It Happened! The first show of the BarrelHouse Talent Music Series at the Catherine A. Hickman Theater in Gulfport, Florida.

This past Friday. If you have a problem reading long posts, you can stop now.

I know I have said this to some before, but I feel so comfortable standing on a stage talking to an audience about musicians. With that said, there were butterflies on Friday. Would everything well? Would the audience enjoy the music? Would the musicians be happy, Would I make a fool of myself on stage?

I will say, to begin, that the crew at the Catherine a Hickman Theatre are the best. Jacob, Kenny, an intern Logan did an incredible job. The sound was spectacular. Jack and Rachel at the concession stand always laugh and smile.

Honestly, ticket sales were a little off. I concentrated everyone into the center of the theater. And I believe that that was a good move.

Vince Converse, Michael Beck and Josh Hindmarsh opened the show, and I truly can say they took the audience by surprise. Vince is new in the area. People don't really know him yet. I will tell you that the 70 plus people in the room know who he is today. I had a lot of comments after the show about he, Josh and Michael’s playing together. Josh and Michael are known in this area so anyone from this area understand how talented they are.

Then a short break and I got to introduce Eliza Neals onto the stage for the first time since 2019 when I had the honor at the 50th Anniversary of the Ann Arbor Blues Fest.

I first interviewed her back in 2015, so our relationship is long. This was the last night of their Florida run. Of course, like any other band they were tired. But they were ready. Eliza brought Detroit Mike Hepner on keyboards, Ephraim Lowell on drums, and Mike P, her longtime collaborator on guitar.

Eliza doesn't ease it in. She came out full tilt. Got the audience's attention right away and held it the entire 90 minutes. Keep in mind that when playing most clubs the bands get to take a break and then do a second set. Here in the theater, it's 90 minutes full tilt - go at it! And boy did they ever do that.

At one point in the set Eliza called Vince Converse onto this stage with his electric guitar and he and Mike P played off of each other like they had known each other for years. Repeated cheers from the audience throughout the performance calling for more made me smile.

I will tell you a secret, and I think if you ask anyone after their first time producing a show and seeing the audience with smiles on their faces and seeing the band enjoying themselves, as I was about to step out to end the show there was a little tear in my eye. That was happiness.

A lot of compliments at the end of the show. I did make everyone promise to tell three people about the show.

Now here's the thing, I'm sitting on my front porch this morning scrolling through social media and just enjoying beautiful 70° weather in Florida, and a couple is walking down the street walking their dogs. I had never met them before. And she turns to her male counterpart and says oh look and points (I have one of my logo stickers on the front fence right by my front walkway) and he turns around and says, “One of my friends was at your show the other night and he told me it was great”.

I laughed and said, “OK well at least he followed his directions, I told them all to tell 3 people” And he laughed and said to me, “well I guess he has to tell one more person doesn't he”. We all laughed she turned around and said, “Have a great day Vinny”.

Like I said I didn't know who they were! We know each other now! They are right down the block. And it means the word is getting out. And that means I can bring more musicians to this area. And that's what I really want to do.

MOST OF ALL THANK YOU TO THE MUSICIANS WHO DO THIS BRILLIANCE – REAL MUSIC WRITTEN BY REAL PEOPLE!

Some videos and pictures thanks to myself, Eliza and Jamaica Jenkins.

Final Comment - If you have a chance to see an @elizaneals show - don't miss it ...she will be back next year if this series survives...TELL THREE PEOPLE!