Eric gales at c2g (our first night working)

The lovely Lady and I worked our first show at the C2G Music Hall Wednesday evening. We have been there many times (it's where our church meets) and have attended many shows. We were asked to serve as volunteers for this show though, and whether it was working or simply attending, I am glad we did! Eric Gales nearly blew our faces off!!

I had watched a couple Youtube videos of Eric prior to Wednesday, so I knew he was an incredible guitarist in the style of Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, and the likes. I was already excited to see him - as were a couple hundred other rowdy folks who packed the Hall on this night. It turns out he is much more than a master of his Stratocaster though.

Mr. Gales plays guitar left-handed, turning a right-handed guitar upside down ala Hendrix, but he is actually not left-handed himself. Apparently, his brother taught him to play when he was only four years old, and that's how his brother did it. So he kept on playing that way, and it seems to have worked out pretty well. :)

Yes, he was known as a "child prodigy" from a very young age, he has played with the greatest of the greats, and Joe Bonamassa claims he is his favorite guitarist. Yet there is something more to Eric Gales, and he let us know right from the start of the show just what it is.

You don't often see a performer begin a show by sharing their testimony. The band played a brief intro, then Eric shared how his life had taken him down many a wrong road. He didn't go into great detail and said he didn't want to turn it into an AA meeting, but one thing I found particularly interesting: He said, "You might see me moving my lips tonight while I play. Don't think I'm talking to myself, because I am likely talking to someone much Higher than all of us." I believe he said he was two weeks shy of being fifteen months clean and sober, and he wanted everyone to know it!!!

It was a pleasure to watch this entire band play. I thought the bass player was exceptional, the drummer and Eric's wife were both outstanding on percussion, but Eric seemed to play with a freedom and joy that really did appear other-worldly at times. From nuanced riffs and blistering solos to the sheer ease with which he wrapped the audience around his little finger... this is a man, and a band, who seem to love what they do. It was infectious, and I can't imagine anyone left disappointed.

I became a fan of Eric Gales on this night. Not just his music, but the person he is. He inspired me to want to be better. I'd say that's a sign of a good night. It will also be remembered by us as the night we joined the team of volunteers at C2G. We served as Gold Circle Ticket-Takers on this night, and it sounds like we may start working the regular ticket counter now. Tonight will be our second show. I don't really know who it is, but coming up we have the likes of Coco Montoya, Savoy Brown, the Mersey Beatles, Victor Wooten, The Accidentals, Tinsley Ellis, and more. It should be fun!

Buddy guy, eric gales, and ally venable - damn right farewell tour

Damn right is damn right! I saw it with my eyes, heard it with my ears, breathed it in my lungs.

Buddy Guy brought his 'Damn Right Farewell' tour to town... and it was! Joining him at The Embassy Theater in Fort Wayne on February 23rd were the incomparable Eric Gales, as well as the Ally Venable band to start things off.

And let me say... "Whew, what a night!!!" Jane actually bought our tickets for my 60th birthday last November. She couldn't have imagined a better gift. Not only was it Buddy Guy, in our hometown, but I'm not sure she realized Eric Gales would be here too! I've been a fan of his since the two times we hosted him at C2G/Baker Street Centre (The first time was actually the first concert we worked as volunteers and the second time was in 2019).

I mean, Buddy Guy is Legend. Do I need to say more? Yes, he's 86 years old, but his performance now is measured by the lifetime of music and influence he has shared over the years. I was in awe from the moment he took the stage in his brightly colored shirt under bib overalls and tennies. He sang, told stories, wandered the stage, and slung his guitar longer than I expected. It was an honor and privilege.

Ally Venable was quite a surprise to begin the evening. I was not familiar with her, but anyone who can pull off Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Lemmy' is alright in my book! 

The highlight of the evening for me though... Eric Gales. And I'll be honest, I was high from the get-go on this evening. Not from drugs, but being a Thursday night, and me taking Friday off work for a 3-day weekend, and the aura of the old Theater... it was a special night already. When Eric came out and after a brief few notes went into his story of addiction and now 6 1/2 years of sobriety, and then just WAILING on his guitar... Well, those of you who know me will not be surprised that I mostly just sat with a stream of tears for the first few songs. My heart was full and the headliner hadn't even started... Dang.

I could go on about Eric for some time. The two posts I linked above give a good enough idea, and I've honestly yet to fully wrap my head around this night. This pic with him was after the show - FOUR HOURS LATER! Altogether the concert was around 3 hours and 45 minutes. I was so emotionally worn out, and to get an autographed CD and a brief chat just about did me in. Jane had to tell me later what I even said. ...

While I could ramble more, lets just say I was pretty pleased. This was an "event" for me. It seemed like years were flooding through my mind while time stood still and... a lot is churning beneath the surface. I can't even say for sure what it is... but it's good. All of it.

Damn. Right.

I'ma gonna need a minute...

Eric Gales takes us to church

We worked the Eric Gales concert at C2G Music Hall last Friday, September 20th. It was actually the second time we had worked one of his shows here. You can read about the first one - which was the first show we ever worked as volunteers at C2G - at my post here on September 29, 2017.

Once again, Eric blew our faces off with his guitar playing, and blew our minds with his testimony. He is not a "Christian musician," mind you. But he is a blues/rock musician who is a deep believer in Jesus. The first time we saw him he was just over a year sober. Now he is celebrating three years! He held nothing back in his praise to God and, with a little editing, the founder of the church/music hall is hoping to have video of him sharing what an honor it is to play at C2G/Come2Go and how God has impacted his life.

Just like the first concert of his, we once again worked Gold Circle tickets and seating. We normally either do that or the regular ticket counter. The difference between the two tonight was $20 vs. $40 (but it's only about three feet!). The sixty or so Gold Circle people pretty much covered the cost of the show though, so I'm glad they were there (in addition to another 100 or so general admission)!

Ironically, for as vocal as Eric was about God and faith, this was actually our first time in the building in about three weeks. We decided to take a little "break" from church at the beginning of September. We'd already agreed to work this show before that decision, so it was a little awkward at times. We did manage to survive.

I plan to write more about the church exit at some point (have been meaning to for three weeks now). What makes it worse is... events like this concert are actually what we really LOVE about the church. Unfortunately, the founding pastor (who still oversees the concert hall) and the current pastor do not share the same vision. I/we really like the current pastor as a person, but honestly, we are much more in tune with the founding pastor's vision. So, it's a bit of a quandary for us at the moment.

Anyway, this was a nice night of some much needed blues music, as well as a reminder by Eric of the value of a real faith in God. We were blessed.

The year in review

Out with the old and in with the new. Good riddance 2019!

Oh, sure, there were probably just as many good times as bad. I pretty much remember 2019 though as the year I ran a sucky Indy Mini and Fort4Fitness marathon, I still work a shit job, we left another church, and my dad was put in a nursing home.

Anyway, first I will attempt to list the books I read this year, followed by a month-by-month breakdown of some highlights I remember (I know I am missing some concerts and definitely movies though, as well as trips back home).

BOOKS I READ IN 2019 (minus a couple I think I forgot):

• Cross Vision: How the Crucifixion of Jesus Makes Sense of Old Testament Violence by Greg Boyd
• North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek
• Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari
• Loves Immensity: Mystics on the Endless Life by Scott Cairns
• Practicing the Way of Jesus: Life Together in the Kingdom of Love by Mark Scandrette
• John For Everyone (pt. 1 & 2) by N.T. Wright
• Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzaro

January -

• We had the first measurable snowfall on 1/9
• Bought my first pair of Brooks (Ghost 11) running shoes

February -

• We hosted the first indoor 5k at my workplace
• I stopped taking antidepressants (Zoloft/Sertraline)
• The board fiasco at the former church 

March -

• I had a bout with gout (hurts like the dickens!) 

April -

• I was finally asked to pray during a Sunday morning service
• Tincaps season started (4th), which means I started parking cars in the church lot for games
• We took a short 2 1/2-day trip to Madeira Beach, FL
• The first mowing of the year was the 17th
• I had my evaluation at work (23rd)
• I started being the "checker" at work

May - 

• I ran the Indy Mini half marathon - 1:59 but it was a near-downpour the entire 13.1 miles
• We both ran the Vineyard Trail 5k
• We saw Buckethead at the Clyde
• We got the eGYM system at work
• I got a new phone (iphone 8)
• I somewhat unexpectedly sold the motorcycle
• I planted our first raised garden (tomatoes, peppers, carrots and radishes)

June -

• I was asked to join the Preaching Team at our former church (never did preach there)
• I shave my beard (from October or November of 2018)
• I bought my first pair of 'toe socks' for running, and finally seem to have solved my blister problem 

July -

• We took a family vacation to the Galena Territory (both kids, their spouses, grand kids, and my parents)
• We worked the Carl Verheyen (Supertramp) and Albert Lee show at C2G
• I took several training courses online through the Y

August -

• I wrote about a class I'd like to lead: Stillness Practice
• The new park (Promenade Park) opened in Fort Wayne
• Jane was diagnosed with a wheat allergy
• The Feipels moved to their new home just outside Fort Wayne
• All three grand kids started full-time school
• We got a washer and dryer at work (to be able to wash our own towels)

September -

• My cousin Linda passed away
• We got a sound bar for our TV in the basement
• We worked the Eric Gales concert at C2G
• We stopped attending church at C2G (I think our last Sunday there was 9/1)
• I ran my 2nd marathon - it was a total disaster... my worst run ever/or my best

October -

• Jane had an endoscopy done and discovered she has a hiatal hernia
• The Feipels got a dog
• We saw Lyle Lovett at the Clyde
• I put a new faucet in my bathroom sink

November -

• Jane and her brother Mark flew to Colorado to see their brother Keith
• We started a new study with the Datemas (Godspeed)
• Isaac and Ricci were able to join us for Thanksgiving

December -

• I finally had my umbilical hernia repaired (12/3) and was off work for a week
• My blood pressure went sky high and I changed from Lisinopril to Ziac
• I did the Health Screening at the Y
• Dad was put in the hospital just before Christmas with pneumonia and anemia
• Dad was transferred from the hospital to a nursing home the day after Christmas
• Everyone came here for Christmas, then we all went to Buda along with my sister, her one son Kevin, and her dog (the two of us slept in Mark's Sheffield house; everyone else was at my parent's)

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So, there it is. Pretty much. I wish I'd have kept better track of the concerts and other events - even the number of trips back to Buda. Oh well. Such is life. And this is what it looked like in 2019.