It was the 26th annual festival. The Shiverdudes played well and the host decided he wanted them back to end the festival around midnight before hours of informal jams got started. A very friendly atmosphere, great music a lot of bonfires, BBQ, smiles and laughter and…….   A bit of a hippie thing really.  Another gig well done.

Fairly late we stumbled in to Susan’s generous home – once again – and crashed into bed.

After settling in at a hotel near the evenings venue, the ladies and Knut went for a swim. Good to wash of the days travel dust.

We had dinner at a very good Cajun restaurant. We had fried oysters, dirty rice and steak. Good grub for the upcoming evening at a biker bar

Shiverbone shared the stage with Johnny Pecker and the Beaver Bustin’ Pickle Weasels (what a name!!!). Vibeke and Knut knew the lead singer from last year. We had a good gig with friendly faces in front of the stage and got good feedback!  Johnny and his crew ended the evening with their blend of hard-edged growling, screaming and riff based southern rock.  All in all another good evening at Bennys Bar in Longview, TX.

Accompanied us during our time in old town  was the sound of passing trains and the lonesome hollow thoooot- thoooth. Stig talked to a “railman” about the endless trains. He told at the most they had 126 wagons, and three locomotives. Stig wondered how long it took to halt the train to a stop. The railman said; “We start using the brakes as soon as we get going”. Takes some time then…

In old town Mona Lisa and Svenn got chatting to the one barber / bailbonds man. He had a sign outside his barbershop that said: “In jail? We bail”. He also told that all the brick in the street was laid by one man alone, in 1922.

At a coffeehouse our good friend Devin meet us for a coffee (though Devin don’t drink coffee anymore). When we were fixing to leave we got chatting to some ladies, that had sons who were in world class rodeo. Knut gave the mothers cd’s – because they suggested Shiverbone could play at the world championship in Vegas. And Shiverbone – being adventurous as always – are ready for a weekend in Las Vegas any time!

Evening came awfully quick. The boys got ready earlyish and headed for Wired Wabbit. As the girls readied and prettied themselves, and shared a bottle of chilled Sauvignon blank. Good life!

Shiverbone played for a good crowd of enthusiastic Childressians. Devin song a few with them. All the practicing and previous shows really came together for the S- bone band this cooled – but still warm – autumn nite. The music flowed from passionate band members. The arrangements were tight and eager. Stig even did split jumps the whole evening!

It were a magnificent night at the Wired Wabbit Saloon – both for the listeners and the band.

Back at the hotel the Stig room had a nachtspiel into the wee hours of morning, were the rumors tell tails of a pledge communicated during the rant. The rumor-pledge is said to be stop smoking at the exact moment in putting their feet back on Norwegian soil…  A very good rocking night it was!

On route we crossed the famos Route 66 – and we had to forever the moment with some pics.

Arriving safely in Childress mid afternoon – and setteled into a hotel – we were off to the Wired Wabbit. Fab place – with good grub

More pics and meeting up with good friends.

Many folks thought that the drummer is a “bad ass drummer” – og på norsk er det “en dårlig rumpe trommer” – og hva er det?!

Stig was at his best – as in his prime. Played the bass without a barstol next to him. Svaying and having a bassing good time. Knut enjoyed playing for good friends again. He sang the song Mr D – for Mr D himself – and Mr D still apropved with a; “Hell yeah, that is real life – that is!”. Another good nite om the road. And tomorro, we’ll rock the Wabbit again.

Tuesday Knut were of early – checking the car with Jay. We then headed to Oklahoma city and Bricktown. Stayed at the Rennessanse hotel – 12^th floor, with plush beds and a huge room. And a view of OK city.

Stig has made the fair decision to spend one night with each couple, all in fair play, so no one would be jealous for him spending too much time with the others.

The ladies were to do spa, and as it ended up, Stig also got a massage.

Then we were whisked off to Toby Keath’s restaurant in Bricktown in a limo! What we Norwegians don’t do to arrive in style, huh?! Dindinns was excellent, and we thereafter headed out to search for live music.

And we found it at the Biting Sow Blues. As it were they had a jam session. Vibeke talked to the jammaster and first Svenn was up, jamming the drums. Then the band lend their instruments to the grand Shiverbone, and they did a 30 minutes session with their cool music.

We got talking with the locals, and made some new friends. The party continued into the small hours at the hotel room. We did not throw out the telly though, a sure sign of what?

Jay came to drive us to Rentiesville and the blues festival, and boy, that man can drive…. – we can reveal that we got there safe and mostly in one piece.

Shiverbone were second band out om the club stage and did a splendid  job. It was early in the evening so the club was not packed, but the crowd was supportive and enthusiastic.

One guy came up and said – the only band here taking good care of the Hendrix legacy in blues – not a bad compliment really.  A guy came up and said to Svenn; “You are going to make it big time!”. Now – our question is, when is big and when  is time?  And Vibeke sold a bunch of CDs and the guys signed autographs.

As some of us were at one of the outside stages, Stig, Svenn and Mona Lisa sat through a concert at the club scene, and fell in love with this man: www.johnnyrawlsblues.com.  He took stage and occupied everything with his mere presence.  And to top it of – he had been in Norway and actually lived in Horten – Vibeke and Knut’s home town – so we got some greetings to bring back home.

All in all a memorable evening for us all.

But first: We spent another pretty much quiet day – doing some shopping – We bought some amps and microphones at Square Deal and we think we got just that – at least compared to prices at home.  And then of course shopping at WallMart – Vibeke stayed at Susan’s house all day – a true vacational day spent by the pool with a book.

Friday was the first day of the blues festival “From Dusk ’till Dawn” in Rentiesville, OK.  Three stages with live music from 5 pm to 5 am next morning for three days.  (http://dcminnerblues.com) .

We had not intended to play but when of the jam masters recognised Knut from last year and realised the whole band was present it was right up on the stage and twenty minutes of pure Shiverbone music and people really seemed to enjoy it – massive response – and we got a good opportunity to market our concert on Sunday.

The atmosphere on this festival is special – all ages, all genders, all colors and friendly smiling faces everywhere.  Dancing, sweating, yell along, good food and drinks and a lot of down to the core true blues music – it’s quiet strange and wonderful that they like us – The little ol’ band from Norway.

Shiverbone is rehearsing and getting good and ready – and they seem to be smiling too!

We started the day at Paul’s Dinner with a big american country breakfast – eggs, ham, sausages, pancakes, bacon, coffee, tea etc.  enough to last the day. Jearl, Susan’s dad showed up and took Stig for a 18 hole golf  trip. For an 83 year he is an amazing man and they had a great time together.

Vibeke and Knut went to visit Carolyn and Haskel (Knut’s “parents” from when he was an exchange student back in 81/82)  and brought with them homemade lasagna and salad – laughter, stories, and memories.

Svenn and Mona Lisa was glued to the pool – Heee Haaa!

At night we all went to My Place, a local BBQ restaurant and had dinner. Our hard-working Susan joined us there.  The food was very good – so good we could hardly move our buts to the car to drive back.

As we rolled out on the road, there was a thunderstorm roaming the sky. Spectacular round dark-gray clouds against the lighter sky, filled with lightning bliss. At home some of us got comfy in the sofa inside, and some of us continued to watch mother natures show at the patio.

A good relaxing day.

To see comments to the pics – run your marker over them.

We decided that this was a day for relaxing at home – there was a shower that was so hard that the expression “raining cats and dogs” really didn’t cut it – of course the sun came back and it was a great day for hanging by the pool – or as Stig would say “slanging around”.  Or as a famous country song expressed it “God is great, Beer is good and People are crazy”.

Svenn, Vibeke and Mona Lisa got it together and made great homemade lasagna for dinner ’till Susan got home from a long hard day of working – Jay joined us as well and we sat around the table for hours – full, content and amused.