The Return of the Terrors

March 2020 began a strange two years with the start of Covid 19 shutdowns. The Tartan Terrors were playing gigs in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

As they were about to play in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, the first Covid closures were being announced. The NBA closed down for the season. College basketball made the difficult decision to cancel its March Madness tournament. The NHL followed suit. No venue was safe, and even Broadway closed down. Fortunately, the Tartan Terrors managed to get their gig in.

The next gig was in two days at Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, a favourite venue. This show would be the twentieth year the Terrors played in Jim Thorpe. The first one without Ellen Irmisch, one of the two founding members who passed away after a protracted battle with cancer. Covid-related panic emptied the store shelves - the surprise, much sought-after commodity being toilet paper. There was a huge run on toilet paper, household cleansers, hand sanitizers and masks.

While they were getting ready for that night's show, each band member had their gut-wrenching story of cancellations. Emily had her entire month's worth of gigs cancelled and found out about it hours before going onstage. Charlie, Chris and the rest of the band got phone calls or emails postponing or outright cancelling shows. Their world seemed to be closing in around them. However, there was still a show that had to go on – and what a show that was. There was not a single hint of the turmoil happening all around them. To a man or woman, they were consummate professionals. It was a great show, and they played a dedication song in the memory of Ellen.

Somehow, Mauch Chunk Opera House came under the radar, and the show continued. At the show's end, the theatre manager announced that the show would be the last one of the season. The lights for the Tartan Terrors would remain off for two years!

It wasn't just the Terrors that were shut down –by Covid. That pandemic reached around the world. Famous and not-so-famous musicians found their preferred source of income completely cut off. That was over two years ago. Here's a tiny sliver of what happened in that time as a lead-up to the lights coming back on. Tartan Terrors, returning after two years away. Ironically, the opening would also be at Mauch Chunk.

Like most other dedicated performing arts practitioners, musicians are naturally willing to sacrifice for their art. There is a considerable difference in satisfaction levels between playing their craft and doing other stuff. In most cases, Pride is suppressed, and you'll find them willing to do whatever it takes to earn income and play music. How many actors are ready to wait tables and sleep in cars? How many musicians are willing to drive all hours of the night after a gig that ends at midnight? During the Covid shutdowns, several band members renovated and landscaped our house. One such assignment led to a story we documented on this very website. Charlie McKittrick rescued us – we had just finished a home addition and needed to do some outside landscaping. My wife and I are in our late sixties and can't tackle the projects we did thirty years ago. We hired Charlie McKittrick to do some of the heavy lifting. During one of those sessions, Charlie was humming one of his new songs. At lunch, we asked him to play it for us. I fell in love with the lyrics and, for the next two days, got a vision of a possible music video. I sold Charlie on the concept as I had just the perfect couple in mind for the video. One thing led to another, and the story behind the video made it to this blog site. Along with the song "No Bounds,"

In the last two years, musicians did impromptu Zoom or Facebook sessions to play music. Chris, Charlie and Phil put on Zoom sessions for their audiences. Basements, garages, and attics are the available venues now. Some shows were fundraisers, others to support those in need. However, the main reason was always to play music. I can't begin to imagine how humiliating and unsatisfying it is to go from a live audience in the hundreds or even thousands to singing into a phone to a remote audience that they can't see. There was no feedback or ability to engage in banter, and the need to perform made every possible option at their disposal viable.

IN THE MEANTIME...

Watching the recording of an album in a sound studio is impressive. Each person has a unique track, which they record. Once all the tracks are laid, they are stacked and added to an assembled collective. Everyone gets a chance to listen and improve on one section or another – and when they're together in the studio, they will give instant feedback. Often, a small selection can be assembled and reassembled many times. The sound technician then does his magic and mixes the tracks into the finished product. That is assuming they are all together.

Embarking on a new Tartan Terrors album during the Covid era was a game changer but a set of unprecedented hurdles. The closure of studios meant we couldn't balance. Each of us had to find our spaces, whetherording solo or own recs. We relied on Zoom sessions and any other means possible to contribute our parts, presenting us w be present at o in small groups.

After Ellen's passing – it took a village to do all the work she did by herself. Chris told me about one time she was working on her computer under the blanket while sitting on the floor, leaning on her bed. When asked what she was doing, she said she wanted to ensure our accommodations were confirmed and accurate. The band members divided the work that Ellen undertook. Ian Irmisch arranged the publishing of the disk and memorabilia. They were ready for sale on the first road trip. Emily did the online marketing and social media, and Chris arranged for accommodation and venue communication. Charlie, Emily, Chris and Phil, and many combinations, wrote lyrics and music for new songs. Please excuse me if I got one assignment or another mixed up – needless to say, it did take a village!

Slowly, irregular openings in smaller venues started to crop up, and more creative opportunities presented themselves. Meanwhile, the Tartan Terrors worked on their next album. Sometimes, they could only hold remote planning sessions or practices. Whatever it took, they did. Eventually, their latest album was launched, just in time for the first road trip in two years. As irony would have it, the first gig back from that two-year hiatus was at Jim Thorpe. I would make that trip.

Jim Thorpe

I'd like to introduce you to Jim Thorpe. It's a tiny village on the bottom of a valley straddling the Lehigh River. Every access point into town is from a plateau, with some access roads being a six or seven-mile-long descent into the valley. Think of the movie "River runs through it ."They may have been speaking of this town. It is on a river; in some parts, one can hear the running water under the grates. Everywhere you go in town is uphill.

The village has an eclectic series of buildings from signature landmarks like the old jail, which is now a museum. A significant number of Broadway buildings served the tourism business. Inns, coffee shops, restaurants and gift shops lined the street.

The weather Gods didn't want to cooperate. On the way into town, highway signs indicated a winter storm was coming. Friday evening was calm. As evening turned to night, the weather front moved in. On Saturday morning, it was a full-fledged winter storm. There were six inches of snow on the ground. The audience that attends the Mauch Chunk Opera House comes from far and wide - the net cast by the Tartan Terrors is farther and more expansive.

It was decided by the theatre manager that for the safety of the patrons, the Saturday evening performance would be postponed until the next night. The band had set up and finished their sound check as the announcement was made.

They had a rehearsal - remember, this was their first time together in almost exactly two years.

An opportunity presented itself for the band to do an impromptu show next door at the Marion Hose Bar. So, the band moved next door and created a staging area at most ten by ten feet. The bar was packed with standing room only. It sure felt like we were packed like sardines - but it was pure joy. The patrons, as were the musicians, were so into the music - it was the closest to a magical experience. I truly felt like I was at one of those special moments where one lands in a pile of manure and ends up smelling like roses.

It must be a special show to outdo the magic of the Saturday impromptu event.

Sunday morning was another discovery. Some of us went to visit some of the more famous locals at the invitation of their son. What a start we had for the day! It turned out to be a celebration of the lives of those who impacted us in a significant way. We each took a turn honouring someone special to us. We would toast the person with a shot of Rye. The whole experience was quite moving.

As much as we enjoyed the scenery and unique flavour of Jim Thorpe, the people made the trip truly outstanding. So much so that I will be doing a second blog story about the town and the residents I met that weekend.

Regarding the show, the first in two years was a huge success. One needs to be in the theatre to watch the magic happen. People have been coming to see the Tartan Terrors for years, many for over ten years. They bring gifts and put them on the stage – tonight, Scotch and Whiskey and other creative gift ideas were the order of the day. One family brought a gift bag for everyone in the band.

The crowd that takes in the Tartan Terrors show is magical in its way as well. You'll have to make the trip. The next show is the St Patrick's Show in 2024. Hope to see you there.