  Johnnie_sue_bridges Member Username: Johnnie_sue_bridges Post Number: 4 Registered: 08-2007 |
I’m not sure if you’ve ever felt the sting of stepping onto the stage to look out over the audience to see maybe ten or so people sitting there, two of them being your grandchildren, one your wife, and the other being your daughter and her new friend. Being an author, the desire to write this story was burning in my head all night long. I watched my husband Gil Bridges of Rare Earth nervously scramble through the house yesterday as he gathered his saxophone, wireless mic, and his flute for his performance in his hometown of Detroit. Rare Earth plays to sellout crowds of thousands everywhere they go, but when they play Detroit there just never seems to be any support. The anxiousness Gil displays when the band plays here is very much justified, as we saw yesterday when we pulled into the parking lot at Grand Circus Park. There were no visible signs whatsoever that Rare Earth was playing. Right away, Gil looked at me and said, “See, I told you. This happens every time we play Detroit. We never get any respect here. Its not the people, it’s the promoters.” I replied, “Yeah, Detroit is loaded with talented and much-sought-after musicians still living right here in our own backyard, and you all are so overlooked. Just like when Carl Dixon came all the way over from England to gather the musical legends to record. You don’t see anyone around here trying to grab hold of our heritage, only the outsiders. They appreciate our musicians.” However, like the true professionals they are, Rare Earth took the stage and performed as if there was a crowd of millions. And of course, the few Detroiters that happened by and realized Rare Earth was playing acted like true Detroiters and gave the band their much-needed support. One of the fans looked at me and said, “Don’t worry, we are not many, but we will let them let them know we are here for ’em.” I looked at her and smiled as I thought to myself, “That is the Detroit I love.” When Rare Earth plays Detroit, their nerves are always on edge. For one, who doesn’t want their hometown gig to be a success. Playing in front of family and friends is hard enough, but when they come out to see that you are playing in front of a crowd of ten or twenty it is very humiliating and degrading. Not to mention, thank God our guitar player is a master electrical engineer, because the soundboard was of the lowest quality and was not working at all. Ivan literally had to reassemble the soundboard just to be able to play the gig. The promoter’s spokesperson stopped by (and did not stay for the concert) to tell Gil, that the Dream Cruise folks backed out on their promise to promote the gig, so in other words, you are left to fin for yourselves. In his words, “Go ahead and play a couple of sets and break it down whenever you want.” Hopefully, the folks in charge of booking and promoting our hometown legends will sit up and take notice, and give our city’s very talented citizens their just due! No one lives forever, and many of Detroit’s legends are already gone. Detroit is a beautiful city filled to the brim with beautiful people. Hey promoters, let the people know! God bless Detroit Johnnie Sue Bridges http://info.detnews.com/redesi gn/blogs/joyridesblog/lettersi ndex.cfm | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 8221 Registered: 10-2003 |
Woo Rare Earth. Say hi to Delaney from a WB alum. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 279 Registered: 10-2007 |
That's pretty awesome. I'm still waiting for a Frijid Pink show as well. (Message edited by ggores on August 15, 2008) | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 86 Registered: 08-2008 |
Hi Johnnie Sue: I'm sorry that I missed the show...I had not heard anything about it. If they have any further upcoming dates in the Detroit area, please let us know -- this forum is a great way to get the word out! Please let your husband and the others know that we wish them the best and tell them to keep their heads up! Many great people are not appreciated in their own time, but it doesn't make their talent any less so. I'll be looking forward to one of their shows in the future! | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 888 Registered: 02-2008 |
Frigid Pink played the Summer of Love festival in Wyandotte last summer. I think they had one original member. | ||
Maof2 Member Username: Maof2 Post Number: 324 Registered: 06-2008 |
"I just wanna celebrate.." Sorry to hear the outcome JS. Did they not play in Mt. Clemens at one time? As you may know, Mt. Clemens has become a hot spot in recent years and have had many local bands play especially during the summer events. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 280 Registered: 10-2007 |
yes... I heard thru the grapevine about two months afterwards. Kinda re-enforce's johnny-sue's point. | ||
Liberal_democrat Member Username: Liberal_democrat Post Number: 21 Registered: 08-2008 |
Keep in mind that Dennis Coffee is playing the Corktown Tavern on MI Ave next week. http://www.denniscoffeysite.co m/appearing.htm | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 1130 Registered: 02-2004 |
who is rare earth? hipster music or just just suburban rock styles? OR none of them? | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 87 Registered: 08-2008 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R are_Earth_(band) http://www.rareearth.com/ | ||
Leob Member Username: Leob Post Number: 122 Registered: 10-2005 |
Music is valued at the Dream cruise about as much as it is at the Casinos. "can you turn it down please?, I can't hear my slot machine •••• Gil and Rare Earth are an awesome set of musicians that deserve better from their home town. | ||
Bongman Member Username: Bongman Post Number: 1591 Registered: 12-2003 |
You got that right Leob. Seen them plenty of times and they never ever put on a bad show. http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v= qZD9vPmjRck | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2996 Registered: 10-2003 |
Hey Johnnie Sue, Please post such Rare Earth appearances here on the Forum. (Don't know if it was posted on Soulful Detroit, but I don't get to that site on a regular basis.) If we had known that RE would be appearing last night as part of the Downtown Cruise event, we would have made an effort to head down there to check out the event. As my husband also is a musician around town, we try to keep tabs on who's playing where, and I know we did not see that mentioned in the Cruise lit or elsewhere. Truly we would have loved to be there. As for music being appreciated at the Dream Cruise, I think it depends on the when and where. The Berkley CruiseFest always has music after their Car Parade on Friday evening, and the concerts are always well attended. Spyder Turner played the post-parade show in recent years, among other many fine musical acts. | ||
Xd_brklyn Member Username: Xd_brklyn Post Number: 429 Registered: 10-2003 |
On a couple of the clips you can download from the Keener13.com website you can hear some old Rare Earth radio commercials for their album Ecology. Also my uncle helped run the Rare Earth label for Motown back in the day. Always thought the label came first and then the band, but after the reading the Wiki entry looks like I might be wrong. | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 337 Registered: 11-2006 |
Rare Earth played last year at the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival and there was I very large crowd. I had to say I was impressed they played a great show!! I still think someone should book Junior Brown for the Dream Cruise | ||
Dianeinaustin Member Username: Dianeinaustin Post Number: 90 Registered: 02-2008 |
Highway Patrol | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 339 Registered: 11-2006 |
better yet "Freedom Machine" GUIT------ARRR | ||
Johnnie_sue_bridges Member Username: Johnnie_sue_bridges Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2007 |
Hello DetroitYES Downtown_lady, Johnlodge, Ggores, Downriviera, Maof2, Liberal_democrat, Steelworker, Leob, Bongman, Kathleen, Xd_brklyn, Norwalk Rare Earth, and I thank you all for the support. As you can tell, I was very un-nervered as to the situation at Grand Circus Park yesterday. Detroit is our home, and the people of Detroit treasure all of our historical music roots. If they knew folks were playing; they would come. Sometimes I feel as though the world has forgotten our history. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have heard folks talk about “the cream of the crop of musicians” that we have here in Detroit. And we do! In my opinion, DETROIT has always proven beyond a shadow of doubt that WE ROCK! I hope everyone goes to see Dennis Coffey. He is another one of Detroit’s finest. The last time I saw him play at Bakers (another awesome Detroit landmark) Dennis and that outstanding band that plays with him, tore it up! They were fantastic. And Spyder Turner, well that goes without saying—Anther one of Detroit’s very finest. Spyder will make you stand there and scream your lungs out! He is one fantastic performer. Joe Billingslea and The Contours, Grand Funk Railroad, the Nuge, Seger the list does not end. We are blessed, and have an awful lot to be proud of here in Detroit, and I am sad when the rest of the country only sees negative issues. We will work our stuff out. I am proud to be from Detroit! God bless Johnnie Sue Bridges | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 89 Registered: 08-2008 |
quote: Excellent! I second that! | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 1099 Registered: 05-2007 |
Similarly, unusual Mayor fools Motor City. | ||
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk Post Number: 340 Registered: 11-2006 |
I have to say they did a poor job of promoting the events downtown for the "Dream Cruise" I heard about the show at Campus Martius too late to enter and then I found out about the show on Madison which this concert was probably part of toO late as well. I generally dont enter car shows unless its a fund raiser. But I am very proud of our Automotive heritage and these 2 events I would have jumped at entering. I did pop by the Campus Martius event It was a fantastic setting which when I was there it seemed poorly attended. I am getting the Packard out of storage on my way home and I am gonna pop by the Fairgrounds this evening | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 1657 Registered: 12-2003 |
The Campus Martius events were planned by Cruisin' Motor Cities, which isn't part of the official Dream Cruise... | ||
Lafontaine Member Username: Lafontaine Post Number: 23 Registered: 06-2006 |
Rare Earth performed in Mt Clemens a few years ago right before the fireworks. The city was packed and the band put on a great show in front of thousands of fans. I remember them playing the long, extended (over 10 minutes) version of "(I Know)I'm Losing You". I would have loved to see them again in Detroit but did not know about this show. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1694 Registered: 07-2007 |
Wow Johnnie_sue_bridges I could not read all of that. Besides that point, Steelworker, how dare you say who is Rare Earth. Only Motown's first 'white band'. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 285 Registered: 10-2007 |
I spoke to no less than four people tonight (which exponentially is 34 or more) who would have been there, but they did not know from the get-go. Good news travels way too slow, and bad news travels real quick. |
