New Year's Eve 2006!

As alluded to here in BOTB late last year, The Swinging Orangutangs provided the music for the big New Year's Eve party at The Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, WV. We all survived the show in grand style, managing to perform nearly five hours of music for several hundred enthusiastic revellers. Judging from the usage of the dance floor, I think everyone enjoyed themselves. There were many of our good friends in the crowd, which made things so much easier. Up on stage we were having enough fun ourselves to willingly play an extra half hour for the late-night party people. The hotel repaid the favor by letting us relax in the lounge until after 3 am with some much appreciated food.

Favorite moments of the night for me:

• ending 2006 with a spirited rendition of Steely Dan's Reelin' in the Years
• having Phoebe and Liam there with us at midnight (Liam wearing his Superman costume)
• starting 2007 with a rocking version of Burnin' Down the House by the Talking Heads
• standing onstage watching 250 happy souls gyrating to the music we made
• seeing the boys in the band all duded up in our polka dot shirts and ties. We looked like we belonged onstage together--and we did!
  

Things I would do differently:

• not play two gigs in one day with a major stage set-up in between. I was at the hotel for 26 hours straight. It's a nice place, but I felt like I should be wearing an employee name badge
• get a photo of the whole band in our outfits. I'm sad to miss that photo-op
• Start the boogie music right away. People evidently do not want to listen to any music that is not a DANCE song (either slow or fast) on NYE. In this way it's very much like playing for a wedding

All in all it was a great adventure. A thrilling end to the old year and start to the new.

I'll let the images tell most of the story from here on. . .

The ballroom was packed, the hotel rooms sold out. The barkeeps were perspiring from their exertions.

Julie painted our new logo on the head of Steve's bass drum. The neon green shone brightly from the stage.

Among the evening's first dancers were Phoebe (looking very Coco Chanel) and Liam (Blond Superman). It was so great to have them with us.

Our fab friends Zane and Margaret brought their baby daughter Oona along. She and Zane enjoyed several slow dances. Oona is everyone's fave babe.

Vinnie's smile lit up the room from behind his keyboards. He got the most kisses at midnight.

Marty our bass player looking swankly Italian during a set break.

Marty in action, fingers all a-blur.

It's hard to get a photo of Steve way back there behind his drums. He rocked, so hard.

Up on stage the lights were hot. We eventually shed our jackets and let the polkadots do the talking.

Music in the air, dervishes whirling.

Princess Zick in between I Hear You Knockin' and Take Me to the River.

A pair of orangutangs in their natural element.

Zick sang so well, she earned a feather in her tiara.

Guitarzan riding on the energy from his fellow Orangutangs and the audience, letting the music flow from one year into the next.

Nearly all these images were taken by our best pal Shila Wilson, photographic oracle, energy channeler, fun-seeker, soul sister.