 |
| Escanaba has a big band shell, but apparently no bands |
Live, from Escanaba! We have….well... nobody.
Today’s bad postcard takes us to the wilds of Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula. Lots of people are flocking to the U.P. this holiday weekend.
About 40,000 are expected to take part in the annual crossing of the Mackinac
Bridge, connecting the state’s two peninsulas.
Some of them might come over from Escanaba, unless there’s a
big concert at the Karas Memorial Band Shell. Our postcard makes it appear that
such a concert won’t be happening any time soon.
The back doesn’t reveal much: “Karas Memorial Band Shell at
Ludington Park, Escanaba, Mich.”
Firmly planted in the “ghost town” bad postcard genre, we
get the stage and some weeds. Apparently no one thought to spruce up the place
before the postcard photographer got there.
I do see some flowers in the planters. The flowers and the lack of snow allows us to
place this photo sometime between July 1 and July 15. As the Escanabans say,
there are two seasons: Winter is here, and winter is coming.
But why take a photo of the band shell without the benefit of a band? Could they not book anybody? I bet Miley Cyrus will have some openings on her tour schedule now. She could replace the giant Teddy bears with regular-sized moose. I'd watch that.
I did attend a John Ruben concert once that had a crowd like this. It was at Calvin College during spring break week, so the student were gone. It was poorly promoted. I bet there were fewer than 50 people in the audience, and it was a good-sized hall.
Ruben came out and said, "This would be a great crowd -- in my basement!" But he was a trooper and put one a great show. Talked a lot to fans, and didn't need the microphone to do it.
I did attend a John Ruben concert once that had a crowd like this. It was at Calvin College during spring break week, so the student were gone. It was poorly promoted. I bet there were fewer than 50 people in the audience, and it was a good-sized hall.
Ruben came out and said, "This would be a great crowd -- in my basement!" But he was a trooper and put one a great show. Talked a lot to fans, and didn't need the microphone to do it.
We know that the folks in Escanaba are proud of their
municipal structures, as we've already dissected the postcard of the water treatment plant.
Research for that post uncovered this gem about Escanaba
being a place for secret celebrity weddings:
“In January 1968, Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi's
daughter was married in Escanaba at St. Anne's Church. Upon finding out his
then-unwed daughter was pregnant, Lombardi, who was vacationing in Florida at
the time, insisted she drive to Michigan to get married rather than doing it
Green Bay, in order to keep the news out of the papers.”
I don’t know if they were able to find a band to play at the
reception. Our vacant band shell postcard makes us wonder if there are any up
there!
If you enjoy the bad postcard, here's a link to the MLive entries.
1 comment:
Pretty hot story, just breaking...
LANSING (AP) -- A top-level state appointee was forced to resign his high-profile post in controversy Monday when it was revealed he rooted against the Detroit Tigers in an interleague series over the weekend.
Mets Guy In Michigan, deputy press secretary to the governor and a native of Long Island, New York, would not disavow his allegiance to his hometown baseball team, the Mets, which constituted a violation of Michigan law that requires all state employees suck up to local teams.
"I apologize to the people of Michigan and to my fellow public servants," MGIM told reporters. "But the Mets come first. Geez, just read Marlon Byrd's arm!"
New York Mets chief operating officer and University of Michigan alumnus Jeff Wilpon had no comment regarding this uncommon display of fan loyalty, though a spokesperson for Wilpon accidentally dialed retired Mets relief pitcher and Flint native Mickey Weston three times Tuesday, between 6 AM and noon.
Post a Comment