Whatcom County band Crystal Tricycle celebrates the 45th anniversary of its founding with a gig from 7 to 11 p.m. Dec. 30 at Dakota Creek Center in Blaine.
Drummer and vocalist John Horgdal contacted me about the gig because he's proud "that a rock band from little ol' Whatcom County could survive with its original members as long as they have, still rocking and having big fun."
He says the band meets regularly to rehearse and tries to keep its set list fresh and interesting. They still do a great deal of cover tunes from their teen years, as well as more recent stuff that isn't too outside-the-box.
Here is John's version of the band's history:
"On Dec. 30, 1966, my dad took me to Sherman-Clay music in the Mount Baker Theatre building and put the down payment on a set of drums for my birthday. We took them home and I called a few of my buddies who had instruments and invited them over to try and play some tunes. We decided we could do this thing and it was a lot of fun and we started meeting regularly to work up songs that were popular at the time ("Louie Louie," "Gloria," "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone," "House of the Rising Sun").
"After a few practice sessions we settled on a lineup of Steve Sanders on guitar, Wynn Haws on electric piano, Len Beckett on bass guitar and me, John Horgdal, on drums. We scrounged around for p.a. equipment, microphones and such and managed to piece together enough equipment to do a gig, our first one being a junior high pep club dance in the Blaine High School cafeteria. More sophisticated equipment followed, along with an expanding set list and more gigs.
"By the time we were 14 or 15 years old we were the band of choice all over the county for proms, homecoming dances and the like. We then competed in several "battle of the bands" competitions, in which we were undefeated over our high school years. A highlight was auditioning in Seattle for the 1969 Teen Spectacular at the Seattle Center Coliseum and being chosen to perform with a dozen or so other bands in the concourse prior to a Paul Revere and The Raiders concert.
"Earnings from gigs and part-time jobs allowed us to constantly upgrade our gear to the point that we were the envy of other local bands for having state-of-the-art stuff. We made personnel additions and subtractions from time to time, but the original four of us endured.
"About 1975 the band splintered for various reasons: relocating for jobs, marriages with kids and so forth. After a 14-year hiatus we were asked to play for Blaine's class of 1969's 20-year reunion and we were reborn and have been going at it ever since with the original lineup.
"We have received the 'Blaine Builder Award,' given by the City Council in recognition of our commitment to community causes, such as the Giving Tree for underadvantaged children at Christmas, as well as assorted benefits for individual families in times of crisis. We seldom get paid for playing fundraisers such as these and have become sort of a city mascot in the eyes of many. I estimate that in the last 10 years we have earned less than $500 each for the few gigs that offer compensation."
For details on the gig, call guitarist Steve Sanders at 360-332-5577. For more on the band, go to pnwbands.com/crystaltricycle.
TEENS: TIME TO REGISTER FOR GUERILLA FILM PROJECT
The Pickford Film Center's 2012 Guerilla Film Project is now accepting student registrations. The project is an annual filmmaking competition for high school students held at the center. Students form teams of three to five students to write, shoot, cut and edit a three-minute narrative film in less than 65 hours.
All entries are required to use a specified line of dialogue and select props. This year's competition will be held Feb. 16-19 at the center on Bay Street. High school students from across Northwest Washington are eligible to enter.
The competition is open to the first 25 teams that register. The deadline for registration is Feb. 1. Cash prizes will be given to the top three teams.
For details or to register, see pickfordfilmcenter.org or email Terri Krantz at guerilla@pickfordfilmcenter.org.
BELLINGHAM THEATRE GUILD SEEKS SHOW PROPOSALS FOR NEXT SEASON
Proposals for Bellingham Theatre Guild's 2012-2013 season are being accepted through Jan. 22. Anyone interested in directing a full-length show during the guild's 84th season is welcome to apply. Newcomers and veterans alike are encouraged to submit.
The guild is looking for well-known productions, with well-loved shows that have not been staged locally the past five to seven years especially encouraged.
For details and submission forms, see bellinghamtheatreguild.com.
ABOUT BEHIND THE SCENES
Behind the Scenes focuses on the people who make the arts and entertainment world of Whatcom County happen. It appears in Take Five, The Bellingham Herald's entertainment section, each Thursday. Margaret Bikman is the Entertainment News Coordinator at The Bellingham Herald.
