We hosted the Tommy Bolin Music Fest at the Chesterfield this Saturday. It was a very cool event. The young man obviously reached many people. There were green 22 year olds along side the 50 something hippies who grew up listening to Tommy. I was an 18 year old kid when Tommy Bolin died in 1976 so I've been aware of his music, and the bands that he played with for many years. I never thought about the fact that he was only 25 years old when he died. Most people are still searching for themselves at 25. Tommy Bolin had been in several popular regional garage bands, played lead guitar for 2 influential 70's bands, the James Gang and Deep Purple and recorded 2 hit solo albums. And he was only 25 years young. It was a very cool day, old friends hugging, old musicians reuniting on stage to light the fire one more time and everyone celebrating a rock n' roll legend from Sioux City, Iowa. A highlight of the evening had to be his godfather speaking softly about the "young man he misses so much." I hope the Tommy Bolin Music Fest grows every year. It could become a major rock music festival.

Once again an event like this rekindles my faith in the people of this unrefined blue collar town. It makes me feel good to see people from all walks of life coming together in the name of live music and one of their own. One thing is for sure, whether you're a doctor or a ditch digger... in Sioux City, Iowa you're not too different from each other. I think that is what makes this city cool. Our fathers and their fathers were all common folks who knew what it meant to put in a hard days work and then celebrate life with passion to make it all worth while. The city was built by hard-living men and women who bent the rules to make ends meet. I think we all need to grasp the fact and be proud of who we are. Let's not try to be something were not.

Party on Sioux City!