Thoughts On The 6/26 Dudley Manlove Quartet Gig
On Saturday 6/26 The Dudley Manlove Quartet performed at a wedding reception at the UW boathouse. The bride was a UW student who spent years with the UW Crew, rowing to victory. Being back on the UW campus is always a little nostalgic for me, and I enjoy seeing how it has changed over the years since I was first a student there in 1981. Our soundcheck was early in the afternoon so we had a few hours to wander around before the guests began to arrive. Stefan and I trotted over the U Village to look around in the bookstore and sip some iced tea.
The wedding reception included a large number of people who had flown in from the northeast, and I enjoyed chatting with some of guests. The wedding couple had chosen some great requests for the first dances. The bride is of Irish descent and had spent several years learning traditinoal Irish dance. After some cajoling from her father she performed a short reel on the dance floor, which was fun. Then it was our turn to get things moving. Some of the songs we performed were rarities for our set list, including gems such as “Hot Child in the City”, “Werewolves of London”, “American Girl” and “Cracklin’ Rosie”. All are plenty of fun to play, and I’m always happy to oblige a wedding reception with special songs that are meaningful to the newly married couple.
This event was the appearance of my new flight case for the Fender Twin. Having that piece of equipment in a wheeled case sure made it easier to move around, but now it’s more difficult to pick it up and put it in the car. I’m considering the purchase of a small ramp to make it easier to manage alone.
All in all, a fun gig and one that went very well.