There's a party goin' on right here…

February 25, 2020

Kool and the Gang

Tina ans Kathy





Alice, Naomi and Sarah

There's a party goin' on right here…

No sooner had I returned from the quick overnight turnaround to North Carolina to take my mother Marta home from her Key West visit was our guest room once again occupied by a fun visitor. This time Kathy’s longtime friend Tina arrived from the cold northern climes of her home in Sunapee, New Hampshire to spend a few days hanging out with us and escaping the cold.

Tina









She literally arrived just in time to attend yet another fantastic concert at the Key West Amphitheater, this one featuring a great double bill of the Village People and Kool and the Gang. These bands which were each huge in the consecutive decades of the 70s and 80s, still tour, each with a few original members but having very different outcomes.

The Village People- “Key West”

The Village People still are led by their original frontman Victor Willis, the only original member still performing under the Village People brand, each of the other costumed characters have been replaced, but in all reality it is not that important as the iconic characters, Native American, Soldier, Construction Worker etc that defined the Disco icons throughout the 70s. The band which had huge success during the disco era, especially among the gay disco crowd was always something of a parody, but this show was more like a parody of a parody. They were quite frankly pretty terrible as a band.

Victor Willis



 





However as entertainment, they were pretty awesome and the packed house at the Amphitheater seemed to love every minute of the show. They played all the classic disco hits including crowd pleasers like, “Key West”, “Macho Man” and “Y.M.C.A.” and the crowd sang and danced along through much of the show. The real highlight of the evening was the fantastic showing by Kool and the Gang.

Kool and the Gang- “Celebrate”

I must admit after witnessing the fun travesty that was the Village People, I expected much of the same from Kool and the Gang, but I was thrilled to see that they are a top notch band and they put on an amazing show. While only a couple of the minor players are the original members, the new young and extremely talented new members were as good if not better than the original singers- which is a very rare and special treat. The show was absolutely spectacular and we loved every second of it.

Steve and Kristyn









Tina wasn’t the only visitor to Key West this week, my long-time friend Drew spent a few days here with his newly minted fiancée Peggy. They had gotten engaged a few days earlier while on a vacation in South Beach from their home in Chicago and decided to head down to Key West for a few days after the big proposal to extend their vacation a little. I joined them late one evening at the Sandbar restaurant to watch the Wilder/Fury heavyweight championship fight and also took them to lunch another day at Salute. I am so happy for them both and felt privileged to be able to spend a small portion of their big week with them. Wish them both nothing but happiness.

Peggy and Drew







This week also saw the arrival of the three latest artists in residence at the Studios of Key West and this month Kathy and I have agree to serve as a community host for one of them, a brilliant young writer named Naomi Gordon-Loebel. We met her and took her out for the Walk on White and then all three artists joined Kathy, Tina and I at Higg’s Beach to watch the latest release of a rehabilitated sea turtle by the Turtle Hospital.



Sarah







There was a huge crowd on hand once again as this week saw the release of a young Green Sea Turtle named Tommy that had been recovering for a few months at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The release of a turtle is an event that I have attended many times yet never ceases to bring me joy. It is especially gratifying to take people who have never experienced it for their first time. Tina, Naomi and her fellow artists in residence Sarah and Alice all really enjoyed the experience.









The Turtle Hospital does an amazing job taking sick and injured sea turtles and nursing them back to health with the intention always being to release the animals back into the wild where they can live and thrive. They have a wonderful facility in Marathon under the able direction of the founder Richie Moretti and his fantastic staff and volunteers. Many were on hand along with members of the local Key West Sea Turtle club for the release.

Ritchie and Bette

Carol







With friends in town, Kathy and I get to play tourist and this week saw us visiting the annual craft fair on Whitehead Street and then checking out the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum. I always enjoy the small museum dedicated to the history of the Wrecking Industry that once flourished in Key West. I also really enjoy climbing the tower that is one of the best vantage points on the island, offering amazing panoramic views of the harbor and downtown.







  Rachel









https://www.keywestshipwreck.com/