Around Noon on November 8, 2014

I happen to have a day off from doing POLKA DOT! gig stuff, and I end up working … on POLKA DOT! stuff. Today, I'm thinking about video footage - I have a new tune I have begun recording, and in addition to performance footage, want to get some fun clips to cobble together a promo video (yeah, I'm old). I come across the Alive '75 business card, and recall that they are doing the second of two shows up at Sussex County college on this very day. Hey, maybe I could film these guys for the video? I decide to call Anthony. I leave him a voicemail, and figure that it's too late to pull anything off. He calls me back, we talk, and he loves the idea. And, as fate would have it, he needs an emcee! I tell him no problem, as I have a pretty good '70's comedy act. We strike up a deal, hang up, and I … start to write a '70's comedy act. I rummage through my basement and find some period-appropriate apparel to wear - luckily I have a vintage Burger King shirt handy. I also pull out some props to carry around, including a Tab cola can, and an 1975 issue of Consumer Reports. "That '70's Guy!" is born!

When I get up to SCCC, I say high everyone as they're getting ready - going into drummer Joe's dressing room, I hear "100,000 Years" from Alive! playing, and see him explaining to Mike the Paul guy the parts of the drum solo. I'm impressed with the level of commitment. I then borrow Anthony-The-Ace Guy's wig hair spray and do my hair. I then tour the stage, and film something for the super-cool Pasquale Vari, who came down down from Canada to see the show, and cover the show for his KISS Nation TV channel on YouTube. By then, the band is made up, and convene on stage so I can lense a clip or two for my POLKA DOT! video. It goes well. These guys are pretty cool.

"So, you're ready to go?" Anthony Gene asks me.

"Uh, yeah." That afternoon, I whipped up some 1975-specific jokes, which was a lot harder than I thought it would. I love the '70s, but my area of concentration is more '77-'78. I had to be exact! None of my material could be based on anything past the group's chosen year of tribute! I then read the stuff a little bit in the car, and here I was.

"Let's do it!" At around 8:15, that's exactly what happened. I took the stage, and somehow, sort of nailed it. Luckily the guys thought so, too.

"You're our emcee!" Cool.

The next day, I receive a text from Byron, who went to the show. His message about the band? "You should be their Paul!" What?!