Music On The Barge in Gravenhurst; Help Red Cross Assist Alberta Flood Victims

Photo By Fred Schulz

MUSIC ON THE BARGE BEGINS SUNDAY EVENING - UNLESS……

AND THERE IS NO RAIN RELOCATION - BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE BIG ENOUGH FOR THE AUDIENCE

     LAST YEAR, ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE SUMMER "MUSIC ON THE BARGE" PROGRAM, THE MUSKOKA CONCERT BAND, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF NEIL BARLOW,  WAS SUPPOSED TO OPEN THE SEASON. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PLEASANT BIT OF TRADITION, AS THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS SAME THING FOR YEARS. SUZANNE AND I HAD OUR LAWN CHAIRS IN THE CAR, AND DINNER PACKED IN THE COOLER, AND THE BOYS, WHO VOLUNTEER AT THE BARGE, WERE ALREADY STANDING ON THE SHORE WITH FRED SCHULZ, LOOKING AT THE THREATENING SKY.

     IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THERE WERE THUNDER STORM WARNINGS, AND MUSIC ON THE BARGE MANAGER, FRED SCHULZ, COULDN'T TAKE A CHANCE ON FILLING THE PARK, AND THEN HAVING A STORM MOVE IN QUICKLY……WITH A PRECARIOUS EXIT CAPABILITY. MANY OF THE GUESTS TO THE BARGE PROGRAMS, ARE ELDERLY, AND HAVE THE KIND OF PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS, THAT WOULD MAKE EXITING IN A HURRY, NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. SO AS IT WAS CANCELLED, BECAUSE OF THIS POTENTIAL OF A DANGEROUS STORM, THE MUSKOKA CONCERT BAND, AND MR. BARLOW, ARE LOOKING AT A SIMILAR SITUATION, ON SUNDAY, AS THE DAYTIME HUMIDITY EXPECTED, MAY SPAWN THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS FRED SCHULZ DREADS, ESPECIALLY NOW, AS THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE SITE AVAILABLE, TO ACCOMMODATE THE LARGE CROWDS THAT REGULARLY ATTEND BARGE EVENTS.

     WHEN THE RECREATION CENTRE WAS RENOVATED A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY REDESIGNED THE TERRY FOX AUDITORIUM, AND MOVED IT ONTO THE SECOND FLOOR, OVERLOOKING THE ARENA ICE SURFACE. FOR SOME REASON, THE TOWN FORGOT TO CONSULT WITH THE BARGE MANAGER, ABOUT WHAT A SMALLER, SECOND FLOOR AUDITORIUM WOULD MEAN, FOR THOSE SUNDAYS THROUGH THE SUMMER, AFFECTED BY RAIN. FOR MANY YEARS, FRED WAS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AT LEAST HALF TO THE BARGE AUDIENCE, IN DOORS, ON THE GROUND FLOOR, SEATING MORE THAN 400 PATRONS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE NEW AUDITORIUM, IS THAT WITH THE STAGE, AND SEATING, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET MORE THAN 250 INTO THE ROOM. THE DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY, GETTING SOUND EQUIPMENT TO THE AUDITORIUM, UP A PASSENGER ELEVATOR, PROVED TOO AWKWARD AND TIME CONSUMING, FOR THE SMALL AUDIENCE THAT COULD FIT INTO THE ROOM. FRED FELT IT WAS UNFAIR TO ASK THE BARGE VOLUNTEERS TO DO THIS AMOUNT OF WORK, RELOCATING THE CONCERTS…..WHICH FOR SOME OF THE GROUPS IS A MAJOR UNDERTAKING, JUST TO GET THEM ON TO THE GULL LAKE STAGE.

     FRED CONTINUES TO GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, NOW IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE "NO RAIN-OUT" POLICY, SO IT'S DOUBLY HARD FOR HIM TO HAVE TO CANCEL CONCERTS AT THE PARK. HE HATES DISAPPOINTING THE LARGE CONCERT FOLLOWING, AND DOES TAKE IT PERSONALLY…..JUST LIKE ANY GOOD HOST. THE PROBLEM HE'S FACING TOMORROW, IS THE POTENTIAL OF THUNDERSTORMS, ONCE AGAIN, DUE TO THE HIGH HUMIDY AND DAY-TIME HEATING, WHICH COULD MANIFEST AT AROUND CONCERT TIME. SO I EXPECT FRED IS GNAWING DOWN THOSE FINGER-NAILS AGAIN, WORRYING ABOUT SUNDAY'S WEATHER. BY THE WAY….., HE GETS HIS LATEST WEATHER REPORT FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING THE AIRPORT, (ENVIRONMENT CANADA) WHERE RADAR SHOWS WHAT IS LURKING OUT THERE THAT MIGHT BE DANGEROUS.  HE'S OBSESSIVELY CONCERNED, ABOUT GETTING A FULL PARK OF CONCERT GOERS, AND THEN HAVING THE DISASTER OF A QUICK MOVING STORM RACE OVER THE LAKE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLOSE CALLS, AND I CAN REMEMBER WATCHING, AT THE END OF THE SHOW, ONE HOT SUMMER NIGHT, AS FRED BEGAN TAKING DOWN THE CANADIAN FLAG, AND FORK LIGHTNING HIT ON THE FAR SHORE OF GULL LAKE……..BUT BY INITIAL APPEARANCES, IT LOOKED AS IF IT HAD GONE RIGHT INTO HIS HEAD. NOW THAT WOULD HAVE HURT!  WE YELLED AT HIM TO GET DOWN FROM UPPER PLATFORM OF THE BARGE, FLAG OR NO FLAG…..AND TAKE COVER, BEFORE HE BECAME A HUMAN LIGHTNING ROD. A TORNADO SEVERAL YEARS BACK, CAME SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE LAST CONCERT OF THE SEASON, WHICH HAD PRESENTED THE GOOD BROTHERS; AND IF THERE HAD BEEN ANYONE IN THE PARK AT THE TIME, THERE COULD WELL HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CASUALTIES. MANY TREES WERE TOPPLED DURING THAT MAJOR STORM EVENT, WHICH HIT MANY TOWN NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. FRED HAS TO MANAGE MORE THAN JUST THE ENTERTAINMENT ON THE GULL LAKE STAGE. HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE CROWD THAT HIS EVENT BRINGS TO THE PARK. BEING CLOSE TO FRED, AND HAVING OUR OWN BOYS WORKING AS HIS TECHNICAL STAFF, WE APPRECIATE HOW CAREFUL HE IS, ABOUT THE DECISIONS HE MAKES, IN RESPECT TO PREVAILING, AND ANTICIPATED WEATHER CONDITIONS. IT MIGHT MAKE SOME FOLKS MAD, BUT HIS JUDGEMENT IS BASED ON SAFETY FIRST, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

     REGARDLESS OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE SUMMER SEASON WEATHER, FRED HAS A FULL AGENDA PLANNED, WITH SOME GREAT ACTS, AND HE HOPES YOU WILL COME OUT AND SUPPORT ANOTHER STELLAR SEASON OF "MUSIC ON THE BARGE." CONCERTS BEGIN WEEKLY AT 7:30 P.M. AND THE EVENTS ARE FUNDED BY THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, AND BY PATRONS, WHO OFFER DONATIONS, WHEN COLLECTORS COME THROUGH THE AUDIENCE. PATRON GENEROSITY HELPS KEEP THE LONGSTANDING TRADITION, OF SUMMER CONCERTS ALIVE…..AS COSTS TO OPERATE THE VENUE RISE EACH SEASON. BRING A LAWN CHAIR AND AN UMBRELLA OR SOUWESTER, BECAUSE THE EVENT CAN CONTINUE IN A MISTY RAIN……PROVIDING THERE IS NO THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. I WILL OFFER PROMOTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING SHOWS, EACH SATURDAY, PRIOR TO THE CONCERTS, AND WILL TRY, AS TIME PERMITS, TO GET REVIEWS IN SHORTLY AFTER THE EVENTS. SUZANNE AND I ARE FRONT ROW CONCERT-GOERS, AND MUSIC ON THE BARGE HAS BECOME A CHERISHED PART OF OUR SUMMER TRADITION, FROM THE YEAR WE MOVED TO GRAVENHURST, BACK IN 1989. WE LOVE IT. IT'S OLD TIME MUSKOKA AT ITS BEST, AND IT'S WHERE WE MEET-UP WITH OUR SUMMER FRIENDS, WHO HAVE COME BACK TO THE COTTAGE FOR THE SEASON. IT'S ALSO WHERE WE SEE SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER MUSKOKA TOWNS AND VILLAGES……EVEN ORILLIA AND AREAS SOUTH, COMING TO OUR TOWN FOR THE GOOD FUN OF IT. FRED MAKES SURE WE ARE ACCOMMODATING HOSTS, AND HE HAS MADE IT HIS OWN INTIMATE TRADITION, FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS NOW……OUTLASTING A LEGION OF VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE COME AND GONE.

     FRED HAS HAD KIND OF A FRUSTRATING YEAR. HE WAS ASKED, IN APRIL, IF HE WOULD AGREE TO RETURN TO THE OPERA HOUSE AS INTERIM MANAGER, OF WHICH HE HAS HAD A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE, BUT BECAUSE OF A NEW THEATRE PROGRAM AT THE SITE, HE FOUND HIMSELF FACING THE SHARP HORNS OF A DILEMMA. HE HAD TO ADMIT, AND IT WAS WITH PROFOUND SADNESS, THAT HE WAS OUT OF HIS LEAGUE WITH THE DEMANDS OF SUMMER THEATRE, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO RUN THE MUSIC ON THE BARGE SEASON, WITHOUT COMPROMISING HIS ROLE AS OPERA HOUSE MANAGER. I SHARED A LOT OF THESE REGRETS WITH FRED, AS I HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME OF HIS TRADEMARK CHANGES AT THE OPERA HOUSE, INCLUDING THE IRISH ROVERS, A GROUP ON HIS "MUST HAVE BACK ACTS," ON HIS LIST FOR THIS COMING AUTUMN SEASON. BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SACRIFICES OF TIME, AND ENERGY, HE KNEW AFTER TWO MONTHS, IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK. HE COULD HAVE LEFT MOST OF THE WORK TO HIS BARGE VOLUNTEERS, BUT IF YOU KNOW FRED, OR KNOW OF HIS WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY, YOU'D UNDERSTAND THAT HE COULDN'T, EVEN UNDER TORTURE, ABANDON HIS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES; WHICH TAKES HIM BACK MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. HE HAD TO GIVE UP ONE OF THE TWO POSITIONS. I KNEW THAT THE BARGE WAS FAR TOO IMPORTANT, TO BE DENIED ITS DIRECTORSHIP, EVEN FOR SEVERAL HOURS, WHILE DOING DOUBLE-DUTY AS OPERA HOUSE MANAGER. JUST THE CONSIDERATION OF WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND IF A CONCERT SHOULD BE CANCELLED OR NOT, WITH THE BURDEN OF EQUIPMENT MOVEMENT AND SET-UP, WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A MAJOR OVER-LAPPING OF WORK COMMITMENT. I GAVE HIM THE ADVICE, AND OPINION, THAT HIS FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY HE HAD TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER. I KNEW HE'D OPT FOR THE BARGE. SO IT HAS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER-COASTER, AS THEY SAY,  SINCE APRIL FOR FRED, SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THINGS ARE RETURNING TO NORMAL FOR THE VETERAN CONCERT PROMOTER. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MANY HUNDREDS OF DISAPPOINTED SHOW-GOERS, TO HAVE SEEN ME ON THE STAGE, HAVING TO DO MY FRED IMITATION…..TO GET US INTO THE EVENING'S FESTIVITIES. WHAT A DISAPPOINTING SITUATION….TO EXPECT "FRED," BUT GET "TED" INSTEAD!

    WITH THE KIND OF DANGEROUS WEATHER BEING EXPERIENCED IN ALBERTA RECENTLY, AND ALL THE DEVASTATION IT HAS, AND CONTINUES TO CAUSE, WE SHOULDN'T GET TOO EMOTIONAL ABOUT A DAY OF HIGH HUMIDY, SOME RAIN AND THUNDER…..OR A CANCELLED CONCERT, IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE IMAGES VIA THE MEDIA, COMING FROM CALGARY, AND HEARING ABOUT THE MISERY OF SO MANY FELLOW CANADIANS, YUP, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO  GET TOO UPSET BY A CONCERT THAT MAY BE RAINED-OUT. AT LEAST WE CAN STILL GET INTO OUR HOMES AND COTTAGES……AND WE HAVE OUR UTILITIES, WHERE THEY HAVE LOST ALL OF THEIRS, AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE…….AND IT'S JUST HEART-WRENCHING TO SEE THE CARNAGE. WE HAD TERRIBLE FLOODS THIS YEAR IN OUR OWN REGION, WITH CONSIDERABLE LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY, BUT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, SO FAR, IT'S GOT TO BE ABOUT A THOUSAND TIMES WORSE IN ALBERTA, WITH MORE RAIN IN THE FORECAST. THERE ARE NATURAL DISASTERS OCCURRING AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH GLOBAL WARMING, AND THE CHANGES TO WEATHER PATTERNS, IT CAUSES OVER THE LONG-TERM, WE NEED TO BE EVER-MORE VIGILANT IN THIS REGION, FOR SIMILAR NATURAL EVENTS. WE COULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, WITH MASSIVE FLOODING, IF WE EVER GOT A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF RAIN, OVER A FEW DAYS, AS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ALBERTA; SOMETHING LIKE SIX MONTHS PRECIP. IN A MATTER OF SEVERAL DAYS. HOW IS OUR EMERGENCY PLANNING IN GRAVENHURST? I TRUST IT IS THE BEST IT CAN BE! 

     IF YOU WANT TO HELP THE FOLKS OF ALBERTA, WITH A CASH DONATION, TO ASSIST THE RELIEF OPERATION, YOU CAN CONTACT THE HEAD OFFICE OF THE CANADIAN RED CROSS. MANY OF US HAVE FRIENDS, ASSOCIATES AND FAMILY IN ALBERTA, AND THE WESTERN PROVINCES, SO WE FEEL IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHIP IN…….AS THEY WOULD DO FOR US, IN A SIMILAR CATASTROPHIC SITUATION.  AND WE'RE CANADIANS AFTER ALL……IT'S WHAT WE DO AS A GOOD NEIGHBOR NATION.

     THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE CONCERT AT GULL LAKE PARK……SUNDAY NIGHT BEGINNING AT 7:30 P.M., WEATHER PERMITTING.