GIG REPORT - LIFE IS DRAMA @ Channahon Community Park

Last night (7/4) I played w/LIFE IS DRAMA @ Channahon Community Park (23200 W McClintock Rd, Channahon IL) for their pre-fireworks show. The stage was set up in the middle of the park and it was a flatbed trailer, seemed wider than most and just as long with an over hang for a roof and the 3 sides were walled in half way to the front of the stage so we could look out into the crowd on both sides of the stage. The weather Sat was HOT & MUGGY and that sun was just beating down on my side, I couldn't read my pedal board settings since the numbers are “red” and the sun just glared those out so I created a sun block till the sun set. I was just dripping in sweat after setting up and I went and sat in my truck with the air on till about 10min to go.

When we were doing sound check I had a kid came up to me and asked “Do you play “Life is a Highway”...that's my favorite song?”, must know if from the movie “Cars”. Ummm...”no”, “Poker Face”....Ummmmm “no”, he walked away disappointed but now I know what songs to learn for next time I play for kids!!! We ran our own sound with only the vocals going into the monitors and when we did sound check all the levels going out into the crowd were good and the song we sound checked to sounded good onstage too. I don't know what happened but for most of the night I could hardly hear myself with the drums/cymbals banging away and the vocals in those monitors were weak for most of the songs. In those cases I was playing to the song in my head and watching the singer mouth the words so I knew where I was.

Overall I really felt like I played better last time. My wife said we sounded good although a little “tinny” and the staff said it was one of their biggest crowds in quite awhile. When we arrived they said to expect a crowd of about 1,000 people tonight...there may have been that many in the park but in front of us I think we had between 300-500 people which was VERY COOL!!! They also said the comments they heard about the band were all good too so that was cool too!!! :D

During one song we had I think 3 kids dancing in front of us and I knew there was going to be a TON of kids there so I bought 3-packs of inflatable instruments and we blew them up earlier so I threw them out to the kids. THEN ALL THESE KIDS rushed the front of the stage and I was out of inflatable instruments within ½ a song. I think the parents appreciated my efforts!!! I also remember seeing this one kid near the front of the stage just standing there watching us eating a bomb pop...his mouth was all blue. Funny!!! :lol:

As soon as we finished the fireworks show started and we packed up while that was going. Unfortunately the fireworks finished before we did so leaving the area was like leaving a concert. We waited till the line of cars thinned out but I was still stuck in traffic for another 45min just to get to the interstate. We finished playing promptly at 9:15pm & I got home at 12:15am. Tired now... 8)

My next gig is THIS SATURDAY (7/9/11) again with Life is Drama @ EXIT 197 (952 W Reynolds St
Pontiac, IL). We play from 10:00pm-1:30am.

Thanks for reading/commenting & KEEP ROCKIN' !!!!