Oracle 2009 -
The Year in Review - Page 3

Oracle Performs Independence Day Concert in Laurel

The month of July started with a bang...quite literally, as Oracle was invited back for a second year in a row to perform at the annual City of Laurel Independence Day celebration at Granville-Gude Park by Laurel Lakes Maryland.

How can you describe the feeling of performing on stage in front of 75,000 people?  It's almost impossible to put into words the rush you get from looking out on that many people listening to your music. 

Of course we know that most of the folks were there to watch the fireworks, but hey...an audience is an audience, and considering the incredibly positive reaction we got from the crowd, it felt like they all came just to hear us.

We had a picture perfect day for the concert...slightly cloudy skies helped keep the summer heat away, and a cooling breeze from the lake made everything as pleasant as you might imagine.

Among the many highlights from the day was the visit on stage by Oracle's former bassist Charlie Rundlett, who consented to sit in on a song with us.  (Of course it didn't take TOO much arm twisting)!!!

We took so many photos from the four hour performance we had to break them out into two pages so those with dialup connections wouldn't have to wait until next year for the page to finish loading.

Check them out at the City of Laurel 2009 Independence Day Concert Photo Gallery.

Emily & Danny's Wedding Reception @ Scottish Rites Temple in Baltimore

It was the day after the Fourth of July, and Oracle found our way to the heart of Baltimore to one of the most impressive buildings in the entire state, the Scottish Rites Temple of Freemasonry.

We were there helping our friends Dan and Emily celebrate their wedding day with all their family and friends.

Perhaps it would describe things best if we let the Mother of the Bride relate her feelings about the day:

Thank you , thank you, thank you! Yes, we could have danced all night-it seemed as if it was over all too soon.

We received many, many compliments on the band and as you could see, our family loves to celebrate. [Our] family of 5 sisters and brothers plus spouses, 12 children, fiancées, and friends did not leave the floor once the music started!

Marc was surprised and so very pleased with the Emily waltz. The rendition of Time After Time was sooooo beautiful and captured the spirit that Marc so loves about the Jose Feliciano version.

There is a cool picture on Dave Crockett's (the photographer) website www.photogig.com --check out the blog and you'll see a nice plug for the band with an "electric picture" of Veronica.

I will shout out your name to all -you are a wonderful band and talented musicians and you know how to please a crowd. Looking forward to more celebrations with all of you!

Oracle Finally Makes It Back To Perry's Restaurant

Owing to the band's very busy schedule it was odd that it took until the end of July for the band to return to the club that really launched Oracle into the mainstream, Perry's Restaurant.

Almost since the day it started Oracle has been performing at Perry's.  Certainly it is the club where we have racked up the most total performances.

Perry's has undergone many changes over the past decade, and Oracle was there to watch them all. The biggest of the changes was a complete remodeling of the inside, moving the stage from one side of the room to the other, and relocating the bar into the back room.

With so many photos from Perry's over the course of the year it was hard to pick just a few that best represented the spirit and community that is Perry's Restaurant, but we've tried to select the best from literally hundreds we took, not just in July but in August, September, and November.

You can always go to the Perry's Restaurant Photo Gallery to view photos dating back over the course of the last decade.  Simply pick a date and reminisce!

Oracle Returns to American Legion Post 175...Finally!

If we thought that it took a while to get back to Perry's Restaurant, it took even LONGER to get back to American Legion Post 175, another of the places Oracle has been performing for the better part of the decade.

It wasn't until September that we were able to get a date that was open for both the band and the Legion.

We present here some photos from the performances in September and October.  We had one other special performance that we'll come to a little further on down our little trip back in time.

You can also visit the American Legion Post 175 Photo Gallery to take a much longer trip back in time, all the way back to the year 2001 (and before).

Labor Day Weekend at Baltimore Yacht Club

If it's Labor Day weekend it must mean at least two things...Jerry Lewis is on the air and Oracle Band is at Baltimore Yacht Club!

It's sort of like saying goodbye to the Summer.  The boat owners can still get in some super cruising time, but really, the closing of summer spells the end of the boat season as well, and it's only fitting and proper that it get sent off with one heck of a party.

And party these folks did, from the first song to the last, they were ready to go.  In fact, the place was still pretty full even when we were finished packing up and ready to roll out!

2009 Baltimore Yacht Club Labor Day Party Photo Gallery

Meagan & Ryan Tie The Knot in Aberdeen

September is another one of those months that are extremely popular for weddings.

Our friends Megan and Ryan chose September to get married, and Oracle Band was there to help with the celebration.

The location was picturesque...The Top Of The Bay on the base at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Planning this one took a little bit of work.  The bride lives in Connecticut, and the groom had to commute from Kyrgyzstan!  Talk about long distance!!!

Nobody need worry though.  In spite of a few travel glitches for the groom fining a series of flights that would get him to the church on time from a place most people couldn't find on a map, the wedding came off without a hitch.

Top of the Bay is a great place to hold a reception.  For that matter, if you wanted to hold the ceremony there too it has a breathtaking patio overlooking the bay.

The staff there was right on top of everything. Every conceivable detail was taken care of in advance, and the glitches (there are always a few) were transparent to all of the guests.

Finally, don't let ANYONE tell you people won't dance at an afternoon wedding.  That was a myth dreamt up (probably by some DJ), to try and sell services other than a live dance band.

As you can see, there was no shortage of people on the dance floor!!!

Lawrence & Caitlin's Wedding at Waverly Mansion

You know, sometimes Mother Nature just won't cooperate.  Such was the case at the end of September as we traveled up to Baltimore to a beautiful location called Waverly Mansion to play for the wedding and reception of Caitlin and Lawrence.

Although it was technically outdoors, there was a tent, but unfortunately a rather cold rain was coming down steadily, (no heat in the tent), and the water was seeping in under the edge of the tent where we were set up.  It was messy to say the least.

However, that didn't stop the party in the slightest.  It took a rather Herculean effort to hold the wedding ceremony in the spot where the band was to set up, then, once the ceremony was over, move the band gear from the side of the tent through all the people to the right spot and set it all up as fast as possible to get the party started.

Fortunately, being veterans of this sort of thing, we pulled things together about as fast as anyone could hope for, and in less than an hour the music was playing again.  (We set up a small, unobtrusive PA for the ceremony as well).