funions practice tonight at Vegas Party Central. Ooops. I mean Vegas Music ....

Pool

Tell me there's anything better than getting blasted by the sun while sitting in the pool with a lemonade. Or two.

Well. Maybe if it was on a Lake Michigan beach.

Therapy on Kingsridge is a beautiful thing.

Thank goodness the Julie furnace got cranked up. What would summer be like around here without it?

Funions practice Thursday. Blue Healers in the park Friday night, and the first of a busy Macker stretch starts this weekend in Springfield.

80s Pool

Massive fun at Rocky Pool Ooza Saturday night. Keith and I looked at my watch and said, "It's after midnight?" Loved the 80s theme and we even played a few of the songs Rocky burned on a CD and gave out.

This was a total social gathering and we were the background music, and that's OK. It's just good to play. A new Dobro got a workout and we didn't scare anybody away. Even had some nice backup vocals too! Very, very, very nice backup vocals .....

Tookie and bride used their heads so I give them credit for making smart choices. Thank you Brown Eyed Girl for taking care of them!

Yesterday afternoon I found myself with nothing to do for the first time in .... in .... I don't even remember. So I woke up to take three naps, watched golf on TV and just generally enjoyed being a slug. This is the last weekend until September that will happen.

So ... keep being safe!

Rocky Pool Ozza

Getting ready tonight for Rocky Cola's big bash in the 24th and Payson Hood.

Great time last night with the Mays clan at Spring Lake. If you are playing No. 15 today and cut the corner too far left, you might want to ask about getting relief from ground under repair .... that is, burned ground under repair. Fireworks are too fun!

Please continue to have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Upcoming Stuff

Tremendous practice again last night at Vegas Music. We learned seven, count 'em, SEVEN, new songs.

We have also formed a new dance troupe to perform during songs called The Funion Rings. You can't make it up ....

Big plans for a show later this month, stay tuned.

Even bigger plans for a potential Funions recording project with Jack's Pillar Productions studio. Gotta get writing ....

Whatta Mess

I was in LaGrange, Mo., today. What a mess. It's going to take a long time but the one thing I've learned about those folks over there, they are a resilient bunch.

Funions practice tonight. Could have a major announcement concerning a show toward the end of July.

It will be nice to have a few days off for the July 4 holiday. Please be safe out there!

Back To Normal?

Things are looking better on the Mississippi River.

Maybe.

Give it a couple of more days to be sure, and stay tuned because this could be a very long and hot couple of months.

Tookie went dry on the levee. Mush, goes his brain ...

Burton Gaar was really good during Blues In The District last night. Had to work and only caught a little bit, but they were smoking.

Two weeks and The Blue Healers play in the park.

Rocky Cola and his bride are preparing for Rockypolooza, featuring the Blue Funions. It will be a blast!

Once again there's information out there that The Funions are playing after a Gems game this week, but that's not going to happen. Still seeing if we can get in there after a game this summer.

Three cheers for Emily Powers. And a tip of the hat to Josh Rabe. Maybe we'll see him at the Pepsi Arena this winter during QU games at the table.

Thinking about a trip to Quincy Raceways, always fun to go at least once a summer.

My daughter's cell phone went dead. Congrats, dad — the one-year warranty just expired and it's only a couple of bills to replace. Bills with two zeros behind them. Yeesh.

Dodging The Drops

So the past few days every time I looked at the Internet weather map all I saw was green and orange blasting its way toward us.

After Tuesday/Wednesday a.m. showers, it became apparent the Fabius River and other areas were in no shape to take more rain.

So this stuff comes at us and it makes you wonder how long these battered levees will hold and how much these people can take.

Somehow it missed us. We have a cell coming right at us right now and it's getting dark, but it's not that big and hopefully will blow through.

We played softball last night despite the nasty green mass heading right at us. Felt one or two drops of rain on the West Quincy levee at 3 a.m. despite the nasty green mass heading right at us. Thought I'd get wet crossing the bridge home at 5 a.m.

Fat raindrops are pelting the windows now. Rain here in Quincy is OK, but not good for the folks downstream.

Seems we are dodging the raindrops, the bullets.

Meanwhile, the latest You Can't Make It Up saga hits the front pages ....

New Blogger, Same Old Weather

Let's welcome Keith Franx to the wonderful world of blogging!

http://keithfranxuniverse.blogspot.com/

Yesterday got better as it went along. Tons more rain looms. The guys were completely wiped out coming off the levy yesterday from the humidity, and it's back today. Tons more flood news at www.whig.com.

Soaked

No sleep overnight, too much rain and nasty weather. This can't be good for our levees.

I am afraid of what we'll find when dawn finally comes. It rained all freaking night.

I am pretty sure the north section of the West Quincy levee will be fine. Just how much rain dumped into the Fabius River and Durgen's Creek remains to be scene.

Fingers crossed ....

Levee Adventures

For Monday's adventures in flood fighting, click here.

It's hammering down rain in Q-town at noon today. Pray, and I mean pray hard, the Fabius levee holds. Pray all the work done the past two weeks doesn't wash away.

Fighting The Flood

This is how I spent my day today, and yes, that's me by the tractor. And those are my boots on the right.

Much more in The Whig tomorrow and on the Whig blog.

Healed by the blues

The Blue Healers have quickly become Quincy's best band.

Argue that point if you want. You can't argue they are The Funions favorite band.

Friday night at Turner Hall, before a small crowd, The Healers tore it up, down sideways and everywhere-ways. Nobody plays guitar like Ryan McSpadden. NOBODY. He is the best guitar player in Quincy and it's not even close. Everybody else is tied for last.

Well ... Keith Franx is a close second.

Helps to have a great bass player and singer in Bill Collins and Stan Jansen pounding the skins back there, too. Amazing musicians, great songs.

"Tied To The Whipping Post" and "Sweet Melissa" about made me cry ....

Do not miss these guys playing at Blues In The District July 11 and at the Bluesfest the week after.

I could say some things about the small crowd but that would be bitching and counterproductive. Many times there are good shows in Quincy and I don't go because of other commitments or stuff going on, so I understand.

But the next time a person comes up to me and complains about the local music scene, I'll ask where they were on Friday night, June 20, 2008, when The Blue Healers put on one of the best shows I have ever - EVER - seen.

They didn't care there were only 25 people left by the end of the night. They didn't care they got paid $10 a piece. They didn't care about anything except pouring their hearts out and leaving it all on the stage. And I do mean every last ounce.

I would like to thank everybody for coming out. It means a lot to us that you spent your Friday night at Turner Hall watching local music. Midnight Legend was really good in its debut as a band, and St. Amy's rocked it out in its unique and fun way.

I liked the energy The Funions had. If we did this every weekend we'd start getting there and I'd put my guys up against anybody.

Well. Except the Healers. After hearing Ryan tear through "Texas Flood" I'm embarrassed to even hold a guitar.

This is it for a while for The Funions, we'll be back in August or September. With six guys in the band and summer here, it's hard to find dates, but we'll crank it up again.

Also - Tookie dragged his tired and bug-bitten butt to Turner Hall after being on the levees all week and I don't forget people who make an effort to support local music.

Also - a huge thanks to Mark and Chris from Turner Hall, great guys who have a passion for keeping local music alive and well.

Real Help

Yes, Tookie was on the West Quincy levee with "Coach Guns" and his crew. Yes, Tookie left a comment on yesterday's blog that, as usual, couldn't be deciphered by the CIA's finest intelligence agents.

But he was there, and he has been there, working his butt off.

By the way, I was eating pasta but I was only doing my job, if you read today's paper you'll see what I mean. And you can't say no to Ann Knapheide.

God bless everybody who is fighting this thing. I'm wearing my new sandbagging T shirt I bought at the OLC yesterday. Things have pretty much wrapped up over there.

Keith Franx and I had a lot of fun playing for a benefit last night. Then it was off to Upper Moorman Park where YOUR Quincy Herald-Whig Demons came back from a 12-run deficit to go 12-0.

Some guy tried to run me over at second base but everything was good.

Big show tonight, this will be the last time The Funions play for a while. Midnight Legend starts at 7 p.m., followed by St. Amy's, us and The Blue Healers.

National Love

NBC News began it's national coverage last night with a story from Quincy. The Today Show did another live shot. Tons of national media in town.

I was in West Quincy today, more coming up on my Whig Blog and, of course, at www.whig.com.

Two Deadly Weapons playing tonight at a benefit, with the big show tomorrow night ready to go ....

The View

Wow.

http://qni.typepad.com/rodney_harts_blog/

And, as always ... www.whig.com for more.

Flood Flood Flood

Drove to Hannibal today and the flooding around Marblehead is just horrific. Somebody put up a sign which said — "Welcome to Lake Marblehead 2008 — No swimming or fishing."

The site of water covering hundreds and thousands of acres is ... is .... just hard to comprehend.

The levy seems to be holding on the Illinois side of the river crossing the bridge into Hannibal. Seems to be, anyway.

Bags continued to get filled in Quincy. Here's the very latest from West Quincy. Check out www.whig.com of course for more.

Good final practice last night at Vegas Music for the big Friday night show.

Dirty Water

Why on earth would anybody want to wade into the Mississippi River floodwaters?

Blech.

Life goes on as the waters rise. Latest reports are talking about Friday as the crest.

After talking to several national media outlets in recent weeks, I think the thing people who aren't from Quincy don't realize is how much we invest in protecting ourselves, and how much human emotion becomes a part of the story.

I got to see it for myself Saturday and Sunday at the OLC. Stop down there to see it for yourself, and bring a shovel, too.

Heard a rumor McCain is coming to Quincy to fill 21 sandbags. But it's a just a rumor. Still, being the good Web Warrior that I am, I'm spreading it around.

Floods, More Free Music

Keep your fingers crossed, Quincy. The next three days will tell the tale.

Some guy running for President was in town Saturday.

This is one thing you really need to be concerned about when it comes to the flooding.

Shey Fey and I will be at the O-L early this afternoon before watching the final round of the U.S. Open. We desperately need help with sandbags. If you can spare an hour or two ... please come down.

More great free music Saturday. I was a judge in the Colgate Country Showdown at Upper Moorman Park and it attracted a big crowd. Jack Inghram and Jim Phillips judged with me. Carrie Joy was the winner and clearly deserved it, this gal could make some noise in the bidness. I loved Nelsonville, two guys from NE Missouri who have a blast playing original songs. Charissa Mrowka took third but I thought both Brooke Rochelle and Caitlyn Stoeckley were better.

Each act did two songs. Madd Hoss Jackson was the backing band and Jim Jenning's guys did a fantastic job - many of the 10 acts did original songs and the band was right there all night.

Then it was off the Quincy Gems games to watch The Classics play after the final out. Check out the weekend games at QU Stadium because Rob Ebbing has booked bands for most of them - The Funions are still working on that - and it's awesome.

Ted Tappe, Kevin Vandament and Gary DeClue lead an amazing band. I love Gary's bass playing and voice, even if he does look like Buster Brown ... Ted is a great guitar player and Kevin amazing behind the drums.

Grab your shovel and we'll see you this afternoon!

Blues or blues? Who cares?

Rumors abound about Barack Obama coming to Quincy today. There have been preparations made, but no official word. Stay tuned ....

Beautiful night in Washington Park Friday. Majors Junction was awesome as the first band for Blues In The District.

I heard some people bitching about the band, saying they weren't a true blues band.

Good grief. First of all, you got in free. Secondly, what is blues anyway? You are being a snob with that kind of attitude. The band was awesome, an eclectic mix of country, bluegrass, rock and blues.

Finally ... it's a beautiful night in the park. Many people just want the music as background for a great social event. Having provided entertainment for exactly that purpose many times, I say .... so be it.

I'm supposed to judge a country music showcase tonight at Upper Morman Park, depending on presidential candidates coming to town. This flood and politics stuff is messing with my pool time ....

Too Much Fun

Happy Friday the 13th ya'll. Hope the weather is OK for Blues in the District tonight.

If we have any more fun at practice with St. Amy's, we might have heart attacks. Rumor has it some of the groupies are still sleeping it off. But that's just a rumor.

So here's the big show lineup for June 20, Turner Hall, $3 at the door or $5 per couple: 7 p.m. - Midnight Legend; 8 p.m. - St. Amy's; 8:30 — The Funions; 9:45 - St. Amy's, 10:15 — Blue Healers.

The Guv comes to town this afternoon to look at floods. Always like the guys with dark suits and things stuck in the ears giving everybody blank stares.

Good lord did it storm last night. I work up at 12:50 a.m. with the TV on and thunder crashing, it shook the house it was so loud. Lucy the Border Collie cowered in her owner's tub, from what I've heard.

Another NFL Baby

So Plaxico Burress is upset with his contract.

Well. He did go to Michigan State.

Hey Plax - you caught the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. You are rich and famous. I'm having trouble paying my rent and affording a tank of gas.

What a big baby.

Speaking of overpaid babies, the NBA Finals are in full swing. Nobody covers the NBA like ESPN's Bill Simmons, who hates Kobe Bryant and torches the L.A. fans with style and class.

So I've been going home for lunch (saving my pennies by eating hot dogs and corned beef sandwiches). I've been watching the Euro Cup soccer with the two English or Scottish or whatever they are guys doing the announcing, and it's been tremendous.

They say things like "Portugual is cherishing the ball" and "What a deft touch by the Dutch midfielder" and "That was creative genius in the midfield with the one-touch flick."

It's made my noon naps easier to take. Nothing is more soothing than an English soccer announcer.

Weekend Wishes

You know the song ....

Everybody's working for the weekend ....

Get it started off right in the Q-Town this Friday night, click here for more.

Friday might a tough day after a Funions practice and Herald-Whig Demons game the night before.

To find out my plans for Father's Day, click here.

Not Guilty

Tookie was found not guilty. I have it on good authority the jury was rigged and his rabble-rousing attorney may have paid off the judge.

Just what I've heard.

Hey. Web Warriors only report the rumors, they don't verify them.

Wet

Gus was cut short in Morris today by wet weather. It actually cleared up later in the afternoon, but I'm not complaining about leaving the steaming Chicagoland area a little early.

Much fun on the Dream Court, as always. People in Morris and the surrounding communities really get into it.

Thomas Streety is a Macker legend who has won more dunk contests and top men's championships than I flunked math tests in grade school. Thomas' son, Derek, played on the Dream Court and has his old man's mad handles. It was so much fun to see the future right in front of us!

Back to the real world tomorrow .... we'll have Funions news as our June 20 show nears. Blues in the District is this Friday night too!

Fast Summer

I hate to say this, but the first week of June is already slipping away ....

Heading north for domestic and Gus Macker duty, so the blog will be quiet for a few days, your patience is appreciated.

I have two words for Kris Bentley — Hockey and Town!

Actually the Wings losing in three overtimes Monday was a blessing. It provided another gripping finals game and proved they were the superior team. No shame from the Pens and Sid The Kid, they played their hearts out.

Easily the best blog in Quincy is this one. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at video of a hamster in my life.

Then again, I've never seen much video of a hamster ....

Trains, roads, weather

I'm out of town overnight and come back and geesh, trains are crashing and so are rumors about planes.

Apparently it hammered down rain here too. This is my favorite Web site to track local weather.

Heartbreak for your Detroit Red Wings. At least I'll get to watch Game 6 Wednesday. Last night's first overtime was riveting hockey and fun to watch. A game like that is good for hockey in general, as ESPN's Scott Burnside so accurately reflects.

Finally broke down and turned on the air, too. How long will you hold out?

Lotsa music

Now THAT was a Friday music night.

Fun times at Turner Hall, especially with Napalm doing lights and the temps reaching 100-plus on stage. Hey ... needed to burn off a few pounds anyway, right?

The Funions played very well and I appreciated the young people who gave us a chance and listened.

Great crowd, great bands ... St. Amy's had everybody going, First of November was really cool (you just don't see two girls playing guitar in a band), Predawn Hour looks good with their new bass player and Fielder .... Geesh. What can you say about those guys? I've run out of words .... simply awesome.

Thanks Tookie, for showing up AFTER we played. He blamed the women. Oh well.

Also slid down to the Elks and caught some of Mad Hoss Jackson. Drummer Jim Jennings is always fun to hang out with.

Now we get ready for the June 20 show. It will be nice today to do nothing but recover and watch YOUR Detroit Red Wings play in the Stanley Cup finals tonight.

Sports Guys

Some interesting talk by Web Warriors this week about sports writers.

I was a sports writer for 10 years. I enjoyed a lot of it. I hated other parts of it.

People assume you have the dream cake job, watching sports for a living. You get into the games free! You watch sports and write about it. How hard can it be?

If you like working strange hours, enjoy debating mad soccer moms, get a charge out of meeting impossible deadlines and like dealing with the strangest and most passionate of people, this is your job.

Sports writers make good reporters in general because they cover fast moving live events. They pay attention to detail. Good sports writers look for different angles all the time — writing about a blowout hoops game gets old after a while unless you keep it fresh.

Sports writers learn to develop sources and figure out in a hurry who the good guys and not so good guys are. Good guys are coaches, men and women, who are accessible and know what you are after. Bad guys blow their own horns and don't return phone calls.

Sports writers can make the jump to news. But it doesn't work the other way. Covering sports makes you a good reporter, in time.

Very rarely I miss it, like on a Friday night when I'm going to a football game. Years ago in Michigan I used to bomb down rural roads and see the lights in the distance from the field and if it was a big game, I'd get that knot in my stomach.

I also miss the rush of finishing a story or meeting deadline, though that happens a lot on news side.

Our Whig sports guys do a great job.

If you are a sports writer, it's a way of life, not just a job, and those that do it should be commended.

Fins

Excellent times at Vegas Music last night. We learned the Jimmy Buffet song "Fins" but no guarantees it will be flawless Friday night. Also have a brand new Funions song to debut.

As Pat says, "We need to practice here every time." As my neighbor down the street said during a phone conversation, "No no, it's Vegas Music, it's NOT a bar!"

St. Amy's practiced after us and I was blown away by Nathan Cornwell, David Brink and Eric Strubinger. Three young guys, acoustic guitars, great songs from Garth Brooks to Meredith Brooks. They seemed to be having a good time. Hope we didn't get in the way, bad Police renditions included .... they play between bands Friday night.

And yes ... Tookie was there. He's not the first person to have a man-crush on our sax player. Ask the Macker guy from last week.

Vegas Practice

Funions practice tonight in preparation for the Friday night show at Turner Hall. We'll be making a racket again at Vegas Music. Broadway has been warned ....

Fielder, Predawn Hour, First of November, St. Amy’s, The Funions
Turner Hall, 926 Hampshire
Doors open at 6:30, music starts at 7
All ages, $4 cover

St. Amy's is three young guys who just formed, they are playing acoustic music between sets.

Shopping Done Right

So I go to Springfield Monday for a father-daughter shopping expedition.

I was sort of dreading it but it actually turned out very well. We instituted the Fleetwood Mac rule, you know, "Go Your Own Way," when getting to the mall.

On the way back, I nearly cried when she plugged in her iPod and we blasted Boston, U2, Kansas, Toto, Asia and other classic rock over the Old Fogey Car stereo.

Geesh. Might not be so bad to get her another $50 for iTunes ....

By the way — YOUR Detroit Red Wings are up 2-0. Just thought you should know.

Goodbye Gus, July 5 update

Always sad when Gus heads home Sunday night. All in all, Gus was good again in Q-town, one or two knuckleheads as usual. The Dream Court was huge, highlighted by DOB and Tyler T from WGEM doing the final game today. They watched the Rocky Cola-coached team dominate, as usual!

I jumped the gun on the July 5 Gems announcement, a couple of the Funions have other commitments that day so we'll try to figure out another Gems show.

Have a good Memorial Day and remember our men and women in the Armed Forces who gave and still give so much for us.

Rain Again?

It seems the Herald-Whig Demons softball team, YOUR defending Quincy Park District Division V champions, may be rained out again tonight. In the first four weeks of the season, we've had two rainouts and a bye. Teams and Mother Nature fear us.

Another massive jam at Vegas Music last night as The Funions get ready for the May 30 show. We play at 7 p.m. There will be a huge crowd at Turner Hall as the night goes on, hopefully we'll get a few people out to see us.

Don't forget, Friday, June 20, Turner Hall with the Blue Healers and Midnight Legend. Also working on another major show, info coming soon.

Rich Meyers is here from Belding, Mich., and Gus Macker headquarters. He endured a Funions practice last night with the usual groupies and is taking everybody to see the Demons play tonight, if it doesn't rain. Gus himself will be here tonight too. Rich is still getting therapy from rooming with me in Macomb last year but that's another story for a more adult blog.

If it does rain, hopefully that clears it out for the weekend ....

Dog Named Blue

The best thing ESPN has done in years is get Don Cherry to do commentary after Stanley Cup playoff games.

You can get a taste here of Cherry's colorful style.

During my one disaster of a year at Calvin College I played on an intramural hockey team called "Dog Named Blue" in honor of Cherry's canine. As I recall, we lost in the championship game in overtime, shades of Cherry's Boston Bruins falling to my beloved Montreal Canadiens in the 79 semifinals.

Anyway, check Cherry out on SportCenter. And ... he's donating his ESPN pay to the Humane Society, God love him.

Never thought I'd ever say that about a Bruins coach.

Canning Jams, Blue Healers

The Blue Healers (www.myspace.com/thebluehealers) might be the best rock/blues band in Quincy. They were fantastic Sunday at Turner Hall's Can Jam.

The Healers are playing Blues in District Friday, July 11, and they are playing at the Bluesfest the following weekend.

This just in ... we are planning a show Friday night, June 20 at Turner Hall with The Blue Healers. We've asked a new band, Midnight Legend, to open at 7 p.m. Cover will be $3, The Funions play at 8:30 and the Healers at 10.

The May 30 show at Turner is also generating lots of buzz. I know it's QHS graduation night but we are still expecting a big crowd later. Fielder played yesterday too and did a great job with Tyler Dickens filling in for Chris Cornwell on drums and Alex Tappe doing a great job on the congas.

So ... lotsa music coming up in the Q-town!

Click Here

To find out what's happening on a busy weekend, click here.

A year ago today, good family friend Sid Jansma lost his wife, and he reflects here on making peace and saying farewell. Sid is the real deal, and God be with him and his family.

I'm loving this story about a double amputee qualifying for the Olympics.

Kelly Wilson had a nice blog item about the local theater presentation of MASH. Click here to vote for your favorite character from the TV show.

Learning New Songs

Tremendous practice and great fun hooting and hollering with The Funions last night.

We hung out at Pat's store since Mark's basement is still in the process of being demolished/renovated/fixed for human habitation. With Jack and Rock A Bye gone on bidness, the four of us jammed for more than 2 1/2 hours.

I asked each band member to list their favorite Funions songs, and we sketched out a tentative set list for the May 30 show. By the way, it's now evolved to a full-blown five-band rock and roll blowout, but more info coming in future posts.

I threw four new songs at the guys last night and nobody blinked. Granted, they are simple in structure but it never ceases to amaze me how the band immediately puts a distinctive stamp on a cover song.

We learned a Funions original and then Pat got us going on a Jimmy Buffet song that rocks, not the usual stuff you hear from him. Somebody get me a Landshark!

There's something cool about running around a music store after hours and listening to the ghost stories, then actually hearing some strange stuff in the 102-year-old house, too, but that's for another post.

May 30 will be fun! We play at Turner Hall at 7 p.m. with four other bands to follow, including Fielder and Predawn Hour.

Some Guy Named Zach

So some guy named Zach was in Quincy Monday and posed for this photo with a Quincy girl.

Apparently this guy is into musicals or something. I have no idea, never heard of him or seen him.

He wanted The Funions to do the soundtrack for what he is calling his "third movie." What were the first two called?

He seemed handsome enough but I don't think he's nearly good enough for the girl in the photo. He seemed more interested in talking about Hollywood and famous people.

He just seemed ... fake.

Who is this guy, anyway?

Mothers Day, Links

And a very happy Mother's Day!

Especially thinking about Susan White today. Her son, Devon, bass player of doom, was confirmed this morning at Trinity UCC. I'm sure Susan beams with pride when watching both her boys.

I'm sure Susan runs into Virginia Hart, who is gossiping with Wilma Collins, and they probably pee themselves with laughter over the stupid stuff their kids are doing right now.

To read about my surrogate mother's son, click here.

To read about the latest Crazy Calftown Girl's exploits, click here.

To read about the Dallas Stars resorting to thuggery against YOUR Detroit Red Wings, click here.

The Motels - Only the Lonely

Every now and then I'll find something on Youtube that takes me back, like this fantastic song and video featuring Martha Davis. Good grief, is she SMOKING hot.

Saw The Motels open for Super Tramp about a million years ago and I was just entranced by her voice and stage presence. Love the sax solo, too.

Great music for a melancholy Saturday morning.

It's almost enough to make me forget picturing Tookie wearing a pink sweater vest at a local establishment.

Almost.

Gas Price Woes

Gas prices have really made me think twice about some stuff. I'd love to get away for a weekend, but it costs too much.

I make two or three trips to Michigan a year but this year, with these prices, I'm just going once, and only because I'll hopefully have free lodging on a Lake Michigan beach.

Apparently more and more people are thinking this way too. Shouldn't using less gas mean supplies go back up and prices down?

I'm ignorant about gas prices. I just know it's a ripoff and somebody is laughing all the way to the bank at our expense.

New Funions CD?

One of the things this incarnation of The Funions seriously has to think about is recording a CD.

It could be a lot of fun with this group of guys, but it takes an enormous amount of planning and directing before we can even remotely dream about doing new songs.

First of all, where do we go to record? Alan Lawless has been so good to us and we have a blast in his dungeon of doom Copper Mine studio.

But we happen to have a sax player who owns his own studio. Jack has Pillar Productions and has indicated we can use the studio for a CD project, and we could save ourselves a lot of money that way.

I have four or five songs that might be ready, but with these guys, I think it would be fun to come up with stuff in rehearsal and just messing around, because they are such good players. Plus Pat Cornwell has a good voice and we'd be foolish not to take advantage of it.

I listened to Just Pretending the other day for the first time in maybe a year and I realized how much Larry Flavell put his stamp on those sessions, and it really came out well.

Now with a slide player and sax, it gives us a bit more of a jam and blues feel.

With every band you have to have the Alpha guy, the person who does all the stuff and pushes the buttons and often is the jerk who massages ideas in certain directions. That's balanced with every individual in the band. They all have contributions and the key is to mesh everything.

So .... the process begins. Can't say when it will result in a new CD. But. It begins!

Paul's Big Night, season golf debut

Paul Gilmartin brought his A game to Q-town last night in a hysterical comedy performance at Backwaters.

Paul was a little nervous about doing his Ohio Rep. Richard Martin character, but it got laughs from the start under the expert guidance of his cousin and Slide Guitar Player Of Doom, Rock A. Bye.

There was a big crowd and laughter was the rule, a beautiful thing!

Played golf for the first time today with Chuck Otte, Mike Hancox, Bill Gay and Rollie Thomas at Westview. Glorious afternoon, to say the least, even if the golf on my part was atrocious.

Hope you got out to enjoy the day too!

Anniversary, Parades, Paul

Here's to remembering Virginia Hart, mother, grandmother and friend, who passed away three years ago today.

I think of my mom a lot.

Good times on the Trinity float today at the Dogwood parade. Cold, misty rain at the beginning, AWOL drummer, etc .... but we got through it and the crowds were still huge on Maine Street.

Paul Gilmartin is in Quincy tonight at Backwaters, I believe tickets are still available at the door ($15), it will be a very funny evening!

May 30 Show

Just when we decry the lack of Funions shows ...

Friday, May 30
Turner Hall
The Funions, Fielder, other bands TBA
Time and cost also TBA.

More info to follow.

Lack of shows

For the first time in a quite a while, The Funions have nothing officially lined up.

We're working on it, and hope to have something to report soon.

A year ago yesterday we played at the Frank Calkins benefit, which brings back a lot of good memories.

The Trinity UCC folks are putting together a float again for Dogwood and we'll have a blast as usual. The only difference this year is that we have to play without a keyboard for a while, which means I'll have to learn and actually know the songs, which could be a huge adventure.

Pray for good weather!

U2 Rocks

An amazing experience last night at Union United Methodist's U2charist service.

People started showing up an hour before it started. That's a new one for some of us "alternative service" people.

Sherri Renner asked us twice if we were going to pray before it started. Then she accidently proposed marriage to Jack Inghram. Ahhh, pre-performance jitters, beautiful things!

Bob Morwell started the service with the "Peace On Earth" video, and one by one we went on to see a nearly full church, expectant of great things.

Well. Not sure how we sounded, which of course is besides the point. But Sunday's service is proof that if God decides, it's gonna rock!

From the opening "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" to the last crazy and adrenaline fueled "When Love Comes To Town," Union United rocked. It is so cool to sing songs that people know, or can at least follow. U2's music has audience call-backs in just about every song, and it took no prodding to get people to respond. None!

So. Thank you to Young Devon White on bass, who now has his own groupies to deal with and was trailed by a gaggle of junior high girls all night. Chicks dig bass players, Dee-Von. Now that you are a rock star, you better start dealing with it ....

Thanks to Craig Sparks, a fantastic drummer. I goofed up the intro to one song (Pride, maybe?) and it was no big deal, he just kept us going the whole time. Craig was especially good during the communion instrumental of "Forty".

Thanks to Rev. Wally Carlson, a very good acoustic guitar player with the right attitude. It was very reassuring to have him back there and not worry about screwing up my parts. Far more importantly, I have made a new friend.

Thanks to Sherri Renner on keyboards, the spiritual driving force behind everything we did. She has the voice of an angel too and I hope she continues to play music.

Thanks to Jack Inghram on sax. It doesn't matter what kind of music you play, if you have a good sax player, everybody responds. Sheryl sat in the back and took the whole thing in and said a bunch of "more experienced" women were asking about Jack. Maybe the sax guy might have to start dealing with the groupie thing, too ....

Thanks to Bob Morwell, who had the idea with Wally and put it into motion. They also trusted the burned-out newspaper guy to put the band and music together, not an easy thing to do.

Wally said he knew it was going to be good from the opening chord in the first practice. I knew it would be good, too. But last night was beyond my wildest expectations.

We also raised a bunch of money for the nets for Africa campaign, which provides malaria-carrying mosquito protection. U2 lets churches use their music free of charge as long as it's a worship service and it takes up an offering for the project.

We're talking about other projects and maybe taking this thing to other churches, so stay tuned!

Provine's Stadium

Mike Provine, easy Quincy's best blogger, has a fascinating photoshopped rendition of what a new baseball stadium in Quincy could look like. His blog is linked, or you can go to http://provine.blogspot.com/ and look at his Saturday entry, or the actually photo is https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfx97spCfnt_SasfMqCJ93W5AImwZze8U2U-fH0ryerwDv338EJf-15CBcKacMaU62349Sxkda07LpeTd8qixzhV1XeZ6CT0i_8brrKHg2LTJ2bFzj7eUxrbNCjYvHFIiRrmHYTA/s1600-h/qballpark.jpg

Sorry about my lack of hyperlink ability.

Before you laugh off this idea, which has a lot of potential but pitfall, think of what a gleaming new stadium could mean for Quincy.

First of all, we'd have to land a team. Provine Park, as depicted, is huge. Does this mean we're going to get a Triple A team in Quincy?

Second - where does everybody park? You are taking lots of land from the river to about Third or Fourth Streets, I'm sure the foks at the Elks just south of the new bridge wouldn't be happy about people parking in their lot across the street.

Third - road access. No easy way in or out if you have thousands at a ball game, and really, just one road in all four directions. You'd have to get law enforcement directing traffic before and after a game.

Lastly - we'd have to get rid of that ugly blight on the river, across the street from the Pier and other places. That's progress. We'd be knocking down a lot of ugly buildings, but Quincy doesn't like buildings being demolished.

Huge dream, huge expense to build, huge logistics to overcome.

But I like it!

Different Service

We had another U2-charist practice last Sunday and it went well. Special thanks to Megan, who filled in on drums. Craig will be back Friday night for practice, and the service is Sunday at 7.

We've had some spirited and healthy discussions about U2's lyrics. We are doing "When Love Comes To Town," and this is not necessarily a praise and worship song.

Good. This is not a Maranatha sappy worship service. The them is "What if ..." and I'm looking forward to Bob Morwell expounding on the topic.

I am trusting Wally Carlson and Bob to make this worship-driven. But I do not apologize for the lyrics of these songs.

"When Love Comes To Town" is about a man who has made huge mistakes in his life and realizes why.

I used to make love under a red sunset
I was making promises I would soon forget
She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown
But I left her standing before love came to town

That's powerful stuff.

The last verse:

I was there when they crucified my Lord
I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword
I threw the dice when they pierced his side
But I've seen love conquer the great divide

I am so tired of people whining about being uncomfortable at church. God doesn't care if you build a mansion with marble columns and velvet pews. He doesn't care if the sound system isn't state of the art, or if the service lasts 85 minutes.

I believe God wants you to think. Even if you are like me, and Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

So ... come to this service with an open mind. We have some great songs, whether that translates into a great sound and performance, I don't know. And in the end, it's irrelevant.

Basketball

I ran into Dave Fauble the other day at the tennis courts by QND. He told me about a bunch of guys that get together once a week and play ball at a nearby gym.

So last week I went out for the first time in at least four years .... when Mike Foster left QU, that was the end of the NBA (Noon Basketball Association) and I stopped playing.

It felt great to run again, rusty as I was. Not being able to walk the next two days was a small price to pay, really.

Went back tonight and had a great time with a great bunch of guys, mostly more experienced like myself. I'm still bricking 3-footers, still standing still instead of rebounding, still panting to get up and down the floor .... and I love every minute of it.

Tonight was definitely better than last week, hopefully it will keep getting better.

It better get better. The Herald-Whig Demons open up defense of our Quincy Park District Division V softball championship this Thursday at Wavering, 8 p.m.

For more: www.hwdemons.blogspot.com.

Whose ear is that, anyway?

Pray For Frank

Please pray for Frank Calkins, who collapsed in the Chicago area Saturday. He's clinging to life and on a respirator in a Chicago hospital. The family has some very difficult decisions to make. They need prayers too.

Frank is a fighter and is going to a better place. God be with him.

Can't Live Without

Some things I've recently discovered no man should be without.

1. A Border Collie named Lucy.
2. New sisters.
3. An expert poo picker for when you step in the doo doo in the backyard.
4. Toothbrush holder.
5. Frogs in the shower.
6. Soap dish.
7. A light above the kitchen sink.
8. Company for evening walks to visit Mother Wilma at Greenmount Cemetery.
9. Friends with pickup trucks. Even if they live in tough neighborhoods on the other side of 28th Street.
10. A Melrose Chapel pastor to drape his jacket over you when doing your James Brown imitation.
11. Many others, one especially two blocks up the street ....

Elks Fun

As always, a great time had by all at The Elks last night.

Not one of our better played shows, in my opinion. We work really hard on the songs and then we get up there and just hack up the endings and different parts. But ... the energy and spirt was there. Always is with these guys.

Now Warren can say he played with The Funions! And who knew Wally Carlson would literally offer the jacket off his back ala James Brown?

Like Steph says, "I like the atmosphere at The Elks. It's like you guys are a garage band."

Very true. Actually we are a torn-up basement band. Same thing, really.

The Funions are off for a bit and we're working on some summer shows, we'll keep you posted.

Next up: U2 worship service a week from Sunday.

Setting Up At The Elks

It's not every morning you wake up due to an earthquake ....

So we are ready for our show tonight at the Elks.

Many thanks to Pat Cornwell, drummer, singer and PA Guy extraordinaire. Setting up is a pain and Pat makes it a lot easier. The sound in there is good, not too loud but clear.

No Funions gigs after this one just yet, though we are working on a few things.

Dreaming Of The Beach

I have a friend who is thinking about taking a vacation and sitting on a beach far far away.

It's making me pine for my Uncle Peter's Lake Michigan beach. I'm hoping to get there in August. And that seems like a million years from now, though it will be here in the blink of an eye.

So. Here is the scenario. We need to get there, even though we can't. So let's try a little power of suggestion.

DIRK: I, state your name.
YOU: I, state your name.
DIRK: Am pretending to be on a beach.
YOU: Am pretending to be on a beach.
DIRK: And to the republic for which it stands.
YOU: And to the republic for which it stands.
DIRK: Especially when your toes are in the sand and you have a Goose Island Honkers Ale that is ice cold and you are getting sunburned and every now and then a gorgeous babe walks by your secluded little spot wearing next to nothing and your iPod Shuffle is blasting U2’s City of Blinding Lights and you are doing nothing and enjoying every single second and the world is very far away and ...
YOU: What?

New Place

So the transformation in the humble Calftown abode is almost done. Gotta move a couch and chair up here and we are good to go.

The entire place was scrubbed from head to toe. I now have a soap dish and toothbrush holder. That means I've arrived.

I walked into the kitchen last night and there was a light on above the sink that I never knew existed.

It's a whole new place and just seems so much more like .... home!

Gratitude to SB and SB for the changes.

Thrown Together

So tonight we had our first U2 worship service practice.

I believe God was smiling on us.

From the start, five people who'd never played together clicked and it was .... magic. Spiritual. Just really really REALLY good.

Sheri Renner is a joy to play with. Great ideas, voice of an angel, a keyboard player .... Geesh, where have you been all this time, Sheri?

Devon White rammed home the beat on bass, and Craig Sparks is simply one of the best drummers I've ever played with, and I've played with a bunch of good ones. He let loose and wait until you hear him drive us home with this project.

Wally Carlson was right there on acoustic guitar and vocals and a lot of fun. Bob Morwell and his Union United crew were a big help too.

Man. I haven't been this excited about a musical project in a long time, and this comes with The Funions as rock solid as they've ever been.

Again, Sunday, April 27, Union United Methodist, 11th and State, 7 p.m. This is a worship service, above and beyond, and something very different for Quincy.

We are doing Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, 40, Pride, When Love Comes To Town and Yahweh.

Again, this won't sound like U2, but it's an honest take on their music and if tonight was an indication, the energy and spirit will be there.

Coming tomorrow: An update on the Calftown residence transformation!

Brand New Place

So these wild and crazy Collins girls are here and my place has been completely rearranged.

SB is dusting and cleaning like a mad girl right behind me and I am completely and utterly smitten with my new sister ....

More after we are done ....

More new (old) stuff

Had a great practice last night in the Kingsridge basement, then kept the hood up with cigar smoke and groupie conversation.

We are unveiling a few new songs for the Elks show a week from tonight. The Elks tends to have an older crowd, but they love to dance and have a good time, so we've stocked two long sets of songs they'll hopefully like.

Rock A. Bye and I will start with some acoustic music.

Speaking of which, Two Deadly Weapons will be joined by a third tonight at a local birthday bash. Also rumors of massiv rearrangements to living quarters in Calftown this weekend, as well.

Have a great one!

Ask a Republican - Big Oil vs Poor People

Paul Gilmartin is coming to Quincy!
Saturday, May 3, Backwaters
Benefit for QPD union
Tickets - $10 from any QPD officer
Don't miss Paul!

U2 worship service

So there's no South Park strolls or Woodland Cemetery crawls in this stuff.

Hanging out with Devon White tonight and working on the U2 stuff. Sunday, April 27, Union United Methodist Church at 11th and State. We have ...

Rev. Wally Carlson, guitar
Devon White, bass
Craig Sparks, drums
Jack Inghram, sax
Sherry Renner, keyboards
Clueless newspaper guy, guitar and vocals

It's going to be very cool!

South Side Boat Club

Much fun at the South Side Boat Club this afternoon for the 27th annual band jam. Thanks Danny Mabie and everybody for letting us be goofy for half an hour. No stage monitors but I thought we sounded OK. Pat Cornwell in particular did a great job and Jack was back to his usual wailing sax ways.

Two Deadly Weapons make an appearance Friday night at a birthday party, perhaps joined by a saxaphone touting attorney.

Sheyfey videotaped our show today and we'll post a couple of new songs in the next few days.

Now we get ready for the April 18 Elks show, which is going to be HUGE ....

Stay Strong

For Frank Calkins.

Stay Strong
Can't imagine what you've been through
Can't really feel what you feel
All I can do is reach out to you
Hold on to what I feel
Long and lonely nights
All alone you fight
The demons off they will not quit
You cannot rest you cannot hide
You only know one way

Stay strong ....

It's the long way it's the hard way
No shortcuts to the end
It's the long way
I wanna hear you say
No no I'll never quit

Stay strong

Copyright 2007 D.R. Hart

Jack Is Back

Really good practice in the under construction Kingsridge basement last night. Jack Inghram is back and sounding better than ever after neck surgery. Yesterday was the first day he said he felt really good. He's got his sax on a stand so he doesn't have to hang it around his neck, and he was on fire the whole practice.

On top of that, we had a couple of Funions groupies at practice, and they said they enjoyed watching Jack do "The Wiggle," whatever that means ....

The guys were also fascinated by the whole Youtube thing. Hopefully we can have some future shows recorded and get better audio. I ain't complaining .... the whole thing just rocks!

Working on a couple of newer songs for the April 18 Elks show .... and again, we play at 1:40 p.m. Sunday at the Southside Boat Club Band Jam.

See you there!

American Idol Is Stupid

I've accidently watched bits and pieces of American Idol lately and I don't get it.

It's dumb. The judges, especially this guy named Simon, are full of themselves. The gal who got eliminated last night was horrible. One of the guys didn't sound so bad.

But I just don't understand why people go crazy over this stuff. At work they come over and blab endlessly about how so and so should have done better and so and so might not last long and so and so nailed some dumb cover song.

I'm alone in the world, but I'm not watching it and don't care.

There. I feel better.

Who Hears You Tonight

From the March 15 Turner Hall Show ...

Close your eyes tight
Listen with all your might
Let go don't fight
Who hears you tonight

Think I hear you climbing up my steps ....

Love the interaction here between Rock A Bye and Chris ....

Call it a Day

Video taken by Sheryl Collins of our March 15 show at Turner Hall. It's not bad for a small video camera, thanks Sheryl! We'll post a few other songs in the next few days. This is "Call It A Day" and Rock A. Bye does a great job on slide guitar!

For more, go to youtube.com/dirkhartband

Too Early

Sleep. In the immortal words of Carl Spackler in Caddyshack .... "It's no big deal."

Getting excited about the Southside Boat Club Band Jam this Sunday. We play at 1:40 p.m. for about half an hour. Tons of great bands, no cover and cheap hamburgers. Can't go wrong!

Also will be working on the April 18 Elks show. This is an older crowd but one that definitely likes to have fun.

Jack is feeling better after neck surgery and will practice with us Thursday.

Also working on putting together a band for the April 27 U2 worship service at First Union United Methodist.

I went with all four No. 1 seeds in the Hart Family Challenge NCAA pool (done just for fun) and I have a chance. I was hoping Davidson would pull off the upset, it's great for college hoops and sports in general to have the underdog do well.

Washington Theater on hold

It appears our Washington Theater show in May will be put on hold, probably until September. Two of the gals I work with on the show have personal and other commitments right now and I don't want to do it until it's done right. So we'll wait, but we'll blow the place apart with a great day of music in September.

Rainy March

Rain in March .... blechhhh.

Gus is here from West Michigan, spreading his Macker love. I have my summer schedule and it's going to be gloriously busy, but the streets of downtown Springfield to the Hall of Fame love in Belding, Michigan. Applications will soon be available for the Quincy tournament on Memorial Day Weekend.

Good luck to the Drug Court Counselor and Bombshell Translator of dooms, who road trip north today. Be safe!

I have really enjoyed walking in the 'hood lately. It's great therapy. One block at a time, Steph ....

Lately I've been into losing sleep, holes in my teeth, driving with my daughter, cats and dogs living together, getting away, Jimmy John's lunches, Barry Manilow, 10cc and cravings for McDonalds. Not necessarily in that order.

Also had a fantastic time Tuesday night with Anne Cashman and her students at Ellington School. Writing is the best. Ellington School rocks and (Lynette) Rolls!

Flying From St. Louis

So I flew to Denver from St. Louis and back last week, and I have to say Lambert International Airport in St. Louis is very nice.

I know local officials are always pushing Quincy Regional Airport hard, and I’d like to see a small regional facility do well. Perhaps our airport is more designed for the business traveler and not the vacation guy.

But why should I fly out of Quincy?

Some say it’s cheaper. For me, on this particular trip, it was not. I paid $25 in gas, and I paid $48 in parking. That’s $73. Flying out of Quincy would have cost me up to $150 more.

I have flown out of Quincy before, and it always seems weather is an issue, or the planes are breaking down. One night I remember waiting in Chicago forever before we finally got going back to Quincy. (Walk or ride your bike
before you experience Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.)

Quincy airport proponents say time saved is a big reason to fly from here. However, the St. Louis airport is convenient and only two hours away if you hit traffic right, and I’ve never had a problem on I-70. The parking near the airport is good, the shuttle picks you up right away, and the terminals are easy to navigate. It took me 10 minutes to get through security in the St. Louis airport on a busy Sunday night.

An extra couple of hours is worth saving $150.

Steph's computer ....

has this blog bookmarked.

God bless her.

There is nothing in this world that a little badly-played REO Speedwagon won't cure.

Went to see the Blue Healers last night at the Club, which is a funky little bar at 10th and Chestnut. Good grief, did they sound good. Keith Franx in particular, with the guitar, keyboard, harp and vocals, was outstanding. The band includes guys from the late and great Mahoney Brothers and they were loose and right on all night.

Also had a packed house at Trinity this morning, always good to see.

Back to work Monday. Blech. Already miss the mountains, an entire afternoon to do nothing and nieces and nephews laughing.

Next Show, Sponge Bob

We've confirmed the next Funions show. It's part of the Sunday, April 6 band jam at the South Side Boat Club. We play at 1:40 p.m. for about 35 minutes. This is a free show with tons of great bands so come check us out!

Just got back from a tremendous Colorado vacation spent with family.

Did a lot of nothing, and it was beautiful.

The best part was late yesterday afternoon. I sat on the couch with Erin, 4, and Josh, 7, and watched the Sponge Bob Square Pants movie, and I sprained my spleen a couple of times laughing.

At one point Patrick and Sponge Bob get ready to rescue King Neptune's crown, and Sponge Bob unveils the hamburger car.

When Patrick points out Sponge Bob does not have a license, Sponge Bob pauses for dramatic effect, and says:

"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich!"

That, friends, has officially become The Funions motto of doom.

Happiness Is ...

— Turning off the cell phone. And keeping it off.

— Colorado sun.

— Giggling nieces and nephews.

— A Jack Higgins book.

— Getting ready for March Madness.

— Altitude.

— Sleeping forever and feeling good when waking up.

— A long bike ride.

— Putting a motorcycle back together.

— Hot coffee and SportsCenter.

— The iPod Shuffle, shoes, a park not far away.

— Updating the blog ... when I get back!

No skis

Dillon, Co., is beautiful. Just sitting in the sun staring at the mountains is a curative experience. You can actually feel the burnout slipping away ....

Tried to ski at Copper Mountain yesterday but they were out of rental skis, unheard of, according to my brother in law. So we spent the day sledding with cousins and doing absolutely nothing and enjoying every second of it.

Tomorrow we are going to Red Rocks, and if you are a U2 fan .... Under A Blood Red Sky.

Sad to hear about Irving School. Good people, lots of pain.