America Rings in the New Year!!!!
1998 Starts in Jackpot, Nevada
Don't blink........or you'll miss Jackpot,
Nevada and Cactus Petes Casino! (on the left) And, that's Matterhorn Mountain
in the background, even though these are the Rockies and not the Alps.
NOW WE KNOW JACK (POT)
Even though we're now a couple days into 1998,
the coyotes, jackalopes, and three legged deer in the desert around Jackpot,
Nevada must still be shaking their collective heads about all the commotion
on New Years eve at Cactus Pete's Casino, where America performed a spectacular
New Year's Eve concert.
And they must also wonder how any of these noisy
human celebrators even found Jackpot, for it took an all out geography
lesson to discover that Jackpot is: #1. In the USA #2. in northern Nevada
and #3. right on the Nevada/Idaho border......just a mile or two from Nowheresville
and next to the Matterhorn.
One could easily identify with a Lewis and Clark
pioneer type adventurist in trying to reach Jackpot. First it was an easy
one hour flight from Seattle to Boise, but then it was on the actual Oregon
Trail to Twin Falls dodging Idaho spuds falling from flatbeds, and then
an Evil Knievel jump across the Snake River Canyon, with a final grueling
haul to legendary gunslinger Diamond Jack's hole in the wall hangout now
called Cactus Petes. Jackpot also was alleged to be the place that inspired
that now famous song about a nameless horse in a desert (who ran with the
local three legged deer???).........well maybe at least.
Cactus Pete's was a happening place at New Years
with 300 HIGH ROLLERS invited to lose big money with generous donations
to the Cactus Pete's general golden fund. Plus, the population of Jackpot
soared from about one hundred (including all Jackalopes) to several thousand
with a flood of PARTY HARDY Idahoans and Nevadians that came to town to
"kick it."
Cactus Pete's is the large building
on the right with black roof.......note "America" on billboard
America actually performed four concerts, two
on Dec. 30th, and two on New Year's Eve. The last two concerts included
the final performance of nearly a couple hundred in 1997, and the very
first one of 1998.
Every ticket was like a front row
seat!!!
Here are the highlights..............
The Gala Showroom is a cozy miniature version
of a Vegas or Reno showroom, and every seat in the house is fairly close
to a front row seat.
The management of the showroom was extremely
excited to "finally get America here," and had their "History"
CDs ready for autographs. A former manager of the showroom, who we had
the pleasure to sit by in the last performance, said she used to try to
stuff the ballot box for America when they voted on which groups to invite!
YOU GO GIRL!!
Gerry noted watching all the high rollers landing
behind Cactus Petes in their Leer jets........and later informed the crowd
that the movie "California Dreamin" (which America did the title
soundtrack) immediately became a major blockbuster hit..................that
is...............went *directly* to Blockbuster video!
Gerry also mentioned that just before the concert,
the guys had finally agreed to another "H" name for the new CD,
called (with tongue in cheek)..............."Hanson."
Dewey mentioned to the crowd that "Another
Try" was one of the first songs that America worked on with the famous
"5th Beatle" producer George Martin, and then said that now it's
officially Sir George Martin. Gerry responded, "I always called him
Sir!"
Dewey and Gerry had difficulty choosing the "Lonely
People" award, finally concluding that nobody in cozy Jackpot could
possibly be lonely due to its size!
America gracefully overcame a disaster of near
Titanic proportions as one of Brad's bass guitar strings broke, and Brad
had to play with only three strings. According to Gerry, "thank heavens
Jackpot isn't in the boondocks and our sound people were able to go to
the local Guitars R Us".............as another bass guitar was brought
to the stage several songs later.
Gerry wittingly explains about Jackpot's
Guitars R Us
Actually, it was a borrowed guitar from Paul
Revere and the Raiders, or as Gerry put it, "Paul McCartney Revere
and the Raiders." Even the most fanatic Beatle fans haven't heard
yet that Paul M. joined the Raiders! :) :) :)
After the first night, Kelly and her husband
Steve, Barb and her husband Gary, and I were eating "breakfast"
at 3am, and heard the first few chords of "Sister Golden Hair."
No...........it wasn't America performing for
the 3rd time that night.......it was a group called the Redstones playing
the graveyard shift at the casino. They ably followed "Sister"
with "Ventura Highway" to our delight.
On the afternoon of New Years Eve, we went for
a walk through Jackpot and the Jackpot National Forest with Dewey. The
forest consists of about thirty scrubby pines and a few birch trees, one
tumbleweed..................and a deer leg. (proves the three legged deer
rumors/theories we heard from the locals). And we also admired a nearby
mountain called the Matterhorn. (no kidding). Maybe Jackpot is in Europe
after all as we first suspected????? We also visited Jackpot's local mall,
called the General Store, which featured all the beef jerky and pepporoni
sticks a person could eat.
On the town limits of Jackpot is a Mountain Time
Zone sign as one enters, and a Pacific Time Zone sign as one leaves. This
prompted Dewey to comment that we could celebrate New Years TWICE in Jackpot
by just moving up the road!!! That's why Jackpot is sooooo special.........twice
the fun.
Jackpot is right on the Mountain and Pacific
Time Zones line...making New Years potentially twice the fun
In fact, that's why the movie "Groundhog
Day" was likely filmed right in Jackpot if my sources are correct.
:)
Later, Kelly discovered a lucky slot machine
called "Three Roses" and Gary found one called "Hat Trick,"
but both machines were reluctant to share the wealth! We also looked in
vain for a "Horse W/No Name" slot..........with but without any
luck!
But............the biggest highlight was the
New Year's Eve performance , and the crowd was ready to have fun with party
hats, horns, kazoos, noisemakers, leis, and several hundred balloons.
Dewey and Gerry looked frequently at their watches,
and at midnight, Gerry began playing a piano intro to Auld Lang Syne and
Dewey led the crowd in singing........while Woodz added a real America
flair to this traditional song on lead guitar.
Gerry begins with Auld Lang Syne
intro on piano.....while Dewey signals its officially 1998
Did anyone know the lyrics????? I think not!!!
(especially since Dewey and Gerry left the lyrics on our table) And of
course, nobody noticed!!
Meanwhile, hundreds of balloons were brought
into the Gala Palace, and were bounced around repeatedly, popped, and even
sat on. Gerry used his guitar to whack several balloons floating in the
air WHILE playing "Sister," and Dewey accompanied with a horn
covered with stars and confetti. It was a wild scene.......that surely
made the coyotes outside Jackpot howl a much longer than usual!!
Normally its "alligator lizards in the air"...but
tonight it's balloons........Dewey shows dual talents, playing guitar and
New Year's horn simultaneously.......and Gerry whacks another balloon off
the stage
Simultaneously, outside of Cactus Petes at the
Jackpot Times Square, a lighted tumbleweed rolled down an extra tall cactus
in the local version of the New York's Times Square celebration.
It was over all too soon and time to hit the
dusty trail home, but New Years in Jackpot, Nevada with America will never
be forgotten..............and the all the fond memories of that special
western town.
As always, thanks to everyone in America............and
to Gary, Barb, Steve and Kelly for being so gracious and fun.
Why are these fans smiling??? Besides saying
they had the "greatest night of our lives," they each received
a Gerry Beckley guitar pick