January 2012… The Cat 104 ‘Diamonds and Denim’ New Years Eve party was a blast!! And all my anal-retentive note taking paid off as I got through the evening without a hitch – the band telling me there’s no way anyone would have known that it was my first night… thanks Skeeter Creek family!!!
February 2012… ‘Skeeter Creek’ has been playing almost every weekend… the band is pretty tight despite adding new tunes every week and the ‘Creek Freaks’ have been over the top!! Now we’re heading into the studio for a new demo followed by a photo shoot for new band pictures… then it’s back to work for about 12 straight weeks!!
March – April 2012… ‘Skeeter Creek’ is playing at least one show every weekend and adding a couple new tunes EVERY WEEK!! Even so, things are still pretty tight and we’re juggling the set lists around to keep things exciting for the Creek Freaks…
And we had some new promo pictures done by Sawicki Studios in Amsterdam…
May 2012… ‘Skeeter Creek’ is working non-stop…About 80 shows this year and more coming all the time!! At present we have one Saturday open the rest of the year which will probably go soon… My bandmates are great people, the ‘Creek Freaks’ are a blast and I’m gonna beat my drum ’til I drop!!!
We made an early season appearance at a favorite stop – Frosty Acres Campground near Duanesburg…
The month was capped off by the inaugural bus trip to the legendary Silverado Inn in Herkimer, NY!!
‘My Kinda Party’ from the bus trip
June 2012… AGAD made its annual appearance in the Saratoga Flag Day Parade…
Skeeter Creek was busy too… June included an appearance at one of our favorite summer concert venues – Cook Park in Colonie, NY!!
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July 2012… In a bizarre twist the Alumni Drumline is scheduled to march in a parade in Athens the same days as Skeeter Creek is performing there at the Street Fair / River Fest!! I was able to work it out to where I was able to march the parade, pre-stage my drums into the rotating band schedule, play with the drumline as SK’s opening act then immediately jump on stage to play SK’s set!!!
August 2012… A stretch of lousy weather starting with a trip to the Altamont Fair on the 12th…
My 8th wedding anniversary on the 14th and of course SK’s playing but at the Mechanicville Summer Concert Series so I loaded up all three generations (Mom, wife and daughter) and made the scene… before we started I surprised my wife with roses and asked her if she’d marry me again… she said ‘yes’ in case there were any doubters… 🙂 Here are some clips from a drizzly evening…
It was an exciting summer for ‘Skeeter Creek’ that included the WGNA Summer Picnic…
Our home for the day…
Click the image below for some cell phone video of WGNA DJ Scotty Blaine singing ‘8 Second Ride’ with us…
One of my favorite people from Greenwich Schools – the wild and crazy ‘JoJo’ brought a group to SK’s Wiswall Park show in Ballston Spa…
September 2012… Well – I survived the Skeeter Creek summer which included over 20 shows in August alone!! No downtime from now until Christmas!! We picked up some opening act gigs too which are always fun and are regularly playing to large and enthusiastic crowds…
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September 2012… SK had the honor of opening Cat Country’s answer to WGNA’s Country Fest at Kickin’ It Country!! It was a chilly, rainy, foggy, miserable day but that didn’t stop a huge crowd from making the show – and why not with a lineup that included headliners Montgomery Gentry?!?
Here’s a clip of SK and Renee covering Adele…
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November 2012… Frustration, depression, anxiety… I’m getting the feeling that others in the band aren’t happy with my playing – I know I’m not thrilled with it which may be contributing to my overall lack of enthusiasm… this is supposed to be FUN but I’m not enjoying myself at all and beginning to think it’s time to ‘hang it up’ altogether… There are a number of factors – none of them major by themselves – but the combined effect is beginning to burn me out… a lack of vocal rehearsals and a deep down feeling that SK could be so much more than it is, and Leo (the sound guy) and I having to watch each other’s backs as all hell starts breaking lose out in the middle of nowhere at some of these seedier venues – all while trying to pack and load gear after everyone else has gone home, etc… I guess I’ve hit the wall again so after 82 shows this year I begged Buddy (their old drummer) to come back for the winter while they look for a full time replacement… And, after 37 years, I’m ready to call it a career.
All in all I felt physically great – even with the heavy gig schedule – it’s more of a mental toll that it’s taken and I am just at the point where enough is enough. I’m not having any fun and the excitement and anticipation I used to feel before each show has turned to total dread as much because of the drama as the driving which is also wearing on me…
At this moment I can’t envision a scenario that would make me want to play again…
December 2012… ‘Aged In the Hills‘ begged me out of retirement long enough to fill in with them New Year’s Eve at First Night Saratoga… I was reluctant but it turned out to be a great time… Here are a few highlights put together by Darcy their lead singer (and daughter)…