LRSFest 2019, Oregon... (music)

Got our schedule. We'll be on the main stage opening for Dwight Yoakim BUT... so are 3 other groups. We're the 2nd on stage. The other two days we'll play on side-stages for the crowd... once for the rodeo crowd and once for the dancers.

Been tough coming up with playlists for the 3 performances.... band members are divided. This is a 'country' festival... and these days we do mostly classic rock BUT... we do play many country songs.

2 members want to focus on Country... (I'm in this group), and the other 2 want to go full bore classic rock. The debate has been hostile.

I think it will be fun...although with my son coming in from England it's lousy timing for me. Main performers are: Craig Morgan, Trace Adkins, Sawyer Brown, and Dwight Yoakim (the headliner). Hoping to see Sawyer Brown (I like them), but it will be hard as we play during the first part of their performance. Also looking forward in seeing Dwight Yoakim. Never been a big fan of him but he plays several songs I do like quite a bit. I'm not familiar at all with Trace Adkins and Craig Morgan... in fact, I know Trace more for his 'acting' in movies than his music.

For musician's ONLY: On the side-stage I'll use my new electronic drum kit, (have to)... but on the main stage they have a kit set up for all the drummers. YIKES... I can do it... but wow is that difficult. There are no two drummers alike on earth. No choice however, it's mic'd into the PA system and ready to go... no chance of setting up my electronic kit and getting it plugged in AND adjusted in the main PA.

Been practicing quite a bit, more than we ever have. I'm 'cooling it'... having lost most of my technique due to old age and not giving a @#$# I'm going to keep it simple and just try to nail 'meter'. For damn sure no drum solos... well, a short one, but that's it.

I'd say this will be my last ever 'big time concert'... but who in the hell knows? I've said that before... yet here I go. so that's my report... see you guys on the "DVD". I'm kidding, of course, even if they make a DVD we sure as hell won't be on it... unless, you know, I catch fire while playing, or a pack of wolves attacks our lead singer. - JamesJM