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September 2018

A Night To Remember

Some nights just end up being slow because of what’s going on in the world.

On this Saturday night, three or four high schools were having homecoming dances all around town.  Families were out in force making Kodak moments on their front lawns, as their precious children were heading off to the dance.   They would stare uncomfortably at those picture while holding their breath until the door opened  back up and their kids returned home.

All of that is wonderful; an amazing part of growing up, school and parenting.  However, it doesn’t make for a particularly great night out at the local bar or sporting establishment.

That being said, Carl and I set out to put the night to good use, having our own special brand of fun with some amazing patrons, while throwing our regular song list out the window.

It began as a slow night; but slow with style!

For us, on an evening like this, we look forward to playing another type of music all-together.  We could even do some acoustic/eclectic things, that we usually reserve for smaller folk-y-er clubs.

We played Simon & Garfunkel, some Neil Young and Bobby Dylan that we regularly don’t get a chance to do.  Each and every song elicited an interesting and at times totally unexpected reaction from the sparse crowd.  

The people who found their way to Bumper’s Landing that night, must have gotten together to find a way to collaborate on making the evening totally unforgettable.  Like a cast of characters from a timeless story, each would play their part in this night’s tale.

First and foremost, as the regular gang went about doing what they always do; enjoying their dinner, or drinks and soaking up the nautical ambiance; there were a few others in the house that would transform our “usual”  evening into something far better.

Dan began.

When he and his stunning  gal-pal arrived, they brought with them, fun, excitement and a huge dose of musical talent.  Dan knows how to sing, and has actually sung with us a few times before.  All of them awesome, because of his stage presence and musical ability.

On this night, Dan did one of his usual hits: For What It’s Worth.  With that one getting a great response from the crowd, we plowed ahead with another, Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love.

Dan took what was an ordinary night and kicked it way up a few notches.  Can’t wait until he shows up the next time!  (We just have to do our homework).

Time for act two:

Next up were some good friends, requesting their favorites, just the way we play them.  Something about making people happy, hits us right in that sweet spot that checks all of our boxes.  

Neal Diamond, Van Morrison and Johnny Cash poured out of us, like music from an  old, beloved car radio.

Now the crowd was growing, the smiles were plentiful and the night was ready for act three. . .  

Right on cue, the door opened and in walked a trio of reasonably inebriated prospective customers.  Right away we knew something interesting was about to happen.

Just about then is when one of the happy gals walked up to us, grabbed a bar stool and plunked right down on it as if she was Sissy, from The Urban Cowboy.

Play me a country song!” She caterwauled, as Carl and I whole-heartedly obliged.  Accompanying us on her wicked Tamborine, we belted out country hit after country hit, undoubtedly hitting her, more or less in her sweet-spot.

You really can’t write this stuff, and, we probably don’t even need to.  

Fortunately, on a night to remember, we will do just that.  Remember, just how amazing it is to make a musical connection with so many wonderful and interesting people.

We live a charmed life, Carl and I.  

Hopefully, we don’t let one day go by when we take that for granted.  We try and appreciate each and every moment with the people we care about; because by the time we are done singing, they could all be gone.

Rb

 

 

 

Bumper’s Is Like A Box Of chocolates

It’s more true than not, Forrest!

We never seem to know what’s inside until we open that door.

Saturday night, last, was just such a night.  

On the drive over, Carl and I always discuss what we imagine the evening will be like, and never, ever get it right.

The reason: Our imaginations just are not equipped enough to handle what goes on there.  No matter what we envision, it is usually, way off.

For example, how do you imagine a group of carefree birthday revelers arriving by water and depositing ten people all bent on celebrating someone’s special day named, Sexy Judy, until it is dancing right in front of you?

You can’t really.

Or a gaggle of Maker’s Mark Gals all dressed in black & boots, handing out free booze?

Nope, ya’ can’t.

How about, birthday after birthday after birthday being celebrated all at the same time, in a whirl-wind of celebratory confusion.

As you know by now, Carl and I were set for our usual, “quiet Bumper’s evening” by the water.  Where nothing much should happen.  

Maybe watch the big game.

And then, "The Bumper's Effect" kicks in.  (we'll talk about that in a future post, don't you even worry.)

The “Bumper’s Effect” changes everything, all at once.

When we arrived and first walked through the door to scope out the restaurant for the evening, we noted that it was about a quarter full.  It was very possible that our prediction of a sleepy little evening could still very well be realized.

By the time we had set up our gear, the place was full and threatening a huge crowd in the making.

A Cellarful Of Noise“, is how Brian Epstein, the legendary manager of the Beatles described what he encountered at his very first hearing of those four young lads on that night in Liverpool, so long ago.

Well, if you think that was loud, spend one night at Bumper’s Landing!

The room is L O U D !!!

We do all that we can to try and keep up with the boisterous crowd of revelers, but seem to fail each night.  It’s all good; they have a LOT to celebrate.

Tonight it was apparently, birthdays and beer.  Or, the game and beer.  Saturday and beer.  What better way to say “Good-bye!” to summer.  Than (with beer.)

Where was I? . . ..  

Oh yes, the room was LOUD!

No problem; that is fine, since we know how loud it is.  And, because the reason that it is loud is because people are so excited about so many things.

Just getting started is a chore at that volume level.  Hard to tune, hard to listen, hard to hear.  That being said, it sure is way better than playing to a empty house.

Our first set, that is usually a little bit slow and easy-going, was nothing like that on this particular night.  We began with some Buffett, as we usually do, but then began feeding off of the huge crowd, as they unknowingly ramped up the electricity level to an unsafe volume level.

Unsafe if only you were hoping for a nice, quiet, sleepy little evening by the water.  Nope, not ‘gonna happen.

We played some Tom Petty and Bob Marley.  Seger and Chesney and Brooks. Even did some Creedence Clearwater Revival music during this first set.  That had them all playing attention.

It was a happy, fun group and they were all very much into it.  Sexy Judy was holding court, from a corner of the bar.  The music was hot and the cool liquid refreshments were flowing freely.

The Bumper’s Effect was in full swing by now.  

Ok, so the Bumper’s effect is this crazy, bizarre spin that Bumper’s Landing has on anything normal that comes in contact with it.

On this evening, it seemed to take a group of mild-mannered girls and whipped them into a drink fueled, music engorged dance-frenzy.

 . . . The Bumper’s Effect.

So, this night was never really about Carl or me, or the music or the weather or anything else really.

It was, as it usually is, about the people.

The people that come to hear the music, or eat the food, or buy the drinks or to forget their problems for a little while.

It is about the people.

The people that come to Bumper’s Landing are  some of the best people in our world.  They come to have fun, and they know how to accomplish that.  We try and help, but it is ultimately about them.  Our music is just the soundtrack.

That’s fine, because our music is pretty much always the same.  The music is a reaction to the people and how we interact with them.

I’m not trying to be philosophical on purpose.

Just saying that when we play, sometimes.  (Ok, most times . . .)

We don’t know what to expect.  We practice, we strategize, and plan, but we never really know what to expect.

Ok, you got me . . .

we don’t practice.

What I’m trying to say is that we never know what to expect, but always expect to never know.

THAT’S the Bumper’s Effect!

Rb

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ant and the Acorns

Each and every day, a young industrious ant would leave the colony, walk to the the acorn grove and return with his prize.  Every day was the same, and after he worked all summer, he would have enough food for the long winter ahead.

But, one day on his way, a large branch had fallen across the trail, and he was forced to take another route, down near the water.  Since he was unsure of his surroundings, he stopped to ask an interested looking spider who just happened to be perched above him in one of the trees.

The spider told the ant how to navigate to the grove, but inquired why he was going.  When the ant told the spider that he needed to collect enough acorns for winter, the spider nodded his head in agreement.

“You know,” said the spider . . . You could work all summer in the sweltering heat, collecting acorns . . . or, you could work for just ONE week!”

“Huh?” said the ant, “I don’t understand.”

“Well, you could collect one weeks’ worth of acorns, and give them to me to sell across the river in the big city. You would then have enough money to hire another ant to do all the work for you, while you become rich!”

“You would do that for me?”, said the ant.  “Sure, I’m going there anyway, and you seem like an honest enough ant that you would be waiting for me when I return with the money.”

“Mmmmm, OK!” said the enterprising insect.

Well, as you know by now, the ant did his part, giving the spider the biggest haul of acorns he could ever have harvested in one week; and the spider did what spiders do . . . stealing the acorns, and sucking the ant dry in the process.

What’s the moral of the story, you might ask?

Everybody likes ACTION!

Guys love ACTION.  You know what I mean.

Let’s define it like this: The most vigorous, productive, or exciting activity in a particular field, area, group or thing.

Well, I doubt that explains it all that well.  I’ll keep trying.

When it comes to ACTION, there is one place I know that has it every night, in spades . . .  Bumper’s Landing

ACTION is what really draws them in.

The guys want the boats and the ACTION/The girls want the guys/The bar wants the girls, and the guys and the boats and money and the music.  And all of that creates it; ACTION

You see how its all connected.  Carl and I simply add music.

Oh, and we love to watch!

While we are entertaining, we take it all in.  Who’s with who.  Who wants to be with who.  Who is avoiding who.  It’s a who’s who of an ACTION study.

All of that ACTION taking place all around us each and every night.

Like last Saturday, when we arrived as usual, once again, we needed to decide just what the weather was going to do.  Would it rain?  Sure, but, when?

We decided to set up inside first, and then once the weather passed, we would go out and finish the night by the river.

The weather plays a big part in the ACTION.  It motivates people.  It relaxes them, or riles them up.  Weather plays a big part . . .

Our first set was pretty good, as the crowd inside really didn’t expect us to be there, playing all of their favorite boat-tunes.

They loved it!

We had many, many compliments as our first set finished and we had a moment or two to chat with some very kind patrons.  We met a wonderful group of people who had never heard us before.  They had some requests and asked us how long we had been playing together.  The look on their faces  is always priceless when we tell people that we are approaching our fifth decade of entertaining.

Just as we got the place really rocking’ the weather cleared and we decided to move out into the confines of the pavilion for more music.

It generally takes us about twenty minutes to accomplish that task, so when we do that, there is really no chance for us to have an kind of break.

Gotta’ keep the ACTION going!

Now outside, we didn’t have to compete with the Michigan football game that people were busy lamenting.  We kept things rolling and rocking right from the first song by the water.

There was singing, there was dancing, there was lots and lots of ACTION all around us.  The boss was in the house, so there was electricity in the air.

Never a dull moment at Bumper’s, that’s for sure.  Never lacking for excitement, and never short on ACTION.

Next time you are there, check out the bar, the Tiki or even the parking lot for that matter. There is always something going on, inside or out.

That’s what draws them in.  That’s what keeps them excited.  That’s what they know awaits them, the next time they arrive.

Chicks, drinks, boats and ACTION!

Rb

 

 

BOB AND CARL