I know that I’m feeling it, but for something completely different, I’m unsure where the phrase originated, so I looked it up. “An adjectival phrase meaning to be physically exhausted [duh], it …
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I know that I’m feeling it, but for something completely different, I’m unsure where the phrase originated, so I looked it up. “An adjectival phrase meaning to be physically exhausted [duh], it derives from an old tale of Alfred the Great who used to send his sons out hunting with his extensive kennel of hunting dogs and blah, blah, blah…” (www.wiktionary.org). Too bleary-eyed to care, I scanned the page for more pertinent info, but nodded off half way through, while glancing at the actual dog, who was passed out in her bed following a two-day stint of personal appearances surrounding the excitement of the 10th annual country music extravaganza known as ThunderBash.
Billed as “The biggest bash in Sullivan County since ‘69” (www.thunder102.com), the cavalcade of country music stars that descends on the region each year has become legendary in its own right, and the event raises awareness of those in need by serving as a drop-off station for the Sullivan County food pantries. The radio station hypes the event for months in advance, making sure that the word spreads, since “the tickets are free, but you must have a ticket to get in,” and all that is asked of the guests who fill the stands (www.monticellocasinoandraceway.com) is that we bring a non-perishable food item to help stock the larders of the pantries in need. It was there, at the entrance, that the pup (www.facebook.com/DharmaTheWonderDog) was first fawned over as people admired her cowgirl attire and snapped photos, posting them to social media, while I stood there twiddling my thumbs.
Breaking free of the throng, I managed to get to the entrance and waited as the guard checked his list before allowing us entrance to the inner sanctum backstage, where sound checks and light cues were being tested before the big show. With big acts on the bill like David Adam Byrnes, Iron Cowboy, Cooper Boone and Somerville sharing the stage with Emily Kinney and mega-star Eric Pasley, security was tight and I was not surprised to find my name nowhere on the sheet. But Dharma’s was there, so the uniformed guard was forced to let me escort her through the doors, as folks pointed and waved, thrilled to be up close and personal with the Wonder Dog, whose reputation precedes her. Don’t get me wrong: it’s my pleasure to simply bask in her glow, but I’m exhausted… and to date, no one has offered to carry me around in a bag as I mingle with the glitterati, flashbulbs popping amid cries of delight.
Prior to the big show, there was a lovely dinner for the corporate sponsors and Thunder 102 family, and since the dog extols the virtues of The River Reporter on-air weekly, she was invited to attend. Fortunately, I had my camera at the ready as Iron Cowboy frontman Big John Davis invited ThunderBash regulars Victoria Dunlap and boyfriend Paul Sims to join him onstage while reminiscing. A hush fell over the crowd as Sims dropped to one knee, pulled a ring from his pocket and proposed. For once, the spotlight was not on my dog, and the throng of well-wishers burst into applause, surrounding the happy couple (she said, “yes”) as the music swelled and Vicki’s mom (who had been hiding in the shadows) burst into tears of joy, rushing past my puppy to hug her daughter and fiancé.
Suffice it to say the rest of ThunderBash is a blur of fantastic performances, patriotic salutes and a slew of terrific acts taking the stage, entertaining a huge crowd of fans who showed up in droves to support the food pantries and be entertained in style. Country crooner David Adam Byrnes closed his energetic set with his newest chart-topping hit “Alcoholiday”—and his matinee-idol looks complimented adorable television star Emily Kinney’s (“The Walking Dead”) appearance, as she (IMHO) charmed the audience with her personality and original tunes, “thrilled to be in Sullivan County” kicking off her first national tour.
Before the main attraction (www.ericpasley.com) hit the stage, wowing his fans with hit after hit, Kinney’s manager approached and asked if the TV star could have a “moment with the doggy.” So I acquiesced and handed her over, amidst the roar of the crowd, as Pasley’s voice soared to the rafters. Surprised that the Bergen County Firefighters Pipe Band (who were fantastic!) hadn’t requested face time with the dog, I sighed after Pasley’s band took its final curtain call and his lead guitarist approached. Grinning at Dharma, (and ignoring me), he held his arms out and she leaped at the chance to pose, while I stood in the wings, muttering to myself. Thankfully, I’m not bitter because she’s clearly the star in the family, so while I’ll never tire of the dog, admittedly, I’m dog tired... of stagehands’, photographers’ and personal managers’ requests to spend time with the dog.
[To view all of Jonathan Charles Fox’s ThunderBash photos, visit www.facebook.com/theriverreporter.]
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