Of Oaks and Acorns...A Very Joans New Years!

New Years Eve was a busy day! After helping David and Ed unload the set for "Rudolph," The Joans traveled (in separate cars, of course--can you imagine us in the same vehicle for over an hour??) to Three Oaks, Michigan and the Acorn Theatre.


The lovely Acorn. The snow is covering the sign, but this is what it looks like from the outside. The owners bought the building in 2001 and remodeled it and it's been operating as a theatre since 2003. It's a gorgeous place worth checking out!

We were a little nervous about how we'd go over in a small town like Three Oaks, but this is not your typical conservative close-minded small town--the people we met were very relaxed and friendly. All the young guys are cute and hot. Everyone knows each other by first name. It reminded me a lot of the town I grew up in, except it's a little smaller (about 1,500 as opposed to my hometown's 6,000) and more artistic.

The owners of the Acorn, Kim Clark and David Fink, are very accomplished folks--Kim teaches screenwriting at DePaul University and has taught for Second City and David is on the board of the Chicago Improv Festival--so when they asked us to perform at their New Years Eve party, we were thrilled and flattered and jumped at the opportunity.

After I got on the road, I noticed my head congestion getting worse from the cold I'd picked up near the end of the "Rudolph" run. I'd brought coffee with me and kept chugging it to stay warm (I hadn't had the foresight to add a little slug of something to "punch it up," and anyway, I was driving--who do you think I am, W.C. Fields?). I got there around 3:30 Eastern Time (which is the time displayed in my mom's car, because she never set the clock back for daylight savings last year) and set up for sound check.

We made our way through our two sets by 6:00, then broke for dinner. Kim and David ordered pizza for the band and staff, and Taylor and Davy Joans went with me to the pharmacy to get some DayQuil and a bottle of spicy bloody mary mix that caught my eye (no, I didn't drink any of it there). We went back to the theatre and I went to my room (there are sleeping quarters IN the theatre--did we mention that? Yeah--this place pretty much has it all) and downed about a third of the DayQuil. It really did help the congestion pretty quickly, and since it's a "non-drowsy" formula, I got that nice warm feeling without the dizziness that accompanies most over-the-counter cold medicines.

After some pizza, I went upstairs to shower and change. Feeling somewhat encouraged that my clothes still fit me (I put back on about 10-15 pounds over this holiday, so New Years is coming none too soon!), I went downstairs to wait in my and George's room. George and I chatted for a bit. Somehow we got on the topic of Priscilla Presley and her age (I'd estimated 59 or 60, but since looking it up afterwards, saw that it's 62) and George showed me his song charts. He writes his charts the same way I do for the songs I write.

David Fink introduced us just after 9:00 PM and we launched into "I Feel Joan," a Donna Summer cover that we adapted for our introduction. Here's a version captured a month or so ago at our Red Line gig:



This time, we had the advantage of special effects: the Acorn has a raising platform that lowers to the stage, and Davy Joans made his entrance down the platform. It was hard to tell if the audience was impressed or just freaked out, but it seemed to be a positive mixture of both.

The first set went really well, despite a few lyrical goofs and getting slightly lost on one of the new songs and covers. I was really happy with my playing (I think maybe the DayQuil helped) and the sound was great. Those of us who "infume" went outside for a quick ciggie and noticed that it was snowing pretty steadily.

The second set went even better than the first set and all of our really fun songs and covers (including "New Toy," "The Morning After" and "Mad At The Dirt") were in that group. After we wrapped up, I went to the bar to order the drink special of the evening, the "wire hanger:" Pepsi, vodka and lime juice. Once the crowd were out of their seats, it was easy to see how many folks there actually were.

Near midnight, we went back onstage for the countdown and to perform our version of Auld Lang Syne. Not one to miss out on the champaggers, I had my toast ready:


What does the expression say to you? To me, it says, "take the damn picture already, I want to get this down my neck!"

Sadly, George was not as cooperative when I tried to take his picture, despite my calling his name three--count them, three--times:



After our Auld Lang Syne butchery--er, I mean, cover--the folks up front asked us to play "Trog" one more time and we willingly obliged. It was a party, after all, and it was time to dance! The video screens on the side and on the stage were set for videos and I went back to the room to change back into my regular clothes and have another ciggie outside. It was still snowing.

Afterwards, I came back inside and put the drums in their zipper bags. I decided to leave them there until morning when it stopped snowing. The party went on until about 2:00 AM and folks started making their way home. We stuck around (we were staying there, after all) and enjoyed a few more drinks and watched the videos from the theatre seats:


From L. to R.: Acorn co-owner David Fink; Davy Joans (Cerda); myself; Ed Joans (Jones); George Joans (Spataro); and Jennifer Joans (Connelly). Taylor Joans (Ross) had already retired to bed by this time. He knows when to quit. We do not!

It was the first time I'd sung along to Laura Branigan songs in over 20 years.

George and I slept in the same bed fully clothed (he was chilly and I was trying to shake this damn cold), and around 7:00 AM or so, I heard him get up and go. I dozed back off and probably woke up around 9:00. I decided to take the now-crated drums to the car and discovered, when I opened the door, that it was still snowing.

The others came down around this time and David took everyone out for breakfast to Bailey's cafe, which he and Kim own. The decor is really tasteful, the breakfasts are yummy, and the staff are friendly (and they seem to work in many different places around town).

We hit the road around noon, after a slight drama with Jennifer Joans locking her keys inside the car with the engine running. Since it was still snowing, we had to drive extra slow, so the trip home took about three hours instead of 90 minutes (including the wait at the Skyway toll plaza, which was down to two lanes, taking about 25 minutes to get through).

I dropped my drums off at Taylor's and was home again...sick from work for the next two days (including today) from the damn cold--the congestion has worsened a bit. I'm out of DayQuil, too, so I'll have to venture outside to the 7-11 at some point this afternoon (when the temp reaches 20 degrees) for more of that and some detergent (it's laundry night).

Some things don't change, even in the New Year! Ah well, until next time, enjoy a few more pics from New Years Eve:


Bess Myerson accepts her crown as Miss America 1945. Oh wait, it's Jennifer Joans in the fancy new headgear she got for her second set costume.



Aaron Joans, Taylor Joans and Gary Airedale are ready for the New Year--and the New Beer!



Don't mess with Carol Ann when it's time for cocktails.



Davy Joans is either doing "The Trog," or was just surprised in the lavatory.



Aaron Joans wishes peace for all in the coming year. He hopes to get a piece, too.



When she's not playing keyboard, Carol Ann is auditioning for the stage version of "She-Devil."



One more view of the outside of the Acorn Theatre: all is quiet on New Year's Day (except for Jen's swearing when she locked her keys in the car).

Thanks again, David and Kim! I loved the Acorn. Can't wait to go back again some time!