Looking for a good time in downtown Emerald City tomorrow afternoon? Why not enlist in prominent local musician Brad Wheeler's Harmonica Army II?You can read Brad's introductory letter here. More information is available on his Harmonica Army II website.
Charlie Trentelman also wrote a few words about this event in his Wasatch Ramber column, earlier this week.
Long-time readers will recall that we promoted the Harmonica Army I event last year on Weber County Forum. And your blogmeister also joined the Harmonica Army throng of 1200 or so lumpenmusicians who delivered their rendition of "The Saints" that last cool October 2006 afternoon. Unfortunately we failed to eclipse the standing record of 1800 wailing harmonicists, despite feverish enthusiasm and last minute pleas for reinforcements. Thus this spring encore performance, where a world record will be put under siege again.
Come one; come all. Enjoy the Emerald City festival atmosphere at Lindquist Field. Food and beverages will be available at the concession stands (including adult beverages, according to a reliable insider source.) As for music, there will be plenty of that. How many musical events do our readers attend, we ask, where attendees are actually invited to play with the band?
We'll meet you there on Saturday.
Rudi will be wearing his usual "white carnation."
Be sure to say "hello."
Update 5/13/07 9:05 a.m. MT: As several readers have already reported in the lower comments section, yesterday's Harmonica Army II world record assault went off without a hitch, (at least in the eyes of the harmonicist-attendees,) despite a decidedly non-record turnout of around 1,000. Although the old record still remains intact, this slight "glitch" didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the gathered crowd one danged bit. Yesterday's Harmonica Army Bivouac definitely had that old-tyme Emerald City "feel" to it -- that indescribable kind of spontaneous community camaraderie which used to exist in our city prior to the advent of the "G-word" -- a very strange point in Emerald City history when events in this old blue-collar town began to take on the "restrained" look and feel of Provo church picnics.
The Standard-Examiner's Molly Bennett provides a good write-up this morning, so there's no reason for your blogmeister to be long-winded with the facts.
We will say however that we spoke briefly with Brad Wheeler shortly after the event; and YES! There will be a mustering of troops next year for an Harmonica Army III event!
For those readers who crave graphic images, we offer a few random ones here, along with our confession that we had so much fun mingling and schmoozing with the folks in the stands, we dang near forgot about our pocket-camera. As you can see from these pics, our classy and sweet little Ogden Raptors ballpark makes a dandy backdrop for any public event. We were pleased, BTW, to meet and greet at least a dozen gentle Weber County Forum readers who stepped up and greeted us.
As compensation for our admitted lack of diligence in capturing a full album of still shots however, we link for our readers' pleasure this most-excellent Standard-Examiner video clip.
And speaking of the Ogden Raptors -- please don't forget their June 22nd home opener, in which connection we post this pre-season letter from Raptors Owner Dave Baggott, which we received (coincidentally) by email yesterday.
If you haven't yet taken in a Raptors game, we suggest you plan to do so this summer. It's the closest thing in Emerald City, convivial community atmosphere-wise, to a Brad Wheeler Harmonica Army Jazz Band Concert -- now that we think about it. Be careful though. You might get hooked like we did, and become dyed-in-the-wool Ogden Raptors fans.
14 comments:
Yes! Everyone, please attend and bring your friends, families, neighbors, enemies, etc. What a great community-building event!
Went to the one last fall and even though we didn't get the record, it was lots of fun.
Missed last year's...but we'll be there this time!
This is such a wonderfully whimsical fun "community" event!
I'll be scanning the multitudes for that white carnation!
I'll be sporting my red, white and blue visor!
Rudi,
Doesn't look like more than 4 of us, including you, are interested in the big harmonica event.
So what else is new?
Will they have red meat at this silly harmonicathon?
If so, count me in!
I know Brad personally and he is one hell of a great guy. He is genuine and sincere. He is a great guy to get to know. A couple of years ago he participated in the 'Artist in Residence' at local elementary schools teaching children the harmonica. It was hugely successful with the kids.
If you can make it, please go to the event. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend. I have business to attend to elsewhere.
Good luck Brad. Never forget the F.T. Crew.
I now returned from the Harmonica Army event and dinner on Historic 25th Street, and I have this to offer to all those deluded, asswiping, pie-in-the-sky, douchebag, Geigerian clowns who assert OTown needs a circus ride and the theft of its public open space to save our sorry souls: f"""" you. I didn't see one single gondolist; rather, I viewed about 1,000 Ogdenites from whom we have derived our identity before Little Matty Gondola Godfrey was elected, enjoying themselves, having some beers and actually connecting with fellow community members. Does this really happen at GTrain Wilkerson's "Amer support dinner and rally" that costs $120 a head and whose participants are the biggest gang of simpleton, third-grade morons (like you, Gondola Boy, Mike Dowse, jackass!) who actually believe stringing a circus ride over five miles of urban thoroughfare, to serve a nonexistent castle, is a good idea? Get out of OTown, post haste. Because your Lilliputian hero, Little Matty, is out on a rail, come November. Maybe you ought to think of moving to Narnia.
Jason
You didn't see one single gondolista at the harmonica soiree?
How do you know? Do they all have a "G" on their foreheads? Is it possible there were some in attendance that you didn't see? I mean some of them are pretty short, perhaps you were just looking over the tops of their heads?
I don't like what the gondolistas are trying to do any more than you do, but come on pal, they are just a bunch of over eager people that want to do something good for Ogden. What they aspire to seems pretty stupid to lots of us, but that doesn't really make them into the horrible people your post would indicate they are.
In my opinion the only total evil one in the bunch is the little Lord hisself. The rest are just a group of Koolaid drinkers who don't know any better and have bought into the fantasy.
So how about taking a couple of Valiums and cooling your jets, especially as it pertains to the Dowse Dude who after all is bringing something good to town.
Well, we attended the big Harmonicathon and it was grrrreat!
The band kept everyone swaying and keeping time, and the YO YO Man was terrific. Couldn't catch his name or where he's from, but we could've watched him for another hour.
"Learning" to play the harmonica was a hoot. We finally played for 5 minutes straight, and I'm not sure if that was enuf for the Guinness Record book.
I felt bad that the crowd didn't exceed last yr's turnout. We had just over 1000 people. However, it looked to me like everyone had a blast!
I saw lots of folks that I know....and called several others from the Lindquist Field to "Come on Down!"...but don't think they did.
We definitely plan to go next year. This is the kind of whimsical and fun community event that could draw 3 thousand people with good publicity.
Next year this event needs to be covered in the SLC papers. BTW..a big write-up with pictures in the SE a few days in advance would bring in lots of participants.
Jason, you are correct. This kind of event is what appeals to everyday Ogdenites. And,it was FREE! And so were the harmonicas! Families attended together. Strangers were encouraged to shake their 'neighbor's' hand.
This would be a good thing to play on Ch 17. I saw lots of photographers. Wonder if their work will show up in the SE tomorrow or on Ch 17?
Write it on your foreheads that you will be there next year and maybe we can beat the old record for attendance!
Thanx to Brad Wheeler and his companions who truly gave an oustanding performance and a lot of fun to 1000 folks!
Oz, Ibeg to differ. These gondola idiots do not want to improve or make Ogden a better place. They want to give away the best things Ogden has, better than any other wasatch front community, our foothills, that are currently undeveloped and our beautifull public golf course. I ask you, for what. Every stupid supporter of this gondola is a victim of their own self deception. They all think there is some angle in this that will benefit them financially. They are fools, imoral greedy bastards, that would sacrifice the best things shared and owned by people of Ogden. All demographics equally. Jason is justified in calling them any thing he feels compelled to.He understands this.
You may recall the original rallying cry of the initial lift ogden gondola thrust. Ogden's going to hell and dying. We must have a gondola to save this crumbling city.(the sky is falling, it hit Bobby on the head) to paraphrase chicken little Matty,in the begining.Lets hear how he spins this same tune in an election year. They've had 2 years to show or explain their idiotic claim that Chris Peterson has half a billion dollars to invest in Ogden. Any progress there? Too bad tar is a petroleum derivative, it would perform wonders holding chicken little Matty's feathers in place,but just as the gondolaist prefer it, out of reach for the common Ogdenites budget.
Oh, I didn't recognize any known gondolaists in the harmonica army today either.
The Harmonica Army was indeed wonderful, and I don't see any need to politicize it by bringing up who wasn't there. I was pleased to see our blogmeister as well as Rep. Neil Hansen, Councilwoman Amy Wicks, and many other friends and acquaintances.
Regarding the total turnout, I think the world record is within reach if the organizers can find the resources to do a little more publicity next time. Maybe send postcards to all the past attendees and ask them to bring their friends. Handing out leaflets in crowded places might also be worthwhile.
I didn't see any administration officials or council members there either. Except Wicks was there with her dog.
If I just didn't recognize the very cheeleaders of Ogden (or naysayers of her charms) I'd like to be corrected.
Sure had a good time. Looking forward to a bigger event next year!
The record will only be broken when we have the gondola.
Someone has posted video of the event on youtube
Harmonica Army at Lindquist Field
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