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January 2018

Pajama Party!

Ok, now that we have everyone’s attention, let’s think about what that actually means.

First of all, neither one of us is Elvis.  Never have been, and never will be.  If you read that Elvis was in a movie called, Pajama Party!, one can only imagine all of the thoughts  and images that title would conjure up.  Girls everywhere, shaking and waggling to all the latest dance grooves.  There would be Elvis, right in the middle, with the spotlight splashing each and every hip-thrusting gyration for the cameras.

Ok, now that we have covered what didn’t happen last Saturday evening at Bumper’s Landing, let’s talk about what did.

It was the first annual, Bumper’s Landing Pajama Party, and it was . . . . great fun!

Carl and I had a blast, watching all of the happy people spend a much warmer evening than planned in a bar on the water in the winter.  Most of the girls in pajamas, were the staff at Bumper’s, actually.  They were fun, comfortable and hard working as always.  I have said this before, but it bears repeating: these gals never stop working.  We don’t know how they do it, but they keep going, hour after hour after hour.

The party began officially at 8:00, to a bar area that was nearly full and almost rowdy;  but completely happy.  There were smiles on every table, drinks on every hand, and hope for spring in every step.

Our music was simply a bonus on a night like this, since the crowd was so content on their own.  Don’t get me wrong, we were more than happy to play music for the patrons, but as for entertaining; well, I think that they were pretty much entertaining themselves.

We played lots of up tempo tunes that first set.  Thankfully, each one of them went over well, like the sound track to the party that was already in full wing.

Seems as thought the Pajama Party theme was doing its job of putting everyone in a wonderful mood of relaxation and abject contentment.

About then we noticed that there were some friends of ours in the house.  One couple of friends we have known for just about forever.  Interesting thing about Rick, is that he was coming to listen to us play music back in the 70’s when we played in Algonac.  Those were some early rock and roll days that we still treasure.  So nice to see people that have been coming to listen to us for more than forty years.  I guess, it reaffirms our belief that it is possible to keep getting better at what you do, if you keep on keep’n on!  (Well, they used to say that back in the seventies.  Look it up!)

More songs poured out of us, as we felt pretty content on this festive, pajama challenged night.  Sometimes entertaining at Bumper’s Landing is kinda like shooting happy fish in a barrel.  They are usually in such a great mood, they don’t even notice that they are being entertained.

Some nights we are all over the place musically.  Not sure if it us us being bored with the usual expected, requested songs, or not.  On some nights we just have to go off the beaten path, musically.  On those nights, we are country, and rock, and pop and Irish, or Beatles.  We are always thinking in the back of our minds, while we are playing a song, what the next one will be.  Something different or unusual, or hardly ever played.

I’m sure you understand that we can get tired of playing certain songs at times, even though they are true bonafide classics.  On those nights, we try very hard to go in a different direction, musically.  It keeps it fun for us, and hopefully for the audience as well.

Well all of that to say, on this particular night, we had none of that.  We simply played all of the usual, classic party songs.  We played them right in order and just let the patrons party to each one.  Most nights we have learned to go where the people take us.  They give us direction.  With our vast musical knowledge, we can hang with them, no matter where that is.

Now well into the evening, it was time to crank up the sing-a-longs.  Time to see how this group can carry a tune.  Billy Joel, Van Morrison and John Denver did the trick to get the ball rolling.  We even had some folks appreciate several of the Kinks classics that we offered up.  Good times.  We like these Pajama Parties.

The night ended as it began; with smiles and drinks and singing and fun.  Everyone happy, everyone pleased.

We look forward to every night at Bumper’s.  We may never really know what is in store for us, but we do know that it will be fun!

Rb

Winter’s Oasis

About this time of the year, everyone around these parts is looking to plan their hasty get-away.

Although we Michiganians are a hardy bunch, when the calendar pokes past the holidays, we urn for the tropic beaches and ocean-side destinations that fuel our restless dreams.

All of that certainly holds true for those of us who have grown up in the midwest.  We can take it, this cold, bitter weather, we simply long to be somewhere warm and slightly less frigid.

I think all of that goes double if you are a boater.  I’m not, remember, but Carl and I sure have been around our share of them over the last three summers.

Boaters love it hot and warm.

And so, when Bumper’s Landing, Macomb Counties’ new summer hot-spot was nearly filled on this icy Saturday night, it warmed more than our hearts.

Saturday was a realization that nothing, not even this harsh winter weather could keep real boaters down.

They, like no others, know how to party.  Even with the wind chill way below zero, they were out in mass, showing no signs of hibernation.

We got there earlier than usual, so that we could set up sooner and not get people chilled as we brought in our band equipment from the van.  The set-up went pretty well, as everyone inside seemed fairly oblivious to our entrance.

All that I remember from our first set was how much fun it was.  The entire staff from the busboys, right up to the owner himself, were taking great care in attending to each and every patron who arrived for the football, but stayed for the food, the drinks and the fellowship.

Everyone was smiling and laughing and reestablishing the powerful connection that runs so deep for these boating besties!

By set number two, it was a mass sing-a-long.  Dancing, singing and reveling was the order or the night.  It is so much fun to play in a venue that appreciated everything we do.

So gratifying when everyone takes part in the entertaining.  We try and set things in motion here at Bumper’s and then stand back and let everyone enjoy themselves.

The night was rushing past, as song after song added to the overall feeling of euphoria at making it through the holidays.

Like a gathering of groundhogs, all the boaters that hadn’t seen each other since the tarps covered their treasured crafts, smiled ear-to-ear as the door opened and another arrived.

it didn’t really matter what we played on this night, each and every song was met with the same level of enjoyment and empathy.

Before we even knew it, our last song had been played, and it was time to pack it all up and plunge ourselves back out into the cold of the winter’s night.

Even the cold itself was no match for the warm feeling of the brotherhood of boaters that we were lucky enough to be part of.

We will return to Bumper’s on January 2oth.  It is scheduled to be a “Pajama Party”.  That promises to be interesting, to say the very least.

Rb

BOB AND CARL