December 17, 2007

What’s a little snow?  The members of the Sherriff’s Association certainly weren’t going to let a little snow spoil the party.   We had a fantastic time and want to thank the organizers for their hospitality.  It is a great group to play for and they certainly have their share of dancers.  That always makes us happy.   Pictures are posted.

Make your plans now for NEW YEAR’S EVE at Swain.  You won’t want miss this memorable party.   The snow is great this year, so plan a long weekend get away.

December 3, 2007

That’s three years straight playing for the Avon Lion’s Club’s Christmas party and we are hoping for many more.  This is a real nice party that starts with The Christmas Song and ends up with Avon’s faithful partiers rocking the night away.  Pictures are posted.  Next up, we get to party with the Sherriff’s Association.  

Make your plans now for NEW YEAR’S EVE at Swain.  You won’t want miss this memorable party.  

We just added a date to come back to Brockport.  Join us January 19th as Brockport native Don Loy leads BBB back for another party with our Brockport friends. 

November 26, 2007

Wow!  That was a blast.  The people of the Genesee Valley Hunt Club proved again that they know how to have a party.  The  Genesee Riverdance, sponsored by the Genesee Valley Hunt Club, is an event that we certainly hope becomes an annual tradition.  A large crowd gathered at the Mansion at Hillcrest in York to enjoy great food and drink and they left all of those Thanksgiving and party calories on the dance floor.   We introduced a new medley, to the surprise of Beth and Tim.  Unfortunately, we were without our camera. If anyone reading this has pictures from the event, we would really appreciate getting them.  You can e-mail them to dsharman@rochester.rr.com.  Thanks!  Special thanks to all of the Hunt members who worked so hard to put this together and to Aidan O’Connell who was the impetus behind the event.

Update:  11/27 Pictures from the Genesee Valley Riverdance are posted courtesy of Bill Gamble.  Thanks Bill!

Next up, we have two Christmas parties with a couple of our favorite organizations, the Avon Lions and the Sherriff’s Association.   Then ….NEW YEAR”S EVE at Swain.  You’ll want to make your reservations soon for a memorable party.

November 6, 2007

Did you know that children from Belfast have had an opportunity to get away from the violence of Northern Ireland for the past twenty five years due to the efforts of the Irish Children’s Program of Rochester?  We were honored to play for their banquet and to be able to hear the stories of the speakers, especially the young adults from Ireland who have participated in the program over the years.  Once the program was completed, we had a great time playing some good old rock ‘n roll.   This may be the first time we have played 2 gigs in a row in Monroe County.  We’ll be more careful about that in the future. 

Join us November 24th at the Genesee Riverdance sponsored by the Genesee Valley Hunt.  Ticket sales are going very well and this promises to be a great event.

October 24, 2007

November 2nd we’ll be at the Irish Children's Program of Rochester’s dinner celebrating their 25th anniversary.   Check out their web site for details and to see the great work done by this organization.  A change in plans, we will not be playing November 3rd.

October 22, 2007

Saturday night was the celebration of Abby (Loy) & Shawn Ducharme’s wedding.   They were married February 18th, but October 20th was the night to celebrate with friends and family.  For this night, we were Abby’s Dad’s Band and Don was walking on air.     Congratulations Abby and Shawn!  You are a special couple and you have our best wishes for a wonderful life together.  Thanks for including us in your celebration.

The event was held at the Artisan’s Works and was simply fantastic.  A lot of work went into planning and pulling this off and it really showed.  Some of the evening’s highlights were, Abby’s and Shawn’s friend Fuzz singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” for their first dance; Abby singing “I Hope You’ll Dance” for Shawn’s dance with his mother; Don and Abby getting to dance to “Crazy Love” (Durf pulled extra duty by sitting in on bass for Don); Alex Loy playing drums on a couple of Blues Brothers tunes; a special tip of the hat to Joel Loy with the song “Little Wing”; Fuzz sitting in with the band; and Abby and the Brides Maids singing back up on “Take Me to the River.”  It was a fantastic night, at a fantastic place, for a very special couple. See the pictures.

Our next two public shows are for two great causes.  November 2nd we’ll be at the Irish Children's Program of Rochester’s dinner celebrating their 25th anniversary.   Check out their web site for details and to see the great work done by this organization.  November 3rd we’ll be playing a benefit for the Steger Family.   Details will be posted as soon as they are finalized.

October 16, 2007

Our next two public shows are for two great causes.   

November 2nd we’ll be at the Irish Children's Program of Rochester’s dinner celebrating their 25th anniversary.   Check out their web site to see the great work done by this organization.  The following is an except from the Democrat & Chronicle Regarding The Irish Children’s Program of Rochester celebration. 

Dinner marks group's 25th
The Irish Children's Program of Rochester will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a fundraising dinner-dance on Nov. 2 The program hosts children, ages 10 to 14, from Belfast every summer. More than 700 children have participated in the program to date, with 20 to 40 visiting each summer.

Initially, the summer trip provided respite from the conflict in Northern Ireland and offered a chance for Catholic and Protestant children to get away and get to know each other.

Today, the program offers children a break during the country's time of change. Organizers say the experience also helps them overcome the animosity that has kept the two communities divided for generations.

The dinner-dance will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Clarion Riverside Hotel, 120 E. Main St., Rochester.

The cost is $30 per person and includes a buffet dinner and music by Bob's Brother's Band.

To purchase tickets or to learn more about the program, go to www.irishchildrensprogram.com or call (585) 225-8550.

November 3rd we’ll be playing a benefit for the Steger Family.   Details will be posted as soon as they are finalized.

October 15, 2007

Now that was fun!!   We had a great time at the Genesee Valley Hunt Club Party.  This group knows how to have a great time.  Dancers were on the floor from the first song through the whole night for this multi-generational party.   Many in the crowd had to be back the next morning bright and early to prepare for the Steeple Chase, but that didn’t slow them down.   When there’s an audience like that, it just makes playing that much more fun.  

Our next public event is November 3rd.  We are participating in a benefit dance for the Steger Family.  Details will be posted as we receive them. 

October 9, 2007

And let’s introduce the band ….  Paul, Don, Tim, and Dave held down their usual roles.  Steve was commanding the drums, so Gerry moved to full time vocalist (oh, he got to play some too).  John, not wanting to be out done by Gerry, conspired with a horse and a tree to completely dislocate his ring finger on his left hand so that he could concentrate on vocals and not have to play guitar.   However, he couldn’t resist and ended up playing guitar most of the evening.  Beth was off gallivanting at a wedding.   Let the show begin.

It was a beautiful night under the tent with a great crowd from the Rotary.  It started pouring around midnight, but that was well after we had finished and left.  The timing couldn’t have been better. 

Friday October 12th we’ll be playing for the Genesee Valley Hunt Club’s pre-event party.  It is open to the public and is located at Nations Farm, Nations Road, Geneseo, NY  (Off Route 39/Avon-Geneseo Road, just North of Geneseo).  We start at 8:00 PM.  This is always a good time.

September 24, 2007

It was a beautiful day at Swain  for the 2007 Fall Festival.  We always have a great time at Swain and this was no exception.  Good food, imported snow, eager snowboarders, great vendors, and live music made for a good time for all.  Check out the pictures.

Join us October 12th at the GVHC party at Nations Farm, Nations Road, Geneseo, NY  (Off Route 39/Avon-Geneseo Road, just North of Geneseo).  This is a free public event from 8:00—11:00.  There is also a dinner at 7:00.  The cost for the dinner is $15 in advance or $20 at the door.  The following day is theGenesee Valley Hunt Club’s  day of Steeplechase Racing & Family Fun.

September 10, 2007

This was our first time at the Livonia Autumn Festival, but we sure hope we’ll be back.  It was a beautiful evening with a fun crowd.  The whole event had a great “small town festival” feel to it.  There were lots of door prizes to give away and Tim repeatedly came up with creative contests for them.  The rest of us were grateful that we had Tim for that.   Beth was delighted when she was presented with a stunning bouquet from a fan who was also a florist/vendor at the festival. There was the smell of Italian sausage and the sound of stunt motorcycles.  What more could you ask for?

As usual, we had plenty of help.  Bob Barrett provided some needed insurance by bringing in a generator.  We have played off of one circuit before, and it can get real quiet real quick.  Kirk Vanderbilt and Kate Phillips handled the challenges of running sound for a band that was in a tent and an audience that was both inside the tent and outside the tent.  If you’ve had to do that, you know that it presents real challenges and Kirk and Kate did a great job.   Unfortunately, the roadies failed to show up again.

Pictures from Avon Saturday Night Out and TheLivonia Autumn Festival are posted.   Here is a video of Correna Keatley performing with the band.

Join us September 22nd at Swain from 2—6 for the Fall Festival.  This is one of our last public events of the year as we move into private event season.  We always have a great time at Swain.

September 4, 2007

It was a perfect Saturday night and downtown Avon was rockin’ for the September installment of the Avon Saturday Night Out series .   The evening started with a fantastic dinner catered by Carney’s Catering.  Then we played from 7—9.  Thanks to  Hurricane Technologies for sponsoring our performance.  

One of the big treats of the night was when were joined by 13 year old Correna Keatley on the Norah Jones tune “Don’t Know Why.”   She did a great job and then  gave an outstanding performance of her own tunes during our break.  Another highlight was when we were joined by the crew at Hurricane Technologies for a rousing version of the timeless Big & Rich tune, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”   Clearly a commentary on our need to be more ecologically aware during these challenging times.  Speaking of commentaries on the night, our own Tim Hayes waxed nostalgically regarding the Opera Block and the tradition of celebrations in downtown Avon.  Thanks, Tim,  for putting it all in perspective.

This Saturday (September 8th) from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM  we will be at the Livonia Autumn Festival for four full sets of Rock ‘n Roll.  Come on down and join us.   

August 28, 2007

August 11th saw us at the Avon Corn Festival.  What a great event.  This was our first year on the big stage and it was fantastic.  The weather was perfect and the crowd was ready for a good time.  Steve Tuchrello and his crew did a great job with the sound system.  Thanks Steve.

This Saturday we play the Avon Saturday Night Out series from 7—9 downtown.  We are sponsored by Hurricane Technologies and the dinner will be provided by Carney’s Catering.   Come on down and enjoy a good meal and a good time.  We might also have a couple of surprises.

July 24, 2007

We were on fire. No, I mean we were on fire!  Don Thought he was just seeing things, but that really was smoke coming from the speakers.  Every thing was taken care of and we continued to burn it up.  A great crowd and a great evening to enjoy the fair.  We were spontaneously joined by some wonderful background singers on a few tunes.  John is still smiling about that. 

We continue to take it slow this summer due to vacations.  Our next gig is the Avon Corn Festival on August 11th from 1:30 until 3:00 on the main stage.  We are also again a sponsor for the Youth Music Venue at the Corn Festival.

In the related gigs category, Dave was fortunate enough to join Steve West and Friends in backing up Deborah Herbert, a wonderful jazz singer who resides and works in Denmark, at the Big Tree Inn.  It went so well that they have been asked to perform again this Thursday.  This will be Deb’s last gig before going back to Denmark. 

June 18, 2007

Congratulations to all of the retirees this year, especially teachers Mrs. Sapienza, Mr. Dolgos, and Mr. Roberts.  We thank you for all you’ve done over the years to make our schools and community better places.

Wow!  You never know what will happen when you let those teachers out of school.  Before we started playing, the band members were saying that it could be an early night.  Probably no one would stick around after the dinner and speeches.  Especially with the rigors of the end of the school year.  WRONG.  The Avon Teachers never let us down.  The dance floor filled up almost immediately, guest performers spontaneously appeared on stage, and everyone had a great time right through the last encore.  Well, almost everybody.  There was one dance floor mishap that resulted in a nasty sprained ankle, but we won’t mention Leigh’s name.

Thank you to the Teachers for inviting us to be part of your party.  Let’s do it again sometime.  Check out the pictures.   There were so many good moments that we had to go to two pages of pictures.

We are taking it a little slower this summer due to graduations and vacations.  Be sure to catch our next gig July 21st at the Hemlock Fair.

June 11, 2007

What a great day!   The weather was perfect, the course was in good shape (we’re all thankful that the storms didn’t come 12 hours later than they did), the food and drink hit the spot, and then we had a party!  After a full day of golf, it was amazing to see that everyone still had the energy to dance and sing until nearly 1:00.  Special thanks to Rob Hayes for organizing this great event and to everyone who made it happen.  

June 4, 2007

On Sunday June 3, Larry Beman officially retired as Pastor of the Avon United Methodist Church after 17 years of service.  It’s no surprise that a large crowd turned out to recognize and honor Larry at the retirement party held at the Avon Village Hall after the church service. Great food and fellowship, very entertaining reflection on Larry’s 17 years at Avon United Methodist Church, and the opportunity for us to play a few songs to add to the festivities made for a wonderful afternoon. It was a great tribute to a wonderful friend.  Three members of Bob's Brother's Band play in the Praise Band at church so we were invited to play a few numbers at the party and we were honored to participate.  Special thanks to Mike O'Brien for sitting in on guitar and laying down some hot licks!

Congratulations Larry and  best wishes for a happy retirement from Bob's Brother's Band

May 14, 2007

We had a great time Saturday night celebrating at Tom Wall’s retirement/birthday party in York.   It was a great group of people and the dancing started early at the York Sportsman’s Club.   The pictures are posted. 

Remember to get your tickets for the St. Agnes Golf Tournament.  This is going to be a fantastic event, we are really looking forward to it.

May 8, 2007

May 6th we played a fundraiser at Johnny’s Irish Pub in Rochester for our friend Eamon of the Wild Geese.  The  tremendous turnout was a real testament to Eamon and all he has done for others and to everyone who organized the event.   Our special thanks to Betsy Prince for her role in organizing the event and for inviting us to play and to everyone who turned out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  Each time we have participated in an event for the Irish community we have been made to feel like family.  We really appreciate it.   Other musicians who participated  included the Dady Brothers, Everheart, members of the Wild Geese, and many others.   It was a great day of music and comradery.   Best wishes Eamon.

Remember to get your tickets for the St. Agnes Golf Tournament.  This is going to be a fantastic event, we are really looking forward to it.

April 25, 2007

60 years.    60 Years?   60 Years!

Swain Ski Patrol recognized Herb Lehman for 60 years of service with the Nation Ski Patrol.  Wow!  Congratulations Herb.  Here are a couple of links to brush up on the events of 1947, the year Herb started with the National Ski Patrol. 

http://www.gurupedia.com/1/19/1947.htm 

http://www.historycentral.com/20th/1947.html

After the dinner and recognition, Bob’s Brother’s Band took the stage.  It was a great evening with a lot of dancers enjoying the night from beginning to end.  We are trying to work out a deal where they all come to all of our gigs to get things hopping. 

May 6th we are playing a fundraiser at Johnny’s in Rochester.  Our friend Eamon of the Wild Geese has been laid up with a badly broken leg and could use our support.  Eamon and his band have frequently played for others’ benefit.  Let’s get together to show him our support and raise a pint or two.  The event is from 1:00—7:00 PM.  We will post more details, including our time slot, as we get them.

Remember to get your tickets for the St. Agnes Golf Tournament.

April 2, 2007

The Bands for Bash fundraiser was a success.   Thanks to everyone who organized it and all of those who attended.  There were some great prizes and baskets as well as plenty of music.    

Highlights of the night included a guest appearance by Avon Schools Superintendent Bruce Amey singing on a couple of tunes and an outstanding set by the Hoboz. 

March 27, 2007

It’s almost time for the Bands for Bash fundraiser!   We will be starting promptly at 7:00 Saturday March 31st and will play for a couple of hours.  We will be followed by the Hoboz!  We are rolling out some new material and you know that’s always fun to watch.

Get your tickets for the Bands for Bash fundraiser for the Avon class of 2007.  Tickets are $3 for Students and $5 for Adults

There’s more than music.    Raffles, auctions, food, and possibly more

March 19, 2007

Are you ready for a party?  March 31st at the Avon Central School we will be joining forces with the Hoboz to raise some $$ for the class of 2007.  It will be a great time with music, dancing, prizes, raffles, silent auction baskets, and food.  This is an event in which the whole community can participate, have fun, and support this year’s high school seniors.   You don’t have to be from Avon to enjoy this event.  Make the trip over and have a great time.  We start at 7:00 and the festivities go until 11:00. 

Other happenings:

· After laying low for a bit, we have some new songs to play for you. 

· We appreciate Hurricane Technologies for sponsoring the band for the Saturday Night Out series.  We will be playing in September. 

· John set up a My Space page http://www.myspace.com/bobsbrothersband where you can listen to some BBB tunes

· We hope to do a little more recording next month

February 21, 2007

What a blast!  The New Orleans style food was home made and fantastic.  We were a bit nervous playing without three of our main vocalists (Tim, Beth, and John were unavailable), but this is a casual party and we had a great time.  Paul was the workhorse on vocals with Steve, Don, and Dave pitching in where possible.  One of the really neat things about the show was that we were joined by the young lions.  Grant Sharman played guitar and Kate Phillips shared the drumming duties with Steve.  Both did an outstanding job, highlighted by Kate ripping up the drum solo on “Mustang Sally” and Grant playing a very impressive jazz solo on “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.“  We love having them join us. 

Thanks to Wanda Rowe and everyone else who organized the event.   The pictures are posted.

Mark your calendars.   March 31st we join the Hoboz to play a fundraiser for the Avon Class of 2007 at the Avon Central School.  This is open to the public and we hope to have all of you there. 

February 12, 2007

Maybe we should say “What happens at Swain, Stays at Swain.”   Who knew that Bob could balance a full glass of scotch on his head while dancing for the full duration of a song?  Or that Tim would spontaneously improve on Billy Joel’s lyrics?  The list goes on and on.  The dance floor was jumping and we got the distinct impression that the party may have started somewhere else before we started playing. We met our number 1 fan, saw a lot of other familiar faces, had the post gig BBQ at Bob’s until 3 AM, and just had a fantastic time.  Thanks for coming out and supporting the band.  Hopefully we’ll be back next ski season to do it again!

Thanks to all the folks at Swain who have had us out for 3 engagements this season and treated us like family. To John, Debbie, Eric, Megan, Missy and Troy and all the rest of the staff thanks from Bob's Brother's Band.

Join us for a great night with The Hoboz March 31 at Avon Central School for a fundraiser for the Class of 2007.

January 29, 2007

LeCesse Construction put on a great party and we got to play.  The highlight of the night came at the end when our host, Chris Phillips, got up and led us through “Some Kinda Wonderful.”  He did a fantastic job singing it and we may have to add it to our repertoire.  Pictures should be posted soon.

You can check us out and actually hear us at City’s new Artists Profile site.  Go on in and add a comment about the band.

Our next outing is February 10th at Swain.  Come on out and have a party.

January 9, 2007

What a fabulous evening.  First of all, we really want to thank The Class of 2007 and their advisors Chandra Downs and Allison Chanler for organizing this event and including us in the program.    They also did the one thing that means more to a band of old guys than anyone can imagine.  They provided Roadies!!!  We really appreciate everyone who helped lug equipment in and out.   

The evening was hosted by M.C. Evan Hill who provided some great comedy and kept everything flowing.  Evan also teamed up with Matt Frahm for some great comedy relief, including a skit with 40 McDonalds’ apple pies.  Yes, the best way to get an audience on your side is to feed them.  Performances during the evening were given by Boyd Parker and the Entrails (featuring Tom Bushnell, Bettina DeBell, Jeff Rose, and Mark Linton); Chuck Nesbitt and Chandra Downs; Melanie Lazar; J. C. Mothersell, Matt Strickland, and David Hurd; Joan Henchen, Martha Ann Hull,  and Chandra Downs;  Matt Strickland  and his fiddlin’ friend (sorry I didn’t catch his name, but he did a great job);  John Baer;  Sarah Brock; and Lauren Wadsworth.  The range of material was outstanding.  From Country to Opera, from Folk to Broadway, from Jazz to Celtic, and from Classic Rock to Rap.

Bob’s Brother’s Band was joined by John Baer on trumpet for a about half of our tunes.  John did an outstanding job and we always look forward to playing with him.  Chandra Downs spiced up the band by jumping in and singing the defining vocal on “Brown Eyed Girl.”  Two people working behind the scenes were Collin Hayes as the BBB official photographer (pictures should be posted later this week) and Grant Sharman who did a yeoman’s job running sound for a variety of different acts.  We can’t thank them enough.

Events like this allow students, alums, and staff to see each other in a different setting.  We think that this is a great benefit and allows us all to appreciate each others’ talents more fully.  Who knew that Mr. Hayes could rock or that Ms. Brock could Rap?

Our next public gig is February 10th from 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM at Swain’s Shawmut Pub.  Come on out for a great time and let’s all pray for snow!!

January 1, 2007

Happy New Year!  We had a wonderful time bringing in the New Year with everyone at Swain.  The night got off to an auspicious start when we fried (that’s a technical term) the sound board during set up.  Fortunately Gerry always seems to have what we need.  He pulled out a small back up board (I think it was on his Swiss Army Knife)  and had us up and running.  Durf was filling in for Grant on sound and was able to call home and have a larger replacement board brought in.  During the second set, he changed the boards during a song.  Which is analogous to changing a tire while you’re driving.  Unbelievable!  Durf is a master technician and we were glad to have him in our corner.   Another highlight was our inaugural performance of Orlean’s “Still the One” as a surprise from Beth to her boyfriend David.   For us, the best part was a super crowd that was dancing all night long.  After the show, Bob (of Bob’s Brother’s Band fame) treated us to a cookout at his cabin.  What a fantastic way to roll in the New Year. 

As we get ready for the New Year, we want to say thank you to everyone who has supported this hobby of ours during the past year. It started out as a one gig band in 2004 and now is a pretty permanent fixture in our lives.  Our goal was to play a couple times a month and we had 32 shows in 2006.  We also had an informal goal of doing around 20 - 25% of our shows as community service.  We had 9 community service engagements this past year.  All in all, a successful year. 

We are going to lay low a bit during the beginning of 2007 (as we did last year) and take some time to add to the repertoire.  We look forward to seeing everyone at the Geneseo Variety show on January 8th and throughout 2007.