Rants & Observations

Rocktoberfest Columbia, MO 2009

I'd been trapped for over a week and the thought of escaping even if it was just for a few hours put a little spring back into the step of my beat-up body. The email had startled me with its invitation. "We warming up for Molly Hatchet tonight. Why don't you come on out and hear how we sound?"

I had heard a TV commercial earlier in the week saying Molly Hatchet was going to be here in Columbia. I had been laying in the bed recouperating from belly surgery at the time. I hadn't seen Molly Hatchet since the mid- to late-80's. Still had a copy of the self titled album, “Flirtin' with Disaster,” and, or course, “Beatin' the odds” around the house somewhere. And I'm talkin' the album, not a cassette or CD copy. I still have the vinyl. That music was great “movin'” music. Early-80's, while still in the Corps, I'd strapped a cassette player on my side and run while listening to “Gator Country,” “Whiskey Man,” and of course “Flirtin' with Disaster.”

So my choices were to continue to lay around the house feeling sorry for myself or get off my butt and get out to the Midway Expo and have a good time. I chose the later.

It has been several years since I've been to a bike rally (the last one being in Tunica, Mississippi at a Casino with Black Oak, Arkansas in 2003) and the venue was quite different than my previous experiences. As a matter of fact, though I've lived here in Columbia for ten years this was the first time I've attended anything at the Midway Expo. Ticket prices were a little steep in my opinion ($25 for regular admission and $50 for VIP. I bought the VIP admission so that I could get better access for pictures and I guess the included t-shirt and bandana weren't bad either.) but from what I understand, about $13000 went to local charities.

The bands hadn't started yet so I walked around checking out the booths as well as from where I might get the best photos. (Some of the photos of all three bands are available for viewing at http://www.paulsummitt.com.) Booths covered the gamut from t-shirts and bandanas to leather and lace to alligator and burritos. The bands had been scheduled to play outside at the Sandbar Stage but due to the rain everything was moved into the expo. The night before had been cage fighting and cage dancing, part of what Motorcycle Events Magazine called non-stop weekend-long “biker friendly” entertainment.

Missouri Timepiece finally started Saturday night rolling. The bass player and drummer laid down a dependable and steadfast foundation for the trio's tunes while the impressive guitarist wore a stoic expression while nimbly fingering his way through some nice but forgotten numbers that I think I might like to hear again the next time I know where they're playing.

Before the Linkyn Jacybs Band took the stage I kept hearing people asking if this was the Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band or not. I didn't know. Given that Lynyrd Skynyrd discovered Molly Hatchet, so to speak, I guess it was fitting that a tribute band should warm up for them.

Just home from the Navy and back in college in 1974 I had taken a job moving pianos and amplifiers for a music store in Northeast Arkansas. They needed some amps and a piano moved into the old Forum theater in Jonesboro for some band from Alabama who were playing there that night. That was my first, but not last, exposure to Lynyrd Skynyrd. They went on to headline the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia that July.

Linkyn Jacybs took me back to those spring days of '74. While their first set seemed a bit muted, the set after Molly Hatchet left was dynamite. While I was a little disappointed with their arrangement of “Crossroads” during that first set (Hey, they're a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band not a Cream tribute band), their arrangements of the various Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes were right on and like I said the second set blew my socks off. If you get the chance to see this band around the area, do so. You won't be wasting your time.

The end of the first set brought a change on the bandstand of equipment and I was a little hungry so I decided to check out the food stands. With Molly Hatchet coming up next, one vendor was touting “gator” and I decided to try it. Armed with a diet coke and “gator on a stick” I walked back over to the table I had been sitting at with some nice folks from St. Charles. One young lady that was sitting at the table would be competing later in the Leather and Lace competition and she did have a powerful set of eye magnets. But I was hungry and apparently the couple from St. Charles were too because they went and got them some “gator” too. The “gator” was hot and tasted good but I was still hungry so I headed for the vendor selling burritos.

“One, please.” I told the guy in the trailer. “And give me a cold water too.” I stood and watched as he threw the meat onto the grill along with the other ingredients and started stirring. In a few short minutes he had the tortilla warming on the grill too and then was rolling the meat and ingredients up into the tortilla. Something nagged at my memory about the way he made the burrito. I sat down and unwrapped the burrito and took a bite.

“Mmmmm,” the flavor instantly took me back to San Diego. Just down from the Marine Recruit Depot while I was stationed there in the late '70's had been a little whole in the wall taco stand where they made the best burritos. I asked the guy who had made it where he had learned and he pointed to a little hispanic man sitting next to the trailer. I told him about the place in San Diego and he said “That's where I'm from.” He told me he works many of the bike rallies so if you get a chance at one, try his burritos.

My hunger satiated and Molly Hatchet getting ready to start, I returned to the bandstand to take pictures. The first tune was rough as the sound levels were off and the sound crew worked to balance the band's sound. I wasn't impressed with lead singer Phil McCormack's needling the crowd and threatening to quit playing either. However, the guitar work of Bobby Ingram and Dave Hlubek and the foundation laid down by Tim Lindsey on bass and Shawn Beamer on drums were amazing.

The band ran through most of their hits and after McCormack announced that they had signed with Sony and that a new album was on its way, they played some of their new stuff. After one song he announced that it was the first time they'd ever played it. Gimme a break, Phil. The only time someone plays something in front of a crowd for the first time is they're drunk, stoned, or a liar. At least that's been my experience. But I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you were a little stoned and misspoke. You did look a little tired when you were wolfing down that gator and signing those autographs.

Remember the young lady with the eye magnets? She won the Leather and Lace competition while Ingram and McCormack were signing autographs. I think she was the only contestant.

Cost wise I think I got quite a bang for my buck. Some of the money did go to charity and I spent over five hours there enjoying the music and the company. Hopefully, I'll be there next year too.

posted by Paul @ 9:02 AM