TOP FIVE GIGS IN 2013

TOP FIVE GIGS IN 2013

What a memorable year it was in music for me…….I was very blessed to share the stage with some incredible musicians this year at too many venues to list. But, the top 5 gigs in 2013 for me behind the vintage sets of drums had to be:

#5 THE VIKING PARTY (11/16/13). Our friends Margaret and Ravinell Wilson put on a private party at their gorgeous home atop Shades Crest Road that you would have had to have been there to believe. Costumes? Check. Moonshine? Check. Shots of Fireball for the drummer? Check (five or six times I believe). The Sassy Brown Band played the entire gig without a break……..three hours of blood, sweat, tears, laughter, frivolity (I never dared venture onto the roof………but that’s another story), mayhem and great camaraderie with friends old and new. I want Margaret to hand-deliver my personal invitation to play there again next year very, very soon.

#4 DANIEL DAY GALLERY/DREAM MECCA GIG (6/13/13). I’ve played at Daniel and Melody’s awesome venue many, many times with various bands and musicians before, but the pinnacle for performing at their music palace had to be The Sassy Brown Band performance there this past summer in June. The weather cooperated on that steamy Sunday afternoon…..let’s just say that the performance was electric. Daniel said it was the largest Sunday crowd there in years (inside or out). My best memory of that great day was the impromptu song “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix. I believe Christine Bartlett conned Matt Willis into playing it (as she is apt to do).  Matt, as you will see and hear in this YouTube clip, absolutely smoked it:
http://youtu.be/NVZkKurua80
And my great friend Janelle Frost was amazing (as always), and the crowd dug it. ‘Nuff said.

#3 FIRST PERFORMANCE AT IRON CITY (4/19/13). The Sassy Brown Band opened for 2BLU & The Lucky Stiffs at this new music venue in Birmingham. There was a great crowd, many of whom were seeing this venue for the very first time. Lauren put on a performance that was show-stopping. It was an amazing first-time experience that I won’t soon forget (I had the pleasure of playing there three times this year). The pinnacle of the night, hands-down, was the 13-minute encore which brought out ALL members of both bands for an amazing singular performance of Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’Alright” and The Stone’s “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”.

#2 BERNIE’S ON MAIN in COLUMBIANA (12/21/13). I know, it’s the most recent, but it would still have been #2 even if it had been earlier in the year. It was a gig with Glen Butts, Lauren Brown, Chuck King and Todd Brasher. Unbeknownst to us until right up to the song, we had no clue as to what was about to happen. Here’s what DID happen, as told by Lauren’s beautiful sister Leigh Harrison Reynolds in a FB status update the next day:
“Last night, my sister's band played at Bernie's on Main in Columbiana (neat little place) with a wonderful trumpet player sitting in with them. There was a large group of family and friends sitting near us. The trumpet player started a solo of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and was out walking around the tables. All of a sudden, a serviceman entered the restaurant and then you heard his mother scream out. His family had no idea he was home and had secretly set this up with Bernie. The entire place was clapping and crying!! It was so beautiful. That is the spirit of Christmas”.
Wow.

AND THE #1 TOP GIG FOR JOHN OLIVER IN 2013? DRUM ROLL, PLEASE………

#1 MARTY’s (MY LAST PERFORMANCE THERE)  (8/10/13)
It hadn’t been known but for a few weeks that Marty’s (that late night Birmingham music institution that was open 365 days a year from 4 pm until 6 am….no, no typos there) was closing its doors for good at the end of August. It was bittersweet for us in The Sassy Brown Band knowing this was our last performance at Marty’s place. Marty, as you may know, died earlier in the year after a very short illness, and Kay kept his memory and establishment open as long as she could. Word spread quickly that time was running out on going by Marty’s and seeing live music for the last time. Lauren quickly rallied everyone via social media and the rest, as they say, is Marty’s history. RECORD CROWD THAT NIGHT (Kay said it was the largest crowd in the 7 pm time slot at Marty’s, ever). The inside was wall-to-wall with music-lovers and friends, the courtyard (A.K.A. the smoking pit to my nicotine friends) was packed and overflowing too all the way out to 10^th Court South. It was an amazing night of music with lots of musician sit-in’s too and so many happy and familiar faces in the crowd. My only other recollection of the night was just how HOT it was inside Marty’s with the overflow crowd. I had the pleasure of playing at Marty’s eight different times in 2013. It was always an honor. Marty’s was a musician’s club (you musicians will know what I’m talking about). Rest in Peace, my friend. I will see you again one day on the other side!


JOHN OLIVER DRUMS
JOHNOLIVERDRUMS

Tremendous gigs the past few weeks.......one for a benefit at Good People Brewing Company with The Sassy Brown Band, then gigged with my friends Travis Posey and Brent Irvin at The Furniture Factory in Huntsville. This past weekend, I played two events with The Sassy Brown Trio one at Champy's in Alabaster (best tamales I've ever eaten!) and then a gig Bernie's on Main in Columbiana (with special guest Chuck King and others)! Great stuff!!!!

Great gigs this weekend.....I had two corporate gigs, one with The Second Chance Band and the other with The Howl. Also, The Sassy Brown Band performed with many different local bands at a fundraiser at Good People Brewing Company (see pics above and below, courtesy of Cindi cmg pictures). And it was great to share the stage with Glen Butts, Seebie Camp and our own soul singer and vamp Lauren "Sassy" Brown! Great weekend of performing!!!! johnoliverdrums john oliver drums