56 Hope Road - Journals

Hello 56ers
I was witness to an astonishing event. Last Sunday 56 Hope Road performed it’s 1000th show! It went down in Champaign IL at the Canopy Club. We came, we saw, we kicked some ass. What does it take to make it to 1000? Love, family, friends, dedication, sacrifice and perseverance. To everyone that has helped us along the way and to everyone that does it today, we can’t thank you enough. Here is a look at our gigs since we started posting them on JamBase starting the beginning of 2002... SHOW HISTORY
We celebrated the rest of the night with Tea Leaf Green rocking out mad jams.

The weekend started for the 56 Hope Road on Thursday at Charter One Pavilion in Chicago. We opened and closed the night at the VIP for The Allman Brothers and Bob Weir & Rat Dog. It was incredible! At one point in the show Derrick Trucks, Warren Haynes, Rat Dog’s and North Miss. All Star’s guitarists were all tearing it up at the same time.

Saturday found us getting jiggy with it in Peoria IL at Martini’s. The blues fest got over and the party moved to the patio. Thanks to Brain Child for jamming with us.

This Thursday 56 kicks it in Terre Haute IN at the Verve. Friday is a huge 17+ show in Chicago at the Subterranean with Van Ghost, Sangamon and John Wasem Band. Saturday you got the 56 at Cornerstone. in Decatur IL. Next Monday kicks off our last west tour of the year at Cicero’s with Madahoochi in St. Louis. Then it is on to Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and back with a stop in Iowa. So check the calendar and get on the 56 Hope Road.

Peace Out
The chAD

Posted by Chad Sanders at 01:01

Hey 56ers
This is what went on last week. Friday the 56 got down with Sangamon and Ryan from Creek Road Ramblers at Marly’s in Springfield IL. Saturday the 56 tore up Melon Kamp in Indiana. There was also a super jam at the end of the night till morning with Chester Brown, Bill Smith and I think Funkshoe and Jassy, Grazz. It was a non-stop party.
This week the 56 is playing the vip at Charter One Pavilion with Bob Weir and the Allman Brothers Thursday. Saturday it is back to Martini’s in Peoria IL and Sunday we are opening up for Tea Leaf Green in Champaign IL at the Canopy Club. We hope to see you there!
Peace Out
The chAD

Posted by Chad Sanders at 13:38

Hello from 56 Hope Road

Da da dada da da da da dada da da dada da da dada da da da. Olympic fever has finally taken over. I didn’t know how addictive table tennis was. Now I am in a support group trying to work through it. We met last Thursday at the Budweiser tent at the Illinois State Fair. Triple Lindey opened up the night with what else, their complete lack of ability to stop watching the diving competition. The Station added to the serious situation riffing on how much track & field has consumed them. They said they debated on whether they could even leave their couches to come to the group. I almost cried thinking about it. The Joe Frew Band said we are there for you if you can help us with beach volleyball. It lifted our spirits with their blues tone. The 56 Hope Road then took the stage of denial and didn’t rock the show for Michael Phelps to take all eight. The Olympic Spirit took back over when all the bands came together in an all-star jam group hug. We then packed up as fast as we could to check out Rev Payton’s Big Damn Band at Marly’s and to get in front of those miracle big screen TV’s. Once we got our hookup I crapped my pants and passed out in ecstasy.

Last Friday Aug 15th, after the success of Olympic group help, we ventured on our own to St. Louis. Venice Café enjoys nothing more then when the Cubby loving 56 Hope Road lands in the heart of Cardinal fandemonium. It probably isn’t cool when we show up and look like we just came from the game. Well we couldn’t help it because we did. I bought the band season tickets to the Cubs but I made a small mistake. I bought season tickets to their road games. Waa waa waa! The cost of the plane tickets are killing us. The night brought the best rivalry in Baseball together to party the night away. Uncle Bill the world’s most dangerous poet set in with the 56 along with St. Louis jazz drummer Bill. Thanks to Ruth for the after party festivities.
Saturday we made a special appearance in Decatur IL and pool partied down with the Ogden family on Matt’s special day. Thanks to everyone for a great time!

This week in sports 56 Hope Road is throwing an all nighter at Marly’s in Springfield IL Friday. Then we are kicking it crazy mad style at Melon Kamp Music Festival in Noblesville IN on Saturday featuring Groovatron, Pnuma Trio, Mr. Blotto, and many more!

Peace Out
The chAD

Posted by Chad Sanders at 15:49

Welcome out there in 56 Blog Land
Today’s blog is about what happened to 56 Hope Road last week. Take last Tuesday for instance, we like totally rocked it out for sure. And I was like Duffy’s is such a cool spot to hang out. And the opening band Backyard Cohort totally rocked premo! All! RIGHT! Then I was like watch out brodale we are like totally rocking out Michigan Avenue Plaza on a most bodacious afternoon in down town Chicago on one of the most glorious Wednesdays like ever dude. IT! ROCKED! So Thursday night was like party in the district of Rockland Ribco 50 cent beer night right, TOTALLY AWESOME! We were like totally jamming on our instruments and ripping and shredding crazy mad totally rad freaky awesome licks. YEAH! So I was whoa Saturday dude State Fair Illin Noise Style, NO WAY! It was like so totally tubular man. Someone play the Hawaii 5-0 theme or Wipe Out dudes. So you are so going to like freak! Yo check this out man. The 56 Hope Road like totally let The Black Crows and like the Dave Matthews Band totally open for them like right after 56 Hope Road like totally opened for them Sunday. Rap your brain around that totally like radical thing. Alpine Valley VIP was like TOTALLY FREAKING BODACIOUS!
So are you like totally stoked about next week bra. Yo I am totally getting down 56 Hope Road Style next Thursday night at the Illinois State Fair Budweiser Ten. With the Station and Dave Matthews Tribute Band the week after playing at the Dave Matthews show, FOR SURE! And you know it’s silly funky silly crazy stinky crazy fresh style like Friday at Venice Café in St. Louis brominator. NEXT WEEK COMPLETELY FREAKIN RULES TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
C-man

Posted by Chad Sanders at 01:51

Hello World

Your humble, mild mannered, roving reporter here. Last week I got deep into the trenches with the hardest working band in the history of the universe. I posed as the bass player to bring you more access into 56 Hope Road then the President of the United States of America. The first thing I was able to uncover is that 56 Hope Road has been harboring aliens from area 51. It turns out that with advanced technology from outer space 56 Hope Road actually uses mind control jams to force innocent people into having a good time. I discovered this info last Tuesday in Peoria IL as we staked out the Moe show on the riverfront. We navy sealed our way backstage after the show out of the Peoria river. Without blowing our cover we commandeered Moe’s guitar player Al Schneider to sit in the after party with 56 Hope Road and Brain Child at Eamon Patrick's. Fans flocked to the jams and the advance technology took over. I also infiltrated Brain Childs set when Dave and I were invited to rock out some Grateful Dead songs. I was surprised to find out that none of the musicians had express written consent from the Grateful Dead to reproduce their music. I question their ethics but obviously faced with mind control maneuvers the crowd were tricked into loving it.

Last Friday Aug. 1st I delved even deeper into the top secret life that is 56 Hope Road. I showed up to The Planet in Springfield IL only to find the band conjuring up the spirit of Jerry Garcia on his birthday with some kind of cult like gathering using instruments and playing them all at the same time. 56 Hope Road wasn’t happy with being the only one messing with this dark art, they also soiled the souls of Bourbon Blue Grass Band and Sarah Schneider Band as they collected on the stage rocking out Jerry Songs. I realized 56 Hope Road took it too far when their spells materialized out of thin air Gary Jarcia, Jerry Garcia evil bizarro twin. He wielded a nose flute and had six fingers on his right hand. It shook me to my core. I can’t remember anything after that.

Saturday I came to in Decatur IL and spent the day trying to escape the madness by hanging out at the Decatur Celebration. My infiltration into the world of 56 Hope Road was working so well I was confused for “The chAD” and allowed into the VIP section. I could understand his band mates not realizing that I was an imposter as they are all mysteries rapped in a riddle covered in an enigma. I am not sure if they would even recognize pictures of themselves. I fooled old college friends that new “The chAD” when he was just good old Chad Sanders before he was consumed by the dark side of the force. All I have to say is my disguise was on point. To conclude my undercover exposé of 56 Hope Road I played with the band at Lock Stock and Barrel Saturday night. I had to find out what was at the bottom of this band’s tenacious drive and infectious grooves. I knew I would never be the same again, but in the name of quality journalism I had to go forward. It was a full night of 56 Hope Road and the crowd was immediately under their trance. Dancing, hanging out with friends and having a great time. By the end of the night the crowd had grown into a frenzy and without warning we had reached annexia. We left inner zone and I found myself in a moment of clarity. The fog lifted and I saw the root of all good. It’s music! Just then Dave, Casey and Greg noticed I was an imposter when my bass improvisational computer program crashed. I then quickly threw down a smoke bomb and leaped to the ceiling and escaped threw the ventilation system.

I hope I shined some light on the national phenomenon of 56 Hope Road. Don’t worry about The chAD he just thought the gigs were the following week.

This week you can keep tabs on the 56 Hope Road’s shifty moves Tuesday at Duffy’s in Chicago. Free beer 7pm-9pm and cheep parking at the hospital next door with a token from the bar. Wednesday 11:30am at Michigan Plaza downtown Chicago. Thursday $.50 beer night at Ribco in Rock Island IL. Saturday 12:30 PM all ages show at the Illinios State Fair’s Budwieser tent Springfield IL. Sunday VIP stage at Alpine Valley for the Dave Matthews and Black Crows show.

International Special Investigative Reporter
Chase Sandora

Posted by Chad Sanders at 14:30