The Calzones were amazing this year....we were blown away by Bad Girls.Who was that lead singer? She's a star! The Tina Turner cover was awesome as well.

Had the best time, as always. Maybe not as good as my first bag....when I lost my virginity...lol.....but a close second.

Thanks again for your hard work. It always pays off.

In a message dated 7/4/2008 10:06:27 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, JIM PIN MC writes:
....even guido did not yell at us that much this year.......

Well, in his defense, he had a late gig at Mulcahy's on Tuesday, practice Wed, and then the show on Thurs for 3 straight heavy days.

We'll make sure to rile him up good next year, although he's not at the "GET OFF MY LAWN" stage just yet.

exceptional bag this year...kudos to the vocal section for bohemian rhapsody...and my hat is off to the rest of the band....even guido did not yell at us that much this year.......although the drum solo was much more fun for me 2 years ago!!!!....

later....mike c

Are you kidding me???
We'd do "Gonna Fly Now" THe ROCKY theme!!!
How cool would that be....It could be the opener, y'know, one little phrase at a time...
Screamin' by the end of it, right into the Bag Theme...

"Gonna fly now"... I like it.

The Carry-On Bag. I like it! We could do songs like Leaving on a jet plane, Rocket Man, Fly like an Eagle etc., Songs by Jefferson Starship etc.

Ron

missed you guys as well (pnemonia takes no prisoners). I hope my charts were on the level, and although I needed the rest (my doctor threatened to throw me in Winthrop if I didn't improve), I will always miss "Bag 31."

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR BITCHES!

- Ed "back to being the world's loudest bone player" Leone

Some points to ponder,
I say we set up a coffee station right on the edge of the stage. We can serve lattes and espressos so we can all make it until 4 AM! We can have a Caffeine Creep roam the stage. Maybe set up some WiFi and have a Bag Blog!
Maybe Guido should set up a rewards program for people who have to fly to make the Bag. For Val & John, next year's theme, the Carry-on Bag! We can charge $15 for every case someone brings on stage. And the Cheese Calzones can dress up like flight attendants!

We missed you Ed. I didn't like being the lone bone!

I hope you guys enjoy a great summer!

Riz

A blast as usual, Mr. Guido!!!…please forgive my state of disorientation towards the waning hours…I was working on 3-4 hours of sleep & got fairly inebriated to boot…sort of “half in the bag”, if you’ll pardon the pun! But again my thanks for a splendid time!!!

Take care and be well, my friend…

Great 31st BAG! One Question, How come nobody thought of adding the song " SLEEPING BAG " by ZZ TOP to the song list?

Editor's note: Well Jim, the Executive Board gave great consideration to the song Sleeping Bag, what with the Bag being the Sleeping Bag. We finally decided that Sharp Dressed Man was a much better song for the Bag band and audience and we went with that.

Now that it's Saturday A.B. (After Bag), I can clearly discuss this year's proceedings, since I slept till noon after having to work Friday morning! I first would like to thank Tony Barca, Guido, all of my fellow vocalists, especially Pete Scully, for sharing Sandman, The Dentist for vacating the Badlands spot, Denise Corazon, for getting me into the bag in the first place, Dave the Rave and Lester for superb backups and Killer Joe for giving up Aerosmith.

I again must praise the bag itself for its longevity and camaraderie. You forget (a little) how big it truly is, how pumped it makes you feel and how wonderful it is to be a part of this elite group until rehearsal day. Then it sinks in: Wow, I am part of something way larger than myself and how blessed I am to be here. Then, the show comes and to be on one of Long Island's most famous stages, you humbly bow to 'The Bag' since without it, most of us would never set foot on this stage. As the night rolls on, you feel like a celebrity. I garnered praise from no less than 15 people, including heartfelt, detailed pats on the back from Jim Small, Tony Barca and Dave The Rave. That song--BADLANDS--is my new bag highpoint, surpassing 515 from 6/07. With a mouth drier than the Mohave desert, the adrenaline of the crowd fueled me and led me to switch gears into the 'live version' chant, which Rave and the crowd gladly got on board with. As a singer currently without a band, this year's bag was also more special for that reason. It was my first live gig of any kind since 12/07. I'll use this a platform to ask any bag members needing a vocalist to drop me a line at simplerhym@aol.com.

I think that Guido said it best, and I paraphrase: "We've been doing this for over 30 years.....since some of us were 25........and for one day a year, we get to feel like we're 25 again!" I can't top that. I may add yet another comment at some point, but for now, a humble thank you.

THANK YOU TO THE PAPER BAG FOR LETTING ME INTO THE BAG.
Paul 'ESPO' Esposito

Mike and the Paper Bag Members,

It was our pleasure to play with you last night. We had a great time. I think I personally wrecked a cow bell during the last tune...lol. Any way, you now have caused the Pipe Band to be yours for the Bag! Thanks again...and I was moving slow today...

Mike Bartlett
Band Manager and Snare Drummer of Paper Bag #31!

Hello Mike-

Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you that I attended last night's paper bag and had an AWESOME time once again!!! My friend and I went this year, our second year in a row. I know, I know - we're new to this whole thing, but I'm DYING to know HOW we become members and get our very own paper bag t-shirts?!?!?!?!? We absolutely love it and of course we're already looking forward to next years bag. Thanks to you and everyone involved for all of the work and planning that es into it.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Henken

As always, another great night. Can't wait for Bag 32.

P.S. How can I buy a tee shirt?.

Editor's note: Well Bob, the only way to get a Bag t-shirt on the night of the Bag is to be in the Bag. To be "in the Bag" you must have attended a Bag as an audience member, have a skill that is highly useful to the Bag, and there be an open spot in the Bag for that skill. However, as soon as I have the patience to get a Paypal account up and running you will be able to purchase Bag shirts from past years.

Editors new note: the paypal account is up! click here to buy Bag t-shirts!

Hey Mike, in the words of Randy

from American Idol: YO DOG, THAT WAS THE BOMB, THAT WAS HOT!

That was a super show!
had a blast........
cant wait for the next one........yeaaaaaa

I think I may be the first posting for Bag 31...This one will be short and sweet and I will add my lengthier one tomorrow. Thanks to all for the kudos and praise for my rendition of BADLANDS. It was truly the highlight of my 5 year bag career and that's saying a lot, after last year's 5:15 by the Who. Thanks to Mr. Barca for bestowing me with the honor and to the Dentist for going to China to give me the tune. I enjoyed all of my other tunes; I went from one to four in a week. Denise is right! And props to her for REHAB and IN THESE SHOES....More tomorrow, but since it's already tomorrow and I am a teacher that has his last day with some 5th graders, I will be off to try to get 2 hours sleep. Peace and Rock on! And here's hoping there's some Van Halen in next year's bag.

Paul Esposito

Mike,

I'm a long-time bag follower and the volleyball player who talks to you about the bag at Cedar Beach every year. I'm just reminding you that you said you definitely wanted to do 'No Place To Go' by Charlie Daniels - one of your favorites and mine too, and possibly Caballo Diablo. Hope you either already included them or it's not too late to add them.

See you in the bag.

Editor's note: No Place to Go is one of my favorite songs ever. We played it at Bag #28 in 2005. I even played bass on it. I hadn't played that song in 30 years. It was great. Caballo Diable is another great Charlie Daniels song, great double guitar work. We will have to work that into the Bag soon.

....on Saturday evening, May 9th, my 83 year old father came to Chesterfield's Jazz and Blues Club in Huntington to hear his son play in the band (OTR). At 10:30 PM he approached the street level door of the club. The bouncer asked him for the $5 cover charge. My father said to him, "you're just standing here smoking a cigarette, how do I know you work for the club? Come upstairs with me and I'll check. If you work for the club, I'll pay the $5 cover." The big-n-beefy bouncer meekly followed my five-foot-five octogenarian father up the stairs and waited 'til dear old dad verified the doorman's story. Dad payed him the cover charge and got himself a beer. He stayed until after midnight. Rock 'n roll never forgets.

John Martin of
"Off the Record" aka OTR

Hi Mike,

Thinking about the up-coming Paper Bag! Great Theme! Also, thinking back to my First Paper Bag. I wrote this, bleary-eyed, on the morning after attending my First Paper Bag:

NOTHING IS BETTER THAN B!

My most favorite letter in the alphabet is B. Before the Beginning was B. The Big Bang was the Beginning of Life As We Know It. The Ancients of Egypt described the Soul as the Ba. Symbolically, the Ba is a human Being with the head of a Bird. The famous Bard Shakespeare says, for this life, it is much better to Be than Not to Be. B begins with our Birth. Just Being is the Best. If you can’t just B, than you can Begin By Becoming. Becoming is on the way to Being.
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

People that agree with me about B need no convincing. They know the real reason is just Because. They Beseech me to spread the word, & B beckons me with Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Balloons, Bananas, Balls, Blueberries, & Blowing Bubbles too. B is just a little bit Bizarre, maybe even bibulous but many Benefactions from B too. Much Bravado! Bravissimo! & Bravo! & Brava! & Very Brave too. I get Beside myself just thinking about B.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

B is Big. B is Beautiful. B makes everything Bloom, from Buds to Begonias to Bougainvilleas. Boats Bobbing on a Beach while Bodies Broil. Brooks Babble and the Buddha Becalms By Balancing Banners and Baby’s-Breath. I Bow to the letter B. It is Befitting the Beatitudes Begin with B. All words Beginning with Bi are doubly or twice Blessed. B is Bold & Brave! & B is Brainy & Brilliant! but also Benevolent & Beneficent. B is Bountiful. B is Breath & Breath is Life. Let’s face it - B just Boggles my mind!
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

B makes me Buoyant. B makes me Blush. When I swim, it’s the Breastroke or Backstroke, my song? the Bolero, my favorite color is Blue. Why I like Pesto? It’s made with Bushels of Basil of course. & I like Bottles & Boxes, Ballet & Butter, Beagles & Belugas, Beavers & Books, Brothers & Barbecues. B is for Bouncing, Blending & Bending, B Buzzes my Buttons, B has me Bewitched!
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

B makes me Busy. B gets my Blood Broiling. B is Buff - & B is for Breasts, Boobs, Bosoms, and Beaucoups, & Biceps, Bulges, Bellies, Backsides, Behinds and Bottoms. B is Breezy, B is Bucolic, B is Bohemian, & for Beloved Bodies Blending Beautifully without Boundaries. B is to Bathe and for Baths, Beds, Bedding and Berths. B is a Barrage of Buffets including Bagels and is a Banquet to Boot! B is to Burrow. & B hits the Bull’s-eye. B is a Bonus, a Boon to all Beings! B makes me Beserk!


But . . .


The real reason I just can’t get enough of B.

Do you know?

Because Being in the Bag (my first) was the Best!

By the way . . . Bonjour to All!

Do You Believe??

Bye!

JoAnn

(written, bleary-eyed, on the morning after attending my First Paper Bag)