New Year's Eve In Cincinnati

The WannaBeatles' last gig of 2015 was a trip to Cincinnati, for a New Year's Eve party at a casino called Belterra.

As usual, we started with the appropriate vehicle and trailer at the home of WannaBeatle Nathan.

 Most gear went into the trailer. Guitars and luggage went into the back of the 4Runner.

The trailer loaded, we're ready to go. 
Cincinnati here we come.

Dennis driving on the road up I-65, eating banana.

Stopping in Wal-mart to buy gloves

A view of the Belterra building as we approach

Unusual tent structure at our loading area

Parking lot overlooking race track

Dennis at stage with tech crew

WannaBeatle David assembling drums

WannaBeatle Nathan setting up his keyboard

David, Nathan and partial Dennis during sound check

And another shot with Dennis visible

Dennis in his tech role, 

setting up the video program beside stage

Checking screen onstage

Stage set up with our banner on display

Belterra is built beside a horse race track. Our dressing room was also the room where jockies would dress before the races. We got to read the rules that apply to horses.

We're not sure what this room was for, but we were impressed they had one.

David and Dennis struggle to open the door to escape from the dressing room, which was also used to store the unused holiday decorations (if you notice the Christmas tree in the corner.)

Sign in lobby of Holiday Inn Express, where we stayed

Our New Year's Eve gig was long - four sets - but enjoyable. It concluded with the release of hundreds of balloons falling from the ceiling, and onto the stage.

Dennis onstage among the balloons

Dennis acting silly with balloons

The following morning, we put on our WannaBeatles tee shirts to perform a brief song in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express, as a way of "singing for our supper," or exchanging our musical abilities for a night of lodging. Credit WannaBeatle Dennis with this creative business solution.

In the lobby, preparing to do our song.

Stopping for lunch in Bowling Green, Ky. on the way home, walking to the Chick-Fil-A

Dennis turning his lunch order into a comic opportunity

Eating lunch

And posing with the young manager of the store - 

making friends wherever we go.

Our trip to Belterra involved other adventures, driving around a city where we'd never been before, getting to know the entertainment director at Belterra who hired us and coached us through our first gig (Thanks, Leroy!), working with the manager of the Holiday Inn Express (Thanks, Joe!)
and appreciating the meal we ate right before our fourth set, giving us the energy to finish the night.

This is just a photo essay to remind us of another adventure we had, and to share the good times.

I suppose we could thank Toyota too, for a fine vehicle that got us up there and back in total comfort.

It's probably the best New Year's Eve for the WannaBeatles so far. Welcome to 2016!

-Blogging Bryan 14April2016