Let's get this Ranch weekend started!
Or maybe not. I left work a little early as I usually do so that I can make it down to the OC and soundcheck at The Ranch with the ANB. Unfortunately, there was a fire along the freeway and three lanes were closed which caused a huge backup.
Instead of the normal forty minute drive to the club it took me two hours and fifteen minutes. Egads! Why didn't I get off the freeway? As I listened to the radio traffic reports, all the side roads were already jammed too and not any better getting into the OC. So I just stuck it out. We didn't really need to soundcheck anyway since we had just rehearsed there Tuesday night. When I arrived the dance lessons were in full swing. The patrons are learning the two step.
Tonight I was hungry for the yellow tail fish tacos and a beet salad. The food here is just terrific.
Our DJ Leo plays the last line dance before we take the stage. It's like a floor show here every night.
Randy is rip-roaring, raring, and ready to go!
I catch a break in a song and decide to snap a couple of pictures during the show. This is the bass player's perspective on stage.
John is in good spirits. He's having a garage sale tomorrow. I might stop by and see if he has any good junk for sale.
Arnie plays an intro on guitar so I step out front a little to grab a picture.
Candy, Randy, and Jason are also putting on the show.
Amanda is dancing again!
Before we start a set the lovely ladies join me in a blue selfie. The Keith Urban song "Blue Ain't Your Color" comes to mind.
Arnie noticed that the bass player was taking a picture. He points and says, "Hey! That bass player is taking a picture again!"
Here's a crummy selfie for you.
Jason is a rock star.
Rigs of Dads. Arnie's Little Walter(s) and my backline rig, which I left turned off most of the night because I use the IEMs.
This is Arnie's new mic, an AEA ribbon mic, I think he said a 454 model.
Wow! Look at that! We managed to get the whole band together on a break and take a picture in the green room.
It's kind of a light Friday night. We got the word that our last set will be only a half hour. That's pretty cool. Meanwhile the line dancers are not slowing down.
Arnie is trying out a new guitar from a luthier frined of his, Peterson.
I think Arnie likes this guitar, very Tele-ish. Here's the FriendFace flyer that Arnie (or Jason) posted.
Since we were there two night I'll also post up some pictures from Saturday night. My commute was not nearly as grueling or time consuming as Friday evening's.
The "May gray" is in full effect here in So Cal but my steakburger and ROCKSTAR brought a little sunshine into my evening.
As we take the stage I take a "Beauty and The Beast, and the bass player" selfie picture while Jason photobombs.
Arnie tunes up while the DJ plays the last line dance before our downbeat.
Amanda gives me a smile as I take a photo just before we start the first set.
John is excited tonight. He made money at his garage sale today.
And then there's this guy.
Paul covered the fiddle spot tonight, when he wasn't playing his acoustic guitar. Every country band needs an acoustic guitar. Randy agrees. Arnie just photobombs.
Somehow I think I manage to take a few pictures during an intro or something.
I hope you remember Heather, our entertainment manager. She always takes great care of us.
I think this is toward the end of the night, maybe the last set. I stand behind John and take a few pictures.
I think Paul played on a stool most of the night. He had a really cushy gig tonight.
Here's another. Amanda goes for her mic. I guess she's going to sing.
Yes! She is singing! I walk upstage to try and get a picture of her.
We had some pretty great fun tonight. When all was said and done I had to load up two basses and a couple of bags. Sometimes I love being the bass player.
Randy and Paul are packing up their stuff. That's our soundman extraordinaire, Mark, rolling up cables, moving gear, putting away microphones, etc. (Don't tell him I took his picture. He hates that.)
Even as extraordinary as Mark is, he still has a brain fart now and then. Tonight when we started the second set, my bass was not in my IEMs, was not in the house. Egads! Johnny and I were waving and trying to get Mark's attention. Usually when he sees that kind of stuff Mark is thinking, "Oh, he wants more bass in his monitors." I knew Mark had me muted on the board and just forgot to push the button. But I wanted to be sure so I put down my six string, picked up my four string and started playing it. Well, the four string started working. Not because the six string had failed in any way, but because when Mark saw me switch basses he looked at the board and realized that he forgot to un-mute me. Mark was very apologetic but, hey, it's no big deal. Stuff happens. But it did throw me off for a while, and the whole band for that matter. You might notice in the video below that I'm playing my four string Fender on a song that I usually play my six string. This song, "Til The Coast Is Clear" really needs that low D (on the B string) to sound like the recording and I kept messing it up because I had to constantly rethink the bass line. Then Arnie skipped a song on the set list and almost trainwrecked the band when he started the wrong song. It was a very weird second set. Anyway, here's my parting shot as the lights come up and the late crowd is still dancing to the DJ as we load out.
OK, one more. As you can see, the band has their own parking spots near the stage door. It's kind of cool.
Here's one shot of the whole band from Friday night taken by Mrs. Arnie. What a great looking stage.
Thanks for sharing my fun! I hope you enjoy my little corner of the musical interweb. I'll be back next week with another Old Crow Smokehouse gig on Friday and a private birthday party on Saturday. Until then....
Thank you for your indulgence,
BassCliff
No comments:
Post a Comment