While getting ready for Heavy Surf!, we moved into the multitasking mode. Could we get two tracks going at once? Were we far enough along in this band thing to prepare musically for one show while setting up another? Oh, well, why not try?
The thought thread went like this. Let’s have a Halloween bash with the Sneaky Tikis. It could be on the Sunday afternoon before Halloween. We could include costume contests and give out prizes. Maybe we could leverage the hula hoop experience of my high school reunion into a contest. Prizes for hula hooping! Could I get proficient by then?
An Idea thus had emerged. Imagination ran rampant. All that was required was coming up with a plan and a venue. Or was it a venue and a plan? A few emails back and forth with the Sneaky Tikis and a couple of visits to the Capitol Bowl were all that we needed to lay the foundation. We had a venue -- the Capitol Bowl -- and a bill -- the Sneaky Tikis, Pups, and the Rockabilly Love Cats.
The Sneaky Tikis. The Lava Pups. And . . . the Rockabilly Love Cats? Okay, you may ask, “Who are the Rockabilly Love Cats?” The short answer is they are a trio and perform classic rockabilly songs. Pompadours. Black pants. Not your Fender-type band; Gretsches and a standup bass. And . . . another departure from instrumental surf . . . vocals. Songs with words.
Concept. Check. Venue. Check. Performers. Check.
Poster and fliers were next. After several attempts, I realized that monsters and similar characters did not flow freely -- or very much at all -- from my mind. They just could not be conjured up. A weekend with pencil and a sketch book produced a couple of potentially usable images but mostly garbage -- embarrassingly incompetent garbage.
Why was the usually easy part being so difficult? Flash! How about a B movie style poster?
Poster and fliers. Check.
By the Saturday of Heavy Surf!, we were ready to begin promoting "Monster Mash at the Capitol Bowl." Our Halloween bash was going to be a reality.
Oh, yeah, the Pups need to come up with a set and practice. Details. Details.
The thought thread went like this. Let’s have a Halloween bash with the Sneaky Tikis. It could be on the Sunday afternoon before Halloween. We could include costume contests and give out prizes. Maybe we could leverage the hula hoop experience of my high school reunion into a contest. Prizes for hula hooping! Could I get proficient by then?
An Idea thus had emerged. Imagination ran rampant. All that was required was coming up with a plan and a venue. Or was it a venue and a plan? A few emails back and forth with the Sneaky Tikis and a couple of visits to the Capitol Bowl were all that we needed to lay the foundation. We had a venue -- the Capitol Bowl -- and a bill -- the Sneaky Tikis, Pups, and the Rockabilly Love Cats.
The Sneaky Tikis. The Lava Pups. And . . . the Rockabilly Love Cats? Okay, you may ask, “Who are the Rockabilly Love Cats?” The short answer is they are a trio and perform classic rockabilly songs. Pompadours. Black pants. Not your Fender-type band; Gretsches and a standup bass. And . . . another departure from instrumental surf . . . vocals. Songs with words.
Concept. Check. Venue. Check. Performers. Check.
Poster and fliers were next. After several attempts, I realized that monsters and similar characters did not flow freely -- or very much at all -- from my mind. They just could not be conjured up. A weekend with pencil and a sketch book produced a couple of potentially usable images but mostly garbage -- embarrassingly incompetent garbage.Why was the usually easy part being so difficult? Flash! How about a B movie style poster?
Poster and fliers. Check.
By the Saturday of Heavy Surf!, we were ready to begin promoting "Monster Mash at the Capitol Bowl." Our Halloween bash was going to be a reality.
Oh, yeah, the Pups need to come up with a set and practice. Details. Details.