44-4,p26

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

BY Tom Lilly

So there we were, holding down the fort as it were, lying to each other about why we hadn't made the trip up to Montreal like the rest of the club, just passing and yacking. Then my wife pulled up with a screech.

Great, I thought, the dogs have invaded Mr. Miller's pool again or maybe the air conditioner's dropped into reverse. But Ann's smiling.

"Merriweather Post just called, the director of operations. They want you to open for John Mellancamp tomorrow night!"

Ann's good. She picked up on my blank look right away.

"Do you know who Mellancamp is? Like rock and roll?"

Hey, I knew that. Sorta. It was the "open" part that was causing the problem. That plus the "Merriweather" bit.

Merriweather Post Pavilion is our local venue for traveling rock shows each summer. Everybody from the Beach Boys to Paula Abdul to Twisted Sister comes to buzz the squirrels out in Symphony Woods.

Seating? About 15,000 when you toss in the lawn crowd.

"Open? They said they wanted me to open for the main act?"

"Yeah. I thought you'd want the message right away. They said to call first thing in the morning. The manager left his name."

By now our Great Kahuna, Bill Allen, had gleamed to the news. "You sure that message was for Tom?"

He had a point. I mean hey, I can pass okay, handle the basic stuff with passarounds, seven clubs and feeds. But as an opening act? I'm a magician and a fireeater, not a twelve - tight - minutes - to - music type. Street work, maybe a coupla-hundred at a fair, but 15,000?

Course everybody else was in Canada: Doubble Troubble, Clockwork, Baltimore Vaudeville Company. So why not?

First call came at 8:30A.

"Whataya say Tom? We need ten minutes of juggling tonight before the Mellancamp show... okay? "

You sure you mean me? I really don't have a solo show...

"Lemme check with the Mellancamp people, but it sounds good to me. Get right back to you."

Mid-afternoon. "This is Jean from Merriweather, general manager. Matt says you're to report to the administration building at six. He'll meet you and take you backstage. Thanks." Click.

If you're gonna bump it, bump it with a trumpet.

"So Bill, ya busy tonight? Meet me at Merriweather at five, we'll script out a show."

Just two American kids growing up in the Heartland, passing torches on the lawn as the talent goes through a sound check on stage and security hides behind trees so's He won't be distracted and the citizens arrive with cans in hand.

Eight o'clock and we head backstage to meet Mellancamp's stage manager.

"You the jugglers? They explain everything to you?" Big smile, friendly, sooo relaxed. "No? Well, we've had jugglers out before each show since the tour began last winter, so...Bob, adjust the gel on number three.. just go out and have fun. Oh: no vegetables, animals, or fire, okay?"

So much for scripting. Maybe we could... "You're on."

Enter juggling. A smattering of applause builds until somebody realizes we're not Him, but no outright threats or anything. Some tricks by me with three clubs over on stage left as Bill goes through three and four balls. Applause? Well, yeah. Sorta.

Passing six with doubles, trips, chops. A shoulder throw, under the leg, flats. Solids in the spotlight. Bring on Gatto! A run of twenty-five with seven Renegades just born for that bank of colored spots up above. And real applause this time. No, really! (five more minutes jugglers)

Back to six for some strolling about the stage and a bit of long distance tossing, another run with the seven, bow, and off to the wings.

"Hey you guys were alright. We've had audiences just ignore the jugglers; you they really paid attention to."

We handle the adulation well and still manage not to stumble over the racks of pre-tuned guitars.

Back in Matt's hands. "So did the Mellancamp people say they'd pay you, or us?"

You mean we get money too? Is this a great country...

Bottom line: checks on the spot, passes for that night, and tickets comped for anything else on the schedule. Oh, and one more thing...

"Now Mr. Lilly, we are expecting a big group for our affair, nearly 200. Have you ever performed in front of a large audience before?"

Tom Lilly passes clubs at the Baltimore Jugglers Association and is still hoping to see Nancy from Boston once again.