All Systems Go...

Well we've completed our first three shows with the newly arranged band and it has been AWESOME thus far. Our first show was back on 7/10 at the House Pub in St. Charles. There were definitely some challenges involving sound and getting the right mix....and I could have really benefited from the sweet invention known as duct tape. With my new keyboard and stage setup things get a little out of hand with cables. Kind of like a giant pile of rubber spaghetti. However, I knew everything was going to be alright by the second or third song of the show. I was keeping an eye on people's reactions in the crowd - namely those who have followed the band for a while and are fairly accustomed to the kind of sound/show we put on up to that point. There were certainly many expressions of curiosity being cast upon us....up until that moment in the second or third song. At that point I saw the curiosity and skepticism leave people's eyes, to be replaced by pure enjoyment. I could sense that people had forgotten about the new arrangement, leaving their concerns and doubts behind and were truly getting in to the music and show at hand. Once I witnessed that transition I knew we'd hit on the head. It was, as I like to say, All Rock 'n Roll in the End from that point on.

Our second show was in Terre Haute, IN last week - Thursday, July 15th at the Verve. We've always had a great time at this venue in the past but this was different. Random people approaching the stage and crowding in to watch. Full cheers and applause at the end of every song. I was sweating balls by the middle of the first set - and I hadn't even stood up yet! We were on fire on all night, having gotten the initial nerves and kinks out of a number of the tunes from the first show. I have to give it up to the Terre Haute crowd. They made it a very special night. All the way down to the respect they showed when I chose to do a couple solo acoustic tunes later in the night. I felt like we really connected in a different way than we did during prior shows. We can't wait to be back down in Terre Haute.

Our third show was the following Friday, July 16th in Decatur at the Lincoln Lounge. It was a bit of an off night crowd-wise but again we really turned some of the skepticism of old fans into real excitement for what lay ahead.

I can't wait for all of you to hear these new arrangements and be a part of this new show. Everyone in the band is being pushed and challenged to their limits and bringing some extra to each show. All systems are, most definitely, a go. Rock on.