Southside Atlanta Memories

Panama City Beach- Thunder Beach Spring Rally 2011

Well, this is what you've been missing if you stayed in Newnam this weekend- a few sights , and LOTS of sounds-the roar of the bikes, as well as great music, and seagulls; the roar of the waves, and talk with friendly folks. There's always next weekend though- come on down and make some Southside Atlanta Memories right here in Panama City Beach.

If you can't get enough of Panama City Beach memories, check this out- it's on Amazon and Borders' websites already, as well as History Press. should be in stores this week; might be a nice Mother's Day gift, to go with the diamond earrings you've already picked out.

Panama City Beach! Thunder Beach Spring Rally 2011 schedule, reviews-

Have been reviewing last fall's excellent music line-up- this 2011 Spring Thunder Beach is rockin' with Geneva, the Southern All Stars, and this afternoon (Sat. 4/30/11) at the Shoppes at Edgewater, the Ms. Thunder Beach Pageant, 2:00 p. m. 

CLICK TO GO DIRECTLY TO SCHEDULE

Eli's comin'- to Sandpiper again, WHAT a SHOW they always put on.

I think that's the bottom line. From Pat Travers to the newest recruit, these folks are having  FUN giving it up for the audience. Sure, it's a living, but if you've ever run the roads, it's hard work. All of the musicians here look like they are happy to be with us. It shows, and there is no substitute. Ever.

{October, 2010] Edgar Winter wowed the crowd at The Shoppes at Edgewater Friday night.
His now sliver white locks sport bobbed bangs- analogous with his show- classic, yet cutting edge.  He brought  support ,  Doug Rappaport on a nice black Les Paul,  kOko [sic] Powell beating the bass, and Jason Carpenter cheerfully rising  to the daunting task of drumming WITH Edgar Winter.  Make no mistake, it was WITH; Winter is still the master of his instruments- playing his trademark keyboard strapped around his neck , as well as augmenting percussion on a darkened stage with lighted drumsticks during a perfect “Frankenstein.”  He brought out some saxophone blues showing the amazed crowd just who is the “Texas Tornado.”  Like Bugs Bunny with the maestro, Winter had the group laughing and stunned at the same time as he tormented the guitarist ; Winter scatting a solo,and commanding  Rappaport to match it, increasing the range and difficulty each time, until the good natured (and excellent, aside from the shtick) guitar player just looked at the fans and shook his head sadly.  Speaking of fans- they were within touching distance of the stage, and the musicians leaned as far as they safely could to accommodate any desire for closeness or camera phones.  Winter himself shook hands during songs, never missing a beat.   With Molly Hatchet at Shoppes at Edgewater and ELI at the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort, (They're there NOW, Spring 2011!) the problem is whom to see.

Each has so much southern rock cred and jam potential. Rocking happy people and a night of really good boogie was pretty much guaranteed, since both groups are made up of musicians who’ve been touring the South for, say, a few years. To paraphrase a local morning show talker, don’t ever say there is nothing to do in Panama City Beach.
And Thunder Beach? This reviewer rides a bicycle, but had a fantastic time at the week’s festivities and has never seen so much rock and roll. For free.

Another lovely day to nap on Panama City Beach! Thunder Beach Spring Rally 2011

Sun, breezes, and the distant roar of the bikes, as well as the surf. What a beautiful place to be today!

 

Rick Derringer was here last year, along with Pat Travers, Edgar Winter, and our southside faves, Eli, who willbe back Friday and Saturday night.

Click here for the music schedule.

[In October 2010] on Thursday night, folks in the know gathered at Club LaVela to witness Rick Derringer and his band, Charlie Torres on bass, and Tommy Curiale with the drum kit. Derringer, the guitar player's guitar player, led the guys showing off uncanny versatility, expected from someone known for everything from “Hang on Sloopy” to “I'm an American”; he toured with Led Zeppelin on their last tour.  RD’s even done a Christian rock album with his kids. It was all crazy guitar jive Thursday night- rocking some very happy fans.

 

The south (side) invades the Gulf (of Mexico): Thunder Beach Spring Rally 2011

 Well, here we go again! All the pretty horses are rolling onto the sandy pavement on Panama City Beach- I hear them rumbling a few streets over as I type. It's daytime- this is not an unwelcome sound to most of us at all. Come enjoy this fabulous place with us!
Easter Sunday 2011 (three days ago!)

In the last three years I have had the pleasure of welcoming southside friends here for Thunder Beach Fall and Spring Rallys and have enjoyed every minute of it, save having to drive around folks out on the *big road* when they are not wearing helmets.

What's your favorite part of the Bike weeks-Thunder Beach in particular?  I've cut out several frustrating clicks for the schedule >>Click here for this year's festivities on the official page.

Check out the Josh Adams Band- they are here, and gave us a preview on the Morning Show today- they are sharp and smokin'!

Last fall I had the privlige of covering some of the music events- I STOOD ON THE STAGE WITH PAT TRAVERS. No. Really. I thought it was going to be simply a nostalgia trip- but some of you may remember, I was in for a BIG surprise! One that includes Rick Derringer, and Edgar Winter!

Oh My! Part in the One of Jeannie's Big Adventure:

“Don't ya know I'm never gonna lose that funky sound-
Rock & roll, hoochie koo”

In fact, they haven’t . The performers here at the Thunder Beach Fall Rally 2010, that is, including Rick Derringer, quoted above.  Evidently if a player survives the initial tidal wave of rock n roll success and excess, he just gets better and better.
Read the headline entertainment line-up for this year’s Fall Rally. Pat Travers, Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Molly Hatchet.
 Wednesday night,  Pat Travers and co. were the first pleasant surprise.  Everyone recalls “Boom Boom (Out go the lights!)” with some degree of loathing or fascination, and Travers has been revered among the guitar savvy guys for his chops, earning  a solid following for his high energy live shows. Pat and his current crew (Kirk McKim on guitar, Rodney O’Quinn on bass, and Sean Shannon manning the drums) are grooving right through, looking sharp and fit, laughing; having a good time and giving a GREAT one.  “Crash and Burn” was if anything, better than the 1980 album cut, technically proficient but infused with a little more bluesy feeling, yet retaining that Canadian hard rock coolness.  “Josephine”  contributed a little more of the cryin’ good blues; featuring Travers’ sliding and bending, and later Shannon backed up his mates as they displayed some crowd pleasing three guitar action.

 

Atlanta Motel on 19 & 41- Those confounding post offices.

The genius at Atlanta Time Machine has a treat for us! That's right- some southside goodies. Click here for a turquoise delight of the Atlanta Motel. ATM gets a little confused because of the USPO (at the time) having a policy of using the following post office monikers seemingly interchangeably - Jonesboro, Riverdale, and College Park. During the 1970s as well, Old National was included in the confusion, and I remember my Aunt Mitzi's mailing address flipping back and forth from "Riverdale" to "College Park." Of course, the Atlanta Motel was in Jonesboro, on what we called 1941, also known as Tara Boulevard, and Nine-teen and Forty-one. This federal highway goes down past - guess where? Zebulon, near Warm Springs, and then 19 goes down to Tampa. 41 joins back in from its wanderings to become The Tamiami Trail.

Here's a little experiment merging Airchexx and old maps- 19, and 41 being major arteries for the Florida trip of yore. Great old radio talk from Gary McKee at Quixie in Dixie, WQXI, or Super-Q, as they are calling it here. One of the prizes on the Great Summer Giveaway is the new Allman Bros Band album, Brothers and Sisters.  Click here, and put the pedal to the metal...

Panama City Beach Spring Break is HERE! Rock on, college kids- a little bit about my old school

Yes, it's that time again! Sprong Break is Sprung! Krazy kids doing what we've been doing for a number of years- and then some, I'm sure- but the only time I ever see them is in the middle of the day or at 3:30 in the morning, so I never have any problem with them. But- today it's raining, so I thought I'd take the time to catch up on what some Eagles are up to these days; specifically "Student Media" alums. Make sure to hit me up on folks I'm missing, too!

This here's Joe's Blog: Joe Hotchkiss, formerly of the George-Anne, is on the Editorial Staff of the Augusta Chronicle! A fine writer and sharp thinker, he slayed me with the title of his recent blog. I am Joe's Blog. I read every installment in the 1970s Reader's Digests. Click here for a particularly well lay-ed out, and you remember Joe- funny as heck post featuring the news on Skippy Peanut Butter, and Wilma Flintstone. Today's post has a Lenten theme. Yay, Joe.

This was a fun surprise. LAST Spring Break, the weather was rainy, AND cold. We had had no reprieve in February as we usually do, and did this year. As my oldest dau and I had the same week off for Spr Break, we took advantage of the 2 weeks of free tanning at Club Sun, a pleasant stroll down from our house here.  We loved the attendant, and had to listen to the piped in radio music in the tanning beds. (I had not been in a tanning bed since my next door neighbor had one in his home 20 years previous, and haven't been in one since, but soothing- wow.) Anyway- I got to listen to the cutest radio show, probably the most popular one here. You can check it out here: Island 106 and That Guy Kramer. Wel, his high spirited cohort is Miguel, who's always mixing it up. Lots of fun and energy and heart. Naturally. He's an Eagle, too! He attended Georgia Southern U in the days of 91.9 The Buzz. Yeah, no comment- what I heard last time in Statesboro was no Veege, for sure, but it hadn't been as sharp even in the late 90s when I left. Sometimes guidelines (censorship- gasp!)  can bring out the creativity in a medium; one has to figure out methods to get attention and laughs without being explicit.But Miguel is cute as a button and you'll be proud of this little hatchling- I believe you can listen and watch what goes on in the studio during the broadcast.

And this little Eaglet is wishing she could go to a Georgia Southern baseball game this season. Sigh...Look to the left of the page for more Eagle memorabilia and pics from alma mater. Here's a shot from the Miscellany 1991. It even has a pic of Jordana Childree (York) - it was originally intended as a birthday present for her mom; I didn't have the money to get anything else, so I made this.
Something else was in the show, and our dept' head at the time wanted to buy the towel rack I'd made, but for whatever reason I didn't want to part with it. My youngest has it in her room now.Oh, yeah, I have a book coming out with old pics, just not pasted to a board. It's a lite history of the east end of PCB- Thomas Drive, the State Park, Captain Anderson's, St. Andrew's Bay- History Press (Charleston)  brings it out in April. 

Bill Neville, to whom we arguably owe all of this, is at a place that us Georgia folks might, I say, night have scoffed at. The school that dare not speak it's name... UAB. No kidding. the thing I have to report, is, well, it's a good school. My meanderings have led me to many great projects from books to documentaries brought out by the place in Birmingham. On the road I've listened to shows that I discovered were produced at their station. Well. So Bill is up there prodding on another generation of goat headed college students, and checking out some excellent live shows, so he say.

Here's to Academic Excellence! GO EAGLES!

Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Ponce, Conyers, Fayette moviemaking! Oh joy!

 

My favorite saying: what's old is now again...

More film on the southside! Woot! Evidently the Queen and Dolly were on the SS for real in the past couple of, and look there's Anna in the ajc. buzz, right here.

 

According to The Buzz, the story of the movie, A Joyful Noise, centers on efforts to save an ailing gospel choir. Of course we know black and white can always come together when it comes to a good gospel choir! I believe Dr. King, when he was still just Martin, had to sing in one during the Premiere festivities in December of 1939. You know, the Atlanta premiere of Gone With the Wind? the one Hattie McDaniel was NOT invited to attend? Hattie McDaniel, you know, the first black to win an Academy Award?

These folks were allowed to represent her, I presume.  From Gone With the Wind Three Day Atlanta Premiere, Herb Bridges

 

Oh well, glad things have changed a lot in some ways. And to the commenter who was too shy to hollar at Queen Latifah riding down 75? I sure would have been waving furiously.

If you were in on any of the Fayette or Coweta filming, let us know! According to this article, filming will commence in Conyers tomorrow. What if they went and filmed in the tabernacle? I would leave wk for that, I think!

Panama City Beach loves you- here's a chance for you to love it back-

Southsiders-

Start making plans for the International Coastal Cleanup on September 25th. A great weekend of fun punctuated by a morning of love on the beach. One clean up is already scheduled for Pier Park; We may have more. In the warm sun, along the turquoise water- you'll feel good inside and out-

Below is a guest post I was invited to do for the Daily Ocean. Of course, all of this post could apply to Tybee, or HH, if you like- So, get packing, and get picking!
What our beautiful Panama City Beach usually looks like, looking west, late Friday afternoons.

Hi Sara, and west coasters!

Today's word: Serendipity! I was looking forward to this posting, planning to get in a good beach walk (I usually am running, without a camera) Saturday morning. Friday afternoon I went across the street to see my neighbor, who is recovering from an emergency appendectomy. It was late in the afternoon, but I still had energy to burn, and from the looks of it so did her 10 year old daughter.
"Wanna go walk on the beach a little?" I asked innocently.
"Sure!"

"I'll probably pick up a few bottle caps and plastic stuff...Is that OK?" I asked the mom.
"Sure..." groggily.  They even had a Target bag right there in the trash can waiting to redeem its sordid existence, like a Quisling in reverse.

So off we trotted, trading our "good" flip flops for ugly, lest the flip flop beggars were on the prowl. We have a sad tween girl that occasionally makes forays onto the beach access to harvest cute size 8 flip flops, making the above precautions necessary.

"So which way?" I asked Marian, my young comrade in bag.
'That." pointing to the west, toward the only place some of you west coasters may have possibly heard of, Club La Vela (of MTV Spring Break fame.)

Immediately our search was rewarded by clear plastic bottle caps that I have previously identified as matching the water bottles given out by BP contractors to their allegedly spottily paid workers who roam the tideline like dispirited sand people.
Marian is great company, keeping up her end of the conversation so well I can concentrate of being as brain dead as I usually am by Friday afternoon.
"You know we should all come down here at the same time and EVERYONE pick up trash together!" says she.
Surprised-out of the mouths of babes, and all, I butt in,"What a great idea! On September 25th, "we're" going to do that. People from everywhere are going to go to their beaches and do exactly what we're doing right now."  I put "we' in parenthesis because there is an ICC already scheduled for the Pier Park area, but I'd personally kinda like to do one here on "our" beach here on the east end. Any takers?

This "clean up" was totally impromptu-I had no thought for how long we'd be out. So when eco girl decided it was time to turn around and go home, (not long after picking up a dead chofer which had looked for all the world like the torn off corner of a plastic candy wrapper) I was OK with that. And our bag was full. There are county maintained blue trash cans on the beach where I could have dumped my trove, so to speak, but I'd already gotten the idea that this little trip could be my "letter to the other coast"  so I wanted to take our goodies home to photograph.

Here, dear reader; our offerings to you. The fruit of about- yes, 20 minutes of walking (albeit after tropical winds spending a week in our Gulf) on about one half - three quarters of a mile of Panama City Beach, FL.

This is close in, so you can assist me in ID-ing some of this stuff. The yellow canisters have writing embossed on them indicating that they are some kind of drink? Circled in black.  The small yellow plastic thingies? Circled in orange? What are those?

Flint River Fun

So hot I left the beach- first I must stress that we've had an 
 easterly wind that's cleared our waters off our beaches of the 
 ---green stuff -NOT OIL! that was floating around. So clear and 
 gorgeous once again- I'm heading down right after work.
 
 
 
 BUT Saturday we headed up to Albany for the best day ever- 
 Canoeing down the Flint River! Cool-in the shade, any way- and 
 so picturesque. The formations made on the banks by the 
 intertwined cypress roots and the limestone looked like 
 sculpture! 
 

Lazy River-type shoal every thing you see on the ground was an interesting pebble or turquoise

mussel shell.

Southsiders, this is OUR river. That's right.

Depending on the info you go by- and I'm linking a blog post 
> (the LONGEST "Short History" you've ever seen, but fascinating, 

> and certainly thorough) [scroll to the bottom first]

which notes two of these headwaters

 claims- are either under the airport's runways, or right in the 
 middle of East Point! 
 Just my type of controversy. 
 
 No argument about this: if you want a relaxing day to marvel at 

creation and ponder man's settlement of Georgia-all epochs

represented here- take a trip down the Flint.

I found out about this trip through the Flint Riverquarium,

about which I've raved here before-

If you just CAN'T go out in the "warm" sun today-

go to the Riverquarium- it has much of the same great nature -

inside the air conditioning!

Southside has it all- history, diversity, entertainment- from Francisco Vidal Band to B*ATL

I WISH I would have been able to be in two places at once! Last night here in Panama City Beach, Fayetteville rocker Francisco Vidal entertained a whole lotta folks at Schooner's.

This weekend in Atlanta I missed the B*ATL - cute abbreviation for an anniversary celebration/commemoration of the Battle of Atlanta. I would have been delighted to run the 5K, and gone on some of the "crawls"  highlighting battle sites in the East Atlanta area. Southsider Valencia McClinton is featured in the ajc.com article. Go HERE for great pics, info.