Afterglow 2009 - Sheboygan Brat Days

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Micah Olsan and the Hype Machine (as the band is unfortunately called) was playing at the Sheboygan Brat Days. As you know, my brother Timmy has been the drummer of that band for the last few years, and since Sheboygan was on our way home from Phelps, Mom and I stopped to hear them play. I hadn't eaten since the popsicles and ice cream sandwiches this morning, and since this was Brat Days, I bought a brat. I ordered a double, and was surprised to see that a brat came in a hamburger bun and not in a hotdog bun. However weird it looked, it still tasted amazing. Especially after I covered it in onions, mustard and ketchup. Mmmm Brat Days. I could get used to this shit.

Rez brought Boyang and Colleen up with him, and I can only imagine what that drive would've been like. In a good or bad way, depending on your mood on that day. Boyang is an interesting person. He makes no apologies for who he is and he's loud and proud. When I have the capacity to accept his personality, he's the funniest guy in the entire world. But when I'm not feeling it, he drives you crazy. To this day I've any met anyone who absolutely polarizes my attitude towards them, which makes Boyang one of the most unique people I've ever known.

Timmy had left early this morning to get here on time, and Jenny rode with him. Rez and car full of cronies met them up here, and we had a nice gang of people to support Timmy. Rez and Jenny had some beers, but after this week, I couldn't bring myself to join them.

Sam is the semi-regular sound engineer for The Hype Machine. He is also one of the best amateur hoola hoopers that I have ever seen. He moved his hips in time to the music and put on a clinic.

They played on a pretty small stage (The Refugee Stage, the same one that they played on at Summerfest) but they attracted a good sized crowd. Not too damn bad for a Saturday afternoon. Besides the regulars (friends and family members that made the trip up here) many people were strolling by and stopped to check them out. I Don't know if it really matters because they play most of their shows in the Milwaukee area, and these passerbys are unlikely to randomly stumble into a show back home. But that thought process is a moot point nowadays, since Dave and Anthony have already left the band and The Hype Machine as we knew and loved it is no more. And now that Timmy is talking about leaving the band, I might never see them ever again. Regardless of what happens, I'll always remember the fun times I had at the shows.

We hung out in the back so as not to interfere with the audience's enjoyment of the music. But in retrospect we probably should have been up front to encourage everyone to get hyped and dance.

This festival was set up in a big park that was right on a river or the lake or something. Despite the fact that I was driving, I didn't really pay attention to the geography. But once I was there I knew I was at a Wisconsin festival where there was plenty of beer and food.

This is the Hype Machine as it was back in the Summer of 2009. Some changes have been made (for the worse in my opinion) as Dave and Anthony are no longer with the band. This is really too bad, because they sounded great as they were.

My brother Timmy is real rock star, and here he looked the part as well as playing the part. All the fans (ok, so mostly just me and Jenny) scream his name and shouts of "Yeah Tim-may!" float above the crowd like a guardian angel watching her people.