Tunes By the Tridge

'Sup, folks.

One of the cool things this little town or ours does during the summer is provide free, open-air concerts to the masses every week. This 'Bread and Circus' management approach by the municipal powers that be definitely screams 'Midland,' but it's appreciated - we make an effort to head downtown every Thursday for Tunes By the Tridge to check out the week's musical act(s).

Some are definitely better than others - the 'Bro Country' acts are usually abysmal (like, comically bad) - but the last two weeks we've gotten lucky. Kris' favorite night of the summer, by far, is Dueling Pianos, which usually kicks off the summer program, so it was mandatory that we head downtown for that one. Our local friend group are big proponents of this weekly outing, so we usually have four or five families on hand to hang out with down there. Each night we pack up a cooler and some camping chairs and stake out a space on the grass, then proceed to hang out for a couple hours while traveling troubadours play for our amusement.

Today's post highlights the last two weeks' concerts, which were both pretty cool. We're kinda busy the next two Thursdays, so we may not get back around to Tunes By the Tridge until July - have to play it by ear.

Anyway, here you go, kids - enjoy.

Thursday, June 6th: Dueling Pianos

The weather has been pretty solid the first stretch of June, and the night we came out for Dueling Pianos was no different - no rain, high 70s (a little overcast for my liking - no bronzing to be had - but decent enough.) Turnout for this inaugural concert is usually pretty high, and so it came to no surprise that it was pretty packed down there.

Erik and I had a Masonic funeral to attend for an old brother who had passed away, and so we weren't rolling in until, like, 7:30pm or so, but Kris, the Colliers, and all the kids were able to get down there and snag a spot for our group.

By the time we finally got there, the two dueling pianists - and an accompanying drummer this year, a first - were in the middle of busting out pop standards.

This one was a song made popular from the cheesy movie Dolphin Tale that Abby was obsessed with back when she was super little (and that we consequently checked out one Spring Break back when we lived in Florida.)

Kris and Melanie

Abby and Ella, taking advantage of the local food trucks that always come out for Tunes By the Tridge.

Alayna brought along her friend Amelia for the evening (always keep the kids out of our hair if they bring along friends to wander around with.)

Lonnie Big Balls (at left) rolled in with his fam about a half an hour after we first got there.

The jams keep coming. . .

Two idiots, fighting over a balloon apparently.

This vid definitely sums it up what it's like down by the Tridge on nights like this.

Yours Truly, Stephanie and Lonnie, Erik, and the Colliers, Ryan and Mees.

Jesus Christ, this kid really likes her balloon. . .

Frickin' kid enjoys stealing my hat off my head when I'm least expecting it. . .

The show ended around 9pm, and people began to wander off back towards their cars. Our group, however, continued to sit around, having drinks and hanging out. 

Meanwhile, Abby and Ella were still running around downtown and snapping off glamour pics for their social media accounts (I assume.)

Not sure why The H Hotel is such a point of interest for these two, but whatever. . .

Yeah. . .  we're those people.

The girls took turns taking pics in a tree at the end of the night on our way back to the cars (when we finally got everybody motivated enough to leave.)

Thursday, June 13th: 90's

The following week was warmer, sunnier, and we were actually able to get down there right when it started.

Abby was kind of in a funk when we first got there, but fortunately she snapped out of it after awhile.

Mitch came out this time around (sans Kelli, though.)

Turnout this week was even heavier than last week, on account of the marginally nicer weather, but since we were able to get down there earlier we were able to get decent seats (and parking.)

At one point, some of the dads wanted to grab some drinks downtown, so as we were walking down Main Street we spotted this random cat inside the abandoned floor of the Larkin Building (which houses my Masonic Lodge up on the third floor, if you'll remember.) This floor used to be Oscar's, one of Midland's old bars downtown, but the owner sold it years ago, and it's been empty since. This cat - Weezy, I guess - must be such a regular that whoever is caretaking this empty floor made the cat it's own sign.

Just look at how much fun Abby is having. . .

Chucks and Concerts.

The Cannonball favorite: The 0.5 Forced Perspective

Some Kings of the Hill: Collier, Erik and Mitch

And, like last time, Abby and Ella had to get a few pics for their social media nonsense on the way out of there (courtesy of the Cannonball.)

Teens are so edgy. . .

Kris, Mees and Courtney, mid-gossip.

Closing down Tunes By the Tridge, just like last week. Gotta wonder if we're pissing anyone off by doing this every week. . .

Once again, on the steps of The H Hotel. 

And, in closing, here we have Samson and Watson, who were totally fine with resuming couch time once we had gotten home and started watching some TV before turning in for the night.

- Brian

Of Brians and Chrises, Pt. II

 (contd.)

The doors to the barn opened up and Rowley walked his mom down the aisle. He didn't have any ushers for the ceremony aside from my brother, Chris, who walked Chelsey's mom down to her seat earlier.

I walked Chris' wife, Ashley, down before taking my position at the center of the dais (or whatever you call it.)

Brent and my step-sister, Jill.

Excitement builds as the doors are closed behind the final groomsmen and Chelsey (and her dad) prepare to make their big entrance.

Soon-to-be Mrs. Bryan Rowley.

Groomsmen (Three Brians, a Brent, another Chris, and another Joe.)

Gettin' down to business. Like I said before, I wasn't nervous about this at all (had I been delivering a Best Man speech, where I was supposed to entertain, it would have been a far different story), and just read off a pre-agreed upon script that I had already shared with Bryan and Chelsey. I was going to start off with the famous 'Mawiage..' opener from the wedding scene in The Princess Bride, and was really close to opening like that, but most of the fifty attendees were elderly family members, and I don't think most of them would've gotten the joke. Having skipped that zinger, I ad libbed here and there, but mostly just followed the script. Easy work, folks. 

Chelsey and Bryan and originally told me they were writing their own vows to exchange during the ceremony, but about a week before the wedding they told me they had said 'screw it' and wanted that part left out. This shortened the length of the ceremony considerably, so the whole thing clocked in at less than ten minutes, probably.

Declaration of Intent and the Ring Exchange took the most time, but it was still a super fast wedding.

Making out in front of family members.

Pronouncement (finally) of these two as husband and wife.

After the pronouncement, the bridal party took turns going back down the aisle into the barn. Ashley was the last to go, and stopped by me to accompany her back down the aisle. . . but I still had to read a paragraph that gave the audience instructions for what to do next (something along the lines of 'the bride and groom invite you to join them for cocktails in the courtyard following the ceremony. . .' etc. etc.), so she had to stand next to me awkwardly until I was done with that, then I was ready to head back down the aisle. After the audience had wandered over for drinks and snacks in the courtyard, the family of the bride and groom headed back down to the ceremony area for some family photos.

Bryan, Chelsey, and all their siblings, step-siblings, and siblings-in-law.

We also knocked out the obligatory bridal party shots at this time, too.

Why does Kris look so intense in this selfie?

Little Borther and Spouse.

Parentals.

Originally I was gonna post all these wedding pics after the official ones came out, buuuuuut who knows when that will be, so you can just deal with the ones that someone (I think my Dad) snapped off to the side.

Seems to be the big thing to do these days with photographers - get a pic of people casually walking towards them in slow motion. After years of doing this with Collier for our family pics, I have this shit locked in.

Some groomsmen-only one where she asked us to put our sunglasses on. We look like frickin' Reservoir Dogs.

Another walking one, this time where we had to button up our jackets.

The Groomsmen were able to disperse as the photographer switched gears to get pics of just the bride and her bridesmaids, so some folks went up to the courtyard to grab a cocktail, while others took more required pics with relatives, spouses, etc.

Had to get a couple with the ol' ball and chain, of course.

With pictures done, we walked up to the courtyard and grabbed some drinks. They had a set of cornhole boards up there, soooo Houghs decided to to Hough.

Went with a Borthers vs. Wives match-up, with Nicole and me at one end. . .

. . . and Kris and Chris at the other (Brian White hung out and spectated for the majority of it.)

We play a lot of cornhole these days (we have regulation boards ourselves, so while we're not outright awesome at it, we're better than what we were.)

Chris was throwing like shit this afternoon, so despite my valiant efforts the wives pulled away from us.

Kris/Chris selfie.

To the victors go the spoils. . .

Grabbing another cocktail before heading into the barn for the reception.

Chelsey shows off her custom-made Converse for the reception and after-party (so as to avoid having to hang out in frickin' heels until late that night.)

After a bit, folks were seated at their designated tables, and the bridal party hung back outside (for a couple more drinks) to prepare for our big entrance.

Ashley came up with an entrance gag for us at the last minute. I didn't know this was the new thing to do, but, then again, I haven't been in a wedding since 2013.

Once everyone had been seated, it was time for the Maid of Honor and Best Man speeches. Chelsey's sister, as Maid of Honor, kicked things off, reading a speech she had typed up off her phone. Brian White - Rowley's Best Man - had been stressed about a speech all morning, and repeatedly asked me what he should do (he didn't write up anything in advance.) I gave him some suggestions but he didn't really formulate anything beforehand. Nevertheless, when he got up on the mic he frickin' knocked it out of the park - it was funny, on point, appropriately timed, as if it had been written down in advance. Insane.

Newlyweds, applauding the speeches.

They had personalized, little wooden name thingies and champagne flutes to help folks know where to sit. The bridal party and close family sat along these large farm tables, with extended family and friends at smaller, round satellite tables off to the side.

First dance as husband and wife, following dinner.

Then ones with the moms.

After food had been cleared, folks began drinking and dancing more and things livened up.

Brians.

Jill, Chelsey and the Michaels'.

Lot of selfies taken throughout the night, that's for damn sure.

Rowley sandwich.

Chelsey and some groomsmen (no idea where I was at this point in time.)

I don't like the lens flare here - makes me think my contacts are all smudged up or some shit.

It wouldn't be a big, booze-soaked social event without some drama, and there definitely was some during the reception and afterwards. I won't get in to most of it, but let's just say that this Michael Myers mask caused a few injuries over the course of the evening. . .

The next morning, folks slept in a bit - it had been a long day and an evening longer night - but by 9/10am folks were stirring and wandering over to the Clubhouse for breakfast (and mimosas.)

Someone had one of those Blackstone grills on hand and Brian White set to grilling up eggs and other breakfast staples for everyone.

I helped by taking pictures of him hard at work while drinking a Bloody Mary. You know, what I always do.

Spotted some kinda small lizard scurrying up a tree close by the back porch. Used to see crap like this all the time back when we lived in Florida, but - despite what some of the other guys were insisting - Michigan does not have lizards.

Grazing, later in the morning.

Whenever I travel away from home, my IBS acts up like a motherf***er. I was blocked up all weekend, with intense stomach cramps on and off (fortunately not during the ceremony, though.) Jill gave me some of this tea she had lying around (don't ask me why), but it didn't work at all.

Shortly after our late breakfast/lunch/whatever, folks broke out beer pong tables and cornhole boards - something competitive to do while drinking and snacking.

Brent brought a satellite he uses for work - some portable job with a 75 foot power cord - in order to grab an internet signal strong enough to stream the Detroit Lions game. Signal was great, but unfortunately the Lions were not: despite winning the last six or seven weeks in a row, they were down 28-0 at the end of the first half. Most folks lost interest after that.

Watching the 'game' (if you can even call it that.)

Kris tries her hand at Beer Pong. 

Joe's wife, Hannah, and Kris.

Yours Truly and Chelsey's sister (forgot her name.)

I ended up taking an hour-long nap shortly after this and was out of commission for a spell.

Upon waking up, it was just about dinner time, so as folks continued to grill up food we broke into these custom-made beers that Chelsey and Bryan and made up. All the bridal party got a sixer to take home with them at the end of the weekend, too.

Dusk is getting earlier and earlier these days, so we started a couple fires in the firepit.

Two different wood styles for this evening: the classic Tee-pee design (at left) and the Cabin design (at right.) Now, in my humble opinion, I prefer starting the fire using the tee-pee method, then graduating to the much more efficient, slower-burning cabin style once it's up and running.

For the rest of the night, folks bounced back and forth between the fire and inside the Clubhouse by the pool table, enjoying one last night of one another's company before we all had to return to normal life the following day. 

Chelsey and Bryan's beer, discarded in flames. The next morning (if you can even call it that) Kris, the Whites, and I had to get out of bed ar f***ing' 3:00am. This was excruciating for all parties involved (seeing how we had stayed up until about 12:30am, thereabouts) but especially Brian White, who drove out of Tennessee and into Kentucky while Jill, Kris and I were all fast asleep. By the time we all woke up, halfway through Kentucky, he was running on fumes and Kris took over driving duties until we hit Michigan. Long story short, folks, Kris and I got home around 4pm, and spent the rest of the evening showering, changing into pajamas, and otherwise just sitting around on the couch and vegging out in front of the TV. Like I said before, it was a really fun weekend for sure, but it was also physically draining. By the end of the weekend, it was good to be home.

- Brian