The Real Pat Blair

Round I

Round II

More to follow?

First ever Pat Blair Video Podcast!

Once again, I would like to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone that came out and cheered for us at the VEISHEA Battle of the Bands.  We didn’t win, we didn’t place, we didn’t get any press, and we don’t care, because we did play on the same stage as Local H and Stroke 9, we did nearly get our pace-makers jump-started by the giant kick-drum sound from that monster PA, and we did have a absolutely, phenomenally great time.  Again, big thanks to everyone that came on both Wednesday and Friday: you were a huge part in making it awesome for us.
To cap off our magnificent string of 5 shows in 8 days, we will be playing this Thursday night, April 27th, at the Bali Satay House at 9pm-ish.  Chresten Hyde, the drummer from Jade Lea and Sweet Afton, will be opening with a solo acoustic set, which, if it lives up to previous performances, will be quite good.  Also playing will be Every Other Thursday, a power-trio that I have also found to be quite good.  Somewhere in the middle will be The Lone Strangers, who will probably be not bad.
If you’re wondering why you should come to this show, I have two reasons.  First, even though there is a cover and it is kind of late on a school night (school’s almost done - who cares??), the Strangers will be playing a longer set than the 20 minutes we were allotted at VEISHEA.  This gives us a chance to pull out some old favorites that haven’t seen daylight in 6 months or so.
Second, if you haven’t heard, this show happens to coincide with Cinco de Moustache (Observed).  Believe me, you don’t want to miss a photo op that’s THIS good.  Get goin’ and get growin’ - we’ll see you Thursday!

The Lone Strangers are playing at tonight’s VEISHEA Battle of the Bands on the Iowa State University Central Campus.  We go on at 6:50.  Please come and support us, and remember the following crowd-participation rules:

   a) Stand.  At the front of the stage.  You may see chairs – DO NOT use them.
   2) When we are introduced, start cheering loudly.  Do not stop doing so until we start our first song.  Even if you are not excited (which you certainly should be), you can pretend for a few short minutes.
   D) At the end of every song, cheer loudly.  Act like you care (which you certainly should)
   vii) If a band member does an imitable gesture (such as pumping their fist in the air and yelling “hey” repeatedly), you should join them in said activity (fist pumping/shouting).  We are not doing this because it looks cool.  Believe me, if no one else joins in, it doesn’t.
   Ω) Dance.

I’ll see you there!

From chidesters.org:

Whether intentional or not, Dan has mastered the propper eyebrow-photograph technique.  I am proud.
I am also excited that Cinco de Moustache (Observed) is only a week away - April 27th!  As amazing as those beards are(they grow on you), the moustaches will be even amazing-er.  In fact, I am so excited, I think it’s time to post the Cinco de Moustache (Observed) Theme Song (as performed by Less Than Jake).
Oh yeah!

The Lone Strangers are all over the news.  Well, here and here, at least.  And “all over” might be a bit of a stretch.  But word is getting out: it’s time for the WildCard Competition for the VEISHEA Battle of the Bands.
Not only is the word getting out, it actually seems to be good.  On the music forum of an ISU message board, the Strangers were actually picked by one of the posters to make the final round.  We have never - repeat, NEVER - gotten any message-board love.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been upset by this - we’re a pop-rock band of Christians.  Our “indie-cred” is in the negative numbers.  That’s just the way it is.  But it seems like maybe, just maybe, the tide might be changing.  What does this mean?
That we’re hosed, probably.  There are 12 bands playing at the M-Shop this week over the course of 3 nights.  These 12 bands are competing for the 5 remaining slots to participate in the Battle that happens Friday evening on ISU’s central campus.  The Strangers are one of the 12 bands.  WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Judging will be based on “originality, musicianship, performance, and CROWD INTERACTION/RESPONSE,” according to the email that I got.  We’ll do our part.  Will you do yours?  Please: come yell, cheer, dance, scream, throw your fist in the air and yell “hey” in unison and on que.  I don’t really care about winning the competition.  I’m not even all that stoked about playing on Friday night.  What I DO know is that if we don’t make the top 5 of the WildCard, my ego will not be able to survive.  There are a lot of good bands competing, but I KNOW that we are in the top 1-3 of the WildCard bands.  Come help us proove that.
We play WEDNESDAY NIGHT at 7pm SHARP.  It is at the M-Shop, it is a free show, and it is only a 20-minute set.  Please try to be there by 6:45.  If you come late, you might miss it.  All we’re asking is for 35 minutes of your time and zero of your dollars.  Come and support the Strangers.
Our weapons are selected.  We are prepared to do battle.  Join us.

So, I’m getting ready to make lunch.  Today, I have decided on Tuna Partner.  This is the Hy-Vee (regional chain of supermarkets) brand of Tuna Helper.  Their Hamburger Helper brand is called Panburger Partner.  You get the idea.
So I gather up the necessary ingredients and get ready to start cooking.  But then I look at the box a bit more closely.

Needed:
1 6oz can Hy-Vee tuna
2 tablespoons Hy-Vee margarine or butter
1/2 cup Hy-Vee 2% milk
3-1/2 cups hot water

Oh GREAT!  I have StarKist tuna and Blue Bonnet SPREAD (not butter OR margarine).  I have Hy-Vee milk, but it’s Skim, not 2%.  I only have one correct ingredient: water.  And it’s not even hot yet.
This stinks.  NOW what am I going to eat?  Cooking is hard.

Stonebrook Church teams played in amazing 5 different games on Monday night.  At 6:15, the Reagans won (employing, in what may have been a church-league first, a wicked Box-and-One defense), while Stonebrook 2 lost, setting up a tie-breaking rematch between the two teams at 8:15.  In the 7:15 game, Stonebrook 1 cruised to a victory in the losers bracket, earning themselves a second game at 9:15.
In the 8:15 Stonebrook vs. Stonebrook battle, the Reagans, suffering from fatigue, were unable to maintain their up-beat tempo and unable to shut down the near-perfect shooting from Stonebrook 2.  Yes, blog-readers, our season is over, but it’s hard to complain when you lose to the good guys.  It was a great year, no one was badly injured, and we all had a good time.  Final record: 6-4.  Not too bad when you consider it’s a better winning percentage than half of the teams that will go to the NBA playoffs.
Stonebrook 1 finished the night, and their season, with an overtime loss to First Assembly of God, bringing the GCACBB record for the night to 3-3.  The only team left is the high-flying Stonebrook 2, and we wish them the best.  Good luck, Godspeed, and Go Cyclones.

Stonebrook wins!!!  Stonebrook loses!  Stonebrook vs. Stonebrook at 8:15 - Ames Middle School…. be there!

Well, as I said last time, we got smoked.  I don’t want to talk about it - what’s done is done.
Fortunately (I think) the tournament is double-elimination.  The Stonebrook Ronald Reagans (5-3) play tomorrow (Monday) at 6:15pm at Ames Middle School.  We are playing a team from the ‘other’ league so who knows what it will be like.  If we win, we play AGAIN at 8:15… against the loser from the Stonebrook II vs. E-Free game that ALSO takes place at 6:15.  We’re 1-1 against Stonebrook II and 0-1 against E-Free, so I guess I’ll just hope that we win the first game and aren’t too worn out for the second one.
Hope to see you there!