Might want to start up again...

But has my blog been hacked?  I can't even look at it...

Oak Ridge Boys and Billy Dean review

A small but intelligent crowd attended the last music show at the 2011 Wisconsin State fair. Opener Billy Dean has the looks, the talent, the songs, but I guess is not a contestant on American Idol, so people don't give a crap.  I challenge you to have young children and listen to the song, "Let them be Little" and not tear up.  Tonight was a show of good ol' country music. Music that had a message and sounded good.  Even today's country music is bubble gum pop.  I stopped listening to country once that happened.  I liked the story, the meaning to songs.  That is gone now, and that is why you have in the music industry a flavor of the month.  None of them will ever be big because they have no talent and no substance. 

There was threat of a storm so Billy Dean only sang 25 minutes and the "Boys" did a little under 1:30.  The Oak Ridge Boys have been around for 30 years yet still sound great, have songs that are pleasing to the ears, hooks that I remember from 1982, and a genuine love of music.  Even with a small crowd they played full speed, enjoyed themselves, and therefore the crowd enjoyed it all.  Of course you had the hits like "American Made" and "Bobbie Sue."  But when they sang "Elvira" there were hundreds of people lined up outside the stands trying to see in and take pictures.  It is a real problem in all forms of music.  No one will give a crap about anyone making music now in 30 years, who are we going to have coming to our State Fairs and music festivals?  The next person who won a contest on TV or the internet?  Give me good ol' fashion music any day.

Benno wins State Fair vendor of the Year...

In a very close race, Benno once again won State Fair vendor of the year. Benno changed it up this year and talked trash about the other contestants, but it was all in fun.  I love being at the fair so much. A thunderstorm rolled in, we listened to U2 Zoo play at the Bud, and drank inside the roof of the Micro.  

The night ended with a run at Bar Louie.  Very good time, fun to see good friends...xoxoxo

Whitesnake review

I was ready to call this show "The A-hole Circus" in preparation of what I thought would happen backstage Thursday night at the Wisconsin State Fair.  Instead I have to admit there were few problems.  There were a few crazed fans that managed to be backstage for a few minutes, but were quickly kicked out.  There was a big guy that had an old LA Guns laminate on who got back early in the day.  Since we did not have our meeting yet to tell us what was allowed a laminate of the band sounds good.  Problem is he is someone who was kicked out many times from backstage for their concerts.  I was puzzled why the lead singer allowed him in their dressing room to take a beer, but after the very big manager saw that, he took care of business.  Now, this could have been a time when the A-hole-ness started, but it didn't.  He said he realized why that would happen and who that guy was.  He didn't get back the rest of the night.  The lead singer of Whitesnake was very nice and thankful for all that we did.  The shows were not very good.  I do not know one song from LA Guns.  Skid Row has three songs I like, but they do not have Sebastian Bach anymore.  Funny thing is this singer looks a lot different from the last one, so I asked one of the band members why they have a new lead singer again.  He said this is the same one.  I said, "No, you used to have a skinny blond haired guy"  He responded, "Ya, that is the same guy, he just got fat."  Anyway,  David Coverdale has facial expressions that I didn't know where possible by a human face.  He really can't sing much anymore, but he can grab his junk and have simulated sex with the microphone stand.  I guess the 3000 people in the grandstand must have liked it, but I'm not sure why.  Throw in that Whitesnake played about an hour 20 with about 20 minutes of that being guitar and drum solo, and you have a perfect storm for me to want to get out of there....which I couldn't because they had a "meet and greet" after.  Not much of one when the lead singer is on a bus then minutes after the show.  I was forced to sit there while nothing happened for a good 30 minutes, then another 30 minutes of people just wandering around talking to the band members who were left. The low point (and the point where the production manager said we could leave) was when the meet and greet broke out into a game a hacky-sack.  Truly a new low.   No one was a jerk or out of control, just bla.  I guess that is the theme of the night, not bad,just bla.

The excitement of the day came when the Guinness Book of World Records certified that the State Fair made the Worlds Largest Cream Puff at 122 pounds.  I took a picture looking like I was eating it..it was funny.  

We finished the night at SafeHouse...stayed til close having a good time with good friends.  Only a few days left for those to continue.  

Blake Shelton review

The only modern country show of the fair took place Wednesday night.  I do not listen to country radio that much anymore, so I didn't know Blake had so many hell raising and drinking songs in his catalogue.  The last time he was at the fair I remember a good show, but not much showmanship. Maybe being a judge on "the voice" taught him a little bit about all that.  A few examples:  He had a part of the show where he talked about how messed up he was because his family used to lock themselves in their rooms and blast music.  He was just a toddler so he would sit in front of their doors and listen.  First he would go to his parents room and sit next to their locked door.  And yes he did insinuate why the door was locked.  Then he played a verse of "Play that funky music white boy."  Then he went to his brothers room where funny smelling smoke always came out and listened to his song (can't remember it).  Finally he got to his sisters door.  She was listening to the most God awful crap he had ever heard, so then he sang a verse of "My purgative."  He said he hated himself for singing that song, then said that moment changed his life forever because he knew that he wanted to be in music, and it was going to be the exact opposite to that "crap."  Later in the show he sat down to play some of his old slow songs.  He said he was worried that no one would remember them because to many people he is a "new artist" after seeing him on "the voice."  He said if the crowd didn't sing along once he started a song he would just start singing Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift songs.  During this segment he did play my favorite Blake Shelton song, "Austin."  In his set he played "Who are you when I'm not looking" "Hillbilly Bone" "Some Beach" "Playboys of the Southwestern World" and ended with "Ol Red."  Even Miranda Lambert came out and sang a song with Blake near the end.  Very entertaining show for the 7500 that came to the fair Wednesday night.  The aftershow was much different than the last time he played at the Wisconsin State Fair.  Last time he and James Otto went to Paulies and bought the whole bar round after round and got completely wasted.  Last night "Mr. Miranda Lambet" and the misses were gone less than 30 minutes after the show.  Well, he still pulled off the "party personna" on the stage even if it is becoming a little farther and farther away from reality.  

ZZ Top review

This always happens during the fair.  Right around the middle I get tired of writing these reviews.  All I want to say is, ZZ Top played for about 3600 people, they liked it, it sounded good, they have a handful of good songs.  Can I leave it at that?  Nothing interesting happened, they are not interesting on stage.  They didn't do a meet and greet.  They do sound good, they all sing without help, they all play their own instruments without additional musicians.  

After at Bennos Micro was a much more interesting event.  We went down to see the end of the Brewer game.  If you know the area there is the Micro on one side of the street and Budweiser on the other side.  There was some heavy metal death cover band in the Bud, and we were watching the Brewer game at Bennos.  There was a very good crowd out at the fair tonight, FYI.  I'm glad that people are not scared to come to the fair, but I have to say that I have been told that black kids are planning to come down to the fair sometime this weekend and try and rush the gates and just break in.  Who knows if it will happen, but what if it does?  What do we do then?  I say go buy a bunch of tear gas, tazers, and clubs.  Bring every cop in from the state and arrest every single one of these human puke buckets....Anyway...The funny thing was that when the death metal band finished their set the bottom of the 10th was just starting.  At Bennos we have a cable feed, Bud had a satalite feed.  So we saw everything 2-3 seconds before Bud.  It was so funny to be apart of.  We would see something and react, then the 150 or so people watching at Bud would react.  Great time at the Fair, Great time at Bennos again.

EAT at the fair...

Took the family to the fair again..we had baked potatoes, various flavors of milk, cheese nuggets, grilled cheese, other stuff...then the cream puff.  Drakes first time.  He loved it.  Dane ate half a one all by himself and wanted more.  A good end to the fair for the boys.  Still 5 more days of fun for me. 

NEW security lives up to the hype...

After Thursdays attack by human pukes, State Fair hired new security to check ID's.  They make the same we make, can get a raise (something I have not gotten in 16 years) and no doubt the Fair is paying $15 or more per hour for their services.  Here are a few thoughts.  How high is the qualiyt going to be for security that had nothing to do the day you call them (a Friday in Milwaukee) and can work for 10 days.  They literally bus these people in everyday, give them shirts to wear, and march them to a gate.  Today one of them was doing such a great job that the police department had to tazer him twice and arrest him.  I don't think I remember anyone from my crew getting arrested...yet we work for 16 plus years and get paid the same as someone working for 16 minutes.  Hope things go well to end the fair...

Jeff Dunham review

I never thought 7600 people would come and sit and listen to a ventriloquist, let alone in the rain.  But that is what happened at the Wisconsin State Fair Monday night.  Jeff's comedy is a bit corny and definitely racist, but I guess that is okay because Jeff is not saying it, "Achmed" or "Peanut" or "Walter" is.  Best joke of the night came when Walter asked Jeff if he was going to hell.  Jeff say yes, to which Walter replied something like, "Well, we have to go through Kenosha anyway." He also asked the people is Wisconsin why the hell they live here.  If your ass is just a little wet and you go outside in February your ass will be frozen shut.  There were a lot of funny jokes, some that were a bit tired and old, but the show lasted an hour and 40 minutes and it sure didn't seem like it....so it must have been okay.  He started off the show talking about how he got to this point.  He showed very embarrassing pictures of him growing up. Many of them had to do with the fact that he had started his career when he was only in 7th grade and needed "head shots" with the "dummies."  Since his parents would not pay for that, he used the school yearbook picture every year through high school to get new head shots.  He then proceeded to tell jokes about the pictures.  My favorite bit was Peanut making fun of how poorly the people who answer the phone at Chinese food establishments speak English.  "Can I have some chop sticks"  "No fok" Stuff like that...Racist...yes...okay because a puppet said it...I guess...funny...definitely.  

The Happy Together Tour review

The Turtles came on the stage to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"  They yelled "stop...what have they done to our music."  It's hard to refute that fact based on the impressive set list that even after 40 years is still pleasing to the ears.  I highly doubt that anyone who is making "music" today will be playing a concert for over 4300 fans in 40 years.  Most of them can not play for that many people today.  It seems like the music that came out of the 60's 70's and 80's was something that people could get behind, could be excited about, enjoy to the point that what they heard on the radio became the soundtrack of their lives.  Well, pretty much every song that was played at the Wisconsin State Fair Mainstage Sunday night was released 12 or more years before I was even born, but at any age someone who enjoys good melody, instruments, and beat can listen to hit after hit after hit and know it was a good time to be a music fan.  There is no way for me to list all the hits, go on youtube and search for The Turtles (three letters away from making a gazillion dollars), the Association, The Buckinghams, the grass roots, and Paul Revere and the Raiders.  The bands played for almost three hours and I didn't know two songs.  They ended the show with each act coming out one more time and singing the hook from one of their songs and as Flo and Eddie walked off the stage they turned to eachother and said, "It beats working"  "I beats washing dishes."  They personified the attitude of the 60's, and so did their meet and greet fans.  While the kids show had 250 people who walked in a single file line to meet the band, the 15 people that went backstage for this show couldn't do it.  When I told one guy to wait by a fence he asked me if he was in prison.  Different attitude for a different time. Okay, back to the show.   Each "group" was really just a front man or two and a house band that had a ton of skill on the instruments and could hit all those notes that might have been hit or miss from the legends.  Let's hope one day record companies decide they are going to make music that people can be passionate about, truely love, and will be remembered for a long time.  Now, back to Lady who?    

Big Time Rush review

There was a big time rush to the Wisconsin State Fair grandstand Saturday night complete with 9200 screaming girls and moms.  (That is more than at Mrs. Spears at Summerfest)  It was easily the biggest paid crowd at the grandstand since they tore down the old one.  These boys danced, sang, joked...they did whatever it took to entertain that crowd.  They did something that I have never seen done before and it was pretty cool.  They had every one take a picture of the stage at the same time...When all those cameras went off around the same time it made a really cool effect.  They were kids doing pop/rock songs from a TV show.  The music was fine, they even did a cover of "I want to hold your hand"  which exemplifies the type of music they played.  It was nice to see so many "young people" enjoy themselves to songs with a nice message.  The girls in the crowd were crazy but listed very well when asked to follow the rules.  I woudn't think that a used water bottle would be exciting but when I gave a girl one after the show she acted as if I gave her a check for $100,000.  The only trouble I had was a mom who refused to take her daughter off her shoulders  until I told her the next person who would tell her would be the police.  All in all a great show, and great for the fair.  Once again the groups manager told us that we were the best security crew they have seen anywhere in the United States.  This happens often because we are.  When they arived at the stage the manager was gonig off about how bad security was the night before, and that we better not ask for autographs or talk to them at all.  By the end of the night he was asking us if we wanted anything. Of course we said no, but it shows what a great job everyone does there.  The only downside to the night was that one of the band members slammed his motorcylce into a rental car.  He was fine but the car was @2500 unfine and I couldn't believe their manager le them do that type of stuff.  What if that guy, Carlos I think, broke his hand?  Not worth the "trill" of riding around on a ATV or motorcycle.  Other than the "new" security that gets paid more in 24 hours than I have been paid for working there 16  years and keeping them out of the grandstand things went great.  Well done Bruce for booking such a wildly successful and popular group.

Casting Crowns review

The Wisconsin State Fair house of worship had it's doors open wide tonight at the Mainstage as around 4100 of God's faithful raised their hands to the heavens.  The band was very gracious and nice, they thanked me and everyone they could for being there to assist them in their show, and the lead singer even listed to my father tell stories.  

The opener was from Beaver Damn and friends with my lil' sis.  She was sweet and had people from all over come to see her..including her second grade teacher.

The downside of the night, once again little turds that work at the fair try and ruin an operation that runs perfectly.  Maybe it is because they are jealous just as the kids from yesterday are jealous that others can have a fun, good time while they live in the squaller they have created for themselves.  Maybe it is because they are pukes the other 354 days of the year and need to try and make all that up during the fair.  IDK.  What I do know that for at least the past 16 years good had prevailed and the turds that try and disrupt at the grandsatnd have failed, and will continue to fail because they are failures.  

other stuff that happened at the Wisconsin State Fair

As is now the usual in American, black youth trying to destroy everything around them and atleast beat up as many white people as they can:

'Mob' beatings at WI state fair...

'Hundreds of young black people beating white people'...

Fairgoers 'pulled out of cars'...

'They were just going after white people'...

State Fair Day 1

2,500 people were busting a move tonight at the Wisconson State Fair Main Stage.  The show opened up with Young MC doing a 30 minute set.  He worked hard, was entertaining, and genuinely wanted the crowd to have a good time.  He was very nice backstage in almost a insecure type of way.  As if he had low self esteem and wanted people to tell him that his show was good.  He wore a Clay Matthews jersey for the show, looking for the cheap pop.

I don't think Tone Loc did a better job, but he got the higher billing.  Think he played about 30 minutes, but I wasn't really paying attention.  

Hammer went into the crowd for more than one song, he had 10 dancers, and worked his butt off.  I am sreiously shocked and disapointed that his crowd wasn't much bigger.  He had his 16 year old son come out and rap, I talked to him backstage and he seems like a geninly nice person.  We talked about his school, where they play next, and he told me he would like to live in Wisconsin because he likes to wear jackets. I quickly convinced him that liking jackets was not worth 12 inches of snow and negative windchills.  

All-in-all a very nice group of people who came to the Fair to put on a great show and went above and beyond to entertain.  They gave out roses in the crowd, one of the dancers even did a backflip off the track wall toward the grandstand.  At the end of the night what was supposed to be 25 people ended up being about 75 people on the stage.  Somehow very uncoordinated white guys like Dan Maren were on the stage donig the same dance moves they did 15 years ago in college. But even with all those people it was completely under control and that was the other thing that was nice.  Whith Hammer going into the crowd and the manager telling people to go on stage, things could have gotten way out of control.  However, the crowd was very well well behaved.  Even the one super drunk guy who did make it onto the ramp where Hammer did two or three songs quickly left when asked.  It is a deep contract over what happened at the end of the night in the rest of the park.  

After the show

We were unaware of anything that was happening with the large group of animals that got lose in the midway and on the street.  We went to the best place to have a drink, Bennos.  Listened to the rest of the Toys and had a few drinks.  It was interesting how large groups of people could gather, even drink alcohol, and not beat the crap out of just white poeple.  After that is was another great time at the SafeHouse and a wonderful meal at Johnny V's....and repeat..

Here is what happens when you have amateur hour running the country

Ya, Bush was stupid, Palin is stupid..
You screamed your heads off with the big, huge Valorie Plame story..wow..
Obama is completely and totally incompetent at EVERY SINGLE thing possible...
Let more intelligence leaks out in one second than in the history of the United States combined...idiot..

Today was the final straw..today is the day Obama took down the country he has hated his whole life.
Today is the day the United States stopped being the world's superpower
We care governed by children

GOP congressmen: Bill would use high-speed rail funds for deficit reduction

This is great to see.
The hard core liberal failure of this country might bring about actual change, reform, and responsibility.
What will happen is this will not go anywhere, but if the GOP keeps offering up things like this they will destroy dems in 2012 and Obama will be gone.
With the confidence true conservatives have will allow them to ignore the stupid comments of the media telling them they must be moderate.
I hope there is a poll taken about this legislation.
It will be supported my a great number of Americans.
Keep an eye on Paul Ryan...he easily could be our next President if he wanted to run..

socialism destroying countries

all the liberal idiots that come here will once again not be able to explain how this is not the fault of socialism or how it is the fault of bush or fox news..(see post two back where they said nothing)

why in the hell would we move toward something that has never worked ever in the history  of the world
it's like we are running into the burning building while everyone else is running out


IRELAND ON THE BRINK...


...TOLD TO TAKE EU BAILOUT

PORTUGAL HITS PANIC BUTTON...

GREECE: DEFICIT MUCH BIGGER THAN ESTIMATED...

BHO AWOL on Vets Day

POS

The effects of socialism

Here is what happens. An economy is strong and productive because of conservative policy.
Because there is so much wealth, liberals convince everyone that there is enough money to help the poor and others treated "unfair."
Eventually the economy slows and we start having deficits.
Because the people getting stuff from the govt expect it and have a sense of learned helplessness, the cost stays the same or goes up to "help" them.
Deficits grow to the point that the entire economy and govt budget are on the verge of collapse.
You are forced to cut all these govt programs while at the same time the economy has been damaged so bad even more people need the help that is no longer there. 
So while you started with a vast majority of people happy and some struggling, now you have everyone struggling and no help available.
Liberalism can not sustain itself.

Look at France
FRANCE PASSES RETIREMENT AGE RAISE TO 62 ^
France braced for second week of strikes, blockades... ^






Look at US:
SLASH AND BURN!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40111714
Raise Retirement Age...
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-10/deficit-reduction-panel-s-plan-would-seek-to-cut-social-security-medicare.html

With GWB back, it makes me think about all the things that "outraged" liberals just two years ago

So liberals, answer a few things for me...
You were soooo "mad" at Bush for his spending, where is the outrage now?

You were soooo "mad" about Gitmo, but now it is okay?

You wanted an end to the wars, what happened to the stories in the paper on a daily basis on soldier deaths?

Answer is that most of you really could care less about any of those things.  It was just a way for you to attack Bush..
If I am wrong answer why these things do not matter anymore

GOP Voters Like Three Candidates Best for 2012

The latest Rasmussen Poll states: Asked who they would vote for if the Republican presidential primary were held today, 20% say Romney, 19% Huckabee and another 19% Palin.

Again, I am going to say this is a very big mistake.  If the GOP nominates wishy-washy conservatives (read Romney and Huckabee) or someone that too many people see unfavorably (read Palin) then we will have 4 more years of Obama.

The GOP needs to nominate someone more along the lines of the candidates that won this time around.  True, principled conservatives that are not insane (read O'Donnell and Angle).

Right now I believe the BEST choice is conservative Paul Ryan from WI.  He is EXACTLY the right candidate for the times.  He is very fiscally Conservative.  He is not afraid to offer actual plans instead of just use talking points.

The other big time candidate might be Marco Rubio.  It might be too soon for him, but he doesn't need a teleprompter to speak, he seems conservative, looks good, and can peel away some of the Hispanic vote.

Do not let history repeat itself.  Every time the GOP nominates a moderate they lose big (read Dole and McCain).

Who would you like to see in '12.  You understand the campaign will start ramping up in about 2 months...

Obama to use teleprompter for Hindi speech

So let's see if anyone can help me figure this out.
If GWB was an idiot and he could do speeches without a teleprompter, what does that make Obama?
Honestly?
Is this a matter of national security?
Maybe not, but in a way it is if the leader of the free world does not have the confidence or brain power to memorize a speech...or at worst have some "cheat sheets"
I know Bush had a binder with him that he paged through, but it seemed like he only glanced at it.
Doesn't that make his just a little smarte on atleast some level?