The Estes Park Big Band Bash at Performance Park
The Big Band Bash was the happening that almost didn’t happen. Remember those fires all over Colorado last June?
Well, no one knew if “it” was on until we got the go ahead that morning of the festival.
I booked as soon as I could to catch some of the other bands scheduled to perform before us. It was a good thing I did. Half way up, my Volvo decided to take a nap right in front of a bikers log cabin leather shop.
There I was in full regalia. Snap brim hat, gold plated cuff links, and two tone shoes, standing in the middle of some very big boys who were asking me where I came from. I smiled, gave them my card, invited them to the show, and from there, things got all warm and fuzzy, as they proceeded to bestow respect upon me. .. The legend of Sinatra dies hard.
We were discussing the pleasures of Jack Daniel’s, when a young couple walked in, looking for post cards to mail home. They were cruising the Rockies, on their honeymoon from Huntington Beach. We had a couple laughs, and they said;
“Dude, want a ride?”
Estes Park:
Elevation – 7,522 feet
Population – 6000 people
Reputation – Popular summer resort.
Point of Interest – Home to the Stanley Hotel. (You know. Stephen King .. “The Shining”? Pure 1909 Edwardian opulence. But I’d steer clear of Room #217.)
Now dig this. The back drop behind the Performance Park Amphitheater is a forty foot rock wall that shoots straight up. Talk about acoustics! I got there just in time, and joined JMO on stage for a musical go around of some personal favorites such as “The Lady Is A Tramp”, “Please Be Kind”, and “Get Me to The Church On Time”.
And here’s the happy ending. My ride started when I got back to it. The Harley boys diagnosed it as vapor lock.
