CFTC-School's Out Bash

       And the rain came down . . . literally all day. But first there was Friday. It was the beginning of a two day event at The Rusty Needle Sports Bar to benefit three charities. First up was Interfaith Housing with the proceeds of Friday night’s show going to benefit this organization. The evening went off without a hitch and it was a party in the tent on the parking lot. The sides were rolled up and the music rolled out. Full parking lots of people crowded into the bar and spilled out into the parking lot and out of the tent. They came to hear Joe, sing and play his original songs accompanied by his guitar. Up next to round out the evening was Chad Sullins and The Last Call Coalition.

     About 6:00 am on Saturday, Hutchinson was treated to an incredible downpour that never let up until 10:00 pm that night. The show at The Needle faced a cross road. Does the show go on with a tent floor full of water or do we cancel? The afternoon was a benefit for The Cancer Society Cancer Dinner and for the CFTC Scholarship fund in the evening. It was decided that like all good entertainers that the show must go on!

     The show began late inside the bar with Conner and Isaac and the group formerly known as Earth to Matilda who performed an acoustic set for those who had decided to brave the rain to come to the show. While this show was going on inside, outside management of the bar and the evenings performers gathered together to dry out the tent and floor, and move the stage which was no small feat. The fact that they moved the stage in one piece is simply beyond all imagining. But they did.

     And the show went on under the big tent. A variety of performers took to the stage. Hard Rock, heavy metal and a variety of other incredible musical styles spilled out from under the tent into the wet, rainy night. And at the end of it all was Hemlock. Yes, Hemlock returned to a crowd that rivaled last years. And the crowd jumped, juked, jived, and splashed through the water standing on the floor under the tent. No one seemed to care about the rain, the water, the puddles or the soaked pant legs and soggy shoes. Truly an event all its own.

     Whatever will next year bring? CFTC and The Rusty Needle can only guess. Make sure your there next year for The School’s Out Bash. It is literally different every year.