Yarram Show 2008

Performed at the Yarram Show as part of the Country Club.

Even before we left, we were all more than a bit concerned about the weather, particularly the prospects of rain. The Weather Bureau had predicted up to 150 mm in East Gippsland. We just weren't sure if there would be anything to perform at.

Left at 8:30 and drove through several showers on the way to Yarram. Not a write off so far. Arrived around 9:30 and found Bob Cooper all by himself on the back of a semi-trailer just waiting for the rest of us to arrive. the placement of the stage seemed excellent as the weather was coming up from behind us. I set up my gear and was greeted by the rest of the troupe before the 10:00 start time. Brian was due to start, but he wasn't ready, so I kicked off the show. Dawn had drawn up a roster based on fifteen minute sets and i took on the role of timekeeper as I had the PDA set up in front of me.
Brian and I ended up performing all day backing up the other members of our group: Me an bass and Brian on guitar.

We played our first set for 75 minutes and then took a break for the Won Wron Rock and Roll club to do there demonstration dancing segment. While we were performing our set, we watched as two men, professionally constructed a stage in front to us using battens and what looked like particle board, but it must have been something else, as water didn't affect it. The dance floor proved to be quite robust under the weight of the dancers.

I had been asked to bring along a CD player and brought along a laptop as my portable CD player has expired. One of the club members had a CD wallet with about a dozen CD's and proceeded to pick one track off each CD, very inefficient. To make matters worse the mouse just didn't seem to select the proper track and ended up playing something else. Using the cursor keys helped. After about six tracks (CD's) they decided to take a break. Mind you they were dancing in rather extreme conditions and were a member short causing the progressive dance type song a problem as one person didn't have a partner. While they were dancing, the showers returned every now and then and the wind was an added thrill not only them but for us with song books to read from. Poor Ron Nunn had his lyrics scattered along the stage quite a few times as the wind wipped across the stage.
Brian was feeling a little frisky and and asked one of the Rock and Roll dancers for an dance and danced one song. After the song he came back and explained that he had been able to dance all night long a long tome ago, but just that one dance was enough for him today.

The next act were two Belly Dancers! Yes, you read that right, belly dancers, all dressed up, and with a CD for me to play too boot. All went well with the CD until I went to play it. The first track, for unknown reasons just wouldn't make any sound, which frustrated the dancers. Frustrated me too, as I could see the song time indicator moving along, just no sound. There were only two tracks on the CD. The first, which wouldn't sound went for four minutes, the second for two minutes. All that work for less than two minutes of dancing. They really must have been disappointed.

Played the second set and went well, except for the slight wind change. The wind had now changed direction and was now blowing water on to the stage. We pulled back our gear which helped, but the water would pool on the metal stage and flow towards us and our electrical gear. I had to ask Bob Cooper to get out a towel at one point in my performance to stop the tide of water heading for my effects unit and power board. Nearly an electric performance.

At the end of the second set, according to the program, we had a forty five minute break, so I set off for the toilet and to procure some food, which turned out to be nothing more exciting than chips. As I was waiting for the chips to cook, I could heard Francie singing! Huh! We are supposed to be on a break. As I made my way back, Dawn told me that the break was supposed to be for the holding of the 'Miss Yarram Show' competition. Pity no-one entered. Dawn decided we should plough on and that explained the short break. I didn't rush, ate my lunch in relaxed style and then joined in. I gave up my role as time monitor and let Dawn call the shots.

We performed until 3:00 with me finishing off. All in all, a good day.

As we were packing up, there was talk that a storm had dropped snow and ice on the road back home. Great, just what we needed. We were told that we had to visit the police station for directions to get home. I went to the police station and found a rather passively amused officer explaining that he didn't know what I was talking about. Oh!
I waited for the others and told them there was no problem with the roads and we all set off for home. No snow, no ice. Wonder where that rumour came from?

We have been booked for next year, so that's a bonus.

P.S. The stage, at various times, was used by individuals to demonstrate their dancing style to friends and others. Good fun to watch.

P.S.S. On the way to Yarram, not far past the Woodside turnoff, I came around a left handed corner to see a farmer on a quad bike cross the road from the farmhouse on the right to a sandy area on the left side of the road and stop. A short time later, he decides that he needs to go back across the road and does so without looking for traffic. Let me tell you it was a close call for him as it was difficult to determine if he was going to stop go back or continue. Fortuanately for him he kept moving and lived to tell the tale. Scary stuff!