Two Cities, Two Gigs, Too Fun

Saturday July 24th, 2010 - Milwaukee, WI/Chicago, IL

   I spent the longest night I’ve spent in a while worrying about my cell phone. I even had a couple of dreams about it, and I didn’t sleep well at all. That thing is very important and it’s not even an iphone or blackberry. It’s just a regular old phone that I use for keeping in contact with bookers, friends and the outside world. I realize how important it‘s become.

   I popped right out of bed earlier than usual so I could get showered, dressed and out the door to start back tracking to the places I visited yesterday where I may have left it. I went to a few places before finally hitting pay dirt at a car stereo joint of all places. The speaker system on my car has been acting up so I stopped to see if they could figure out the glitch.

   My phone was on the front seat and I remember grabbing it when they took the car in to look at it, and I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and throw out an empty bottle of water. The problem only required a jiggle of a wire and they were done with it way before I thought they’d be, so it must have taken me by surprise so much I didn’t take my phone.

   Whatever the reason, I was overjoyed to see the woman behind the counter reach into a drawer and pull out my phone. She didn’t ask for any ID or anything because she saw the look of sheer joy I had when she showed it to me. I thanked her about ten times, and left.

   I had to be at German Fest in Milwaukee by 12:30 to take another shot at becoming the very first comedian they ever booked. The weather was much better this time and we had an audience of maybe 60 or 70, which looked tiny in that size venue. Everything was hard about that situation, but I stood there and filled my time and did the very best job I could.

   Comedy is a very delicate art form. There needs to be attention paid and it’s difficult for that to happen unless circumstances are just right. There should be a quality sound system and adequate stage lighting and a room small enough to capture the laughs of an audience which in turn creates a roll. Variations of that formula usually come with consequences.

   The important thing at German Fest wasn’t the show, at least not this time. Getting in to do it was the important thing. I got a nice on air plug from WTMJ Radio who had a booth on the grounds, and that adds credibility locally. None of the listeners saw a small crowd.

   Plus, my grade school friend Robert Deglau couldn’t have been any nicer to recommend me to the rest of the board of directors. The whole crew from them to the people I worked with at the Air Tran entertainment stage were all sweethearts to deal with. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and it’s a building block for future appearances. One step at a time here.

   After the German Fest show I drove down to Chicago to be on WGN radio for a Jerry’s Kidders segment that came together at the last minute. Ken Sevara couldn’t do it on such short notice, so it was just Tim Slagle and myself. We had a very good show and that has a way of making the whole day feel good. It’s hectic but also exciting because it’s part of being an entertainer. Two cities, two gigs, too fun. And I found my phone. I’m doing ok.

Posted via email from Dobie Maxwell's "Dented Can" Diary