On drums...

We had a great time near Rochester, MN. The Fesival was a fund-raiser for a lodge dedicated to the needs of people with physical disabilities. The director of the facility is Bob Bardwell who is paraplegic and works like a horse to make this event come off. We opened for a Christian group;Big Daddy Weave. They are a great band with an awesome ministry.

The people of MN are so kind and generous. In this age of savage political adds and polarized mind sets, it is refreshing to see an authentic expression of how blessed we are in the U.S., in the people themselves.

No pics, sorry. Unless someone at the event provides us with photos, we don't have any to share as we are the band and the crew and the vendors all rolled up together.

This weekend we will perform at Aransas Pass, TX and then head to Southern California for a few dates.

Roland

_________________
Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

Sounds great, Roland! Pictures are a plus, but impossible to produce unless someone ELSE has a camera, uses it, and gives YOU the pics.

Long distances to travel, my friend.

_________________
Gregory

Cliff,

You are right that it is a long drive. I get to fly into Houston though but I have to go with the rig back through El Paso on the way to Southern Calfornia. Just a little Texas bragging here for those who can't wrap their heads around how big this state is. Staying on I-10, from El Paso, it is closer to Santa Monica on the Pacific coast, 820 miles, than to Beaumont, TX, 826 miles and that is still a bit short of the state line.

I will let you know Cliff if we are in the Austin area. I do have pics somewhwere on my computer from gigs in the last 7 months. Most feature the Jolly Green S-Class Pro I bought from Kelly.

Roland

Holy sh*t, Batman! And with gas as expensive as it is, that ain't cheap traveling.

- D.

You got that right David. We use a Ford Excursion and haul a trailer. We spent a good part of the beginning of the year in the NE. From the the middle of Ohio due east, the price of diesel increased with every stop. What's up with that? By the time we were in your neck of the woods, we were paying up to .60 to .75 more per gallon than in the midwest. How do truckers make ends meet?

We can't always pass the fuel costs on to the sponsors in this economy so we tighten up our belts elsewhere and make the gigs happen anyway.

Roland

What a hoot. Good for you Roland, enjoy the ride.

Kelly,

And what a ride the next two months bring. Get a load of this schedule to the end of October. My wife shook her head and chuckled. A few El Paso dates will have me home though. Small blessings.

Sat Aug 25th        Sounds Like all will drive into Amarillo. Tony & I have kids first soccer game so we will be in late! Pat will get us all the Hotel info
Sun Aug 26th       Amarillo Tx Civic Center Afternoon load in, 630pm show time. Sounds like another WYD fundraiser! Don’t know about offering!
Mon Aug 27th     All drive home!!
 
Fri Sept 7th          If you’ve been checking calendar this date was canceled. They will move to another date still have not secured new date. Roland & Pat I think you should fly into Branson and do a one way as we drive to El Paso from Branson.
Sat Sept 8th         Branson Mo Youth day at Our Lady of the Lake with Jesse Manabusen. 2:45pm session with kids. 830pm evening concert with Jesse
Sun Sept 9th        Branson Mo Youth day 9am event our Lady of the lake. Pat I believe Fr Rick was wanting you guys to do all the Masses I will find out and let you know ASAP.
Mon Sept 10th   Start driving to El Paso whole crew.
Tue Sept 11th     Finish drive to El Paso
Wed Sept 12th   El Paso Tx Wounded Warrior event Fort Bliss. Load in 1030am, program set for 1200pm. Tony & Jose Fly to Orlando after event.
Thu Sept 13th     Orlando Fl, Royal Prestige event. All Spanish, afternoon/early evening sound check. 9pm presentation.
Fri Sept 14th        Jose & Tony fly back to El Paso Tx, afternoon load in St Thomas Aquinas. 7pm concert
Sat Sept 15th       El Paso Tx, Afternoon Load In Blessed Sacrament in the Gym. 7pm
Sun Sept 16th     El Paso Tx Free day
Mon Sept 17th   El Paso Tx Afternoon Load in St Pius. 7pm Concert. Possible morning school.
Tue Sept 18th      El Paso Tx hold for schools. More info to come.
Wed Sept 19th   Drive to College Station. Check into hotel
Thu Sept 20th     College Station Texas A&M. Afternoon load in, 7pm concert. Drive to Houston after concert.
Fri Sept 21st        Fly Guatemala 2:10pm flight. Arrive 7:05 Guatemala. Press Conf at the airport upon arrival fly dressed. Sound check for event after press conf at same hotel where we stay.
Sat Sept 22nd      Guatemala City, Intercontinental Hotel event at 10am. 900 to 1000 men, 90 minutes Spanish program. After event check out and start drive to Chiqimula for evening event.
3hr drive, checkin hotel, soundcheck. 8pm Event open to the public aprox 5000 folks.
Sun Sept 23rd     Check out Chiqimula 10am, visit black Christ. Drive to Antigua, dinner with sponsor free night.
Mon Sept 24th   Poss Morning event. If no event family party with!!
Tue Sept 25th     Tony, Al, Pat and Roland fly home. Jose flies to Houston and starts driving with Glen to Montana.
Wed Sept 26th   Continue drive to Montana Glen/Jose
Thu Sept 27th     Finish drive to Great Falls MT. Everyone fly’s in. They are saying we can load in so if you can come early please try.
Fri Sept 28th        Great Falls Mt Culture of Life Conf. We are the production for both days! Tony and band 1st keynote 5:45pm to 7pm. Followed by break and 2nd keynote. Evening ends at 9:45pm
Sat Sept 29th       Great Falls Mt Culture of life Conf. We have a 4pm to 445pm concert followed by mass Prep and Closing Mass. Conf ends 645ish. Fr Leo will be with us on this one!!
Sun Sept 30th        Everyone should get home. This would be a good break. Please start looking for your flights and just get them to me for reimbursement.
Flights to Florida should be for the 3rd of Oct. Glen and Jose will start drive to Florida
Mon Oct 1st        Rig continues drive to West Palm Beach.
Tue Oct 2nd          Rig continues drive to West Palm Beach.
Wed Oct 3rd        Finish drive to WPB. Everyone should fly in this day as we start with early schools on the 4th!!
Thu Oct 4th          WPB Fl, 745am setup Cardinal Newman HS, 9am program.  Boca Raton, 1145am setup Pope John HS, 1pm program. Free evening
Fri Oct 5th            Ft Pierce Fl, 830am setup John Carroll HS, 945am program.  Jupiter Fl, 1145am setup All Saints, 130pm program. Free evening
Sat Oct 6th           Possible Boca Raton Walk for life with KC might be a different Location after walk, small presentation with Bishop.
Sun Oct 7th          WPB Cathedral, Right to life Rosary 430pm. Setup after Mass for 730pm Pro-Life Concert.
Mon Oct 8th        Poss Free Day. Held for schools
Tue Oct 9th          Held for Florida event
Wed Oct 10th     Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin school, setup at 8:15am, program 940am.
Thu Oct 11th        Fly to Canada, whole group including Glen.
Fri Oct 12th          Calgary, Centre Street Church Disabilities Conf, Evening Concert. Protestant church event!!
Sat Oct 13th         Calgary, Morning disabilities Conf Prayer service, Tony Solo or acoustic band setting. Afternoon setup, Evening Concert St Thomas More
Sun Oct 14th        Calgary, afternoon sound check, evening Concert. St Mary’s Cathedral
Mon Oct 15th         Fly Canada to WPB whole group except Jose. Jose has senior soccer attendance and planned Anniversary trip. Glen & Al to support my absence
Tue Oct 16th        Free Day
Wed Oct 17th     Free Day
Thu Oct 18th        Panama City afternoon school
Fri Oct 19th          Panama  City Evening Concert
Sat Oct 20th         Start drive home everyone/ some fly
Sun Oct 21st        Finish drive to Branson
Mon Oct 22nd     Free day at home
Tue Oct 23rd        Poss Fly to Cancun Tony & band.
Wed Oct 24th     held date for Cancun Mex event for Dish Mexico with band
Thu Oct 25th        Fly Home
Fri Oct 26th          Drive to Omaha
Sat Oct 27th         Omaha Ne. Afternoon setup, evening concert Fr Jim Keiter
Sun Oct 28th        Omaha Ne, 7am setup, Rally starts at 10am. 1030am Mass/Adoration with Bishop. 1245pm Keynote Tony & Band. 230pm Doug Brummel Keynote. 415pm to 530pm, Tony & band keynote and benediction.  We are doing the production but not responsible for the mass! Although Rita said there is a possibility we would do the Mass but they are try to get it covered.
Mon Oct 29th      Omaha Ne, 7am setup. 9am to 3pm HS retreat with Fr Jim Kieter. Start driving and Fly home after load out!!! Look for flights home 6ish.
 

Be sure to mark those "Free Days" with a color pen Roland - it surely looks like a VERY tight schedule...

Good luck on the road - and now, since You've posted the "action" dates, photo/video journal would be more than welcomed...

_________________
Goki - short from Goran

Let the good drums roll!!!

Good grief! Go gettem, Roland. You must be a young man yet. Don't know that I could keep that schedule without a handler. If you have to pack your drums and carry them, I'd want Goki's Classix... and two cymbals max!

I felt busy playing two gigs a week, in town

_________________
Gregory