Updates 5/12/13 in bold italics – I found my booking calendar for 1978, our last year together. (Actually we stayed together until late in 1979.) As I look through the names of the bars and nightclubs, I wonder how many of them still exist. It looks like we started off the New Year with a performance at the Valhalla Ballroom in Slayton, Minnesota after which we packed up and played a week at the Buccaneer nightclub. Unfortunately, I do not remember the names of most of the towns and Internet searches have been difficult. Most of the clubs are probably no longer in business.
The next day we played a “one nighter” at the Playland Ballroom in Kimball, Minnesota. These were not our favorites though we made a lot of money doing them. But without roadies, it meant we had to tear down, load the trailer, drive (sometimes all night) and then set up and sound check for the single night performance, usually 4 hours. In those days we did 40 minute sets with 20 minute breaks.
After a day off we played a club called McNasty’s in Waite Park, Minnesota for 6 nights followed by two days off. Then we were off to the County Seat Night Club in Carroll, Iowa for 5 nights before a day in the studio finishing up Sailing on Fantasies, 2 days off and then 3 nights at one of our favorite night clubs, The Red Bull in Norfolk, Nebraska. Lavonne, the owner, also owned the music store in town where we bought a lot of our equipment.
Another day off before we hit the Congo Club (spelled incorrectly – it was the Kongo Club) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That’s only 7 nights off in 31 days. Remember, we were often practicing new tunes or working on our own material during the days. So there was very little time for sleep… or other activities.
This is my first post to this new website about our increasingly popular band. There will be more to come, I promise!
Mick Orton
Categories: History
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