Hey Gang,
Time to upload some more photos from the "BLUR" week of concerts with Billy Currington, Chad Bradford and the Damn Band, singer songwriters Dallas Davidson and Brett Jones.
These photos are from the Saturday show at Cowboy Bill's Honky Tonk Saloon in Key West.
The night before, Billy Currington and all his friends played before thousands of people down at Mallory Square . . . .right after the sun sank into the ocean. To see those photos, click on the blog post immediately preceding this one.
The line at 6 PM waiting to get in
Two of the first ones into the club were Bill and Norm of Maryland's Eastern Shore fame from the Red Eye Dock Bar!
How it went down on Saturday, 19 Apr 08, at Cowboy Bills with Billy Currington
Two weeks earlier, we decided to sell NO tickets in advance to see Billy Currington in the intimate setting of Cowboy Bill's Honky Tonk Saloon. We set admission at just $10.00 and we decided to limit the crowd to 300 paid admissions. Each person entering would receive an armband so as to allow them to come and go from the bar as they wished.
While the staff was busy inside sprucing up the bar during the day, a line formed outside the main entrance before we officially opened at 6 PM.
Some of the big jobs during the day when we were closed entailed a big change to our audio/video system at the club. Cowboy Bill installed new audio monitors throughout the bar so that patrons could hear the musicians anywhere they walked. These were brand new Mackie 450 monitors, one hung by the elevated deck near the entrance, another hung by the Miss Irene House of Pain Bar, and two more hung inside the Sports Bar.
While Cowboy Bill worked on the sound, Captain Billy added new features to our video capacity. Captain Billy installed a new big screen in the Sports Bar and he ran video lines to a monitor at the MIHOP Bar* (Ms. Irene's House of Pain Bar). During all shows, Captain Billy manned an expensive video cam which he focused on the stage.
So, what we had that night for the first time ever at Cowboy Bill's was both video and audio in all rooms, bars, etc., where normally patrons do not get to see the bands. It was an awesome "extra" for the fans who packed the club.
Great shot of Chad Bradford restringing his guitar. Here's wishing you a guitar tech and tour bus in the near future, Brother!
Chad Bradford and the Damn Band getting ready to rock out.
Chad Bradford and the Damn Band doing one very late with Dallas Davidson from the night before.
How the sets went on stage
Chad Bradford and the Damn Band took stage about 9:00 PM. Chad blew out his voice at the Mallory Square Concert the night before. Yet he gave all during his first set on this historic night. We had planned on him taking a good break, resting his voice, and then bringing up Billy Currington, Dallas Davidson and Brett Jones soon after Chad's first set . . . which we sorta did.
Billy, Dallas and Brett were stuck down at the awards festival for the World Sailfishing Tournament, so Chad got back up and did a 1/2 hour set which was . . . despite his ailing voice . . . one of the best sets of the week for him and his band. They put everything into it. The crowd went nuts just like the huge crowd did the night before at Mallory Square.
. . . .And during this blistering 1/2 hour set, who walks in but Billy Currington, Dallas Davidson and Brett Jones! The crowd started clicking photos, we had to have a phallanx of security lead Billy to the stage, whereupon Chad and his band took a much needed break. Actually, we put Chad and Jamie (lead guitarist for the Damn Band) to work as our "acoustic" soundmen, borrowing some gear from Chad so all three singers next on stage could play acoustic guitars where you could hear a pin drop.
Without Chad Bradford and Jamie, this night would have not gone as seemlessly as did, so a big thank you to Mr. Bradford and Jamie. You guys are Aces, my friends, real stand up guys who don't whine and who pitch in to help at the drop of a cowboy hat. Many, many thanks.
The crowd waits as Billy Currington and Dallas Davidson in the background are tuning up.
Closer shot of from left to right, Dallas Davidson, Billy Currington and Brett Jones tuning up, doing monitor and mic checks. In the foreground is Craig one of our Security guys. On stage is Jamie lead guitar player for the Damn Band. Chad is up there too. I see his hat.
Billy Currington, Dallas Davidson & Brett Jones
Let me start this part by saying this: at 5:00 AM or so when Dallas, Billy and Brett were walking out of the club to the Jagermeister Tour Bus, I made it a point to tell them, "Guys, I've never been a big fan of acoustic music. I like electricity. But tonight, you changed my outlook on what can be done with one voice and an acoustic guitar."
I've never witnessed a show where three entertainers sit on bar stools and take turns going from left to right doing one song each of theirs.
Dallas Davidson was first out of the gate with a blazing reindition of a song he wrote (co-wrote?) called "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" recorded by Trace Adkins. The cheers were as loud as for the electric show the preceding night eventhough the crowd was 1/10th or less the size.
Then Billy followed Dallas. I can't even remember what he started with, because the moment he opened his mouth, the women in the audience screamed like Banshees. And after he finished, it took a minute for the crowd applause to die down so Brett Jones could start.
Brett wrote the Montgomery Gentry song, "What Do You Think About That?" and has a softer voice than both Billy and Dallas, yet everything he sang, like Billy, like Dallas, was so appreciated by the capacity crowd that applause and whistling always greeted the end of each song by any of the three.
Wrapping it up, after 90 minutes to two hours of nothing but their acoustic songs, the three singers got a huge round of applause and spent at least 30 minutes signing autographs from the stage . . . which was another very cool thing about Billy Currington: Billy, the biggest star of the three did not turn down any autograph requests. And let me tell you, I was an intemediary for autograph requests from the DJ Booth for shy men and women who were too timid to ask Billy to sign their hats, Beer Koozies, shirts, you name it. Time and again some couple would come up to me and say, "Until last night (or tonight) we never listened to Country Music. This was our first Country Music Show ever and we love it. Please, have Billy sign this to So and So on their Honeymoon!" And so it went, over and over.
That's Dallas Davidson singing in place of the ailing Chad Bradford whose voice was but a croak late this night.
After the Big Show, the Damn Band came back for more with Special Guests
Chad Bradford's voice was toast so Dallas Davidson stepped up to the plate and said, "Hell, let me take a crack at it with the Damn Band." And that he did.
Dallas sang non-stop requests from the crowd for at least one hour and then shouted, "Hey Wild Bill," (yelling at Billy Currington who was with Brett, our staff, and others sitting at the MIHOP Bar), "Wild Bill, come on over and do a few songs with the band!"
Now it's very late by this time. Normally, bands would be off stage. And yet, being the gentleman he is, and being the consummate non-whiny type of star he is, Billy Currington lept to his feet, came back to the stage, and next thing you know, he's singing for another hour with the Damn Band!
By this time Billy had come back to the stage, half the daytime crowd had left the bar. And yet, new people came in (there was no more cover charge after the 90 minute acoustical set) late and were totally unprepared to hear live music so late in Key West . . . especially with a star like Billy Currington!
The late, late show
I'm not sure what time the LIVE music ended as we were all on a natural high from long hours, the magical bliss of being surrounded with the sounds from incredible musician/singers/songwriters, and having so many new friends made at the bar who had never listened to Country Music in their lives. It was a magical evening none of us at the bar will ever forget.
During the late, late, late part of the night, Billy Currington, Dallas Davidson and Brett Jones went back to the MIHOP Bar where old and new fans would run up, chat a few seconds with these laid back guys, get a few autographs or photos, and do a shot or two.
Matt Dorgan, one of our Security Guys whose job was to stand by Billy all night, told me that during this time, Billy did not ever seemed perturbed by the constand interruptions of people seeking photos and autographs. In fact, he, Dallas, Brett and Billy took turns snapping photos with fans cameras of the singers at the MIHOP Bar.
Best wishes to Billy, Dallas and Brett
Cowboy Bill's and it's fans ask you to come back any time you want. You guys rocked! And don't ever feel like you don't have a home . . . Key West can be your hideaway from the stress up North. Come back soon, stay longer, and there's always a Jagerbomb or cold beer with your names on them at our bar.
Love,
Your friends at Cowboy Bill's Key West!
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