Friday, September 01, 2006
The SOC HOP Revisited
For the couple hundred folks that made it, everyone had a great time. For those who did't make it, 'You missed it, baby!!' I do believe a good time is what it will be remembered as. Anyway, it certainly was for me. There were a lot of old familiar faces, some of which I could recall a name to put with, others I had to be reintroduced to. Some of the folks I hadn't seen for many, many years. And there were people who came from miles away to be there. My old SOC HOP and school friend Susan Pelton came all the way from Arkansas. I couldn't believe it. ( And she is still as beautiful as ever - it was Great dancing with her again.) As it was with my old, (I guess I should be using the term 'long time' here instead of 'old' as none of us were very 'old' last night) anyway, Sharon Gravino Bowman and Shirley Weir Quastler were wonderful dancing partners way back then and still to this day give me a thrill. And dancing with Joni (Calkins) Simms brought back many memories of the wonderful times dancing with her while Roger and the guys played. I thought the music was awesome. Danny Gregory and the Shelter band started things off with some great licks and Garry Mac played with them. They are all still great musicians that are still bringing joy to those that hear them. They were followed by Little Joe Sherrick on bass with Frank Plas on lead guitar. Frank has just recently started playing again, but you would never know he had ever stopped. His rendition of 'Midnight Thunder' sounded as good to me as it did forty-five years ago. I certainly hope to see more of him in the future. The original sax player with Larry Emmett and The Sliders ( and I am embarrassed to say, his name slips my mind at the moment, so somebody please remind me in the comments section below) - this guy put on a heck of a perfomance and blew us all away - he was a great addition to the stage. Listen, it was just one of those great nights - way to many names for me to remember this early in the morning, - it was great seeing Buddy Ross again. My ole pal Fred the alley cat Allison showed up and still had his original SOC HOP membership card in his pocket - funny the things we save. Louie Milberger was there, long time no see. Sorry, just way to many names to recall at this moment - maybe some will come to me as I recoup. If you were there, please add comments to this post and name some names of others who were there - that would help alot. Special thanks to Frank Hicks, owner of Knuckleheads, for allowing us the pleasure of using his place to bring back so many memories - and thanks to all of you for your kind words regarding my parents who just thought they were opening a place for their kids and their friends - it turned out to be a heck of a lot more than they ever thought it would - I will give them your best when I take them out to lunch today.....................Thanks for the memories........................................
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GREAT REVIEW THAT CAME BY EMAIL The Soc Hop show at Knuckleheads was great. There were two sets. The first was a band called Shelter with their lead singer Jackie Foster, Danny Gregory and Garry Mac (Danny & the Roulettes/ Garry Mac & the Mac Truque). Danny is still one helluva singer.
The club is located between a river and some railroad tracks in an industrial area. Hard to find and hard to get to, but a really great place for music. The bands played outdoors, and the sound was great. A few whistles from passing trains only added to the atmosphere.
I saw lots of friends there... Allen Blasco (Neon Blue), Lee Dresser (Krazy Kats), Bud Ross (Kustom Electronics), Ron Hodgden/West (Chesmann/Missouri), Mike Myers (Fabulous Four), Jim Wilson & Johnny Isom (Johnny I & the Receders) and Rich VanZant.
The second set was Frank Plas (Silvertones) with Lil Joe Sherrick (Get A Room Band) and Joe's drummer, Robert Armstrong. Frank had a new guitar and amp that he recently bought for the show since he got rid of his old stuff years ago when he gave up music for the insurance business. Mike Semrad (Nebraska's Smoke Ring) came down expecting to see an old guy trying to keep up and instead discovered what the rest of us did. Frank can still play!!! He was awesome. I've heard him on records and old tapes, but this was my first time hearing him live. He told me later it probably won't be the last time I do as he's thinking about putting a band together for some future gigs.
About midway through their set, Jim Wilson went and got his sax and joined them onstage for the rest of the show. Anyone who hasn't heard Jim play needs to. He has been playing around this area since the late 50s when he and Bud Ross were both in Larry Emmett and the Sliders. Bud even got up onstage for a song. Mike Myers sang one, too. I think some of us would still be there if the law would have allowed. It was the most fun I've had without a woman in a long time.
There were a couple of hundred people there on a Thursday night with the Chiefs playing, so the club's owner was impressed. He and the guy who books their acts are both thinking about doing some more shows like this.
Sorry you couldn't be there, but maybe we can induct the Mac Truque & Silvertones into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, and then you can hear them for yourself.
The club is located between a river and some railroad tracks in an industrial area. Hard to find and hard to get to, but a really great place for music. The bands played outdoors, and the sound was great. A few whistles from passing trains only added to the atmosphere.
I saw lots of friends there... Allen Blasco (Neon Blue), Lee Dresser (Krazy Kats), Bud Ross (Kustom Electronics), Ron Hodgden/West (Chesmann/Missouri), Mike Myers (Fabulous Four), Jim Wilson & Johnny Isom (Johnny I & the Receders) and Rich VanZant.
The second set was Frank Plas (Silvertones) with Lil Joe Sherrick (Get A Room Band) and Joe's drummer, Robert Armstrong. Frank had a new guitar and amp that he recently bought for the show since he got rid of his old stuff years ago when he gave up music for the insurance business. Mike Semrad (Nebraska's Smoke Ring) came down expecting to see an old guy trying to keep up and instead discovered what the rest of us did. Frank can still play!!! He was awesome. I've heard him on records and old tapes, but this was my first time hearing him live. He told me later it probably won't be the last time I do as he's thinking about putting a band together for some future gigs.
About midway through their set, Jim Wilson went and got his sax and joined them onstage for the rest of the show. Anyone who hasn't heard Jim play needs to. He has been playing around this area since the late 50s when he and Bud Ross were both in Larry Emmett and the Sliders. Bud even got up onstage for a song. Mike Myers sang one, too. I think some of us would still be there if the law would have allowed. It was the most fun I've had without a woman in a long time.
There were a couple of hundred people there on a Thursday night with the Chiefs playing, so the club's owner was impressed. He and the guy who books their acts are both thinking about doing some more shows like this.
Sorry you couldn't be there, but maybe we can induct the Mac Truque & Silvertones into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, and then you can hear them for yourself.
are you still offering the free music cds. I am interested in the local music scene, especially the Silvertones.
Thanks.
Chris Wolcott
cwolcott@kc.rr.com
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Thanks.
Chris Wolcott
cwolcott@kc.rr.com
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