Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My band had a gig tonight at a very worthy cause-Relay for Life, an all-night walkathon thing where teams sign up and walk around a track from 7 pm - 7 a.m to raise funds for cancer research. It was very moving. The event kicked off with a lap done by cancer survivors. I was amazed at the diversity of participants-there were people from all age groups and all walks of life. Most poignant were the several small children who were in the survivor lap. One, a small boy named Sam, was having his 3rd birthday in two days.

We opened the event and played for a couple of hours as the 2500+ people came in and set up their tents and got settled in. My 360 made its debut live though not in my hands. As you know, I just got it a couple of weeks ago and unfortunately, we only were able to squeeze in one rehearsal in this time-not enough time to re-jig all the arrangements. I offered it to my friend to play instead of his usual guitar and he was thrilled. It sounded great. It cut through the mix like magic and the night featured superlative electric tones from top to bottom, whether on his biting slide for Neil Young's "For the Turnstiles," nice soft sweet solos for "I Shall be Released" and "I Don't Want Live on the Moon" (a great melodic Sesame Street song we do), fantastic bassy solos on "Wooden Ships," and screaming lines on a Strawbs tune we close off with ("Simple Visions"). What a treat to hear the guitar pounding through a big PA. I'm hoping to launch it live, personally, next weekend with a gig I have in the Niagara area.

Hey Stubby. Thanks for sharing this event. "Wooden Ships" rocks. Another example of the versatility of Rickenbackers.

Hey Bill - I've been involved in our local Relay for Life the past couple of years and it truly is an amazing event. The sight of hundreds of lit memorials to those who have been lost to cancer is incredibly moving.
Good to hear that your gig went well - our event entertainment is usually a bit lacking...

It was a very moving ceremony and I think I will take part as a participant next year - I mean as a walker on one of the teams. The lit memorials, white paper bags with names on the outside and candles lit inside, framed the entire track on which the walkers walked. Yea, it was something.

And yes Peter, "Wooden Ships" rocks! One of my favourite tunes that we do. When I come in on the harmony at the beginning of each verse, after what seems to be interminable solo bliss by our lead player, it re-affirms my love of music-just one of those great musical moments that seems fresh every time.

Sounds like a great set. "for the Turnstiles" is just about my favorite Neil song ("On the Beach" is a criminally overlooked album!), and "...On the Moon" was always my daughter's & my favorite song off her old Sesame Street tape that she played til it broke.