City of Roses Music Festival
9/23/05 - 9/24/05


This special edition of Tom, Dick & Hairy's Review covers the biggest musical event in Southeast Missouri - The City of Roses Music Festival - www.cityofrosesmusicfestival.com/  Over 70 bands play on four stages and clubs near the Mississippi River flood wall in beautiful historic downtown Cape Girardeau.

Friday, 9/23/05
8:00am
Today started very early when a group of volunteers went to Arena Park to get barrels, fence, and barricades.  A huge
THANK YOU
to the SEMO District Fair and the City of Cape Girardeau and the many volunteers for their help.  We could not do it without you!

Zig & Stella working

5:00pm
We were busy setting up fences and missed the first set of bands.

6:00pm  Minds Above
With four bands playing at the same time, it is really difficult to decide which band to watch.  We opted for Minds Above, a rocking band with excellent "screaming" guitars and the lead vocal on drums.  Minds Above rocked the Themis Stage!  The crowd included a wide variety of folks.
Minds Above are a gas!
 
When a looooong train passed, instead of just waiting for the noise to stop, these talented musicians filled the time with a cover of Shorty Medlocke's "Train, Train."

Minds Above

7:00pm  JJMC Folkgrass Project
We hiked up the hill to the Courthouse for something entirely different.  The JJMC Folkgrass Project played some excellent and entertaining originals and classic covers of folk songs.  This was some fine banjo strumming, guitar picking, knee slapping wholesome music.  Half the crowd were kids.  The project recently added Sarah Anderson on backup vocals.
JJMC Fplkgrass Project

Sarah

8:00pm  Mojo Filter
It was back down the hill to the Broadway Stage for Mojo Filter, one of the best groups at the Festival.  Mojo's bluesy rocking style is a crowd pleaser.

Mojo Filter
9:00pm  Neo X Geo
Volunteer work caused us to miss most of the 9:00 time slot.  But, we did catch a little of Neo X Geo on the Independence Stage.  These kids rocked for a crowd which included many teenagers.

10:00pm  Dirty 30's
It was a tough choice between Catatonic, Bruce Zimmerman, Dr. Bill and the Dirty 30's.  We really wanted to hear "Dr." Bill Bradley's wonderfully entertaining show at the Gazebo.  But, we were just too tired to walk back up that damn hill.  Maybe next year the Festival could have a trolley to shuttle folks around.
We were surprised by the Dirty 30's, a group with four screaming guitars and a drummer.  Their sound was outstanding! The Dirty 30's had the crowd dancing and swaying to the music.

Volunteers
A note on the volunteers who made the Festival a success.  Folks like Zig, Stella, Mary, Daryn, Lindsay, a bunch of SEMO U. students, some Boy Scouts, 70 bands, and numerous others donated hundreds of hours of their valuable time to entertain Cape Girardeau.  Hug a volunteer today!  MORE VOLUNTEER PHOTOS

Lindsay
Saturday, 9/23/05
The chalk artists did some amazing work.  Very nice!
Click here for MORE CHALK ART
Chalk Art

2:00pm  Pouring Beer
While we really wanted to hear The Church Boys this fine Saturday afternoon, duty called and we poured beer.  But, we could hear them down the road.  Maybe next time.

4:00pm  Prom Night Heroes
Prom Night Heroes rocked the Themis stage before a nice crowd, including lots of young ladies.  These guys are chick magnets.

Prom Night Heroes

Prom Night Heroes
It takes a lot of equipment to make the music sound right.  A big thanks to all of the sound guys!

Prom Night Heroes

Prom Night Heroes

5:00pm  Looser
We rocked with Looser at the Broadway stage.  These talented and professional guys played some fine rock.  I bet there are over 100 years of combined musical experience between them.

Looser

Looser
Check out the Grandpa Woo on the River.

6:00pm  Ninth Life & Stella Blue Band
We had to see both of these fine bands.  So, we caught a couple of Ninth Life tunes and then walked a block down Water St. to see Stella Blue.

I've always said you can't go wrong with four guitars and a drummer. 
Ninth Life rocked!
Ninth Life

Ninth Life

Stella Blue and her band are incredible.  Stella's great vocals are backed up by some of the finest guitar playing I've heard.
Stella Blue Band

Stella Blue Band

7:00pm  Cinderblok
We wandered past the burrito eating contest to hear Cinderblok on the Independence stage.  The crowd enjoyed Cinderblok's metal covers.

8:00pm  Juniper Wind
We strolled back up to the Broadway stage to see Juniper Wind, which is a  band in transition.  They recently moved from acoustic to electric guitars and added a couple of members.  Unfortunately, they had to cut their set a little short while a rain cloud passed over.

9:00pm  Drivin' Rain
After a short rain delay, Drivin' Rain took the Independence stage for some serious rocking.  They can put on a show!  The crowd was dancing and singing along, especially on their theme song - Drivin' Rain

10:00pm  Emaciation
Emaciation is not like any band I've ever heard.  The painted faces, hair, throaty vocals, screaming guitars and keyboard, hot backup girls, and fire pots combine to make a show you won't soon forget.  They attract a very interesting looking crowd.  Check them out!

The crowd seemed to have a good time.
crowd

Many vendors were present selling all kinds of wares, including sodas, funnel cakes, kettle corn, bumper stickers, and even a steel bra.
Fat F***er Sales
I think Bill Emerson would have approved as he looked over the festivities.



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