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It started auspiciously enough. Boober arrives super early to see an afternoon band, finishing up their set on the tiny but packed Ballydoyle stage. They are providing their own sound (no sound guy from the venue) and have an audience that makes the BPB audience at the Can Bar (of 12) look huge. The drummer, as they finally start moving their gear off the stage, informs Kevin, “I went to Berklee.” To which the computer in Kevin’s head went through three possibilities:
There is not the intent to make fun of anyone. We have had a poorly attended show, but the fact that they lollygagged to get their shit off the stage really pissed the rhythm section off. Do your show, and get it off the stage so the next band can set up. But it wouldn’t be a show unless Boober was flustered by the set up…I think it might be in the contract. Finally, the stage was cleared and Kevin and Rob started setting up as one by one the Bear arrived. With the crazy traffic and parking on Main Street, each person unloaded, as a group got their crap in and they then drove off and parked. As the set up was continuing, Boober remarked as his cabinets were precariously set up on the top stair at the side of the stage. He predicted certain death because he would likely fall and die during the show. He requested someone film it, because it would help with the band’s legacy! Alan or Alex (Boober called him both) arrived as the sound man for the bar and he did his thing with Kevin as his consultant. After set up, a quick sound check with 5/8 of “Rocky Mountain Way,” the band had a shot in the front of the bar before taking the stage. The bar had probably 20 to 30 people in it before the bouncer (a very jacked John the bouncer, 62 years old and built like a shit brickhouse or brick shit house or house made of bricks and shit???) started collecting the $7 cover. At some point, the joint filled up with lots of people. Family of most was there: Mike’s sister Sue was there for her maiden voyage with BPB, Marie-Eve and some friends were there, Alan, Jenn’s husband and daughter were present, Lisa Smola, Gab Smola, Jerry and Shelly Madsen, and the ever-smiling Jimmy Smola. Lisa had her crew there, as well. Keith was not represented because the man was fighting some horrendous stomach bug and despite being dehydrated, and eating crackers between sets so he didn’t hurl, played a killer three-hour show. The crowd filled that uniquely designed space. Kind readers, this was the greatest crowd we have played in front of in our now 38 show history. “Why?” you bark at the screen as you read it. The crowd, some probably 100 at some point, never sat down, danced, cheered loudly for nearly every song (except “Take It Easy”) and drowned Lisa out during “What’s Up,” “Closing Time,” “My Sacrifice” and even “Heart of the Matter.” There were moments when it felt less like we were playing for the crowd and more like the crowd had become part of the band. That is a pretty powerful feeling to have that energy coming back to the stage. Lisa kept receiving spontaneous high fives after audience members needed to show their approval after she belted out, “The Story,” or “Crazy on You,” or “Paradise City.” One unknown party told her, “When you guys were setting up, we were thinking, okay, what are these people going to do, and then that voice came out of you!” Bouncer John, who has been at the door for over 18 years, told her she was the best singer he had heard there, period. A waitress tried to kill our silly bass player as he was roaming the audience during “My Own Worst Enemy.” She ran into him at 37 miles an hour. Somehow, Rob, while twirling from the unreported collision and managing to stay on his feet, the idiot didn’t miss a note. (On that song, we won’t mention the H he played to start “Crazy on You” or the fact he missed the first D in “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” when not being body checked by a waitress, which is more concerning.) At introduction time, we learned the following facts about the band (from Boober’s ever-present and obnoxious intros which seem to be growing in absurdity as the shows pile up):
And just when he thought it was safe, Mike Morsovillo turned the tables. He announced the following facts about the idiot bassist (there were more, but what follows will have to do. Come on, pick up the pace here):
Advantage - and win - Mike! By the time our heroes finished the second set, they had played 23 songs in the first set and 18 in the second. That’s 41, or 42 if you count “Eruption” as its own composition. Jenn had a long drive ahead and Keith was traveling to a conference, so really, after three hours, no encore was necessary! Someone in the crowd yelled, “You say that at every show,” when Boober and Mike agreed that this was the best audience we ever had. We took umbrage! We have complimented audiences before, but so far this was the most interactive and had the most energy. Oh, if we could bottle that stuff and sell it!!!! The band returns to the stage in October…and what tricks or treats will they have? We won’t tell, point is, you really have to go see the shows, because amazing, funny, crazy things happen. The blog just tries to capture it! So ’til next time, this has been a BoobSovillo collaboration!
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Thus begins the saga of the Bear opening for the Petty Kings at Countryside Concerts in the Park. When the band began plotting their quest for musical distribution across the suburbs, originally they were told the mean streets of Countryside (well, the beautiful park series) would not have them this year (2026) because they played last year as the opener for Strung Out Band (2025). A funny thing happened on the way to planning the year. The Bear got a last minute invite stating the original opener contracted for July 30 backed out. After a quick review of the band calendar and a group chat bulletin requiring all six Yes votes, the band was able to accept the assignment (and just like in Mission Impossible, the email melted on the screen of Boober’s computer… Well, it didn’t but he thought it did). It became official, we agreed to open for the excellent Petty Kings, who were professional and polished all night and slayed an enormous crowd.
The band has its mission: putting together 40 minutes of music – no more, no less – a sprint, no filler, affectionately referred to as 40 Minutes of Death for some unknown reason, adding a nice tinge of tension. Mind you, the band had a 5/23 Q-Bar 90 minute set, a 6/20 two set show at Squire Ale House, then the Can Bar on 7/11/2026 and then the 40 minutes of death on the 30th on the lonely streets of Countryside (well a beautifully maintained and well-used park). Rehearsal time is every Thursday, but getting all six at one time on Thursdays was the exception and not the rule. Dr. Jenn was off on a several mini book tours, Professor Mike was fighting a nasty medical issue and yet there were shows we had to prepare for, so whatever form of the band (sometimes a four-piece, sometimes a five-piece, rarely all six) showed up in the vanquished lonely hallways of a lonely basement in the scary part of Countryside (well actually the lovely home of Jerry and Shelly Madsen, Boober’s cousin who graciously allow us to rehearse in a beautiful neighborhood complete with a water sprayer in the park across the street). The last rehearsal before the show in which the run through goes as well as it can with just a quintet as Keith has been summoned by the CIA to solve some moisture issue on Mars at secret conference somewhere in New Mexico, underground (well maybe a preplanned physics conference, but you really can’t be sure if you know what I mean, and I think you do). Show day arrives and the weather is beautiful. Keith has laid out a solid 10-song set that contains at least six different tunes from last year’s set. Boober, as is his compulsive habit, arrives excessively early only to be aggravated by something preventing early set-up. At Q-Bar it was a graduation party, at Squire an acoustic duo was still on stage, at Can Bar a ferocious funk due to a World Cup final, a packed house with a birthday party and an air conditioner desperately struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, back at Countryside park at 4 PM, Boober has unloaded his gear and Bill-Squared (the sound guys, both named Bill) are piecing an enormous sound system together. There are bins, and chords and zombies (well, not zombies) all over the gazebo. The drummer for Petty Kings is there and he is setting up, then moves his drums to the near front of the gazebo. Bob, the lead singer of the Petty Kings arrives, then the bassist, the keyboard player, the other singer and the lead guitarist. Kevin and Jenn arrive pretty close and unload to the side of the stage. We are advised that we will not set up until the Kings get all set up and sound check by Bill-Squared. Mike arrives, followed by a handsome but weathered Keith who has discovered a way to make powder into water at his secret meeting, but caught a nasty cold somewhere and is still recovering. He left his wife and son at home, who were in the middle of battling it. It is 5:20, we are scheduled to start at 6. We still have a guitar center outdoor sale on the side of the gazebo. Mike answers a call from Lisa. She reports with great anguish and anxiety that she has been traveling first by camel, small boat, pioneer caravan, and then by car – and been traveling for what seems like nine hours and stuck on 294 - and her GPS is telling her arrival time will be 5:47. At about 5:32 – the Petty Kings finish a killer sound check, harmonies sweet, band tight, the City is going to have a great time tonight; Countryside is in good hands. Damn, the two Bills know what they are doing – it sounds full, rich and fills the park! Right before they finish, Boober asks Kev, “You want help?” Stoically, the Actuary answers Spock-like – “No I built most of it, just need to move it, everyone should just do their thing, we don’t have a lot of time.” Boober says “Nanu-Nanu” and gives him the Mork salute (no he didn’t – he ran like his hair was on fire getting his rig set up, but making a strategic decision to save a little stress and time, no mini-pedal board today, just straight into the amp head!”) About 5:43 – Lisa Smola, at the request of the now-frantic bassist, calls Lisa Strzelecki to find out coordinates. Ms. Strzelecki reports her new ETA is 5:57, show time is 6. At about 5:50, the band as Kev, Mike and Kieth discuss that they will sound check with Feelin’ Alright, a song Mike sings, because Lisa is still not to the chopper that will deliver her to Wembley Stadium (or, Countryside by car). Sound check is done. Boober runs to the car to change into his show outfit, a slick bright Pink Panther shirt obviously complete with a battery pack (because it is so pink it glows) and a Road Warriors Legion of Doom do rag (to keep sweat out of his eyes). In the excitement of changing, he forgot his ever present reading glasses. He also chucked his shoes because it is a park, and playing bare foot is in his contract (what contract??) Back at the ranch - 5:57 – Keith, Mike and Kev agree to start with song #5 on the set list, You May Be Right (a Mike vocal song), if Lisa does not materialize. They have also plotted to go to “Stacy’s Mom” second (a Boober led song with Mike on killer stunt bass) if Lisa still is in the Chopper . After that, Kevin was plotting a 22-minute version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (no we don’t play that) if Lisa was still stranded and the cast of Baywatch could not get her to shore. 6 PM – Katie Goggin, from Design Event Chicago walks on stage, does announcements and states, “Please welcome, BiPolar Bear.” Mike rips into it and owns it. As we finish it, calmly we realize Lisa is still crossing the Atlantic. Boober hands the bass to Mike, nearly forgets to grab the megaphone, and Keith calmly offers the opening chords and we are off again, into Stacy’s Mom (song 8 on our 10 song set list). As Boober concludes the last line about being in love with Stacy and everyone else’s Mom (he is naughty like that sometimes), Lisa - mic stand in hand - calmly walks on stage. Mike gives Boober back the bass, grabs his guitar and they are off and running unscathed into song 1, “The Middle.” The crowd is warm and appreciative; they seem genuinely entertained and not aware that Lisa signed up for a three hour tour that took six seasons to get there. Boober promotes the Petty Kings and fireworks, does a few commercials including for Ledo’s Pizza, a vendor at the park and Westfield Ford a co-sponsor. Kevin is running a tight time keep, insisting Keith start playing even if Boober is chatty. Remember, this is 40 minutes of death, no filler! Visual evidence of tomfoolery is in the picture portion of the website for this show, but what you won’t see is the thing that may have made Keith smile more than any other moment in his now two years with the band. Out of the corner of his eye, he is the only band member to see during the last eight measures of What’s Up? Boober backs up, and trips on a stair and is attempting to go ass over tea kettle (Professor Mike’s unpublished autobiography, we learned) but the pillar directly behind him shields him from a certain death, contacting and smacking his back straight as his left big toe, digs into a crack and becomes a bit of a mess. Boober doesn’t miss a note there (although he did drop an “H” at the beginning of Crazy on You, but who’s counting anyway). The damaged toe is featured in the pics, but don’t tell Quintin Tarrantino. The 40 minutes is over, the band survives, the Petty Kings are gracious and complimentary, the crowd is very positive, and our heroes scramble to get their stuff off stage and loaded. What a night! As they went their separate ways, Show 38 is in the bag and a toe is severely damaged, but a goofy bassist is thankful for the placement of a pillar. A BoobSovillo collaboration! Our heroes in BiPolar Bear enthusiastically arrived one by one, fighting the warmth of a summer day in July, to their next adventure in Naperville – recently voted one of the most stressed-out cities in America (you can look it up). The indefatigable Kevin and his talented bass-playing and singing wife, Marie-Eve, packed up the van and somehow fit 19 tons of equipment into it. Drums and audio equipment, specifically. Kevin must be some kind of life-size origami artist, because it doesn't seem possible, but he pulls it off!
One by one, the Bear arrived and unloaded gobs of equipment all over the pavement of the delightful Can Bar in Naperville. When the band tried to enter to set up, they were denied, as an incredibly crowded bar contained two enormous groups of people occupying nearly every inch of the place. On one side, the England vs. Norway World Cup match was being absorbed, sweated through, and closely observed by a gaggle of England fans. On the other side, a 60th birthday party (sneakily, when no one was looking, Dr. Keith signed the card six times with six different signatures, including the following aliases):
We still are not sure what possessed this amount of tomfoolery, but you know Dr. Keith, always with a lampshade on his head. (Or is this a delusion brought on to this writer by the indescribable odor of too many people crowded into one space, sweating with little help from an air conditioning?) Mike Morsovillo stopped Lisa Strzelecki from entering the building for fear she might pass out from the odor of buttocks and stale beer (or the name of another band she fronted in the '80s…but we'll get to that later). Finally, our band of Bear was allowed in, but at the time of entry, the remaining patrons on the England side were happily singing "Wonderwall" into their beers, and on the stage side, the band had to battle partygoers, tables, chairs, dartboards, etc., just to get the equipment in. When the smoke cleared, Jake "The Wonder Boy" Helm worked feverishly with Kevin and Marie-Eve to construct the sound system and drum kit. Then the rest of the band started assembling their equipment. Meanwhile, everyone left. A few bartenders and seven people at the bar remained, while the remaining ten were friends and family. Nonplussed, our heroes ripped into two sets and, bizarrely, never sounded tighter or better. Jake was killing it on the controls, and the band seemed not to care, putting on a show for 200 people…188 imaginary and the 12 attendees. At introduction time, the idiot bassist, clearly still concussed 40 years later, spit facts to the crowd about each member. The attendees learned:
When the dust settled and everyone cleaned up and left, the head bartender said, “You guys were great. We would love to have you back!” Sometimes, you just never know. Back they will return someday, and the next show will be played for 25 people... or the Bear be damned. Oh yeah... and here’s a message to the late Mayor Chet Rybicki: BiPolar Bear came to Naperville, laid down nearly three hours of music, conquered 13 people, and left with their heads held high, despite your edict in '76 that they would never play in “your town.” You had to be there to understand.............. A BoobSovillo Production! On June 20th, our heroes journeyed to Squire Ale House in Campton Hills (far west of Chicago and just east of Montana), but somehow kind of close to home in South Elgin for Lisa and a bit of a drive for the rest of the Bear (Note: Lisa travels nearly 50 minutes to rehearsal every Thursday, so she deserves a home game once in a while).
The night was full of surprises – some good, some not so much. As this was the second sojourn to this amazingly quaint and cool ale house, one thing that the Bear and their trusty sound man, Nick Madsen, had to battle was the gremlins in the stage's electrical system. Several months ago, on a gorgeous early fall night when BPB took the stage on 9/12/2025, the gremlins were out in force. Nick and the band endured feedback, strange pulses, and hoots (kind of like an old Pink Floyd record, but much more acerbic to the ear). This second foray ended up with the same foe. Nick was up to the challenge with his trusty ally, Kevin Vesel, who once swore he joined BPB only to play drums because he had enough to do in his own band, Like A Stone, (and now has added Practice Master and Sound Liaison to his titles, as well as Hygiene Expert, Gardening Pro, and Fred Flintstone Historian to his drumming BPB duties). Kevin, joined forces with Nick to ensure they could battle this nemesis together. Their tasks included identifying the sources of the nasty noises, making sure Jenn B.'s keyboard was successful in the mix, and, at some point, figuring out how to get through a show when the bassist was apparently on another planet. Would our heroes be up for the challenge? Despite Lisa passionately delivering the vocals all night, especially on "The Story" and "Paradise City"; Professor Mike delivering the soulful solo on "Feelin' Alright" while crushing the vocals on "Secret Agent Man" and "You May Be Right"; Dr. Keith working in some sneaky notes during the absolute shred of "Eruption" and ripping the solo on "Rock You Like a Hurricane" as well as the adept soloing of Slash in “Paradise City”; Kevin's brilliant timekeeping all night; and Jenn's second show, in which she appeared to be exactly where she was always supposed to be – they had another foe... Boober! Now, Mike pointed out before the first set that the toe sock-clad bassist was wearing a black-and-pink paisley vest, which made him look like a host at the defunct ChiChi’s restaurant. The gang did not know the trouble their star-crossed bassist would bring them. It was obvious early that Boober, even though he was consistently running around the venue, engaging the patrons, had forgotten how to play his instrument. Mike was quoted on stage as saying, "Is this the night of disappearing notes?" Over and over, the bald menace seemed to lose his focus and fall out of the song, only to try to catch up without dropping a bass bomb. Then the introductions, in which Lisa was accused of wrestling a bear to a draw, Mike was marked with the skills of dissecting the Decameron and telling dirty jokes, and the crowd was invited to the parking lot for copies of Dr. Keith's 79½-word dissertation (in which Kevin and Mike can be heard warning the crowd not to go to the parking lot because of Stranger Danger!). Somehow the band played on, carrying their bassist through two sets and an encore of "I Hate Myself for Loving You." Note, the band had to change from two other potential encores because our hobbled bassist cramped at the end of the earlier-mentioned Guns N' Roses classic and could only play with his extended middle finger, one note at a time, as his hand assumed the position of a swollen and unconscious lobster! Despite the hot sun burning Lisa's chest (her words, not ours), Kevin's head, and making Boober sweat again in uncommonly large amounts, the Bear left the Ale House with a few more followers on Facebook and many smiles. Those who stayed for "Paradise City" joined the band in singing it and air-instrumenting it out. That was really cool. Thus, Bipolar Bear – weary from battling the sun, the sound gremlins, and their own bassist – vowed, "We shall be back to your amazing stage, and we will fight the gremlins again!!!" A BoobSovillo Collaboration On May 23rd, BiPolar Bear journeyed to the Q-BAR in Darien for a searing 90-minute set as part of a double bill with our buddies in Like A Stone (www.lasband.com/). This was extra fun because Like a Stone is Kevin's other band. He is the only member of BPB that plays in two bands. To be completely selfish for a minute, shows for me are the most amazing but challenging things in the world. Managing my insane emotions on the day of the show can be a challenge. I like to arrive early before other band members (often 30 to 40 minutes before anyone else). I have an amazing amount of equipment and just plain baggage for a mediocre bassist to have, but getting there early calms me down so I can get set up. I have been notorious for having equipment burps (last time we played Heroes West, I had turned down my ginormously outrageous pedal setup and could not get sound out of my cabinets, so I plugged directly in), so getting there early and setting up helps ease that weird fear.
Q-BAR had a graduation party happening when we arrived – complete with a rousing game of “corn hole” right in front of the stage, lots of appetizers, and beer bottles for miles – so we could not get in until 6 PM sharp, and two bands were setting up, bringing in the equipment and trying to get ready. We started at 7:30, but still needed to sound check both bands. I forgot to park my wife's vehicle, which was still in front of the door, and we usually do a pre-show shot (GOD, I AM NOT A DRINKER, BUT MAN, THAT HELPS MY ENERGY CALM DOWN). Right before we were supposed to start, the bouncer told me I had to move the car, and when I announced the shot, he explained that no outside alcohol was allowed. If we did the ceremonial shots, we would be escorted off the property…and we were not to try it in the parking lot either, or he would not let us back in. Flustered, we started as soon as I came back in. I didn’t even turn on my fan. I did not have my water and other beverages on stage. I was a mess. But the band was amazing. Keith, Kevin, Mike, Lisa, and our brand-new keyboardist/vocalist, Jenn Budziak, were AWESOME!!!! We had a blast, even though I received quite a bit of criticism from people I know for staying on stage too much and not going into the crowd. But that stage is huge, and it was so much fun hanging with the band. I had too much fun with Mike, giggling on our side of the stage. I loved standing on the riser where Kev was set up. I loved running by Lisa and NOT MAKING HER LAUGH. Normally, that is the goal, but I behaved. And even though there is a court order that I can only be on stage near Keith for 1 minute and 47 seconds, I think I was near him for 3 minutes! ----- A couple of well-deserved kudos:1. 1. **Jenn Budziak** – she has never been in a band and never played "rock" music in such a milieu. She did not have the best monitor output, but killed it! Her keyboard work was spot-on, and her harmonies were amazing. I love what she and Lisa did during the obnoxiousness of my presentation of Stacy's Mom. They did killer harmonies in the background. Yes, she is a conductor (has a doctorate in conducting) and has a master's degree in piano (and one in theology) - but playing in a rock band is a weird, different animal, and she was terrific! 2. **Like a Stone** – They are really cool people and an awesome band. What a hot set! Go see them if you can! Like them on FACEBOOK here: LAS Facebook Page . 3. **The Crowd** – Memorial Day weekend is a terrible time to play a show. Tons and tons of our friends were out of town, yet we drew an awesome crowd that the promoter and the staff were very happy with. Thanks to all who came out! 4. **The Guitarists All Night** – Kevin Smith, new guitarist Jon Clarke (his first show with LAS), Keith, and Mike, were awesome all night – ripping out great licks and solos. Mike also had some bass duties that he is responsible for when the idiot bassist does stunt vocals! 5. **Kevin** – Man…two 90-minute up-tempo sets, then breakfast at Tony's after the show with his family and the idiot bassist! We have a bunch of shows coming up this summer and fall - we hope to see you out. We also plan to come back to Q-BAR sometime this year, so please stay tuned. It is so much fun, it should be illegal!! A BoobSovillo Collaboration (written by Rob, edited and improved by Mike) We knew when we booked April 4 that attendance could be dicey. It was the day before Easter, and the two men’s NCAA basketball finals were scheduled during showtime. During soundcheck and the first 28 minutes of the show, we were worried—the Pub had maybe 40 people in it. As soon as Illinois lost to Connecticut at about 7:29, the place filled up. I asked Rhythm Guitarist Emeritus Jimmy Cavanaugh (Jimmy's alter ego) , who was in attendance, what he thought the number swelled to. Jimmy and I estimated the bar ended up with about 100 people or so. What a relief—and what an amazing crowd, who got to hear new songs like “Paradise City,” “Beggin,” and “Stacy’s Mom.” Unfortunately, they missed a band member in a giant bunny suit (Pictures from show) because that came off around the 28-minute mark. The bunny also handed out candy from his basket before the show started. After the first set concluded and half way through the second set, the crowd reduced again to about 40 to 50 who remained for the one song encore.
In another turn of events, as the bunny was passing out candy, Kevin Cavanaugh—sitting at the bar with his wife, the lovely Jackie—asked, “Did you guys really change the band name?” The oblivious bunny, focused on distributing treats to the crowd, did not notice Mike, Ellen, Kevin, Lisa, and Keith standing on stage sporting beautifully fresh “Stoic Squirrel” shirts. For the past two years, on April 1st, the band has sarcastically changed its name—and will continue to do so every April Fool’s Day—to Stoic Squirrel (famously named after Kevin’s misinterpretation of an Alanis Morissette lyric). As a band, we record every rehearsal and every show (when Rob remembers to hit record) on a device (like a Zoom mic) that gives us a good sense of what’s going on, though it’s not professional per se. This is not an exercise in hubris, but rather a quality improvement activity to identify anything that needs fixing (like Rob wandering off and starting the chorus of “Drunk” before Mike gave him the look to get back on track) or to gauge how the audience responded to a song or performance. One of the most fun parts of listening back to a show is hearing Lisa’s sneaky comments on the microphone. She slips them in quickly, and they are sharp and hilarious. Kevin, who does not have a microphone, often yells things out from behind his kit that the recording catches—and those are equally amusing. Other highlights for me are the new songs. It was fun trying to keep up with Keith’s riffage on “Paradise City,” nailing the timing of “Beggin,” and trying not to get hypnotized by Lisa’s amazing vocal on “One.” Dr. Keith’s beautiful guitar intro to “Eruption,” blending into J.S. Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” was a great and appropriately serene surprise. Mike’s strong vocal deliveries on “You May Be Right” and “Secret Agent Man” are becoming show staples. I always write about Ms. Lisa’s vocal gifts—her ability to move from Mary J. Blige and Brandi Carlile to Axl Rose, and even a kind of supercharged fusion of Eric Burdon and Haley Reinhart on “House of the Rising Sun” (brilliantly arranged by Mike with a loud-soft-loud dynamic), is breathtaking. Keith’s debut scat/wrap vocal on “Beggin” was worth the price of admission (which was free and that makes no sense). The Pub and BPB are a super fun combination. A final note: Show 34 (Pub 78—#8) was Ellen Backlin’s last as a member of BPB. She has been an important part of Bipolar Bear’s evolution, playing in 32 of our 34 shows. She has an enormous heart and a love for music and performing that has been a cornerstone of the band since she joined in October 2019. As I have learned, change is inevitable in bands—they are not static entities. To grow and improve, they must constantly push forward, evolve, and adapt. Even when membership stays the same, growth is essential. Being in a band has taught me that change is inevitable (just like every other aspect of life), and Bipolar Bear is no different. At the show, Dave Gonzalez (another Guitarist Emeritus) and Jimmy C were both there. We usually have a show once a year where alumni come back and play a couple of songs with us. Hopefully, Ellen will do that in the future as she navigates what comes next musically. Whatever she decides, BPB will be cheering her on. Now we look ahead to the six shows we have coming up (I think). As always, thanks to those who come out to our shows and have fun with us, and for the support our families provide. A final shout-out to Nick Madsen, who continues to do great sound for us when called upon. The Pub is a tough room for sound, especially with an audience that changes so much throughout the night. Rob, Bass, Bunny Suit, Stunt Vocals Alas, as Bipolar Bear 3.0 enters its second year in existence, they ironically returned to the place where their debut occurred nearly a year ago – Heroes West in Lemont, Illinois. Once again, our intrepid heroes (not to be confused with the Western variety of Lemont) provided an opening salvo for the band Eleven. And, once again, shenanigans ensued before a single note of music was played.
As every musician knows, opening for another band requires patience, logistical skill, and a practical knowledge of which cords are yours at the end of the set. As BPB prepared for its sound check, Boober noticed something from his bass amp: the complete absence of sound – not good for a rock band, in general. It’s always disconcerting when someone of Boober’s, shall we say, voluminous gregariousness, is rendered silent. But silent that amp was…until it was discovered that the cords were plugged into the wrong places (“that’s what she said”). When the set started, the band instantly regained its composure and offered an hour of diverse, exciting, and overall fun music for the large crowd who braved the snow and cold for a night of live music and mayhem. A few highlights: • The lone dancer in front of the stage, who decided that grooving to every song by BOTH bands was her idea of exercise, or just a diversion to combat the long line heading into the ladies’ room. Either way, she was a hoot! • Rob called out Mike’s beard as being “buttery”, which was promptly shouted out by one of Mike’s sons (and when he finds out which one…) • Mike calling out Rob’s excessive “head juice”, which Rob promptly wiped on Mike’s shirt. Curiously, the juice smelled like mangos and guava, with a hint of honeysuckle. In all, the band is poised to have another amazing year in its eternal quest for a shenanigan-free show. Lisa, Ellen, Keith, and Kevin were in their usual stellar form, not withstanding Rob and Mike’s reluctant, buttery, tropic fluid exchange. Nevertheless, we eagerly await BPB 3.0’s next musical adventure. We just plan to bring a towel… MM (the buttery bearded troubadour) Jason Vorhees, a Hippy Girl, the Jumping Man from Twin Peaks, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets, a (slightly menacing) Clown and a Kitty Cat took the stage after a wonderful acoustic set from Nick “Joliet Jake Blues” Madsen to celebrate the Halloween Spooktacular (10/25/2025) at Pub 78. Anytime BPB plays Pub 78 (this was our 7th show) it is just a bit more fun than other shows. Don’t get me wrong, anytime we play out, we have an amazing time. It is such a privilege to be able to go out and play music (and have people show up), but the Pub adds an element of unpredictability and an energy from being in such a tight space that no other place does. Jen and Caryn and the staff of the Pub are always super fun. Jen dressed up as a banana (which many people seem to end up in that outfit at every show). The crowd may have been a bit smaller than some of our other shows at the Pub, but it was substantial (and fluctuated throughout the evening) and their energy raised the fun level. I guess that there were at least a dozen people in costumes other than the band. I saw Freddy Krueger, an Average Joe in addition to a Crayon, a Lady Bug, and Wednesday Addams. Three couples competed in the costume contest, plug and outlet, reverse (from Uno) cowgirl, and the winners the slinky dog from the Pixar classic, Toy Story.
This was our 8th show of the year (and 7th with BPB 3.0 lineup as Dr. Keith could not make the St. Pats show so Jimmy Cavanaugh and Dave “Evad” Gonalez filled in) and the 32nd in BPB history. My father who was a very talented craftsman; he could build or fix anything except for engines, was a very modest man, and even though my personality is obnoxious, you WILL NEVER EVER HEAR ME BRAG about myself. Raymond Smola, Sr. felt that your talents and achievements should speak for themselves. BUT, I am going to take the following space to brag about these amazing musicians that put up with me. Ellen (the Kitty Cat) Backlin played her tale (she was wearing one). We put a ton on her, including having her play a bunch of organ on a Bach composition and the solo on “House of the Rising Sun.” In addition to hitting those out of the park (and the keyboard riffs in Ghostbusters) she crushed her harmonies all night. Dr. Keith (Jumping Man) played the entire first set masked and shredded all night. In the second set, whether he snuck in a riff from the Addams family while ripping Eddie Van Halen’s Eruption or trying to keep the train on the tracks from my disastrous vocal performance on “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” he was killer and smiled, a lot which is a beautiful thing to see. Mike Morsovillo continues to make his presence known with his creative guitar work and vocals on songs like “Feelin' Alight?,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and his amazing Fred Schnieder influenced refrain in “Ghostbusters.” Lisa Strzelecki, the voice of BiPolar Bear is a freak of nature. She sings in the key each song was originally played seemingly effortlessly. This show was three hours and on the tunes that she is not singing, she is adding harmonies. Her voice (Ellen’s harmonies) and the contrasting amazing skills of the two guitarists are the (not so) secret sauce that drives BPB. Finally, I cannot praise Kevin Vesel enough. He played a three-hour show, picked out all the clips we played in between songs that had the Halloween theme and kicked the shit out of those songs. His work all night was killer, but during the Halloween Suite of songs, he was breathtaking. His drumming on “I Want Candy” was FUC#KING GREAT!!!!! He also is sneaky clever with a cowbell slipping in beats in “Feelin' Alight?” and “Ghostbusters.” The night had its fair share of surprises including great guest spots by band founder and rhythm guitarist, Jimmy Cavanaugh (who was introduced as returning to the stage like a case of Herpes) and the elegant and amazing Marie-Eve Vesel on bass and lead vocal for “Counting Blue Cars.” She is a great player and a ball of uncontainable energy, please go check her out (and Kevin) in Like A Stone. Marie-Eve crushed the tricky bridge in “Heartbreaker” and the band probably expects me to play it that well! The Halloween suite of five songs had never been played live at a show, and they were fun. RikRolling the audience may be highlight of my entire life (which may be a sad commentary on the excitement level of my existence), but seeing the bar smiling, singing, and dancing was amazing. Mike’s vocals on the chorus were fantastically amusing. My music stand decided to bend the wrong way and vomit my folder and lights to the floor three times. Perhaps that was the spirit of Halloween and ghosts of the Pub fuc*ing with me. Lisa had to deal with the dancing Jimmy Cav during the majority of the second set in which he kept doing things to make her laugh. She desperately tried to ignore him, even when he laid on his back like a turtle during the absolutely house shattering rendition of “Shout” featuring the ripping bass of Mike. This show completes the cycle for the year, and we played eight shows. We go into planning mode and cannot wait to get back out there. Perhaps we can target more next year. Special thanks to Trish Cavanaugh for creating the Halloween themed video behind us that played all night, Nick Madsen who opened and was amazing (as he has been on sound all year) and our families for their support as we continue to build BPB. Finally, besides the folks that go out to see us, which makes all the difference in the world, I have to mention Jerry and Shelly Madsen, who provide the rehearsal space. THANK YOU ALL! Till next time, Reginald, Rob, Rory, Boober, Al, Booby, Bobert, the idiot bassist Our heroes traveled further than any other show to present their flying
circus to the fine citizens of Campton Hills at the Squire Ale House. Mike commented that the drive felt like a trip to Iowa, as his GPS took him on a long, strange trip into the sticks down mysterious side streets and practically into people’s driveways. The stage was a terrific mix of Bob’s Country Bunker and Woodstock. The mixed crowd (ranging from ages 3 to 103) made Rob think twice about “going blue” at this show. “Save it for the Halloween show”, said the entire band. “There are kids here…and no more sweaty head juice references. People are still eating!” Kevin was adamant about having the crowd enjoy their meals. Speaking of meals, Ellen ordered a pre-show dinner of Chicken Alfredo, and there was no chicken. That’s like seeing a BPB show…with no pre-song banter from Boober. Kinda strange and lonely. Clearly the banter of the evening came during the band intros, when Rob accused Lisa of creating “inappropriate balloon animals”. Sound man Nick Madsen did an awesome job alleviating a strange buzz that threatened to make show sound like it was in a bee hive. By the time the sound check was over, the band clicked beautifully. Several fans who had seen the band before said this was the best show so far for BPB 3.0. Two new songs were debuted, much to the delight of the crowd: “You May Be Right” and “Beautiful Things”. With every show, BPB 3.0 have become a tighter, more professional outfit that always delivers a fun and festive evening. Finally, the post-gig photo featured the band standing on the stage as a fully supine boober lay in front of them, looking sheepish and a bit mischievous. More shenanigans ensued…and will be continued at the Halloween show in late October. Thank you, Campton Hills…BPB will be back! -- Professor Mike A Dangerous Fred Flintstone, "Armpitish" weather and Sleeping Seniors. (Kiwanis Park - 8/15/2025)8/25/2025 Having just completed a show 2 days before at the wonderful Dominican University in River Forest, BPB had a second show at Kiwanis Park in Brookfield on 8/15/2025. So, setting up, breaking down, unloading, re-loading and setting up again feels like a daunting task for some of us who are approaching 60. The joy of playing and playing in front of some really nice size crowds takes away the soreness from all the equipment movement. We were treated to some really nice crowds at both shows. This was the second time we played Kiwanis park. Our first show was in July of 2022. In our 19 song set this time, we only repeated 2 song we played the first time (“Heartbreaker” – which rarely leaves the set – and someday I am going to play it correctly, and “Uninvited” which is amazing to hear Lisa and Ellen harmonize only equaled by the cool stuff the Keith and Mike do making killer sounds with their guitars). Nick Madsen did an amazing job on sound and has become our go to sound guy when we have to provide it. He had the mix seemingly perfect which is really difficult considering we are a six piece with at any one time, 4 people singing. BiPolar Bear founder Jim Cavanaugh, attending his first show as a guy in the crowd (he had played with us at the Pub and the Toga party and was not available to see our other shows) commented that as he was walking to his car before the last two songs were finished, he could hear the mix perfectly from down the street. I do not have the experience of Mike or Lisa who have played in bands for years, but sound is the hardest thing to do. Without a good mix, It does not matter how good the performance is on stage. Nick has become invaluable asset for us. The idiot bassist wore a Fred Flintstone shirt, orange, with the tie and Sabre tooth spots. He found himself wandering in the crowd and dancing with some kids who were hovering around the BPB mic which records the performances. Professor Mike sternly warned him to watch his dancing or he would end up on some kind of list, not allowing Rob back in parks! During “Counting Blue Cars”, Rob clumsily crashed into Dr. Keith’s headstock, getting the axe murder disapproving face from the guitarist who demanded the bass player return back to the other side of the stage. Professor Mike who is also a part of the grammar police, challenged Rob’s use of the word “armpitish” to describe the wonderful but still humid environment. It was armpitish. You take 6 people from different educational backgrounds, dissimilar musical tastes, diverse spiritual and political views and you mix them together and you get Bipolar Bear. It is amazing with all those differences how the band is growing together, enjoying playing music as a unit (I said Unit!!!) and I believe the 5 of them are fond of each other (and they tolerate the bassist). Dr. Keith Taddei, our youngest band member is a shredder, loves Satriani, Vai and Zappa. His musical interplay with Professor Mike Morsovillo (loves Jerry Garcia, Santana and Clapton) has been an amazing amalgamation that has clicked live and in rehearsal. Listening to Mike’s soulful solos on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Feelin’ Alright” gives me chills just like when I hear Keith shred on “You Really Got Me” or “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” Each has taken up responsibilities very quickly to help the band. Keith is the Director of Quality Improvement. He listens intently to rehearsal and show recordings and lets us know what he thinks is working and what needs improvement. He is direct, no thin skin allowed. His observations and notes are spot on and helpful. He also has taken up the task of drafting set lists. Professor Mike has assumed the role of Band Director, making decisions in shows on what may need to be cut and ensuring the arrangements are working. Everyone contributes, and Keith is on that too, but Mike has that ear and can point out something when it hits wrong almost immediately (don’t play a wrong bass note when he is singing, it does not end well for the bassist!!!). Kevin Vesel has been an amazing addition. He has assumed the difficult task of setting the pace at shows and is the Practice Master – ensuring we get thru the material live. I cannot believe that harnessing the energy and insane mind of the idiot bassist is easy in either milieu, but he does it extremely well. He keeps the band on track. The 3.0 guys (Mike, Keith and Kevin) have been amazing. We could not be luckier to have them, Lisa, Ellen and I are astonished and grateful that they joined us and we could not be happier. Band Story Part 3 tells how they found their way to BPB. Park shows are really fun because the community comes out to support the shows. Hmmmm, how do I say this? Lots of those folks might in fact be senior citizens which is cool, but I did notice as Keith was shredding on “Rock You Like a Hurricane” two elderly gentlemen were asleep. That is not a commentary on Keith’s playing more like the warmth of the evening and the idea of napping in the park felt good for those guys. Lisa was in great form. I though Ellen had a nice showing. The two guitarists keep getting more comfortable with each other and they sound super cool together. To me, Kevin was the rock that night, sharp on drums and kept the show moving. I cannot tell you how much fun this is, not in words, but if you come out to a show, you can see it in the way we play and interact with each other. WHAT A JOY!!! Rob, Bob, Boober, Bobby, whatever... |
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