Joyfest '06

JoyFest 2006
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This year's JoyFest took place on a perfect day in August. Lot's of people, food, music, sex (well, not so much sex). I had to play a lot (not many bass players) so I couldn't take a lot of pictures, but this will give you an idea of the general frivolity that ensued.


When I arrived, it was to find Tom sporting a bathing cap, doing curls with Greg's PA. Obviously Tom feels it's important to be buff at the beach. Now if he could only get a more consistent tan...

Steve's daughter Lauren, who is learning all about knobs and faders at Northeastern, or Northwestern, or Northsouthern or wherever the hell is it, takes a class in "live sound for the dedicated chair maker" from Greg, who lost his long hair in a farm implement disaster only a few weeks prior.

Mike arrived in his new "Scraggly Beard" persona. The constant wearing of that hat leads me to believe that Michael is finally starting to lose his hair. Welcome to the club pal, you're lucky it took this long, some of us lost it before we lost our virginity... By the way, Black Flag is both the name of a band and a bug spray... not sure which Mike is promoting here.

Allen turned up, carrying lots of stuff and wearing a Star Wars joke shirt, for which he earns a special place in my heart.	And Lowboy turned up, with the appropriately named Mrs. Lowboy. That's Tom in the tacky shorts.

Joe Reidy, Roger and Mrs. Roger (aka Joanne) settle in for a day of blowing, eating, blowing, drinking and blowing. Roger is still wearing one of the gauntlets he used the previous night in his alter-ego persona of an American Gladiator	And Joe R. with Valves former drummer Rick, who is wearing that same damn black sleeveless shirt every time I see him. I don't think he owns another shirt, seriously...

The Joyfest stage takes shape.

This is almost all of Greg's Pile-O-Amps. There is at least one small Carvin missing. Greg is a big fan of Fender. So am I, Freddy Fender that is..."Wasted Days and Wasted Nights..."

Another shot of Greg's "family". Each amp has it's own distinctive sound, although only fruit flies can actually hear the difference.

Matt Choiniere, one of the three kids who are collectively known as Miles per Minute I think, here plays guitar. His voice changed this year, so now he sings more like Donny Osmond circa 1985 instead of Donny Osmond Circa 1970.

Mark Choiniere giving me a dirty look as he plays the drums. Eat something Mark, Jesus..	And finally, Phil Choiniere, the Non "M" named one takes time away from tickling the ivories to smile for the camera.


The guy in the red is Tom Choiniere, the father of the three kids on stage, and the one prodding them towards success so they can buy him a motorhome when they become rich and famous.

Mike Ladd, former societal outcast and ne'er do well. His anti social rantings now reduced to sporting multiple earrings and bug spray shirts... ahh, how the mighty have fallen...

Rockin Steve LeClaire was ubiquitous on stage, if he wasn't singing, he was playing sax, or piano, or organ, or drums. He even played bass for a while, though, like too many bass players, he played Jumpin Jack Flash wrong. It's the SAME DAMN NOTE, Jesus....

Lowboy and John stayed ensconced in the little keyboard cove. This was always the eye of the storm, and no matter how much the band might be rocking, these two always looked like they were playing checkers out front of the retirement home.

Steve belting out another Hoary old chestnut. Rick King is playing the telecaster behind him.... upside down I think...	Here the drumming duo of Jay and Lauren. Jay was in a Beatles cover band that played a little later. I got no pictures of them though because I was sitting in with them, doing my best fat Ringo impersonation. "I got Blistahs on ma Fingah-foods"


Some of the many horn sections to rotate through. Allen, Roger and the guy in the blue is Ben Gould, who was once a part of Tornado Alley. Greg was eyeing his hair with a certain melancholy...

	Of course, the reason we're all here (well, not me, but everybody else).. The Children. Reyna picks flowers and then ran by me so fast I couldn't get her in focus. She didn't like the fat man with the camera... Apparently neither did Allen's little girl Kaitlyn who was giving me a look that could kill. I'm glad she's not old enough to actually stab me.


Everyone was having fun when suddenly... THE TRACTORS appeared over the horizon. Were they watching the show, or would they attack? Not one to take chances, we sent a message out by pony express to send the cavalry who arrived in the nick of time. By the end of the day, tractor parts littered the grass, but lives had been saved.

Examples of Generation WTF, Lauren's current main squeeze Dan MCeleny (Don't look at me, that's how Steve spelled it) on the left. On the right is Lauren’s best friend Ashly Gaboriault, and in the middle is Ashley’s boyfriend Will. Ladies and gentlemen, the Future of America....

And the jamming went on...

and on...	and on...

Time Out!! Reagan and Timmeh showed up with new baby in tow. Mike and Laura immediately went to say hello and explain in great detail how much they could expect life to suck in, oh, about 15 years...

The four horseman of the Dip-pocolypse

Even during a jam session, the horn guys can't stop reading those charts, Wing it baby Wing it!!

Back at the Shady Acres home for retired keyboard players... Johnny wearing one of his two cool t-shirts.

Lauren looks like she got a little baked out there, and not in the good way.

And Jay playing Tommy's drumset. Tom was just off camera with a bottle of furniture polish and would swoop in any time he felt his sparklies were losing their sheen.

This is Joe Haddad, who works for the RMV. He got there early, but we made him wait in line for 3 hours before we let him play.

3 guitars? That's nothing, at one point we had about 7, but I was part of that little mash-up, so I have no pictures of it.

Steve, in the middle, trying to levitate the rhythm section. Mustang Sally took on a life of it's own that day.

Mike, as always playing chords that only have a passing resemblance to the song the rest of the band is playing.

Mike's exceedingly patient wife Laura	Reagan's exceedingly Beaver Cleaverish husband Timmeh, making sure not to screw up cuz he might get hollered at. "Shee wizz Reagan..."

Tom Choiniere and Mike trade stories of effective methods of punishment used on teenage boys. The toothpick is for minor offences

THE Bruce Reed, who sang a blistering version of Barry Manilow's "Mandy" and Ben Gould, both former Tornado Alley alumnus who were happy just to be there and not being chased by the police.

Tom, who apparently changes shorts as often as he changes shirts, and his wife, who evidently puts up with it.	And Jay once again. Apart from the Beatles gig, Jay can often be found doing sound for us. He's the one passed out behind the mixer.

Valves very first original drummer, Bart McCracken, who had just come back from a trip to Storyland and was still trying to come back to reality after spending time in the Land of Make Believe, sits with Lauren and Steve's patient and understanding wife Joy.

seated in the middle is Steve's sister in law (married to drummer John) is Ruth Hodges. To the far right is her son, Adam Hodges-LeClaire. They had just come from Old Sturbridge Village, where they were participating in a military time line encampment. They are musicians with His Majesty’s 10^th Regiment Of Foot. Seriously. This does NOT result in that kid getting beat up constantly...Not sure who the kid on the left is, but he has a big fur thing on his head.


Steve's brother John LeClaire on top and Thom Gagne, below, take their turn playing drums. John was intent on playing Anarchy in the UK, which is right up Mike's alley, though apparently no one else's, so it sounded about the way you'd expect. Course, the original sounded about as well as you'd expect too so in a way it was a resounding triumph.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce	And Reagan's dad Ace, who can always be counted on to liven things up. Here he gets ready to belt out a little Englebert Humperdink to please the ladies

And late into the night, they were still at it. I had by now passed into a sausage induced coma.

Reagan and her new baby in a picture she hates	And the british army watches over the campfire

And finally, The newest member of Joyfest Nation. Noah Burrows, Reagan and Timmeh's new baby and the reason that in 16 years, they will both be swearing loudly and often. But for now, just look at that little face.... All together now... awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww