MySideOfTheStage
Stranded
Column by Rich Nesin (10/03/22)
I think that, for the most part, when people think of Rock and Roll road stories, they think of them in the past... probably the distant past, at that. Not this one! My current boss is Tommy James & The Shondells... a legacy artist, as they are known nowadays. Most legacy acts not named McCartney, Springsteen, Keith, Mick or Ringo spend a lot of their touring time in seemingly out of the way places – state fairs, casinos, rural and suburban theaters –- doing what they have always done: entertaining the very people who made their lives and lifestyles possible.
In a way, it is a beautiful give back to those who were there for them 40-50 years ago. These shows tend to be intimate, and the artists are approachable in ways their fans could never have imagined possible.
A few weeks ago, we had a show in such a place, the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, MN. The closest airport to Mahnomen is Fargo, ND. The band and crew flew into Fargo. Tommy is averse to smaller airports and airplanes, so we opted to fly into Minneapolis, 250 miles away and hire a limousine to drive us from there.
Tommy loves limousines. It may be a throwback to his prime or just a lingering passion, but whatever the reason, he loves them long black stretch limos. Surprisingly, as these days go, we arrived early at Minneapolis’ Airport and our limo was waiting for us. It was a smooth, pleasant drive for 4+ plus hours... Along the way, I asked our driver if he was the one coming back for us the next morning, and he wasn’t sure if he would be the driver. We had a pick-up time of 8:30 AM as our return flight was leaving at 2 PM.
The show went great. The band was on fire, Tommy mingled with fans in the middle of "Mony Mony" as he left the stage to walk through the crowd. For many there, it was magical.
In the morning, we got down to the lobby a few minutes after 8. No limo. Limos usually arrive ahead of schedule. So, I call to inquire what the ETA was. I got a switchboard dispatcher who seemed confused as I spoke. I gave her the confirmation number and then I heard, "Oh... that reservation was cancelled." Silence. Dumbfounded silence.
"What are you talking about? I confirmed it on Thursday evening and again with our driver, John, yesterday!"
"I’m sorry," she said, "but it was canceled at 11:21 yesterday morning."
"How can that be? Who canceled it? I certainly didn’t call and cancel the reservation. In fact, at the time you say it was canceled, I was sitting in YOUR LIMOUSINE! How do you suggest I get back to Minneapolis, then?"
"I’m sorry, sir. I can’t tell you who canceled it. That doesn’t show on my screen. I can only tell you that it was canceled at 11:21 AM yesterday."
Of course, it’s Labor Day weekend and there really is no recourse if your limo is more than four hours away, so arguing wasn’t going to help me and, anyway, there was no one I could actually complain to. What to do?
I asked the front desk clerk where the nearest car rental place was and they said there may be one in Detroit Lakes, but they're not really sure. I’m pacing. I’m panicked. I’m sweating. I am well freaked out, but I have to remain calm and be solutions oriented... Staying in Mahnomen, MN was not an option.
Now, I had to tell Tommy that we were stranded; up a creek without a paddle, so to speak. He was furious; wanted me to call them back and threaten them with legal action. I said that’s not going to get us out of
here...
Still, he was understandably angry at the situation and all I could say to him was, "Tommy, I get it, but I don’t have the luxury of being angry right now. I have to figure this out and get us home." Then, I walked away; still completely clueless.
I called our travel agent and woke her up. We looked at flights from Fargo and from Minneapolis, knowing there was no chance of making our originally booked return flight. Tommy did not want to go to Fargo, even if it meant getting home earlier.
So, that limited my options. There was a 6 PM flight out of MSP but there were only first class seats left. Perfect! It’s how we roll anyway. I grabbed them still unsure of how I was going to get us back to the airport. But, I had bought myself a little time.
It occurred to me I had one Hail Mary pass I could throw. The transportation company that shuttled my band and crew to and from Fargo might be able to help. I called the company owner’s cell phone and got him while he was eating breakfast. "Darn (yes, he said, darn). You guys are really stuck... Let me see what I can do and I’ll call you back.”
At this point, I could see a little light. I still wasn’t sure he would take us all the way to Minneapolis, so I called our travel agent and got flights from Fargo as a backup, in case he could only go so far. I figured I could deal with Tommy’s disappointment if I had to, but I was gonna get us home. Failure was not an option.
He called right back and said that he didn’t have a stretch available, but he could pick us up himself in an SUV. His wife’s a bit mad, as they had plans for the day, but she’d be okay. And yes, he could take us all the way to Minneapolis.
I was breathing again for what seemed like the first time in an hour. We were going to the preferred airport. We had a nonstop flight. We were gonna get home after all. We went to breakfast in the hotel and laughed.
The man was true to his word and got us all down to the airport in fine time. He was a wonderful driver and one heck of a nice guy! To Tommy, I was the hero of the day. Me? I just wanted to get home and go to sleep.
Incredibly enough, I am using the same limo company that left us stranded in a few weeks. Their owner was most apologetic and I figure they can’t possibly screw up a second time. We’ll see if I’m right!
YouTube - Tommy James & The Shondells - "Mony Mony"
YouTube - Tommy James & The Shondells - "I Think We're Aone Now"
Rich Nesin is a father, husband, singer/bassist with Inner Sanctum and Earthlings NYC, and a "Roadie for Life."
©2022 Roger Zee
