3 days 9 bands

3 days 9 bands. A big rock festival? No just Labor Day 2005 in Nor Cal.

I had (paid for) tickets to go to Konocti Harbor Saturday to see Blue Oyster Cult Joan Jett and The Doobie Brothers.

At the show Konocti Harbor was matching donations for the Red Cross. There was a country show Friday, and the Saturday show was part of a biker rally ride around the lake.

(my plan was to do the ride as well, but that didn't happen)

I think with both shows donations and them matching they sent a check for 20,000 dollars to the Red Cross. Good for them.


BOC opened and did some of their classics, Don't Fear The Reaper, Godzilla, Burnin' For You, and the crowd favorite "Golden Age Of Leather"

Raise your can of beer on high
And seal your fate forever
Our best years have past us by
The golden age of leather

Whaa? you don't know these songs?!

Well BOC were a little local band from New York, who hit it really big in the 70's. They had triple lead guitars long before anyone else. They kind of invented the harmonic "Brit Metal" sound. Now they are kind of a local band again, but they seem fine with it and played the hits. Blue Oyster Cult tour dates

Joan Jett was the shit! She came out in leather pants and a tiny bikini top. She jumped around, did a few crowd sing alongs, and was totally loose and fun to watch. It was a great set, she has a strong voice and her band is tight. Everybody was diggin' it. She did the big hits, and some new songs from an upcoming CD. She played some covers like Crimson and Clover, and Real Wild Child. Big Rick says: check her out! Joan Jett and The Blackhearts tour dates

The Doobie Brothers headlined. Before the show they brought out an autographed guitar and offered it to the crowd in an auction. The highest bidder got the guitar, 2 front row tickets to any show, and could go up onstage and sing with the band that night on the encore, "Listen To The Music". Pretty cool. They auctioned it of live right there on stage. The bids came fast, final winning amount was 8,000 dollars! Then somebody asked if they could pay 8K and get the same deal? The could and did so they raised 16,000 dollars for the National Veterans Foundation a group they have helped out for years. Pat Simmons had a great line, "it is not about politics, it is just about doing the right thing."

The show? Man they are great! What a list of songs. Tom Johnston does the vocals, and not much of that laid back Michael McDonald stuff. Listen To The Music is the last song and the stage fills with friends and family members singing and playing. Totally a cool feel good kind of thing. I must admit in my "punk rock rules" days I didn't think much of them, but I was wrong. They go on the must see more list for the future. Doobie Brothers tour dates

Lotta guitars man, Doobies 5 guitars and 2 drummers, Joan Jett 2 guitars, BOC 4 guitars. It was rockin' stuff.

It was a beautiful night as we drove home. I really like Lake County. Still "country" but getting a little more "hip". I hope not too much. Tahoe is a nightmare of traffic getting there and back. If you head to South Lake Tahoe you spend even more time in traffic. I was thinking about that scene in the movie Endless Summer when they talk about those perfect waves breaking all day long with no one on them. The days at Clear Lake are like that to me. I'm sure today and tonight were beautiful, the cleanest air in the state, and fish waiting to be fished for. Every day the same thing. And of course lots of summertime memories are there for me.

But I had to come home for the KFOG stage at the Oakland Art and Soul Festival Sunday, then maybe we'd go for a boat ride Monday to Sausalito, Marcia Ball and Los Lobos were playing.

details tomorrow