Robinson = Rocked

Okay, that is done now! Cross it off the list. And I think a mostly good time was had by mostly all.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that we were awesome or anything. But for a band that did a 10-song set on maybe only 4hrs total rehearsal time, we were pretty decent! We were at least decent enough that the people listening thought we knew what we were doing--and that we were good at it, even. (ha! fooled 'em!) Of course, Bill's got the whole thing recorded, so I'll see how things look/sound from that perspective, as well. I shudder to think.. (I'm a big hater of live audio/video recording.) But, if it's good enough, I'll slap a file or two up on the myspace page.

There were a ton of people there.. for sure a thousand at one point.. maybe 1500.. (maybe more. I'm not a great judge of that).. and who knows how many over the course of the 4hr event. One thing's for sure.. if you want to buy a hot dog in Robinson, IL, today, you are out_of_luck. Cause they flat cleaned that place out.

It was a good time, and I'm sure glad that I got to do it. Much thanks to Bill for the ask, and to Bill, Woody, and Boyd for providing super friendly, professional, and generally all around rockin' covering fire! Really appreciate you guys having my back.

The only slight setback was that I finally (due to my horrible guitar-picking style) managed to break the nail on my right index finger in two, and had to spend a good bit of friday evening/saturday morning trying to patch it with nail polish. Turns out that doesn't really work (I broke it right in two again during the set), but it at least helped me make it through. So much thanks, also, to the good folks at "Love My Nails", who helped me finish the gig with minimal pain, and, additionally, "that deep, wet look." Really appreciate you guys, too.

And finally, from the family-man perspective.. It was really nice to have the family there. Getting used to doing rock and roll like an adult instead of like a teenager is hard. I'm having to work at it quite a bit--and I'm still not there, by a long shot. You're on edge, because you're getting psyched up about playing, and when there's trouble with things.. be it travel plans, or getting meals, or not whining and complaining and making everybody crazy (Emma was a complete pain in the neck almost the entire time).. it is hard not to let the "could everyone please just go away and let me do my thing!" take over. But.. on the other side of that.. A family meal at Pizza Hut before it all begins is completely different--and better--than pizza from cardboard boxes, perched atop speaker cabs, amidst power amps waiting to be loaded. On the other side of that.. there is nothing so satisfying or encouraging as to have your daughter there, dancing in front of the stage, smiling up at you, oblivious of the 1,000 people watching.. or of looking out over the crowd and seeing your boys running and throwing airplanes with friends in the background while you play.. or of sharing the weary, post-load-out road trip home with your closest partner and friend in the world.. there is nothing as good as that. I've done it the other way, and this one beats it, hands down. Now.. to get good at it.. that'll probably take more practice than the rocking itself.

Thanks, Robinson.