Ranger Report & Easter Sunday, March 2005

"Carnival has always been a break from life…This is a country where people are poor in money perhaps, but rich in culture. Carnival is our chance to show our kind of wealth. If people were only concerned about bread, would you ever have any artistic expression at all? Would people paint, write, make music? It's like the proverb says, 'After the dance, the drum is heavy.' But during the dance, you're not thinking about the weight of the drum. You forget your troubles and have a good time.
-Edwidge Danticatt (After The Dance)


Previously at Los Manatees….March roared in with a rash of birthdays beginning with Manatee Merchandise Maven & Cherri Frankenhouser (March 2), followed by Manatee drummer/percussionist- Andy Vernon and Manatee guitarist/vocalist- Bob Tomlinson (March 3), and finishing with Manatee guitarist/vocalist- Joe Rizzo (March 12).
Our recent show at Cloud Nine in Harleysville, PA, went off without a hitch. The owners loved us and said the place was ours any time we wanted…
A week later we were at The Bridgeport (PA) Rib-house. Drummer Ritchie DeCarlo brought out his mobile 24-track studio and recorded all three sets. We return there Saturday, April 23.
The fourth week in March found us playing our last Thursday at Rising Sun for awhile. There was a very strong turnout for the final show which also included special guests: BeBop Tom "Bull" Brunner on sax, "Beatle" Bob Tomlinson on guitar and vocals, Jesse from Happy Dog on guitar and vocals, and a surprise appearance by former Manatee drummer Tim Campbell who hadn't played with us since his last show on New Year's Eve. By the end of the evening, the owners decided that starting May 19, we'll play one Thursday a month.
24 hours later, we were playing at The Blue Dog Saloon in Chalfont, PA where WMMR-FM was doing a live remote. A bunch of our fans won tickets and backstage passes to see Billy Idol and Silvertide (one of the bands that records with our producer David Ivory at Dylanava Studios).
The next night we debuted at Scoogies in Flourtown, PA. What it might lack in stage size, it more than makes up for in charm. We return there on Friday, April 29.
Coming up in April is our big debut at Big Head's in Warminster, PA.
We continue to work on our long-awaited studio album any time we have a spare moment.
Los Manatees would like to welcome my son, Liam Hodgson, to the team as our brand new web-master. Senior web-master Michael Jones will to continue in an advisory capacity.
Speaking of Michael Jones, he recently took his daughter Chelsea to see her first rock concert. They went to The Knitting Factory in NYC to see two Japanese bands, The Pillows and Noodles. Michael says it was a great show.
And speaking of great shows, I would like to remind everyone that our big band (La Banda Grande) plays the first Friday of every month at Crazy Carl's in beautiful downtown Schwenksville, PA. Right now this is the only place where you can see us with our Rhino Horn section (and Bob Rominiecki's stunning light show). Our live CD & "The Good Friday Tracks" was recorded at Crazy Carl's on April 18, 2003 by Karl Frick and Lakestone Remote Recordings. It remains one of our best-sellers and is a good example of the horns at work. The album is all-original except for two Toots & The Maytals songs. Tonight the whole band is going to see Toots perform at the Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia. (Naturally we will bring a copy of our CD to give to him…)
Spring is here and like the man said when he cut off the armadillo's tail, "It won't be long now."
Soon we will be playing our music outside in the sunshine where God has the best acoustics…

Still,
Will Hadsome

Fri. Apr. 01 - Draught Horse - Duo - 4:00-7:00 - Acoustic
Fri. Apr. 01 - Crazy Carl's - 7 Piece - 10:00-2:00
Sat. Apr. 02 - The Funhouse - Quartet - 10:30-2:00
Wed. Apr. 06 - Appetites On Main - Trio - 9:30-1:30 - Acoustic
Thu. Apr. 07 - Salford Pub - Trio - 9:30-1:30
Fri. Apr. 08 - Finn McCool Tavern - Duo - 5:30-8:30 - The Medecine Bros.
Fri. Apr. 08 - Big Head's - Quartet - 10:30-2:30 - w/ Bob Tomlinson
Sat. Apr. 09 - Fundraiser for The Montessori Children's House of Valley Forge - 5 Piece - 8:00-1:00 - At The Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern, PA (Semi-Formal)
Wed. Apr. 13 - Whitpain Tavern - Electrio - 10:30-2:30
Thu. Apr. 14 - The Blue Horse - Trio - 10:30-1:30 - Acoustic
Fri. Apr. 15 - Dutch Cottage Tavern - Electrio - 11:00-3:00
Sat. Apr. 16 - Colmar Inn - Electrio - 10:30-2:30
Wed. Apr. 20 - Appetites On Main - Trio - 9:30-1:30 - Acoustic
Thu. Apr. 21 - TBA
Fri. Apr. 22 - Finn McCool Tavern - Electrio - 11:00-3:00
Sat. Apr. 23 - Bridgeport Rib House - 5 Piece - 10:30-2:30
Wed. Apr. 27 - Whitpain Tavern - Electrio - 10:30-2:30
Thu. Apr. 28 - The Blue Horse - Trio - 10:30-1:30 - Acoustic
Fri. Apr. 29 - Scoogi's - Trio - 10:00-2:00 - Acoustic
Sat. Apr. 30 - Tex-Mex Connection - Trio - 10:00-2:00 - Acoustic

Thanks,