I’m going to get my website updated this week with news of whats been going on and I will get the dates added. I’m doing lots of different projects with different people these days and I’m excited about it! Details later this week. Dustin

Wow!   I decided that it has long enough!  Its time to update the blog!  Things have been busier than ever around the Baird barn.  Ryder just had his 4 month checkup at the beginning of this month and he is doing perfect!  He is growing like a weed and healthy as can be.  I teach Monday – Thursday and have Fridays off so I can watch him.  I have really been enjoying my days with him.

On to the music….

So things have been busy with gigs lately as well.  I had a pretty slow summer with lessons but things have picked back up.  I am almost full again (which is about 50 students Mon-Thurs).  I feel pretty fortunate to have such a great job.  I love my students (well, most of them) and look forward to seeing them every week.  If you have never made it out to a Central Iowa Music Lab recital or Rock Band Series concert, you should plan to do so in the future.  Our Next rock band show is Oct 30.  Stand by for more details.

Since the Last time I have posted I have started a new cover band with some of my bestest-est friends in the whole world.  We are called “Oreo Meatwagon”.  This group consists of Paul Hart on guitar and vox, Chuck Baird on guitar and vox, Dave Tripp on the cans, and me on bass and vox.  We are trying to schedule around  1 show a month.  Go “like” our facebook page and come to a show!

As for this week,  I will be playing tonight at The Longest Yard in Valley Junction from 8-12.  I always have a great time at this place.  The bar is always full of happy friendly people, they have great food, and they like to party!     Tomorrow night, (Friday Sept 23) I will be playing an art opening  for the 2011 Des Moines Art Stop in Valley Junction, at 2AU.  To be honest,  I don’t know much about how this works.  I have been told they will have wine and food and there is a featured artist who will be doing an “opening”.  You will have to pardon my ignorance.   I will be an expert after tomorrow.   You should come see what its all about too!  I THINK its all free!  Art, food, music, drinks!

I have updated the show dates on the website so take a look and start making plans to come out to a show!

Take care and see ya soon!

Dustin

I will have the blog and updates updated on here by Friday afternoon. Lots of new news! Thanks, Dustin

Wow! Its been a month since I have posted! I took some time off so my wife and I could prepare to have our first baby! Well, he is here and all is well! His name is Ryder James Baird and he likes to poop his diaper and cry a lot at night. Other than that, we love him beyond belief! The Last 3 and a half weeks have been very interesting. I have learned how to change a baby like a ninja with one hand and have had my insomnia cured. If you have insomnia like I have had for a few years now, have a baby. If I have a short window to fall asleep in, I make it happen in minutes. That actually sounds more like narcolepsy but you get the idea.

So, back to the giggage! My summer is shaping up nicely with gigs and private parties. Just when I always start stressing about booking, the gigs just start coming in. I guess my due diligence and persistence over the past few years has paid off and I’m grateful for the people that continue to book me and allow me to make a living doing what I love. Having said that, I’m always looking for new places to play and would love to play your party this summer if you are interested in having live music!

This week, I’m making my return to the Sixth St Pub in Nevada. Its been months and I have missed it! I love the Nevada locals. They always treat me great and I have a blast.  The show is tonight at 9pm! I would love to see you out tonight, friends!

Tomorrow night I will be playing in my back yard at the good ol Keg Stand in West Des Moines with my BFF Paul Hart. It has also been awhile since Paul and I have done a duo show at the Keg Stand. Please come out and hang with us! Paul will buy you a drink!

This Sunday I will be working a booth at the Every Family Rocks festival www.everyfamilyrocks.org at the State Fair Grounds for the Central Iowa Music Lab. This is a kids music festival that is fun for the whole family. I worked at this last year and we provided a “jam tent”. Kids can come up and play the guitars, drums, bass, and sing in the microphone. We are doing the same thing this year inside where the musical acts are performing. The main musical acts include Justin Roberts and They Might Be Giants! See the website for more details.

Well, that about covers this week! Hope to see you about and about!

Dusty

Mornin!!! So, you know when you wake up, its rainy and cold outside, and you say to yourself, self, “I wish I could just stay in bed and watch tv today”, instead of carpe’ing the diem? Well, I can’t lie, I’m doing that today. I had a really busy week again and its nice to have a little down time. Yesterday I sat in on bass with singer songwriter, Mary McAdams, at the Jasper winery for a private event and really enjoyed it. Its a completely different vibe from what I’m typically used to playing. I get worked up during solo shows sometimes, making sure I play the right songs and keeping the crowd engaged. Not to sound too hippy’ish, but I really enjoyed just sitting back, playing, and not worrying about what was happening around me. The wine looked tasty but I didn’t get to indulge because I had to go back and teach more after the show. AND…I could get a phone call from the wife at any time requesting a ride to the hospital! Which brings me to my next topic!

I am taking the next few weeks off from playing because the little one is due to arrive at any time and I’m “on call” 24/7! We are getting more and more pieces of baby equipment each day and the house if filling up with lots of baby blue and whale themed items!

I have started booking a few new venues for when I get back to playing. Take a look at the calendar for future events. And as always, I’m looking for new places to play! The private parties are coming along nicely for the summer! Remember, if you are having a party, its way cooler to have live music!

Have a great weekend and BTW, we are registered at pottery barn and target…. hehe :p

Dustin

Mornin! In all the excitement around the house and the jacked up schedule this week, I almost forgot its confession day! This morning the house is a cluster eff. The Direct TV guy is here, all of the TVs are torn a part, doggie is locked in the bedroom and I’m hungry with no food but can’t leave the house! DRAT! My wife always give me crap about “getting up earlier” to do things. Well, this morning I proved that getting up too early can backfire. I was pumped to get some stuff done before the cable guy showed up at 8. With the “Eye of the Tiger” playing in my head I loaded up doggie, got in the car, and headed out to run some errands. Swell plan. Nobody was open because it was TOO EARLY! I think poor doggie was more devastated then I was. She was expecting a treat at the bank drive through. Funny how dogs can learn certain behaviors but not others. She remembers that they give out treats at the bank but refuses to follow any commands. Sit boo-boo sit….bad dog!

Giggage this week! Tonight will be be the last time I play at the Ridgemont for at least 6 weeks. As I said last week I’m trying to space them out a little more and I will be taking a little time off since the baby is almost here. Come out for one last night of wild and craziness!

This coming Thursday, I will be joining my friend Mary McAdams on on bass guitar at the Jasper winery for an afternoon of tunes, hopefully nice weather, and some red or white stuff! I’m looking forward to this! Come out and relax with us! Show is 4-5:30.

Not much else going on really. Just playing the waiting game now for the little man to arrive! About 4 weeks to go and he will be here. I’m getting more and more excited all the time! As if that is possible!

Take care and see you out and about

Dustin

Mornin everyone! So last night on Netflix, I watched “John Entwhistle: an ox tale”. I must admit I have never been a huge WHO fan. Not that I didn’t ever like them, I just didn’t grow up with them and didn’t care. I find myself going back and exploring older musical treasures that I passed over when I was younger. I had no idea the John Entwhistle was such an innovative and influential bass player. I’m anxious to dig some more into old WHO records and check out more of his playing.

Last week was my second show With Soapbox Prophets at the Keg Stand in West Des Moines. I must admit, I was a little worried about what kind of crowd we would have that night. When you play live music, you sometimes deal with an empty room  and musicians have a running joke of calling it a “paid practice”. The truth is, it sucks when that happens. HOWEVER, Our show at Keg Stand could not have kicked (not licked.  inside joke. see my facebook) anymore ass than it did! There were way more people than I expected and they were an attentive listening crowd despite the fact that our volume was ridiculously loud. (was beyond our control). Anyway, thank you for supporting the band. Things are better than ever from what they all say and we WILL get that record done sooner or later!

Whats going on this weekend…
Tonight I actually have a night off! I’m taking my wife to “Guys and Dolls” at St Augustine. Two of my students are performing in the show and I figured it would be a nice change of scenery and I can support them at the same time! I’m excited. Luuuuuuuuuuuck be a lady tooooooonight!

Tomorrow night I will be back at the Ridgemont. I have this weekend and next weekend on the the books at Ridgemont then I will be taking a little break from the venue for awhile. I want to leave some more time between my future gigs there so I don’t become a potted plant in the corner. That hasn’t happened yet but it could and I don’t want that! Soooo….come out and see me this weekend!

I have actually been seeing a lot of old friends at gigs lately and I really appreciate that. I always feel the need to explain to friends that I don’t see them much anymore because I’m always “working” on weekends and its nothing personal. That’s why I appreciate when they come to see me! Its the only way to get together with them anymore!

The baby is getting closer all the time! my poor wife has been a trooper. She says that anyone who says “I looooove being pregnant” is f##king crazy. haha I keep assuring her that he will be here soon enough and to hang in there!

Take care and see ya this weekend!
Dustin

Hey everyone!   Joining you here from Creston Iowa this morning.  I decided to ride down to Creston so I could spend some time with my wife.  We don’t get to spend much time together these days with our busy schedules so I figured why not hitch a ride and work from down south?! 

I want to thank everyone that came out to the Soapbox Prophets show last week with Bright Giant and Tony Bohnenkamp at the 504 Club.  Wow, what an awesome night.  It was my first time back on the “big stage” in a couple of years and It felt as familiar as though it had only been a couple of weeks.  We received many nice compliments and a really nice review from http://dsmvibe.com/ .   I really look forward to doing it again soon.  speaking of which…..

This Sat night at the Keg Stand in West Des Moines (formerly Ak’s West)  we will be doing another show!  Don’t think that we will be playing every weekend now and you can catch us anytime because this is a rare occasion that we will be doing a show 2 weeks in a row!   Load up the crew and come out for a good time!   Patterson 216 will be opening the show.  9pm no cover. 

Tonight will be another trip down memory lane as I will be returning to Headliners in Ames doing a solo show.  It has been a year since I have played there last!   I’m looking forward to doing it again.  If you live in the area please gather you friends and come out.  (ahem…Brian Banks and Nevada crew).  10 pm show time! 

Last but not least!  This Sunday will be the 2nd installment of the Central Iowa Music Lab rock band concert series at the Keg Stand at 2 pm!  This is a family friendly show, all ages, and open to the public!   There will be 4 bands this time. (we are growing!) Please come out and support the future of music.  As we have stated before, these kids have worked hard and deserve an audience!   Plus its just a super good time! 

6 Week until the baby is here.  We got the majority of his room finished last week and its looking great!   I’m gettin more and more excited every day. 

Take care everyone.  Have a great weekend, and I hope to see you out in the next couple of days! 

Dusty

Howdy howdy, pardners!   I’m very excited today!  I had a great time on St Pats yesterday playing at the Keg Stand and the Ridgemont.  Tonight is the night for my return to the big stage playing the low notes for Soapbox Prophets!  This is an extra special gig because we are opening for my old band, Bright Giant (Josh Davis Band), and our friend Tony Bohnenkamp has also been added to the bill!   I got a chance to check out the venue on Monday night and its awesome!   Its located on 504 E Locust in the east village.  The place kind of had a “keysters” feel to it which was one of my favorite (now defunct) venues.  Please come out!  I’m can guarantee you an awesome time.  I have a feeling it going to be a reunion of sorts!  show Starts at 9!

Tomorrow night I will be be returning to the Longest Yard in Valley Junction.  I love this bar.   I have fun every time I play there and the staff if super cool to me as well.  All around good!  Come check it out!

7 weeks left until Dustin Jr arrives.  <—- thats not really his name.  That’s how rumors get started.  hehe.  We are holding out on telling the name until he is born.  We are getting the furniture for his room today!   We should have it all ready to go in a couple of days.  The countdown is on!

Everyone have a great weekend and I hope to see you out tonight!

Dusty

Howdy folks! I have decided that I need to be better about updating my website. I have a had many comments on my lack of diligence pertaining to updates and my calendar. Well, good news, I have lots of updates and have updated the calendar!

Where do I start? So much has been happening in my life since I last posted in October. For starters, I announced that my wife and I will be having a baby in May. That is right around the corner! We have been getting the house all prepped and studying up on the finer points of being “mom and dad”. I’m very excited for all of this!

Next, I am back on bass guitar again with a great local favorite “Soapbox Prophets”. I’m not only excited to be playing bass again but I’m fortunate enough to be playing with some of the most high caliber musicians in the area! We have been rehearsing and getting ready for my first show and their first show back in a long time. One of the most exciting things about our first show is that we will be playing with my old band (formerly Josh Davis Band now Bright Giant) at the new 504 club downtown Des Moines! Its going to be and awesome night of music and a reunion of great friends! I hope everyone can make it out!

As for my acoustical duties, those are still on and full steam ahead. I have a added a couple of new places lately and have been having a blast playing at them (as well as the old ones). This week I will be continuing my tenure at the Ridgemont Friday and Sat! If you have not ever been, you should come check it out. Its always a hoot.

Since this is going to be a weekly post on Friday’s, I had better cover the St Pats day festivities in this weeks post.  Thursday, I will be at the Keg Stand in West Des Moines from 4:30-6:30 and at the Ridgemont that night around 9!   Hope to see some familiar faces out this week!  Have a great weekend and see you later!

Dustin