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November 2015

Final Fabulous Fall Friday

This years’ Final Fabulous Fall Friday or FFFF, (as it is known in the trade), was just as F’n as it sounded.  Friday night at the  Blind Mice Irish Pub, in beautiful downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan was the last fall, Friday magical musical hoot!

From the very first carefully created note until the last, it was an amazing night.

What made it fun, you might ask?

People, is the answer.

To be fair, people is the answer, (or bane) to most things, be it euphoria or disaster related.  Most things revolve around the people associated with them; and our nights at the Mice are no different.

We take audiences as we are lucky enough to get them.

Tired, laid-back or super-exuberant.  Makes no difference to us.  Our job is to help them feel relaxed, engaged or entertained, no matter how we find them.  Most times, maybe a little of all three.

Theoretically as they begin to except us into their evening, we attempt to and take them on an musical journey that taps into their life-long emersion into all things musical.  Our goal is to somehow connect with complete strangers using only musical notes, lyrics, wile and a little bit of skill.

Funny; sometimes it even works!

Tonight, we had a great time, from beginning until end.  All of it because of the fun people that we shared the night with.  There were several tables around us that took control right out of the gate, by shouting request after request at us, without any allusions of shyness.

They took control, whatever that means.

You see, we really have no musical agenda.  We use no song or set list.  We kind of meander down that musical road, turning this way or that, depending on whatever direction the audience seems eager to follow.

We love that, truth be told. . . . it’s what we do.

After all, that is why we are there, to offer our rendition of their favorites; musical knowledge and superb, witty banter; all wrapped in a neat musical package.  ( . . . What?  It’s possible, you know!)

So people were singing, dancing, drinking, yelling, sloshing, hugging, hooting and all the while taking selfie after selfie.  It was wildly amazing.

Good clean fun.
Adults unwinding and enjoying.
Really hearty stuff.

Since we seemed to have the main floor of the wild Mouse well in hand, Carl and I journeyed upstairs, where it was even wilder!

Paper Covers Rock was once again covering each and every era of rock as they blasted out tune after classic tune, much to the delight of the packed house.

Great musicians all; and hard working, as most every Detroit band tends to be.  After all, we are smack dab in the middle of a musical Motown heartland.

When the bands, the waitstaff, and even the patrons work this hard to come together on a Friday night, it has to be fabulous.  And, so it was.

Rb

 

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Fall Friday Free-For-All

They were ready and raring to go.  The crowd at the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub, that is.  And so when Carl and I took the stage at eight o’clock, we almost had to catch up with them so that we didn’t get caught in the undertow.

Right out of the gate the pub was full, with more people waiting for tables.  (always a good thing).

So we launched into the “A set” without even giving it a second thought.  What do I mean by the term, “A set” you might ask?

Ahhh, well those are the songs that people really connect to; sing along with and associate with a legendary party, or good times.

Yeah, those songs.  We played and sang them early on this night.  Most times we try and easy into the night.  Start out slow with more listening music.  Establish some ground rules, so to speak.

Not on this night.  They were chomping at the bit to go all out.  There was a birthday party Hell bent on having a good time.  (as it should be).  Well, who were we to get in their way.

And have a good time, they did.  They started out small but grew as the evening began to unfold.  Singing and laughing and selfie-ing!

Meanwhile, upstairs another great band was setting up.  They had a huge crowd who seemed to adore them, as well they should.  They were called Back Track, and they played all the great music of the eighties.  Good sound, and they really had the crowd entertained from what Carl and I could see.

As the night progressed downstairs, it seems to grow to a fever pitch right up until the witching hour.  When midnight arrived, the crowd departed, nearly in unison.

Interesting . . . .

So for our last set; (well technically, we had already played our last set.  We play five hours, unlike any other band), we canvased the few patrons at the bar to tell us what they might wish to hear.

Their answer was an interesting one: they turned it right around and asked us to play, “The music they YOU enjoy playing”.

Hmmmmmmmm . . .

Well, that was music to our ears, so to speak.  And so we did.  For our very last set of the night, we played the songs that we enjoyed doing, but don’t play much.

From musicians that we like, but maybe aren’t known in the mainstream of popular music.  Jackson Browne, Steve Earl, Wallflowers, etc . . . .

The night ended with some very pleased patrons.  The party was still going on, (upstairs . . . ).

We finished on a high, quiet note.  And for another fews weeks, the legend of Bob and Carl will echo through Mount Clemens.

RB

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BOB AND CARL