At the conclusion of last year's Open Road, I told Grandfunk it was a lot of fun but too much work to really enjoy fully and I thought it should be our once in a lifetime experience of being concert promoters.
Time passed by and good things continued to happen for Juggling Suns and the scene that we, the fans, create around their music. Everytime I would have a real intimate encounter with their life on the road, by traveling to shows or inviting the band to stay over at our home between gigs, I would be amazed at how weary the road makes you and how this band would somehow get through all that, to deliver night after night of outstanding music. So I couldn't turn Grandfunk down when it came time to give something back to the band who has filled our life with so much joy on so many occassions.
In the end, Open Road is a testament to everyone involved in Juggling Suns... not just the band but all the people behind the scenes and in front of the stage. Once again we put out the call for support, the volunteers came forth and we created our magical world for a few days.
There are many people who deserve a shout out for all they did to pull off another success, my sweet wife, Patina being at the top of that list! Once again she made really cool laminates that everyone was given upon check-in, in addition to all the word documents we used to get information out to everyone. She was also responsible for hawking the raffle tickets and then did the drawing with some help from Clay, Gump and Brad.
I was really glad to see the raffle go over so well, I was hoping that we could get everyone to pitch in a few extra dollars for the extra night of music and you all came through better than expected.
This picture was taken on Sunday morning after most people had left camp and the thing to notice is how clean this scene is after two days, nice work people!!!
Finally, I want to thank the key players behind this year's Open Road... Grandfunk & Julie for orginizing the event, Rob & Michelle for sharing their beautiful home with us, being such gracious hosts and for putting on fireworks between sets on Saturday night, Josh & Melisa along with Gump for helping us plan and implement the logistics, Scott & Elise for feeding anyone who was hungry, Rodger & Tim for managing the stage, all the musicians for sharing their talents with us and last but not least, all the Juggling family members who came out and made this another unforgettable weekend!!! When it was all over, I said it was so incredible I didn't think it could possibly be topped, therefore we should let it stand as a historical event - meaning there may not be another Open Road gathering.
Our lives are changing in many ways, love has bloomed, weddings have been announced, babies are being born, and the Juggling nation continues to expand to new territories. We have been very blessed to be a part of such a wonderful family scene. We can't deny the impact this music has had upon us and it will always remain a treasure!