FrankStock Synopsis

So now that FrankStock is over, what was it like, you ask? If you ask five different people, you might get five different angles of perception: Band members, volunteer helpers, audience members, staff members, audio/visual crew, security, organization members. However diverse your polling sample, I think a common answer would be “well worth it”.

Before I get to my personal reactions, lets throw out some statistics for our instant-feedback crowd:

-Money raised: Over $6,000
-Attendance: Just shy of 500 total
-Bands: Tazin’ Bender, Another Side, Toolshed Jack
-Special Guests: DJ RC from T-102 FM, Joe Jordan, Mike Macker, members of ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Tucker Young’ and ‘Section 8’.

In general, I was about 15th in line as far as the hierarchy of importance to organizing FrankStock. Without question, #1 was our lead singer in Toolshed Jack, Steve-O. This was his idea, mostly his execution, and his tireless work to bring this all together. He was king of FrankStock, and watching him work was nothing short of a calling from a greater source up above (which of course we like to think from Frank himself). You can tell that the memory of his brother Frank was such a driving force that it somehow kept him from just collapsing on the spot. He had organized everything and even the things he did not organize, he knew about very well. So without Steve, FrankStock does not exist, period.

#2-10 in importance in FrankStock were Steve’s relatives who helped collect and sell tickets, run the ‘Tricky Tray’ auction, advertise, and many other things I’m probably not thinking of right now. #11-14 included the American Cancer Society folks and also our guitar player in Toolshed Jack: Joel. But even though I am arguably no closer than #15 (probably closer to #20), I think I was close enough to get a real feeling of what it is like to organize such an event.

OK, so what is it like to be in the mix? It’s a religious experience, my friends. Many of you out there know what I’m talking about because you have also organized events for a good cause. Perhaps not to the scale size of FrankStock (or perhaps you have!), but that feeling of giving of yourself to charity is a high that no drug or booze can equal (um, as far as I know). So needless to say, it was awesome.

What will I remember about the event most? Ok, I am only going to speak for myself from now on, and I dare not speak for anyone else because no others would be idiotic enough like me to perform in a tuxedo. Yep, I performed our high-energy show for two hours with no break in a tuxedo. I guess I spent way too many Labor Days growing up watching Jerry Lewis and Ed McMahon on TV. I KNEW we should have rented a tote board!! So I’ll remember performing in a tuxedo, and having a very appreciative crowd.

If you think about it long enough, the best crowds in the world are Benefit crowds. These people were kind/generous enough to plunk down a good amount of money to be there, which means they are down with the cause, making them overall great people. You normally don’t get too many fall-down violent drunks at a benefit for such national causes as the American Cancer Society. You might get a few at a concert to benefit Lindsay Lohan, but that’s about it. So the crowds that danced to the bands were outstanding people, smiling, applauding, and having a great time for themselves.

I’ll also remember that the t-shirts were a big hit. You see, the one thing I took personal responsibility for in the whole event was getting the official event t-shirt, and ensuring that anyone who was lucky enough to get one got it absolutely free. Sponsors paid money to advertise on the back of them, and I just divided by the cost of each t shirt to get as many as I could for people (volunteers first, then general public). The original plan was to throw them from the stage to the crowd below. But soon we found out that we got a ton of other t shirts from other sources, such as the local state Liquor Store, even though they didn’t say a thing about FrankStock. And many were given away well before we even TOOK the stage. So much for tossing them to the crowd, but that didn’t really matter, as long as many in the crowd somehow got a keepsake or two for the night.

So beyond that, what else did I take from FrankStock? It brings out the best in people. Of course that is the grand slam of cliché’s, but it is true nonetheless. And it brought out the best from northern and eastern Schuylkill County, which sometimes gets a really bum rap. The three bands involved pinpoint their birth in northern Schuylkill County, and bring a small amount of pride to the area. The past music scene, for at least one night, shares a venue with some of the current music scene, and the great result is that there is a little bit of entertainment for people of many tastes and styles.

And then there was Joe Jordan. I’d like to say that we share a bromance together, but for that to happen, you see, I would have to be either A) Well-known or B) Have talent, both of which Mr. Joe Jordan wipes the floor clean with me. ANYONE who follows my blogs/articles here at PAMusicScene.com (or especially Toolshed Jack’s MySpace blogs from when we put on ‘Tina-palooza’) knows that I have created this fascination for Joe Jordan, even though I never heard of the guy two years ago (my fault, not his, trust me). And then I come to find out, as I’ve blogged before, that his band, the legendary Jordan Brothers who DOMINATED Schuylkill County for about 10 straight years back in the 60’s-70’s, was the band that played at Willow Lake in Schuylkill Haven the night my parents met.

So I approached Mr. Jordan again during FrankStock, just to ask him what size t-shirt he wore so I could give him his freebie (See? Aren’t I clever? Do I know how to start a conversation or WHAT, huh???). Of course he’s the nicest guy on the planet, and smiled with appreciation for the duration of our brief conversation, which I hoped would last just long enough to make me remember it and to have him not be annoyed by it. But I had to sneak in the fact that I was a member of the band going on after him and that we had talked briefly during last year’s Tina-palooza and that he probably didn’t remember me. His response was “Oh yeah, I remember… you talked to me right before I went on stage.”

Ok, now I’m geeking out. I was so pleased to know that he actually remembered me from 19 months ago. It was then, in my general typical stupidity, that I mentioned to him that he and his brothers were playing the night my parents first met (My father grew up in Port Carbon and my mother graduated from Mahanoy City). As if that wasn’t enough, as is the case whenever I am uncomfortable in my own skin, I made a joke out of the comment by literally getting down on one knee and faking homage to him by saying “Thank you for helping me get born!”.

Yes, you read that right… I got down on one knee like the Dork of Earl and said exactly that. Of course it was a comedy risk to flop, but he LOVED it! He laughed at me and the comment for about 10 seconds, which means one of three things: A) He’s too nice to let me feel as stupid as I deserved to feel. B) He’s hard of hearing and just assumed it was the world’s best joke, just to play it safe in case it was (doubt it). C) He actually liked it. What a nice guy.

And now, drum roll please…. The icing on the cake. I’ve been saving from you that my father and mother came to FrankStock. At midnight was my mother’s birthday. Soooo the wonderful son, little Bri-Bri here, brought both my mom and dad to Joe Jordan to meet him, 45 years after they first met at one of the Jordan Brothers typical Willow Lake performances. Slam dunk, baby. Who rocks the house? Brian rocks the house. And when Brian rocks the house, he rocks it all the way down (UGH!).

Thank you to everyone who came to FrankStock, who wrote us words of positive encouragement, volunteered their time, or at least helped spread the word. Thank you to PAMusicScene.com’s Gina, who came to FrankStock and took some video of us! Thanks to T-102 and all the sponsors who helped spread the word. And to the dozens I am forgetting right now… You know who you are…. Just accept my apology and thanks at the exact same time. You all helped the world get a step closer to finding a cure for cancer. Somewhere, in the heavens…. Frank is smiling.

-Brian from Toolshed Jack

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