Fedora the Explorer

I've been meeting up with my friend Jens to play music every week for the past month, and so when word spread around town last week that there was going to be a big 50's themed birthday party thrown, we decided to learn some 50's songs.  We practiced together a few times and picked out some tunes, and then recruited the help of Alex, a drummer in town.  

Last week was dominated by band practice, and we managed to piece togther a pretty respectable setlist.  Then Thursday came around and I got a call from U of I friend Tim Cap confirming he was coming down to visit from Seoul.  

A portion of our conversation went a little like this:

Tim: So I should be getting in around 10 p.m.

Me: Cool, there's a beach bonfire happening Friday night, and then Saturday I'm playing 50's tunes with a band at a 50's themed party.

Tim: Sounds like fun.

Me: ..... How are you on the bass?

Tim: ..... Are you asking me to play in your band?

Me: Yes

Tim: Then yes, I'll play bass in your band.

And so it was settled.  Tim came down Friday, we went to a bonfire and stayed out way too late, had a sound check and Tim's first practice on Saturday afternoon, and played a killer show that night.

Our band name modulated between The Fighting Mokpo Allstars, The Communist Manifested, Sputnik and the Space Race, Squeaky Wheel and the Greasers, and my personal favorite, Fedora the Explorer. 

Jens and I traded Vocals, my songs are underlined:

Good Rockin' Tonight - Roy Brown

Oh Boy - Buddy Holly

Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley

Diana - Paul Anka

That's All Right Mama - Elvis Presley

Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes

Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters

Earth Angel - The Penguins

Jambalaya - Hank Williams

Mighty Mighty Man - Roy Brown

Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford

Everyday - Buddy Holly

I put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley

Sea of Love - John Phillip Baptiste

Woolly Bully - Sam the Sham (not a 50's tune... but it fit in)

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Mr. Sandman's Revenge (Also known as Enter Mr. Sandman)

Good Birthday Tonight (A Good Rockin' Reprise with altered lyrics)

When we had finished our set, someone in the crowd yelled somehing like, "We want Cake!", so Tim rocked the mike and we did an impromptu cover of Cake's cover of "I will survive".  We only realized after we finished that they probably actually yelled something like, "It's time for birthday cake!", but we only heard what we wanted to hear, so we played a song that Cake didn't even write in the first place.

Then we all ate cake.

Good parties end with an acoustic guitar on the roof.  So by inference, the best parties end with an acoustic, an electric, and part of a drum set on the roof.

Friendships were made, beer was consumed, good times were had, and Fedora the Explorer is looking into playing at a bar in town.