Super excited to see a hero of mine....

One would think with a title like 'Super excited to see a hero of mine....', I would be stoked for Free Comic Book Day. It is in just 9 days and I'll get to meet Adam Baldwin who is in 2 of my all time favorite (so far) TV shows. But thats not the reason for my excitement. Every year, for the last 20+ years, Bank of the West (formally Commercial Federal Bank) has hosted a free concert in Memorial Park. Yesterday, they had a press conference announcing this years band, Huey Lewis and the News! Needless to say, I am super excited.

Back in 1984, I was 10 years old. I was just starting to get into music on my own and break away for the country music my parents listened too. The first band I remember really liking was Huey Lewis and the News. When the song 'Heart of Rock and Roll' came out, I was hooked. The sound of the heart beat intro, the saxophone, harmonica, the horns, all this talk of rock and roll..... It was so different. I was hooked. I begged my Mom to get me 'Sports'. I didnt care if it was the record or cassette; It ended up being the later. I wore that tape out. I eventually had to buy a new one as I listened to it all the time, over and over.

In 1985, 'Back to the Future', came out in theaters. I didn't get to see the movie until well after it was out of the theater but that didn't stop me from getting the sound track. Why? Great sci-fi movie with an awesome cast? Nope.... Huey Lewis was on it. 'Power of Love' charted at #1 and was a huge hit of the time. 'Back in Time' was also on the album giving me 2 reasons to pick up the sound track. I knew beats and sound of the soundtrack to the movie before I had even seen the movie.

It was around 1985/86 when I started to style my own hair. Who's hair style would I wear.... Yep, you guessed it. Huey Lewis.

In 1986, the 'Fore' album came out. It was either right as the album came out or shortly after, I remember like yesterday, going to Kmart with my Dad to pick the single of 'Stuck with You' on Vinyl and picking up the cassette of 'Fore' at the same time. 'Hip to be Square', 'Stuck with You', 'Jacob's Ladder', 'Doin' it for my Baby' all went high on the charts and got tons of air time. 'I know what I like' even made the charts but didnt have the success in the top 10 like the other 4 songs did.

In the late 80's and early 90's, I was introduced to Metallica, Guns and Roses and much heavier, faster 'rock' music. My love for Huey Lewis faded but never went away. I found my best friend from my college years who was also into metal music, liked Huey Lewis just as much as I did. We recently talked about Huey just the other day. He got to go see him twice in 2011 and told me his vocals are just as strong today as before and much of the original band still plays with after all these years. Needless to say I was jealous he got to see him not once, but twice.

The "Gigography" at www.hln.org only lists Huey coming to the Nebraska 3 times, 8-1984 to Lincoln, 8-1987 at the Civic and 10-2011 at the Orpheum in Omaha but I remember another time when he also played Rosenblatt Stadium. I dont remember the year and he does not have it listed on his web site. I can only find mention on the web of it being peoples first concert, no other info. Regardless, of the few times he has come to the area, this will be the first time I get to see him. Even better, I get to see him for Free. Thanks Bank of the West!

Huey Lewis and the News with Mockingbird Sun 6-29-2012 6 pm, fireworks at 10 pm after the show Memorial Park, Omaha NE, Free Admission

Heard back from my good friend from college. (Thanks OZ!) Here is what he had to say: They played Rosenblatt in 1992, in May I think. They were touring on the album 'Hard at Play', with the single 'Couple Days Off'. I was at that show at the Civic, too, was the first big show I'd seen. Remember being awed by Bill Gibson's drum solo. When I worked for Hollywood Video years ago, they flew some of us to Vegas for a company convention, and they were our private concert one night. That show had a killer a capella segment that I can still hear in my mind. Love that band.

Did you hear that.... nope!

Im Frustrated beyond belief today. R2's sound quit working sometime ago. I've done the last few events without sound as I havent had the time or the money to fix it. I did start to trouble shoot why it wouldn't work. Talon came to one of the last build days so I took my Think Geek T-shirt box out to see if that was the problem. He had an extra that worked so we switched my box into his working system. Everything worked. So, we figured it had to be the 12 chaneel board that was bad. Not a far stretch since my battery had fallen on it recently. Luckly, Clay had an extra of those. So last night, I took mine out and went over to rewire the one Clay had. Once we finished wiring it, we tested it on Clays R2. It worked. Excited, I came home to put it into R2. Everything together, it should work since they all did seperate... but... nothing... Wont click and no sound. No idea where the problem is. Im about to completely re-wire everything and start from scratch.

Flash Back Friday: August 26th 2009: Day 16 of building R2-TD

Day 16 of building R2 brought work on the center leg. Brad, Moose, Steve and I worked on tracing the pattern on the wood so we could start cutting. We got a few pieces cut when the saw broke. It took a while to get it going again and by the time we had it fixed it was time to quit.

While we were working on cutting the center leg pieces, Syrena and Jen worked on cutting the leg hub holes in the legs. Than glued the next piece for strong leg support.

Steve also stated gluing his legs and has both of them drying now.