SUMMER 2001 NEWSLETTER (JULY/AUGUST)


So, last month I received important news from the Treasury Department. For the first time since 1982, I'm going to get money FROM the government. That's right, after nearly twenty years of a one-way street of cash payments, I'm going to get $600 back! Wow, with that kind of dough, I could buy 50 copies of THIS, or SOMETHING. Or, were I feeling tremendously nutty, I could purchase 33 different concerts from the cutting-edge LOST AND FOUND DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM SERIES, and still have enough left over to take the Ohio Turnpike from Toledo to Youngstown and back!


What's that you say? You didn't realize the Ohio turnpike was that expensive? Oh, you mean you didn't know about the cutting-edge LOST AND FOUND DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM SERIES? Well why didn't you say so? As of this writing, the final copies are ready to be printed on demand, and the list of concerts is growing. What that means to you is, you can obtain recordings of each night's LOST AND FOUND concert from now unto eternity, or at least until I get tired of recording them. We began this experiment in The Metroplex (Minneapolis/St Paul) and have sharpened our technological skills to be reasonably confident that I can capture each night's performance. If you're interested in seeing what's available for your listening pleasure, you can click on this link: LOST AND FOUND DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM SERIES. The recordings are pretty fun to listen along with, even if you weren't at a particular concert. Moreover, many of these recordings will allow folks to get hard-to-find tracks like "Used To Be," "Alexander," and the ever-popular "Saskatchewan." And that's what's new. Moving on to what's a little older, let's take a visit back to July of 2001 . . .

Feelin' Froggy May I help you?

The month began with July 1st, as it usually does. For us, the month began back in Anderson, Indiana for another delightful CIY event. As you can see, I was feeling a little froggy at the time. From there, we drove south for a return visit to Milligan College, in Milligan College, Tennessee. Just for fun, we tried to outdo ourselves in the portable store department, and were quite amazed by our own prowess. However, 15 minutes before we were supposed to sing, the sky opened up. We closed up shop and moved things to the basement. Next up was a drive back northward to Columbus, Ohio to play for a huge gathering of folks from the Christian Missionary Alliance church.

Meddlesome kids!

Our first night's concert was a bit, oh I don't know, perhaps the word is "cursed?" Not long into our presentation, someone accidentally hit a sprinkler head with a Frisbee. Talk about the sky opening up! We couldn't help but think that the hotel staff would've reacted a lot more kindly if it were a convention of older folks. Suffice it to say, they weren't very understanding nor compassionate. However, the next day we got to play on the main stage in the room where the Columbus hockey team plays. (I think they're probably called the Explorers or Invaders, right?) That was bunches of fun. And afterward, Michael got to meet Spongebob and his caretaker. Then we played a more successful and intimate concert that afternoon. Leaving Columbus, we drove back to my house, where Michael headed off for Pennsylvania, and I headed off to sleep.

Simon says . . .

We met up at the airport in Colorado. (I was going to say "Denver," but then I realized that there probably isn't another Colorado town with an airport that you could think of off the top of your head.) We drove up to Fort Collins for another CIY event. This one was a bit smaller than most, but it was definitely one of our favorites. Maybe we're just a small band at heart. Had a great time, and enjoyed the onscreen instructions to the folks in the chairs.

"I think it was the one in shorts, officer" Parachutes ready? "I think it was the bald one, officer."

We flew from there back to Pennsylvania to get the van and drive over to Elizabethtown where we played yet another CIY event. This one was in a beautiful room painted a very Sagittarian purple. We were reacquainted with our long-missed pals Alathea (whom we often refer to as Althea, because of a nametag mix-up years back). We went to lunch with the gals and, as usual, made sure everyone was wearing their seatbelt before closing the door. For our small-group workshop, some young person made an uncanny likeness of the band members in our band.

"A-A-AYYY!!!" "Uh, missed a spot, dude."

On leaving Alabama . . .er, Pennsylvania, we drove south to North Carolina, where we played at a camp called Lutheridge, in Arden. Had a great time, and I had a most marvelous bike ride through the woods during a monsoon. Good clean fun. From there, we headed even further south to Panama City Beach, Florida where we were reunited with our pal Lanny Donoho and all his mischievous merrymakers. Every summer, Lanny hosts a series of camps called "Big Stuf." However, they're better than camps, because they're held in hotels on the beach. This year, the Big Stuf theme centered on a 1940's service station. Long-time readers will recall that a couple years back, we were the busboys in Lanny's diner. It only follows, then, that we were the service station attendants this year. Since they arranged to bring a car on the stage and suit us up in workman overalls, we went out and bought some wax to shine up the vehicle. As in former times, Big Stuf was tons of fun, and we look forward to returning anytime we can get there. (Let's just hope Lanny doesn't decide to do up the stage like a monkey house at the zoo, because you just KNOW what job we'd end up with!)

Easy there, guys!

After Panama City, we headed north (as if one could head south) toward Missouri. (Remember: Missouri loves company!) We played in a little town called Cole Camp, Missouri. Ever heard of it? Neither have Misters Rand and McNally. However, once we found the place, we were warmly welcomed by the most helpful hosts of the summer. Many of these folks work on farms, so carrying a couple of 80-pound speakers was no big challenge. I tell you, it got me to wishing I worked on a farm. Although, I guess the implication is they're all usually lifting much heavier things, so nevermind. A trio of concertgoers got themselves all gussied up for the event. I just hope they know tattoos are permanent. As I say, Cole Camp was great fun, and we're glad they invited us.

Jason rocks on Huh? "And . . . Presto!"

Next day, we continued the summer's trend of playing in towns you've never heard of by going to yet another CIY event in Bolivar, Missouri. Not much in Bolivar, but the excellent CIY event makes up for that. A really fun group of folks. However, we couldn't linger long, because we had to high-tail it over to Carbondale, Illinois (ever heard of it?) to play still one more CIY event. At this event, we FINALLY got to see our friends Craig and Jake perform. We've known them for years and have never seen what they do. As an added treat, we also got to hear their friend Jason play some tunes. Let me just say, he rocks. Backstage I wondered if there mustn't be some easier way to run sound than the way they had things set-up, but what do I know, right? Also, I didn't quite understand this sign about cases. Was someone preparing to do a magic trick or what? After a brief but hilarious small-group time in Carbondale, we blazed on up the road to St. Louis (which you've heard of, but which we were not playing). Michael dropped me at the St. Louis Airport so that I could board a plane, fly to The Metroplex, race off the plane, jump in famous-actor Justin Vetrano's rented car and see . . .

Storyhill rocks on

Storyhill.

That's right, my All-Time-Favorite-Broken-Up Band reunited for two shows, and I was able see one of them! Long-time readers will recall that whenever I fall madly in love with a band, it is their solemn duty to immediately disband. However, with my All-Time-Favorite-Broken-Up band reuniting like that, it's only a matter of time before we see tours from That Dog, the original Sex Pistols, and Ben Folds Five, but I'm not holding my breath—uh, especially in the case of Sid Vicious. There are plenty of Art Garfunkels out there, if you know what I mean.


Where was I? Oh yes, The Metroplex. Next day, famous-actor Justin Vetrano drove me and our pal Jason over to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin for a Lost And Found concert, in which I was playing. Michael had kindly driven the van from St. Louis up to meet us. We had a large crowd and an even larger good time. Before the concert we enjoyed pizza, and after the concert we enjoyed getting lost in the backwoods of Wisconsin.


The next day, famous-actor Justin Vetrano and Jason ran into my wife at the Detroit airport on her way back from Dallas. Small Northwest Airlines world, isn't it? Meanwhile, back at the Metroplex, Michael I recorded the Minneapolis concert, making it the first of recording of the LOST AND FOUND DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM SERIES. A good concert, a good recording, a good night to all and to all a good night.

Keeping it tight, and so forth

Next day, or, wait, maybe it was later that night . . .can't remember. Anyway, we drove over to the studio of our pal, Jim Ryberg. We went there to meet our other pal, David Scherer (who goes by the name, Agape). David asked us to—get this—play a song with him on his upcoming album! We said, sure, if you want to risk all the embarrassment. However, he had some great ideas and together we really "laid one down," as the young people say.


Then we drove briefly south to Waterville for an old favorite, Camp Omega (recording unavailable). As always, we had a delightful time and were warmly welcomed. Played in front of the fireplace and watched the twinkling Christmas lights. That night, we drove back to the Metroplex and got some sleep. Time for an aside . . .

Who?

So lately, lots of people have been telling me I look like Michael Stipe. Well, what they actually say is, "Hey, you look like that guy from REM, the bald singer type guy." I don't know what they're talking about. Which reminds me (watch this segue), while in The Metroplex, we participated in a new adventure in hi-fi called "Youth Create," which was dreamed up by the folks at Youth Encounter. It was extremely interesting, and included a series of concerts. (Our Metroplex gig was the first of the week's nightly concerts.) If you're interested in finding out more about this musical adventure called Youth Create, visit their website or give them a call at 419/897-9792. And now, back to the narrative . . .


With our visit to The Metroplex drawing to a close, we boarded planes and somewhere between Minnesota and New Orleans passed Pete from our office, who was kindly driving the Limo Van to the Bayou State on our behalf.


When we got to New Orleans, Pete picked us up and took us to Tulane University, where we got to play for a large group of folks from all over the planet. The event was called the Cross Cultural Gathering of the LC-MS, and was a precursor to the national gathering. We had a total blast, and met folks from all sorts of places. Among the things we learned was how to say rock on in Portuguese. A kindly woman even wrote it on the chalkboard for us. As I say, we had a wonderful time among the internationals, and it was a fine precursor for the rest of our stay in New Orleans.


Now then, our week in New Orleans was busy as can be—which is understandable since there were 34,998 other people in town for the same event. We were there for the triennial youth gathering of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. Where to begin? Answer: At the beginning, of course. We left the Cross Cultural event and met our friend Dan Freiburger and the youth of Wisconsin who were helping out at an inner-city youth program (recording unavailable). After that, we headed further downtown and played a quick set for a small group of folks staying at an urban resource center (recording unavailable). Then we began playing various places around the convention center and stuff.

Such Artists! Victor rocks on Agape lays one down Our Constituency

First up, was something called the Jackson Square stage (recording unavailable), which was really just a fenced-in piece of floor space in the middle of the convention center. In a phrase, intimate in a fish bowl kind of way. Then we played the first of three things called "mega-sectionals." (recording available, though distorted) You'd think a "mega-sectional" would constitute a whole, right? Next up was a slot opening for our speaking friend, Micah Parker. This one was a bit retro, in that the amplification system consisted of tiny speakers in the ceiling. (Like Elvis would've used, right?) Then we were asked by our friend Mark Borcherding to play for a group of folks who'd been flooded out of their hotel rooms by a sprinkler malfunction. (Shades of CMA Columbus, right?) Then we opened for the Supertones. Then we played OUTSIDE the Superdome. (You can tell that we're zeroing in, can't you?) Then we were honored to play INSIDE the Superdome. Before our actual two songs, the organizers allowed us to play two songs with our pals Echelon and Jonathan Rundman. As an artistic statement, we donned the coveralls from the Big Stuf gathering. In true artistic-statement fashion, whenever anyone asks us "What was the deal with the mechanics coveralls?" we always respond "What does it mean to you?" Then we played another mega-sectional, splitting the time with our long-time friend Pastor Victor Belton (recording available). Then we were supposed to play outside on the "super-long walk" stage, but after walking down there we were rained out. Our final New Orleans appearance was one more mega-sectional (recording available). This was truly a highlight for us. Tons of folks came over to see us, or at least to escape the torrential downpours. Our friend David Scherer the rapper showed up and laid one down with us, and Tammy from Iowa had a little birthday. Through out that day we saw these guys wearing their home-made shirts. It occurred to us at some point that it might really be our duty to introduce them to these girls. But, we're musicians, not matchmakers. It also finally dawned on us that we're very popular with the blue-hair crowd.

A Bright Idea!

You know, I guess I misspoke up there. Our TRUE final New Orleans appearance was at the ticket counter at the airport. From New Orleans we headed north to Buffalo. I was going to have some vacation time in Wilson with my extended family. Michael was going to (get this) continue his kayaking journey down the length of the Erie Canal! That Michael does the darndest things, don't he? Before we settled in to our respective recreations, Michael and I attended the 20th reunion for our high school class. In the briefest statement possible, I will say this. I expected everyone to be overweight, balding, and successful. My expectations remained surprisingly unfulfilled.

Outside The Lines Celia Whitler Small Fish Adventures

While on our separate journeys, Michael paddled hundreds of miles. I rode my bicycle in the Niagara Gorge. Michael saw a bald eagle. I attended a picnic at historic Fort Niagara. Michael didn't get lost. I battled a biblical invasion of gnats. And Michael paddled hundreds of miles. Eventually, Troy arrived after driving the van from New Orleans. Michael took him on a tour of the Love Canal (located within a mile of our high school), and then dropped him at the Buffalo Airport. Shortly thereafter (i.e. then), we headed off to Michigan to play once more at the Bass Lake Festival in Fairview (recording available). As always, a great time was had by us. A few special moments included hearing our long-time pal Reed Schroer playing the dobro. That's that kind of guitar that makes you think of blind blues players. Other performers included Outside The Lines, Celia Whitler, and Small Fish Adventures, all of whom rocked on as is their respective wont. At Bass Lake we were once more reunited with our rapper friend Dave, who was taught by our other friend Angela Davis how to "Tim Tam Slam." This is apparently very popular in Australia. (Truth be told, I suspect that it's only very popular for Australians to WATCH hapless Americans engage in this messy activity.)

Cease and desist!

With Bass Lake behind us, we headed home. Michael finally flew back to Los Angeles and said hello to his cat and brother, whom he'd not seen since he left his home on June 4th! Whoa. So, he opened his mail, drank some coffee, and met me four days later in Seattle, Washington. From there we drove up to Poulsbo, where we were once more welcomed by the activity-crazed folks at Island Lake Camp (recording available). We've been playing there for years, and they never cease to amaze us with their flurry of supercool things to do. We had no time this year to ride mountain bikes, or motorcycles, or dive off the inflatable raft, or ride horses, or shoot shotguns, we were too bust building this piano stand. After we got all setup, we went down to the late-night campfire and played a couple of tunes. Some young men got really worked up when we were playing that "Lions" song. Although, we never did ask if they were just threatening to jump if we didn't STOP playing the song. When the night was over, we bid farewell to the adventuresome folks, and headed off to the south to find the town of Eatonville. That's where there's a Salvation Army Camp, and that's where we found a gathering of folks from the Salvation Army gathering themselves together in a gathering of Salvation Army folks. (note to self: cut back on wordiness.) Here we had a grand time and received really cool parting gifts.


During the brief stop back at our homes, I went riding my bike in the woods. During my absence, the local ramp-building youts upped the structure of the log landing ramp (recording unavailable). My back wheel stopped dead, while my body flew onward. Though I thought I broke my wrist, turns out I only sprained it, which is twice as painful. However, I wasn't about to let that prevent me from playing our next gig . . .

Whoa!

We met up in Denver to drive up to Estes Park, Colorado. There we were honored to perform for a branch of the United States military. This event was a gathering of Chaplains from the Air Force. As you might surmise, they had no problem with transportation and, thus, came from all over the world. Also, it was the first event we'd ever been to that had no problem finding a real-life parachute for their stage set-up. The crew from DB Productions was on hand for sound and video, and we felt comforted in their capable presence. To say nothing of feeling comfortable being surrounded by officers of the Air Force. And that was a good thing, because during our late-night coffee-house gig, there was an announcement telling folks not to wander in a particular direction because of the bear strolling about! In the morning, as we drove away, I snapped a photo of a little wild life roaming the grounds. You're probably asking yourself, What is this, Yellowstone? As were we . . .

Catch, dude!

Having made it safely to the airport in Colorado (you'll recall there's no need to mention the city, right?), we once more flew home for a couple days. Then, it was off to the final gig of the summer, in Tucson, Arizona. This is apparently the hottest city on the planet, and I'm not talking about the night life. Yowch! We were warmly welcomed (can one be hotly welcomed?) by the hosts, and we set up to play for an enthusiastic group of young folks from Arizona and beyond. Michael took a little time out to practice his throwing skills, while I surveyed the cactus cross. We had a great time, and since I couldn't stand the heat, I stayed out of the parking lot. When we were done on Saturday afternoon, we went to the Tucson Airport, where we had a little spat with the scary counter folks at America West Airlines that I'd rather not go into just now. Eventually, we made it to our homes; I walked Eleanor to her first day of second grade; and I wrote you this little note.


To clean up, if you'd like to see the photos from the keyboard-eye view, you can click on Photo Phrenzy. If you'd like to take part in a little informal survey to help determine the effect of LOST AND FOUND on people's geographical skills, you can click on TOWN-NAME AWARENESS SURVEY. If you'd like to check out the concert selections available you can click on the LOST AND FOUND DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM SERIES. If you have a service-related question concerning your summer newsletter, please remain on the line and a technician will be with you shortly. If you'd like to end this call, click on that little X in the upper corner of your screen.





Rock on, and cool out, baby.

george

Read more of George's monthly newsletters.