[Dixielandjazz] Weird Gigs

[Kurt]

Being located in Des Moines, Iowa my band has had the opportunity to play
for almost every presidential candidate at one time or another over the past
20 years.  Iowa hosts the first in the nation caucus and other major
political events leading up to the primary and general election.

One time we were a featured band at the Iowa Straw Poll event held at Hilton
Coliseum in Ames.  Every candidate was there and was given strict
instructions to limit their speech to not more than five minutes to keep the
show on time.

There was a main podium from where the candidates spoke, and my band was
located on a lower platform (a few steps down from the main platform) just
to stage right of the podium.

Bob Dole gave his speech and as he approached the five minute mark it was
obvious that he was not going to finish in time.  At six minutes, the floor
director was giving him the cutoff sign, which he ignored.  Then they shut
his mic off mid sentence.

When this happened, he walked over to the platform my band was playing on
and grabbed one of the front line mics and started talking again.  At that
point, the band got a cue to start playing, which we did.

Dole finally got the hint and left the podium.  The thousands in attendance
went nuts.

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com]On Behalf Of Charlie Hull
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 1:19 PM
To: Robert S. Ringwald; DJML
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Wierd Gigs


Not the weirdest, but certainly the most boring:

During the Ross Peirot presidential campaign, my K Street Ramblers JB was
hired to play at a Ross rally at the local Holiday Inn.  We were seated
on-stage next to the speaker' podium, played trad while the audience was
assembling, and 'California, Here I Come' as Ross came down the aisle and
mounted the Podium.  He began to speak immediately and we had no chance to
leave without disruption.  We were trapped during his dazzling 45-minute
speech.  Try looking awake and interested through that!

We weren't scheduled to play any more, and managed to sneak off after Ross
finished and was basking in his standing ovation.

Charlie Hull


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