Tonight (Fri) we get to kick off the weekend entertainment at the Clear Lake Bandshell. With the lake as a backdrop and an acoustically near-perfect sounding band shell, Clear Lake is the classic lakeside/beach 4th of July venue. We start at 7pm, get more info on all the days activities at: http://members.clearlakeiowa.com/events/details/july-4th-celebration-07-01-2011...
Saturday we have been invited to be part of the Iowa Falls High School class of 1981, 30th Reunion party, which has been combined with an annual farm-family 4th of July celebration that has been a family tradition for OVER 30 years! Add this to The Blue Band's 30th anniversary tour on a private farm outside of town and you have got yerself a PARTAY to the 30th degree! I have already been contacted by Iowa Falls alums who remember us playing at Dan's Place 30 years ago! (wait a minute, if they were graduating 30 years ago, wouldn't that make them 18 years old then? WHAT WERE THEY DOING IN DAN'S PLACE?!!) It's THAT kind of person that will be at this party! BRING WATERMELON!...
Sunday has us in Central Park in Charles City for their Red, White & Blues Independence Day celebration, which will also celebrate the men and women of the military who fight for our independence every day. Activities happen all day, The Blue Band plays in the park, 6-10pm. Charles City has just recently opened a white water kayaking course for all you little kayakers. Paddle yer kayak in the afternoon, dance in the evening. More info on other Chuck Town 4th of July activities can be found at http://www.charlescitychamber.com/...
wow, I had to go out to the truck to check t-shirt inventory and I saw my first lightning bug of the season! It MUST be summer!...
OK, I'm back now, (we're runnin' out of very big people's shirts already) (as a matter of fact, we're startin' to run out of all sizes of 30th Anniversary shirts. EVERY shirt we have left is on the truck. If you want one, get out to these 4th of July events)...
Speaking of the 4th of July, our friends Gregg and Judy Badders along with the Lamoni Chamber of Commerce, have made it possible for us to be part of Lamoni's Independence Day town celebration. Lamoni is a hip little burg, a few miles off of I-35, just a few miles north of the Iowa/Missouri border. It's the home of Graceland University. Elvis is a professor there. How hip is THAT? I'm unsure if Elvis will be in the parade this year, but it's scheduled to start at 1:30p, with games and children's activities in the city park all afternoon. The Chamber will be selling a great BBQ dinner in an effort to raise funds for the year's events from 5-7p, with The Blue Band starting at 7p. We've invited some of the local musicians to sit in on a number or two and the Lamoni class of 1981 will add their reunion gathering to the crowd. Fireworks happen after we're finished at 10pm...
Random thought #2: was it legal for 18 year olds to drink 30 years ago? I was so much older then...
When it's all over on Monday, we will have played 11 one-nighters in 18 days and traveled close to 2000 miles. I will spend our "vacation" trying to recuperate. Because when we start again at the Van Meter Fire & Rescue Fundraising Dance on Sat. July 16, we'll start another run of 7 full dates in 10 days. I LOVE the summer. It's the perfect time for WATERMELON! (By the way, a quick shout out to the fine bakers at the Prairie City Tea Room, who baked a FABULOUS CAKE for us last week) I know, how 'bout WATERMELON CAKE??!!...
Since the band will be on vacation next week, there will be no Blue Note. I will be doing a LIVE edition of my Backtracks rock'n'roll history radio show next Saturday (July 9) on Iowa Public Radio from 7-10p. If you have song requests for that show, just respond to this email or send them to bob.dorr@bobdorr.com. Advance requests help me to actually find your song and get it on the air, but if you'd rather call during the show, the toll free number, good anywhere in the lower 48, is 800-772-2440, ext. 5. I answer all the calls myself. Feel free to call just to say HEY! Remember, the program deals exclusively in material that is at least 25 years old. Get the frequency in your area or listen anywhere on the planet at www.iowapublicradio.org...
While you're driving the camper, following us around on the Blue Highway, remember that the 4th of July weekend is one of the deadliest of the year. And this year it's FOUR days long. Don't drive drunk. Call yourself a cab. (YOU'RE A CAB) If you can't do the (hand)jive, don't do the drive. You might have the weekend off, but The Iowa State Patrol will be out there doin' there job (and they're pretty good at doin' their job!) So drink as much as you like, but get a designated driver to take you home. Rub yer washboard to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy, rehydrate often (WATERMELON is good for that), honor those who perpetuate our nation's belief in self reliance and independence and never take for granted the liberties this country was founded for. Happy Independence Day. We love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band
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