Back in the old days, we used to have our own little Mardi Gras parade every time the infamous Dekalb Footstompers performed at Andy's in downtown Dekalb, Illinois.
If you ever get a chance to see these guys, who still perform around the area and have been doing so since about 1975, do it. It will be one FUN time, guaranteed.
They consist of a tuba player, accordionist, drummer, and guitarist. Quite a combination. They have their own, mostly risque songs, plus play lots of polkas and oldies.
At one point in every show, they play "When the Saints Go Marching In." Back then, part way through, they would leave the stage and walk through the bar and out the door onto Lincoln Highway. They would be followed by pretty much every person in the place but the bartenders. The poor bouncers would be busy taking away drinks from people as they were exiting. In Dekalb, it is illegal to have alcoholic beverages on the streets, and the police were very aware of the tradition. And waiting.
They couldn't do anything, if you didn't have a beer in your hand, though. They never got having a parade without a permit, though.
We would then dance our way about half way down Lincoln Highway (on the sidewalk) and then back into the bar. It really got a bit cold during the winter if you didn't take your coat.
The last several times we've seen the Footstompers, they unfortunately didn't do it.
Man, Those Were Some Good Times. --RoadDog
RoadDog's RoadLog Blog: Being my travels down those great two lane highways of this nation as well as news I learn about them from media sources. Since I'm also very interested in historic preservation, there will be a lot of that as well.
The Shamrock Court Motel in Sullivan, Missouri. It can be yours for $125,000. Lots of possibilities. Actually, now you're too late. Missouri's Roamin' Rich bought it.
2 comments:
oh yeah, when the footstompers played at andy's they would march out the front door and over a couple of doors to mccabes (then the local "meatmarket" bar) take a couple of turns around the inside and back out again with more converts and back into andy's, the smarter ones of us would just hide our drinks under our shirts usually finishing them off and then giving the emptys to the bouncers at the door. ahh, the seventies, in dekalb, juicy john pinks, electric battista, and the duck soup coup.....
Those 'parades' were a great time! The Stompers doing Purple Haze, another great memory, the mic stuffed down Rick's tuba and Oscar on the accordian. I was usualy able to get my drink outside, but can't count the times I marched over to Mccabes in the middle of the winter with no coat on. It was great to young and not very bright. The DeKalb Footstompers provided us with more good times than I can remember. I've got an album autographed by them and everyone else that was at Andy's that night. Those were some great times!
Post a Comment