It was about a quarter to nine, when I commented to Steve Bradley, "Geez, the bass player is cutting it kinda close!" Steve looked at me in that classic Bradley deadpan, "Did you call him?" I suddenly realized that all along Steve had assumed I had contacted Mark LaRue Todd to play bass tonight. I racked my brain to figure out how what I said gave him that idea, but it was time to spring into action. I tried calling Todd, but got his machine. I then tried Jimmy Solberg (Jim Mesi Band), who had just this afternoon asked me to keep a lookout for a gig for him--got his machine. I tried Dave Kahl--another machine. I then remembered Timmer Blakesley! He WAS home, and after a brief consultation with his little woman, said, "I'll be there in 30 minutes." Relief. Hopper's owner, Al, said, "Don't sweat it, man, this stuff happens, ya know."

As we were waiting for Timmer, two guys came up to Steve at the bar and starting talking about U.S. Cadenza days back in the 70's when Steve had hair down to his ass. Then another guy, who had come in after seeing the listing in the Oregonian, was an old Badly Bradley fan. So it was quite the evening for reminiscing...

Timmer showed up as planned and we were underway before 10 p.m., and what a joy it was. I have always been a Bradley fan since the days in the mid-80's when Badly Bradley was the ultimate local music experience at the Dublin Pub, when it was over on Belmont. With a voice somewhere between Mark Knopler and Tom Rush, Bradley's rhythmic intonations, and trademark phrasing is instantaneously recognizable. Coupled with his dry wit, Bradley can get any crowd involved. And tonight was no exception.

Timmer was positively telepathic in following Bradley's chord moves, but Steve is good at telegraphing, too, so we were pretty much seamless and tight. We did such chestnuts as "Secret Agent Man" with the canned guitar licks from Goldfinger and other James Bond compositions thrown in for good measure. I hadn't even HEARD that song since about 1968 off the Johnny Rivers album. From there it was surf city, with Dick Dale, Ventures, and several more obscure numbers. We gelled nicely as a trio. After a particularly dramatic ending to one surf tune at the end of the second set, Bradley turned to us and said, "Boys, you've truly created a thing of beauty!"

Attendance never really did show up. The usual 11 p.m. crowd was sparse, but those who came pretty much stayed to the end. We did some shuffles and a few Bradley originals that I recognized from the Dublin Pub days, and the classic Bradley wit kept the small crowd giggling. "Thank you, everyone," Bradley intoned, "Your kindness is only surpassed by your...sensuality." And the oft quoted: "Please help us out with the tips, folks, I've been trying to raise money for my penile reduction surgery. I'm trying to get everything into proportion with the rest of my body."

We played a bit past 1 a.m. to make up for the late start, and everyone was happy.

Hope to see you down at Hopper's next Tuesday night, as I rock with Jeff Barnes!

Boyd