We're very excited to have Babs as a new guest contributor, here's her first amazing article! Thanks again Babs!
Who The $%^& Is This Again?: The Real Torch Carriers Of Rock N Roll By: Babs Monroe
So we've all been a supporter of the local bands, regardless, if we knew it or not. But how many of us took them for granted? I mean where would we be without the 5 dollar shows and all the alcohol we could ever want to consume? So let us get this story straight. Yes, we all love the huge venues with a thousand plus people cramped into a 20 by 30 space with everyone's sweat rubbing on each other. That's part of the experience. But someones got to say it. With the economy the way it is and all the new bands they are slapping to open these big venues, you have no idea what you're in for. So let's give a big toast and a hell yeah to the cover and local bands that give the normal joe the opportunity to have a good time!
This past weekend, I had been invited by some close friends to the first ever GABLEFEST. With bands including Gable, Holy Steel, A Nameless Desire, Torque, Special reunions including Stone, Vicious Wishes and Gable & Grace. So on our way, we pick up the biggest bottle of Jager we can find. This already told me what kind of night it was going to be. (with being pregnant, the biggest buzz i was getting was heartburn from a single glass of wine.) Here I am in bumfuck Maryland rolling down back roads until i see a huge field with signs and a stage right in the middle of it. Im thinking okay... well lets give it a shot. As 3 in the afternoon rolls around i see a few middle aged women putting it down like its going out of style. (the more power to them, nothing like killing all the alcohol you brought before happy hour even starts). And as i shaking my head, I thought, who am I to sit here and judge? We are here to have a good time and rock out right right? I mean a lot of these people have been at it way longer than i have, and no use of being bitter because I have to play sober sally for the night. The 80s were the height of sex drugs rock n roll. So can I blame them for tying one on while their kids are gone for the night? hell no.
So let us get to the music for a minute. I must say what isnt a big deal to you, is to another. Some of these bands came all the way from florida and some of the western states. If we can't credit that, we might as well admit were an asshole. And i was pleasantly surprised. With having a soft spot for 80s and 90s covers and found myself cheering and dancing along. I mean, no matter how many times we hear someones version of man in the box by Alice in Chains its still a damn good song. Shit, I even was singing along to a metal version of Purple Rain. If you can pull that off than your good people.
As the day turns into evening, more and more people showed up. There was biker gangs, rednecks, 80s rockers, along with homeboys in their 20s. Oh there were cows, how could i forget to mention the cows. (it was on a farm btw) So with a turn out of 200+ people, I was like holy shit, how could i be so niave in thinking that these "nobodies" in rock n roll were actually nobodies. If they were, there wouldn't be a fan base this big. Oddly enough, It felt like a family environment. For once i wasnt worried about someone stealing my shit or being hit on by that super drunk guy. But I did think, I might be the only pregnant one to show up, but not the only pregnant one to leave.
With my closing, I will put some funny stuff in this article. Through out the evening, my boobs were the topic to talk about, you cant go wrong with prego boobs. Also, my husband decided to light a bon fire after I went on a beer run with our good friend who was hosting it all. He waited for a reason I suppose, because i came back and he was missing his eyebrows, part of his eyelashes, and burned his knuckles. (oh sigh) Ill blame that on moonshine someone was passing around. Also, even though i didnt get to witness any boobies, which makes me sad, I heard about it. oh and i forgot good ole grandma and grandpa came out to visit. nothing like 80+ yr olds rocking out in their hoverounds. NO LIE. So with all the joking aside, I thank our good friends Chris and Tammy Gable, along with Mark from GABLE and all the other bands for opening my eyes to the real people of rock n roll. Its not arena venues anymore, nor is it a 20$ t shirt or hollywood blvd. It is the stay at home mom with a passion, the working joe with a vision, and all the motherfuckers out there with a love for music and a good time. So this is for you working class. Go to your fridge, after your kids are asleep ofcourse, and pour yourself a shot. You all deserve it. And lets keep this train rolling.
OHH BABS,
ReplyDeleteThanks for puttin' this in print. As one of the performers in the last group of the night, I got to hang with all the great people and performers throughout the day. It was what we all hoped it would be, a feild party like we all went to in High School !! When you got out on that feild, you were free to enjoy the day anyway you wanted. That actually took some getting used to for some folks. But, once everything got started, they all figured it out in a hurry .
To add to your story, I saw the lighting of the Bon- Fire and I saw the puff of smoke that a split second before was a pair of eyebrows. I also was asked by another one of the performers right as I was about to introduce a band , if I saw your rather large boobs. Even in a crowd you weren't hard to find ! And, atleast 3 couples reportedly used the cover of darkness and the woods out by the parkin' area to practice making little Rockers !!
Got to give big thanks to Mark, Tammy, Chris, Bill, all the performers, C.S.M.C. Harford Chapter, the photographers, and the coolest crowd we've had the pleasure to perform for. No Bullshit, they came ,they Rocked, they know how to have a good time !!!
I know next year will be another Great "GABLEFEST" but, this will be the memory we'll al refer to as the rest come and go. Maybe next year we'll have vendors ?!?!
Stay Cool and we'll C-Ya out there,
S.R.F.
I created GABLEFEST as an outlet. A way to get out of the large clubs and small bars that don't pay enough to the bands to make it worth while to put on a great stage show and a fun night of rock n roll. So I asked every good and cool band that I knew to donate there time to come and play in a field in the middle of bumfuck nowhere for a bunch of people that wanted to rock out like we did when we were younger. The result was the best day of rock that I have ever had the pleasure to be apart of. Bands like Holy Steel, with a southern metal edge to Torque and there mind blowing presence on stage. The reunions were all fun. Playing with people you haven't played with in years in always alot of fun but what really makes the day worth while and makes me know that rock isn't totally dead is that Babs herself, who is much younger than the bands that were playing and the general age of those in the crowd, got exactly what I was trying to achieve. So for that alone, the day was worth it. I will continue to log onto Babs blogs and hope that the rest of you will do the same. Thanks Babs and keep up the great writing. We will keep up the great rocking. Look forward to seeing you at Gablefest 2.
ReplyDeleteGable