After the Opry

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Well the Opry went pretty well, considering that by noonish on Friday, the blizzard of 2010 hit!  Oh my… it was so worrisome at first.  We just went about our efforts, trying not to pay much attention to the snow that was falling in buckets.  People started to call about 4 or so, and into the evening, but our policy is, if the bands and the sound make it in, we’re having a show.  It might end up as an intimate concert setting with not too many guests, but if you ask, the musicians would rather play, then to just sit in a hotel room or worse, turn around and go home.

Ground Blizzard Negaunee MI

Okay, this isn’t exactly what it looked like, but it was close.  It was pretty nasty out.  We got easily 4-5 inches in a very short amount of time and it was drifty and blowing and cold.  Not exactly the kind of weather to encourage a largely elderly crowd to venture out in.  (Yeah, bluegrass is not exactly a music of the masses… it’s a shame.)  But we waited… set up, did sound check and all that.   When the doors opened, there wasn’t a single guest there.

That was scarey.  Normally at opening, there are at least a handful of people… but there was none.  By 6:15, there were maybe 20 people.  We were doing all we could to thank folks for braving the weather and many were very happy to be there.  Excited to see the show.  By the time the show started, it wasn’t bad.  About 60 paid guests and 17 band member guests, and of course the bands and our staff…  we were just under 100 people total, quite a low number for sure.  But the show must go on! And it did.  And they were both fantastic and in fact, I think the crowd purposely went nuts and cheered and really let them know that they loved every minute.  It was really overwhelming to see our faithful fans really helping to make the bands feel like it was a full house.

I’ll have some video and audio from the show ready in a few days.   My day after an Opry is usually a day to just chill our and relax.  It’s a little tough on me the day of the show, I’ve usually got running around to do, getting all the printing finished, picking up this or that, and just generally being on my feet most of the day.  There’s a bit of stress, and a lot of adrenaline and fun, and just by the time we’re done around 11 or so in the evening, it’s one long, wonderful and fun day.  It’s so nice when I can just take it easy the next day and sleep in and just relax.  The Opry is so much fun, but it’s a busy day for sure.  I’m not sure I could do it weekly, that would really be more like a full time job!  It’s delightful as an once a month event!  And there are so many wonderful memories that come from the show!   I just love it…  and so do the girls.   We really enjoy it.

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About Mobymom

the banjo player for Deepwater Bluegrass, and the editor of BuckeyeBluegrass.com as well as the main graphic designer of the Westvon Publishing empire. She is a renaissance woman of many talents and has two lovely daughters and a rehab mobile home homestead to raise.

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