Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

This just in from Bob Dorr

Continuing on talking about the weather, I needed to immediately update last Thursday's record temperature of -26, so that you Texans, Arizonans, Floridians, and snow birds can continue smirking. Seems that the official measuring instrument FROZE!! It was really -29!! At that point, who could really tell??!! I'm feeling a weather rant comin' on. Quick, let's get to the Blue essentials...

Tonight (Fri. 2/1) we're moving the monthly TGIF party two blocks south to The Hub, 4th & Main in beautiful downtown Sparkle City (Cedar Falls) There's more seats/tables and a little bigger dancefloor. Plans are to have food at The Hub soon, but the kitchen won't be functional this month. Not to worry, there's LOTS of great restaurants downtown. We play 5:30-9:00 and will be joined by Iowa Blues Hall of Famer Tommy T-Bone Giblin on keys and (believe it or not) Bunky Marlow on sax! I really like the Hub, it's our first chance to try this early night thing there, please help us make this a success...

Next Friday (2/8) we've been invited to the #1 blues club in the Twin Cities: Famous Dave's Uptown, Minneapolis MN. I love this joint. It always seems to turn into an ex-Iowans reunion when we play there. This time that vibe is likely to be enhanced by Hawkeye basketball fans who will be in town for the Hawk/Goopher basketball game the next afternoon. Come for the great food, stay for dancing. We play 9-12:30...

Saturday 2/16 we're part of another effort to raise money for a great community cause, a new dialysis center in Fairfield. The newspaper article says: Bob Dorr and the Blue Band is set to headline a benefit for the Doug Johnson Memorial Dialysis Fund. In addition to its annual golf tournament, the Jefferson County Hospital Foundation has taken on another fund-raising event this year. The event will kick off with a social hour from 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in the atrium of the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. The band will begin playing at 8:30 p.m. All of the proceeds from the event will go toward the dialysis fund and the construction of a dialysis center on the future Jefferson County Health Center campus. The dialysis center may open before the hospital. "This fundraiser will really give the dialysis center a shot in the arm," said June Lowenberg, hospital public relations and marketing manager. "You don't have to dance to come." Although the foundation had initially intended to hold a formal event, Lowenberg said those who attend the social and concert are welcome to dress up or go in casual attire. The event is something sort of "out of the box" for anyone looking to celebrate Valentine's Day, which falls on the Thursday before the Saturday event, Lowenberg said. Not only is it something a little different, it's for a good cause, she added...

I'm going to be doing my Backtracks Rock'n'Roll History show on Iowa Public Radio-KUNI LIVE this Saturday, (2/2) 7-10p. The show deals exclusively with songs that are at least 25 years old. Requests/salutations at 1-800-772-2440, ext. 5. Get your frequency or listen on line at www.kuniradio.org...

We seem to be adding dates to the web calendar (www.theblueband.com/cal.htm) every day. Help us by suggesting our band to your local festival planning committee. I cant wait for summer, which brings me back to the weather...

OK, so here's the scene, jellybean. Last Thursday it was -29. Monday afternoon it was +51. That's and EIGHTY degree swing in 4 days. Monday's spring like day turned my nearly snowed in alley to slush and water. Tuesday there was a blizzard warning that closed sections of I-35 north of Mason City. Wind chills that night were -30 (another 80 degree swing) Wednesday my alley resembled an Olympic luge course without the Zamboni Machine to smoothe out the ruts. I fell on butt trying to walk up the alley. With all the CAKE I've been eating, my butt looks like it has extra padding, but it didn't help with cushioning that fall. By now I'm convinced that Hell HAS frozen over. There are others that would insist that the fact that Bunky Marlow is playing with the band tonight is PROOF that hell has frozen over, (!) but that's another story...

For exercise in this climate, I've taken to Mall walking. I couldn't help but(t) notice the sign outside of the Victoria's Secret store: 50% Price Reductions on Panties! Does this mean that those panties are half off??...

With that groaner, I gotta go. Where's my bottle of Flexall 454? See ya on the drifted Blue Highway, keep rubbin' that washboard for heat, maybe more CAKE will cushion the next fall, and somebody remind me next August: NO MORE IOWA WINTERS!! We love you...Bob Dorr & The Blue Band