Shenandoah’s last 2 shows for 2008
Category: Music
NOV 21, TEXARKANA, AR - Shooters Sports Bar, NOV 22 - LULA, MS Isle of Capri Casino
Shenandoah, along with Jimmy Yeary's friend, singer/songwriter, Tyler Farr, boarded the "Hillbilly Hotel" for the last time in 2008. We made our way to Muscle Shoals, Al, where we picked up Mike McGuire and Jim Seales. We then cruised on down to Texarkana, Arkansas to play the Shooters Sports Bar.
We arrived at the club mid-morning and did the hurry up and wait thing for several hours before we finally got into our soundcheck. The way the room was set up with the small stage and the PA so close, it was hard to hear because of the bass subs under the stage. It was very "boomy and bassy" and made it hard to really hear each other but we knew we had to get through it and make it work...the show has to go on!
Old time buddy, Mike Cole just happened to be in Texarkana for business and found out that we were gonna be playing that night...so he showed up and hung out for the evening.
For those of you who don't remember, he was "Bubba" in the "If Bubba Can Dance" video. It was great to see him again and I know it was a "blast from the past" for him also. Another one of our good friends, Tammi showed up, with a girl friend of hers ...it was great seeing her again as well.
We got to pick our dinner from the menu they offered us..I got the Shooters, homestyle cheeseburger and a Bloody Mary that was awesome...others got chicken strips, shrimp
and salads... the food was good and as usual, i stuffed myself a little too much ..more than I liked to before show time.
After eating, our runner took us back to the hotel...Mike Folsom and Jimmy Yeary went to work out... they always make the rest of us look so lazy and the rest of us went to catch catnaps and clean up.
Showtime was at 9:30 and we played for 75 min or so, to a rowdy crowd and I know I can speak for everyone in the band...it was nothing but a huge roar for us on the stage. I felt sorry for Bart Barlettano, our sound man, because he had to mix the band from up in a booth, up high, way off to the far right of the stage. It is so hard to deal with the ever-changing acoustics of a room when you are not in front of the act. Kudos to Bart, once again, for working near miracles in the science of making a show work in the worst of conditions. Thanks also goes out to Byron Cumbie, our monitor and merch man, for going way beyond the call of duty as usual...putting up with crazy hand jesters and strange looks from the stage, almost reading our minds and giving us what we need to hear.. while we are on stage. All in all, considering the audio nightmare we endured, the audience and owners of the club were pleased.
After the show.. autographs were signed, t-shirts were sold and pics were taken and even our lead singer's shirt was signed by none other than myself..that was a rare moment that I think Jimmy Yeary is still surprised over and still not fully realizing the added value that signature has brought to that piece of apparel.
When the last pic was taken, we climbed aboard the bus and hung out with friends till Mickey Riley, our driver showed up. We said our goodbyes and took the bus to the hotel, where we spent the night. We would be heading out at 7 am the next morning for Lula, Ms.
We arrived around 1:00 pm in Lula, Ms at the Isle of Capri Casino and had about an hour to go to our room before load-in at 2 o'clock. Mike Folsom and I wound up eating at the buffet before soundcheck because the crew did not have the stage ready for us at the designated time. As usual, the food was excellent and I stuffed myself with salad, shrimp, chicken, roast beef, tilapia, green beans, turnip greens, wild rice... I could go on but I won't...shame on me..really for being such a pig but I knew that would be my only meal for the day..so I went all out!
After eating , Mike and I slowly made our way back to the Flamingo Ballroom to do our soundcheck. We were just in time.. everything was set up and the rest of the band were onstage waiting on us. We finished soundcheck around 4 pm and had till around 6:45 to chill in our room or gamble till we had to be back to do a meet and greet. I didn't gamble this time because I wasn't feeling lucky..when I don't have that feeling.. I usually end up giving it all to the casino... if I throw money into a slot machine.. so I resisted! By the way, our bus driver, Mickey, did win a nice jackpot and was going home to the wife with a smile on his face. Good for him. Before I headed up to the room, I went out back to the bus to get something and noticed two casino employees "torching" dice .. they were holding a blow torch to a set of dice and toxic black smoke was rising up from them.. I always wondered what casinos did with old dice.. I guess the gaming laws require that to be done..you don't see that everyday. I then walked through the casino and took the elevator to my room and chilled out for an hour before showering. ..while Mike Folsom went down to the workout room... which he informed me had a treadmill that was stuck on the highest incline...lol I bet he did get a workout !!
We all met on the bus parked out behind the casino, around a quarter till seven and walked into the ballroom to meet with several folks... we talked with them and a casino employee took pics of each with the band..we then had pictures taken with a few of the casino crew. Jim Seale's gal, Donna and some friends of hers drove down to see the show and so did our old lighting director and road manager, Tony and his wife Jo. It had been, I think, around seven years since he had worked with us and a great time was had before and after the show remembering and rehashing old road stories with them.
Shenandoah took the stage at 8 pm in front of an almost sold out crowd. At one point in the show, Jimmy Yeary needed a guitar tuner because his was broken or wasn't there..I wasn't exactly sure what the exact scenario was but Jim Seales asked if anyone in the audience had a guitar tuner and of course they laughed...then he asked his girl, Donna and lo and behold if she didn't get one out of her purse and march it up to the stage and give it Jim for Jimmy to use.. we were all amazed as well as the audience. Who carries a guitar tuner in their purse!! :) I thought it was a great show and the audience was very enthusiastic and I was happy they had such a good turnout for our last show of the year.
After the show, they had an autograph table set up right outside the ballroom and we had quite a long line of folks waiting. After signing, we sat on the bus for about an hour visiting and then we pulled out and made those white highway lines disappear, until the bus pulled into that Tennessee Kroger parking lot Sunday morning.
2008 was a good year for Shenandoah..we had a lot of great shows, even with the bad things that sometimes go along with life on the road like, late arrivals, engine troubles, gear problems, etc, alot of good memories were made and we treasure them and are thankful for the talents that we share with each other and the folks that take time out of their busy lives to come share the music with us. I personally want to thank all of the fans, the rest of the band and crew for all that you do. God willing, I will you see you in 2009.
Yep, Another country music adventure was had by all last year.
Down the Road...Stan Munsey
