Video from last Thursday

I've put together some video from last Thursday's gig. I'm really enjoying the Zoom Q2HD camera I got for Christmas last year. It looks like me, sounds like me, and lets me know when I need to practice a little more.

We kicked off the night with some vintage country. This is our Bob Wills medley and a Barbara Mandrell song.

Then later in the night we played some new country, classic rock, and pop.

It was a very fun night with a good sound and lighting company, good food, and excellent hosts at a terrific venue.

My next gig is a private party at Disneyland's Big Thunder Ranch. That's always a fun night.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

Regency Ranch 3/26/15

Hi gang!

We played a very nice corporate gig at a venue called Regency Ranch in Rancho Mirage.

It was a nice day to drive out to the high desert. I always pass the Morongo Casino and Hadleys on the way to the Palm Springs area. I see Mt. San Jacinto still has a little snow at the top. Now would be a good time of year to take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up to the top. It's 90 degrees at the bottom and there's snow at the top.



In between all the windmills is the highway out to Joshua Tree, where there's a neat little place called Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneer Town. Jim Lauderdale is known to frequent the open mic nights. It's been a while but I used to play there quite often.

I exit the freeway next to the Aqua Caliente Casino, where I also used to play a lot.

The is the front of the Equestrian Centers International. The Regency Ranch venue is in the back.




We've got a bit of a carry to the stage. It turned out that the promoters hired a stage for us instead of using the existing stage.




Mario is set up and ready to sound check.




Art is happy to be here.




Kelly is ready to be cute while she sound checks.
 

This big galoot is ready to sound check too.

We did a lot of vintage country the fist set, the dinner set, so I brought along my JBS with flats to compliment my LB76.

Mario brought his blue sparkle kit. You also see some of Daniel's rig too.

This is Alex, our monitor guy for the evening. He and his stage hand Nigel were top notch.

This was Alex's office.

The sound company had nice gear, all QSC speakers and such.

This is Scotty, the FOH guy, and Kevin at the lighting console.

Here's a view of the stage from the FOH console.

Here are their mains, more QSC KW series.
 


And this is what Mario got for his monitor setup, his own sub. Pretty cool.

The existing stage was used for equipment storage behind the portable stage that we used.

This bar was immediately to our right and the band was pretty much its only customers.

There was food and drink everywhere, buffets at all four corners of the venue and two bars.

Here's the stage after our sound check.

We used the small stage for our psuedo-green room.

We were all really looking forward to supper.

We were looking forward to dessert too!

There was other entertainment during the evening. We had ropers and a gun fighters.

OK! Art is ready to put on the show.

I'm enjoying the last of my refreshing adult beverage just before we start making noise.

 Kelly joins me for a selfie before we start. That's Nigel behind us making some last-second tweaks.

Mario was pretending to play. We actually hadn't started yet.

Art, Daniel, and Kelly look great in their black and silver, the colors for the evening.

The patrons are enjoying cocktails and appetizers before supper is ready.

It looks like the fashionably late guests are arrived.

After our dinner set the sun is just starting to set. Here's a shot showing a little of the stage lighting.

 Oh yes! The ladies love their line dance.

We were pleased to partake of the vittles.

I love bratwursts! I sampled all of the animals and vegetables.

Then we are back on stage and the line dancers are back on the floor.

We played only a couple of long sets and then we were done. The stage crew and musicians now do their intricately delicate "break down" dance.

On the way out to the parking lot I met somebody I could relate to. But she wouldn't let me ride her.

Anyway, that was my gig last night. It was a very top-notch event. All of the crew and staff were terrific! Next month we start getting busier so I'll be pestering you guys a little more often. I hope you don't mind. Thanks for looking.


Thank you for your indulgence,


BassCliff

Jamming With Uncle Leo J. Eiffert

Hi folks,

I didn't have a gig last weekend but I took part in a jam session with a bunch of good old boys in the area. I even took my Dad out to hang with me in a honky tonk and hear me play. He hasn't done that in over a decade.

"Uncle" Leo J. Eiffert Jr. and his band, The Pigeons, were hosting a jam session at the Whiskey Barrel in Hesperia CA, in the high desert near Victorville. They play great old school and classic country and are a bunch of cool old dudes to hang with. And the place did fill up quite a bit once the party got started.

Leo is playing the red Tele. Thats Ron Epperson on the steel.

Uncle Leo has had a good bit of success in his career, played with everyone from Elvis to Merle and written a few hit country songs recorded by other artists back in the day, 30-40 years ago. He and his friends are still having their fun.

A really nice lady named Sharon Gibson usually plays bass and sings with them. She's got a great voice. But she let me sit in so I could share the fun.

Also sitting in on the acoustic is Johnny Crockett, a local guy who's been around forever. That's Joey Lee playing the white Tele. Gary Hill is on drums. I used to work with Gary in another band more than 25 years ago.

Yes, I was having fun hanging with these guys.

They even let me sing a couple. It's good to play the old stuff, Merle, Conway, George Jones, George Strait, etc. But these guys are really old school. They don't use vocal monitors. But we're not that loud.

That's Bobby Jay singing with the band while I photobomb.

If any of you musicians are in the High Desert, this jam session will be going on every Sunday from 2-6pm. I hope you'll get a chance to come on out and have a beer and pick a little. It's very low pressure and since food is served and there's a bounce house out front, you can even bring the kids. It's a cool place. Thanks for looking. I know it wasn't a huge prestigious engagement. I just wanted to share my fun.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

This will be the future home of BassCliff's gig page.