We had the pleasure of playing a small ES in Bay Head, NJ, right on the Jersey Shore this afternoon. It meant five hours plus on the road, but it turned out nice. I got to town about an hour and a half early so I took advantage to take in the ocean for twenty minutes before heading to the school. Good for the soul, even if the wind and surf were up on a breezy and cloudy April day.

The lads got there pretty soon after I did and we set up. The music teacher Vinny Esperanza was working with the K kids on some songs, trying to get them to sing a couple of songs for the upcoming Spring Concert, dealing with some rambunctious boys the afternoon before Spring break.  Good luck. It was cool to see a young music teacher using an electric guitar with the kids’ songs. He did Daydream Believer and I thought it would be cool to have him part of the show.

I talked with Kevin and the band about it and decided we could do a stripped-down version of that song in the show. I felt it would be a bonus for the kids as well as for Vinny.

Doing a K – 8th grade show is sometimes difficult, with reactions varying from “get up and dance” to “oh, please, not this!” But everyone was polite and responsive. Three girls got up to dance on the jigs early on, and that’s always a crowd pleaser. The four kids who got up for Peanut Butter did a wonderful job, as well.

When we got Mr. Esperanza up for Daydream Believer, the school was juiced, both kids and teachers. He played my acoustic and the band delivered, with the kids singing along in full voice. It was a very nice experience for the home crowd and I’m glad we were flexible enough to pull it off. It’s these little things that make RockRoots special.

Teachers and kids had a great time and we headed back for PA about 2:20. Back in Bethlehem by 4:30. Six and a half hours on the road, but worth it, as always.