The Latest News With ESP:
12/10/03

Hey Everybody,

Just a few quick words about last week at Neil St- it was weird. I think the full moon was definitely in effect.
I can never understand how some people get so upset when they are asked (or even told) to get off the stage. Especially after we go out of our way to accomodate a request for a song we have never played before. I do want to thank Will Rogers for letting us use the PA, and Diane for being the coolest bartender in town. Maybe we'll see ya' in the spring!!

This weekend we will be at Champs in Mattoon Friday. We hope to see a few old friends out from down that way, as it is the last time we will be in the area for quite some time. Saturday will be our first time ever at the Pink House in Ogden. We hope to see some familiar faces and some new ones too as we break this place in ESP style.

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

12/4/03

Hey Everybody,

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving - I know I did! We had a break from the band, and we are all set for our final gigs of 2003, and then we will take a small hiatus from performing. This weekend we will be at Neil St. Pub on Friday Dec. 5th. That place is really nice since they opened it up and redecorated. Hope to see a full house rockin' and rollin' with us!

Had a great time as always at McSki's. To all our friends in Watseka - you guys rule. We look forward to seeing you in the spring. Proud Mary's was cool too, as we always see some old friends down there.

That's about all for now. We are looking forward to these last few weeks of shows, and hope to see everyone out having a good time!!

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

11/20/03

Hey Everybody,

Hope to see lots of you out this weekend, as we return to McSki's in Watseka this Friday, and Proud Mary's in Tuscola on Saturday. This will be the last time for the folks in these areas to see the band before Spring 2004, as we will be taking the months of January and February off for a well deserved break. 2004 will be the 10 year anniversary of ESP, and we will be doing some big shows next year to celebrate. Until then, you have a few more weeks to come see the band, and share a little holiday cheer with us as we approach the end of 2003.

Last weekend was not really one to write home about. The band played really well, and we had a good time as always, but the crowds were a little slow, especially Gunner Buc's. Of course, the really crappy weather did help any, either! That is too bad, because I know with a little promo down there, we could do well. We may be back next year, you never know.... Neil St was fun as always, and that place looks great now that they have spruced it up a bit and made it larger. Crowd was a bit slow there also, but we saw a lot of friends out, and the dance floor was moving pretty good by the end of the night.

That's about all for now. We are looking forward to these last few weeks of shows, and hope to see everyone out having a good time!!

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

Hello Rockers!!

A few quick words on our Tommy G's show, and a look forward to this weekend:

Tommy G's was great! We had a great crowd all night, and the place was totally rockin'! The band sounded great, and we all had a fun time. Lot's of good dancin' going on, and Mick certainly gave the birthday girl a night she won't soon forget!! After singing a great version of "No Matter What" with us, our good friend Jammin' Jimmy Bean showed why he is not a Chippendales dancer. If I had my choice, I'd really rather see some GIRLS pulling down their pants as opposed to guys!!! Despite the scarring visuals, the night was a big success. Looking forward to our 2nd annual ESP pre-Christamas weekend show there December 19th!!

This weekend, we will once again be taking Mattoon by storm. Friday night, be sure to catch us at Gunner Buc's. We weren't able to do the show there last time, but this will be a good one. Hope to see some friends out that we haven't seen in a while. Saturday we return to Neil St Pub, our first show there with Kelly back in the band. Help us celebrate seven years this month since this line-up first came together!! They have really spruced up the ol' Pub, and made it much larger, with a pool table. It will definitely be a show worth coming out to!! Hope to see you all there!!

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

The Latest News With ESP:

Hey All,

Well, our first weekend with the old line-up is in the books!! We really had a great time this weekend in Bloomington and especially in Buckley at The Isles. We really want to say thank you to everyone up there, especially Kevin, and of course Jim and Pam and everyone else!! You guys are the best.

Friday at Slick Rick's was fun, with a good crowd and lots o' dancers!! Sorry to say that Rick himself was not there, but you know we love ya' anyways, Ricky!! Saturday at The Isles was legendary, with tons of old friends and new faces too!! We played an extra set with the time change, and it was a true rock'n'roll experience. It is amazing how easily we slipped into alot of old material with Kelly that we had not been playing. The band was HOT!!

Unfortunately, we have had to cancel our show Halloween at Champs in Mattoon, as Gary will have some health business to attend to. We are hoping to play our scheduled December show there, though. We will be playing at Tommy G's in Champaign on November 7th, and that is shaping up to be a fantastic night, especially as it will be our first in-town date with Kelly back. Hope to see you all there.

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

10/22/03

Hey All,

It has been over a month since I posted a new news column, and it has been one of the most emotionally and professionally trying times for the band. September saw us a cancel a gig at the last minute for the first time in years. We apologize to everyone at Gunner Buc's. Then we missed another show in Watseka, due to a severe stomach illness putting Tommy out for a few days. We apologize sincerely to everyone for cancelling the shows, but unfortunately it gets worse.

Gary has been diagnosed with cancer. He will be doing everything possible to fight this, and we hope you all will keep him in your hearts and thoughts. We will be playing our scheduled dates through the end of the year if at all possible, although there may be a date or two we miss. We hope you all will understand, and we thank you for your support.

Now the good news: Original lead singer KELLY HAZEL HAS REJOINED THE BAND!! We are really happy to have Kelly back, and it feels good to have the chance to do the show for everybody with the old line-up. We had the chance to get together with everybody for the first time in almost a year, and we are really looking forward to the shows this weekend: Fr 10/24 at Slick Rick's, in Bloomington, and Sa 10/25 at The Isles in Buckley. We really hope to see a good crowd out for these shows, which will be some of the last ESP shows for some time, as we will be taking some time off after the 1st of the year.

I want everyone to know that this is in no way a reflection of the job Nathan has done for us over the past 8 months. He is a great singer, and we really appreciate the hard work he has done for us. I am sure he will perform on stage with us again some time.

I would also like to thank Jim Kates for filling in on bass for us at the last minute October 10th at Neil St. Of course, he did a fantastic job, and although the situation arose from unfortunate circumstances, it was great playing with him.

Watch for schedule updates here.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

09/9/03

Hey All,

Here's this weeks edition of the ESP News:

August 29th, we played at Champs in Mattoon. We had a nice crowd on hand, and everybody drank and had a good time. A few people even danced!!! (Gasp!!) Saturday the 30th, we played at Neil St Pub. It was Mary's bachelorette party, so there was a little craziness going on. A good crowd was on hand, and everbody danced, drank, and had a good time!!

We are playing a private party this Saturday, but we will be back in action Friday September 19th at the Midway in Effingham, and the next night, Sat September 20th will be our debut gig at Gunner Buc's in Mattoon!! Hope to see everyone out!! Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates TODAY!!


'Til next time.....

Lou D

08/27/03

Hey Everybody,

Just back with a few quick words for the first time since my wedding and subsequent honeymoon in Jamaica! It was definitely as good as it sounds!

We played a really fun set at the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival last Saturday. It is always fun playing on such a big stage, and my hat is off to Ian Goldberg, Brian Knox, and everyone invoved in putting on such a great event this year!! Marshall Tucker was the headliner, and a huge crowd was on hand to enjoy the festivities.

We are looking forward to a big weekend, as we will be returning to Champs in Mattoon on Friday, and then we will be totally rocking the house at Neil St Pub in Champaign on Saturday. Hope to see everyone out!! Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

08/15/03

Hey Gang,

Back again with a report on our last show. Last Friday, we were at McSki's Place in Watseka. We always have a really great time up there, and last week was no different. Lot's of drinkin', dancin' and general craziness. Saw alot of old friends- we really appreciate you guys, Rachel and everybody. Saw some new folks out too- hope to see you all again next time!

In my haste to get up last weeks report, I forgot to mention the afternoon set we played at Tommy G's on August 2nd. We had such a good time at our gig later that night I almost forgot about it! Tommy G's really put on a great, 3 day event. There was a good turnout every day, and I would say it was one of the best events of that sort we have played in quite a long time. And that's even with there being a killer storm going on while we were playing! Those of you who were there know what I am talking about, and for those that weren't, it was pretty wild! Much thanks to Jim (Foudini), Tom Grassman, and all who were involved with the show.

Don't forget, we will be back in action Sat August 23rd, when we will be opening for Marshall Tucker at The Urbana Sweetcorn Festival. We will play at 4:00pm . Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

08/07/03

Hey Gang,

Once again, here's the better late than never report on last weekend. We had a great time at The Midway in Effingham. For those of you in the Mattoon/Effingham area, if you haven't been there, it is definitely a good time!! It is big, and the staff is great. There were some crazy girls on the dance floor, and a great time was had by all in attendance.

This Friday August 8th, we will be back at McSki's Place in Watseka, where there is always some serious partyin' going on. Another place with a great staff and owner (Hey Rich!). Hope to see some of you there!

We will be off until August 23rd, when we will be opening for Marshall Tucker at The Urbana Sweetcorn Festival. We also will be playing a few new clubs soon, including Gunner Buc's in Mattoon, and the Pink House in Ogden. We are looking forward to meeting some new folks, and seeing some old friends in a new venue. Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

Hey Everybody,

Here's the late report on last weekend. We had a lot of fun at the Neil St. Pub on Saturday. A great crowd was on hand to take part in all the usual festivities, dancing, drinking, etc... a great time was had by all, and everybody danced! It was nice to see a few old friends there. You know who you are!

This Saturday August 2nd, we are playing the Tommy G's Parking Lot Party at 4:00pm. But head out there early, cause Renegade will be rocking the stage at 1:00. Dank and X-Krush will be on later in the evening. Check out the details here. After our set there, we are off to the Midway in Effingham, where we always have an amazingly good time, the staff is great, and the load-in is very easy :)

Back with more next week. Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

Hey Gang,

Just a few quick words about last weekend. We had a great time at Slick Rick's, with a big crowd of dancin' fools. A good time definitely was had by all. A good time was had also by all on Saturday night at Lava. Unfortunately, "all" that night was a pretty small crowd. That place could be a lot of fun, but it sure is big with only 75 people there.

This Saturday (the 26th) we are at Neil St Pub, so we hope to see you all out partying with the band! Also, don't forget about the Tommy G's Parking Lot Party Sat August 2nd. Check out the details here.

Back with more next week. Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

07/17/03

Hey Gang,

It's shaping up to be a big weekend for the band. Tomorrow (Friday) we will be at Slick Rick's in Bloomington. This is a really great club, with one of the coolest owners around, and we always have a great time there. We hope to some some folks out drinkin' and dancin'!!!

Saturday, ESP breaks new ground with our first appearance at Lava (the old Bradley's nightclub) in Champaign. This is a very cool, big club. We will be playing through a massive PA, and it is going to be one thumpin' show. For those of you who have wanted to see the band in more of a concert situation, this is your chance! This will be a special show, so we want to see all you people out there having a good time!

A quick word about last Saturday: we had a great time at Proud Mary's in Tuscola. Lot's of people dancing, and even more drinking! That place is always fun, and we will be back there in early October. Whenever you're down that way, be sure to stop in and say "hi" to Jeff and the staff.

Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.


'Til next time.....

Lou D

07/08/03

Hey Gang,

Those of you on the email list know we did not play the 4th Of July at Tommy G's. However, we look forward to our return there on Sat. August 2nd at 4:00 in the parking lot for a major show with Renegade, Dank and X-Krush. This will be one you won't want to miss!

We had a great time at Carle Park in Urbana last Wedneday, despite the fairly high heat and humidity. The Park District had some happenin' lemonade on hand, though, so it was all good.

This Saturday, July 12th, we will return to Proud Mary's in Tuscola. We always enjoy that place, and we hope to see many of you out!!

We will be playing a major show at Lava in Champaign on July 19th, with a huge PA, so be sure to plan on coming out and rocking that palce with us!! We will also be at Slick Rick's in Bloomington on Friday 18th.

Check out our updated schedule here, including new dates posted.



'Til next time.....

Lou D

Hey Everybody,

Once again the month started off low key, but by the time we played Neil St Pub, we had a great show. Then last week was a blast, with a kickin' gig at McSki's in Watseka, and a really great show at Chasers in Effingham. This was our first time at Chasers, and it was very cool. We look forward to going back soon! McSki's was great as always. That place is a lot of fun.

Next week, we play at Carle Park in Urbana on Wed. This show starts at 6:30, and will be a great time. It's always fun playing outdoors. Then on the 4th, we are at Tommy G's. We want to see everybody out after the fireworks for a total blow-out!!

I have been booking some dates for the late summer and fall, and we will be in a few new venues, so be sure to come out to a show soon, and check out our updated schedule here including new dates posted.

We will be returning to Proud Mary's in Tuscola July 12th!!!

Stay tuned for more.....

Later,
Lou D

05/25/03

Hey Everybody,

Just getting back in the swing of things after a slow early part of the month. Had good shows in Bloomington, and especially in Effingham at the Midway, which is turning into a lot of fun.

This weekend (Friday) we will play at Champs in Mattoon. This will be our first time back in Mattoon in quite a while. Hope to see a few old friends there.

Next week we will rock Tommy G's and The Isles, so we'll be looking for a lot of folks out then, ready to PARTY!!!

Check out our updated schedule here including new dates posted. Stay tuned for more.....

See ya'll later,
Lou D

Hey Gang,

Back with another report on the last weeks shows. Friday we returned to McSki's in Watseka, and Saturday we rocked the Isles in Buckley. Both nights were alot of fun!!

McSki's is always a great time, and we really appreciate all of you who come out to see us up there! A bit smaller crowd than lat time, but you guys rocked all night with us. Rich and the staff - you rule!! A special shout out to all the artists up there!

Saturday we had loads of fun at The Isles. The new owner, Kevin, is really doing a great job with that place. It is looking great, Kevin! Keep up the good work. If you have never been there, it is just a really fun place, with a good mix of folks always making for a great crowd. Definitely one of our favorite places of all time. The girls were wild, and as always, EVERYBODY DANCED!!!

Check out our updated schedule here including new dates posted. Stay tuned for more.....

See ya'll later,
Lou D

04/21/03

Hey Gang,

Just cheking in with a report on last weekends shows. The band had a great time Friday at Slingshots in Paxton, and Saturday at Neil St Pub in Champaign.

Friday was a little slow early. Slingshots is a nice, big place, and has the best bathrooms of any place we have played! The staff was a lot of fun, and by the end of the night, everybody was dancing. We will be back there June 6th - it is well worth the drive from Champaign or elsewhere.

Saturday was a great night at Neil St. It was great to see some long-time friends out. We had a pretty good sized crowd, and the band was hot! Things have really come together with Nathan on vocals, and we are doing a number of new tunes that are going over great. Played just a bit late, and EVERYBODY DANCED!!

Check out our updated schedule here including new May dates posted. We should be announcing a couple new dates at new venues for us soon, including a new club in C-U!! Stay tuned.....

See ya'll later,
Lou D

04/8/03

Hey Everybody,

Once again, I am getting around to another update 2 weeks later.

Had a great night at Slick Rick's on the 28th. Good to see Rick up around-hopefully he's got the cast off by now! Lot's of dancers, and a great time was had by all. A small crowd at Neil St the next night, but you can't win 'em all! Actually, we had a lot of fun, and everybody danced.

Last week we were at The Midway in Effingham. This was our best crowd ever there. Still a little smaller than we'd like, but that place is picking up a bit. Dan Wilson is the owner, and they have great food and a friendly staff. It's actually a lot of fun, and everybody dances!

Check out our updated schedule here including new May dates posted.

I ended up doing the Brant Hansen show Friday the 4th, and we had a great time despite all the tornado warnings! Be back there again on April 25th.

See ya'll later,
Lou D

03/24/03

Hello Everybody,

I can't believe it's been two weeks since the last update! Time is just flying by these days, it seems.

Had a great show at Tommy G's. It was Nathan's first show singing all 3 sets with us, and he did a great job. We are all really happy with the way things are going, and the band really sounds better than ever. Saw lot's of friends out- we really appreciate your support. This past Saturday at Proud Mary's was also a lot of fun. We hadn't been there in quite a while, and it was nice to see alot of the old gang there.

This weekend we will be back at Slick Rick's, on Friday, and then we return to the Neil St Pub on Saturday. We have a great show planned for this weekend, so we hope to see you all out with your drinks in the air! Check out our updated schedule here .

Also, this Friday, March 29th, I will be on the Brant Hansen show on WDWS, AM1400 at 4:30, so tune in to win big prizes if you can identify the song I am playing! That's about all for now. Hope to see you all this weekend.

See ya' later,
Lou D

03/10/03

Hello All You Rockers,

Had a great time in Watseka last Friday. Good to see a lot of old friends out. Glad we're finally getting a break on the weather- come on spring! We played several new tunes, and the band is really getting some momentum going again. We all had a great time. We'll be back there April 25th, so all you folks up there be ready for us next time!

We are really looking forward to our show this Sat. March 15th at Tommy G's, so we want to see everybody out for that one! Also, I am really happy to announce we will be returning to PROUD MARY'S, in Tuscola, on Sat March 22nd. Hope to see some partiers out for that one! Check out more new dates on our updated schedule here .

That's about all for now. Hope to see many of you out at Tommy G's!!.

Take 'er easy,
Lou D

02/25/03

Hey Everybody,

Just getting around to an update on the weekends gigs, Bloomington last Friday and The Isles Saturday. Friday, the weather was still a drag, fog with horrible visibility the whole way there and back, but the crowd was still pretty good. A few friends even made it over from Mahomet- thanks! We had a great time with Nathan singing, and everybody had great things to say about the sound of the band with the new singer. Saturday we had a blast in Buckley at The Isles. The weather was not quite so bad, just brutally windy! At least you could see where you were going. We really enjoyed seeing some folks who we haven't seen lately (Watseka!), and a great time was had by all.

We are doing a bit of rehearsing over next two weeks, and will return to action on March 7th at McSki's in Watseka. After that we are at Tommy G's March 15th, so we want to see everybody out for that one!
Check out our updated schedule here .We are working up some new material with Nathan, as well as getting him up to speed on some of the tunes you guys all know and love.

Well, guess that's about all for now. Hope to see many of you out soon.

Take 'er easy,
Lou D

02/17/03

Hey Everybody,

Checkin' back in with an update - lot's of good news to report. Looks like we have found a singer. Nathan Freeman, from Champaign, has been working with us, and although our schedules have not allowed us to fully work him into the band quite yet (he is not singing the full show yet) we feel really good about the way things have been going with him. It is alot of fun playing together, and he has a really fantastic voice. He should be doing all three sets by the time our March schedule rolls around.

We were at the Neil St Pub Fri, the 14th. We had a fun time, and had a decent little crowd by later on, despite the miserable weather. Of course, it only got worse Saturday, to the point we cancelled the show Sat night (Very Rare!). We will be back there next month though, so look out!

We are looking forward to our shows this weekend, Slick Rick's in Bloomington (Fr), and The Isles in Buckley on Saturday. If you are around the area, come check us out! We will be playing a set or two with Nathan singing, so we won't be hurtin' your ears so bad!

Guess that's all for now- be back with an update after this weekend. Check out updated schedule here .

Take 'er easy,
Lou D

01/25/03

Hey All You Rockers,

Just a few words to report on the show last night at Tommy G's. I think it was a really good night overall. Crowd was a bit smaller that we hope for (it was freakin' COLD out, too!!), but everybody had a great time, and we got to send Leslie off to Florida with a few pictures and fond memories- we love ya', Leslie. Best of luck, and see you when you are back in town!

On another note, we really appreciate all the kind words from everyone about how good the band sounds, and especially about the vocals. While I think they are sounding pretty good already, they are only going to get better as we continue to rehearse and play gigs as a 3 piece. If anyone would like to email me with thoughts on the show, just click here. Overall, it was a solid show, and the band rocks on!! We will also have several new tunes for you very soon, some killer classic rock (KISS, Nugent, Cheap Trick) as well as some more new stuff- Puddle Of Mud, Nickelback, etc. We are looking forward to playing at The Iron Post this Friday, Jan. 31st. If you haven't been there, it is a nice club over in Urbana, on Race St across from Busey Bank. It is our first time there, so we really hope some of you reading this will come out and help us break it in ESP style, with some partyin', kick-ass rock and roll!!

'Til next time,

Lou D

01/12/03

Hey Everybody,

Well, we completed our first weekend as a 3 piece, with gigs Fr. at Neil St Pub, and Sat. at The Isles. I have to say that overall, I am quite happy with the way the shows came off, especially last night at The Isles. After a few first show jitters and and the expected moment of confusion or two on Friday, we played a truly kick-ass show Saturday in Buckley.The show is different in certain aspects than when we were performing with our former singer, but, although change can be difficult, and not always asked for, it can also be a positve thing. For ESP, this change will be a positive in many ways. Gary, Tommy and I truly enjoy playing together, and we love to entertain you people and see you dance and have a good time to our music. We have devloped many fans along the way, and many good friends too. I am certainly not going to let the departure of one member be the end of the great relationship that we have with all of you. It's too bad he did not feel the same way. Many people were asking about the situation, and someday I may go into it in some detail here on the site, but not today. I am sure it would make for an interesting read!

Anyway, onto the more in-depth look at the shows, since I know some of you who couldn't make it are probably wondering "What did it sound like". To start with, Gary and I are using wireless headset mic's, which adds a real sense of freedom while playing and singing, and allows us to interact with the crowd more easily. Friday had a few rough spots, and I found that there were a couple tunes that, while they sound okay in rehearsal (in terms of my vocals), just don't quite work as well for me live. However, since we have over one hundred songs to choose from, by Saturday we had the sets really well dialed in. Gary is also doing a great job on the material he is singing, about 25% of the songs, and we are already working out some really nice 2 part harmonies. We also are adding a few new songs, which is always good to break up the sets a little. As I mentioned earlier, the show last night was great, with the dance floor packed, and the place was rockin'! I heard many positive comments on the vocals, and I thank those of you who mentioned it. There were people there who were seeing the band for the first time, and they reacted just the same as when people were seeing the band before for the first time as a four piece, which tells me that while the show may come off a bit differently, it is not in any way a negative difference. And it will only get better.

Many of you may not know that Tommy, Gary and myself played as a 3 piece, Electric Sky. This was before they joined ESP, at my request, in late 1996. Electric Sky played mostly Hendrix, SRV, and heavy blues/rock, and I handled all the vocals in that band. We did many openers for national acts such as Quiet Riot, .38 Special, Blue Oyster Cult, and others, and also won a Battle of the Bands. I also sang lead for a blues band for about a year in 1999-2000. None the less, I am still a bit self-conscious about my singing, and of course need to get a few gigs under my belt with this material to get it to the level where I will be happy with it. I think that is going to happen with no problem. If anyone would like to email me with thoughts on the shows, just click here.

Hope to see many of you all at Tommy G's on Friday, Jan 24th.

'Til next time,

Lou D

Hey Everybody,

Just a quick update to let you all know we are ready to rock this weekend at Neil St and The Isles. Check out our upcoming schedule for details. We really hope you will come out and support us in our first weekend as a 3 piece. Things are sounding good in rehearsal, and we are excited to get back onstage and entertain you all with some kick ass rock'n'roll after our three week layoff!

We have a few surprises in store, maybe a new song or two. But we will definitely be playing all the best in partyin' kick-ass danceable rock like we always do! Help us kick off 2003 as the biggest year ever for ESP. This marks eight years since the start of this band, and I guarantee you ain't seen nothing yet. We are more than ever a lean, mean rock'n'roll machine, and we are coming your way baby!

'Til next time,

Lou D

01/02/03

Happy New Year!!,

December was quite a month, with several really great gigs, and then some rest over the holidays. Hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season. Hard to believe we're already into the new year!

The end of the month saw an only slightly unexpected change for the band, and one we will surely overcome. Immediately following our final show of the month, Kelly suddenly disappeared, and is not expected to return to the band any time soon. We think he may have been abducted by aliens or something. We hope he hasn't totally freaked out, wherever he is.

This means we will be going forward as a 3 piece for the time being, with yours truly and bassist Gary Strater sharing vocal duties. We still will be playing the same good old rock'n'roll you guys have come to know and love us for, so come out and support us as we prove "You can't keep a good band down!"

Check out our upcoming schedule to see when we will be back in your area. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

'Til next time,

Lou D

11/17/02

Hey Everybody,

What a great weekend we had! We really want to thank everybody that came out to see the band at Tommy G's last night, Sat. Nov 16th. What a great crowd. 300 people! Total craziness! Really nice to see a lot of the local crowd out from the old days. We will be back there on Dec. 21st. Also a great crowd in Watseka Friday night at McSki's. We always have a blast there.

This month has been really good overall. Last weekend we were at Slick Rick's in Bloomington, and had a wild night there. Also, on November 2nd, we had a really over the top night at Neil St Pub. You guys totally stuffed the place! We can't thank you enough for the support.

We have been playing some originals lately, and want to thank everyone who has purchased a CD recently. Maybe we'll have to do another one?!?!

Our upcoming schedule is a little less hectic, but with some big holiday shows. Next Fri. is the Midway in Effingham- hey Dan! Great food there, too! Then we have a bit of a break for Thanksgiving, before some big Dec shows, including The Isles, Slick Ricks, and Tommy G's. And don't miss our return to Neil St. on Sat Dec 7th. We will be ready to blow the roof off the place after a week off!

Thanks again to everyone who has been out to the shows recently!

'Til next time,

Lou D

10/31/02

Hey Everybody,

Happy Halloween!! Hope everyone is having a great week! We have had a good batch of gigs this month, and November is looking no different! Had a great night at The Phoenix last week. Our show at the Canopy Club with ZOSO was great, as always. I hope to be playing our own night at the Canopy in late January or early February. The Isles was a blast as always. The Steel Horse in Peoria was freaky as expected. Watch out for Biker Chicks with Dildo's. Seriously though, great people up there, and I also want to thank 3GuyzEntertainment for bringing in PA.

We are looking forward to our return to Randy's Landing tomorrow (Nov 1st). We always have a great time there, and it is one of the nicer clubs we play, with great food. We have several local shows coming up (including Neil St Pub this Saturday), as well as Slick Rick's in Bloomington, and McSki's in Watseka. What's up Rich?!!

I hope to see a lot of you folks out over the next month to celebrate the holidays with ESP. I can't believe it's almost that time of year already. Check out our schedule to find out when we'll be near you, and come out and PARTY!! Email me here at the site if you have a special event (B-day, anniversary, X-Mas party, etc) you would like to celebrate with us, and we'll be sure to embarrass you to the fullest extent possible.

'Til next time,

Have a good one!!

10/12/02

Hey Everybody,

Finally getting around to another post! We've had a good few weeks since the last update. Slick Rick's was fun as always. That place has the coolest bar owner in the state- Slick Rick himself. You gotta love it when the club owner introduces the band! Thanks Rick- we love Ya!

The following weekend was wild. A great night in Watseka at McSki's Place. Rich is another great guy to work for. That place is always pretty nuts!! The next night we were at our new "home base", Tommy G's,in Champaign. What a great time! Tons of folks having a blast and partying with the most Rockin' Band around. If you haven't been there, check it out!

This weekend we were at The Midway in Effingham. Small crowd, but still a fun time overall. The drive home was a nightmare, though. Worst fog I've had to drive through in several years. Saturday we were off, which was okay, since we have a very busy schedule coming up!

This week, we'll be playing with the Led Zep Tribute band ZOSO, on Thurs. 10/17 at The Canopy Club in Urbana. These guys are very cool and a fantastic Tribute act. We will play 9:30-10:30, w/ZOSO going on at 11. Friday we are local at the Neil St Pub, Champaign. Sat. it's back to the Isles, inside this time, for what promises to be a great night of music and dancing craziness. Hope to see some of you soon!

'Til next time,

"Keep On Rockin' !!"

9/23/02

Hello rockers! Just checking in with another edition of ESP News. Had a great time at The Isles, in Buckley on Sat. 9/7. Played outside. Pretty good time overall, although that place is more fun when it all hot and sweaty inside! Shannon Uden (Pariah) sat in on drums for "Man In The Box" and sounded great.

We played a fun show Saturday 9/14 with the band EXIT, from Peoria. Those guys are really cool, and they sound great. They play a lot of Journey, Styxx, Bon Jovi, etc. Buzzy (Space Mod, Clockwork) filled in on drums for us, and did a great job.

This past weekend we were at The Phoenix (fr) and Pia's in Rantoul (sa). Glad to have Tommy back behind the drums! An average weekend, I guess. Friday was fun- our old buddy Trey showed up, as well as plenty of regulars. We really appreciate the support. Nice to see a few fans made the trip up to Rantoul Saturday- Thanks!! It was a bit slow there, but we had fun, and the staff was great. Lots of good dancing going on in the last set, too.

We'll be at Slick Ricks, (Bloomington) this Friday, 9/27. Hope to see some of you then.

'Til next time,

"Keep On Rockin' !!"

8/26/02

Hello rockers! It was another bang-up weekend for the band, even though we were off Friday. Saturday, we played the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival in the late afternoon, and then Slick Rick's in Bloomington that night. It was a triumph of scheduling, as we played from 6-7pm in Urbana, then immediately made the almost 1 hour drive to Bloomington to set up and begin playing by 9pm.

It all went off without a hitch. We played a great high-energy set at the Sweet Corn Festival, and I must say thanks to everyone there, especially Ike Mapson (and Carla), Brian Knox, (great mobile stage and PA) and Ian Goldberg. Slick Rick's was a blast, too. We were forced to award the prize in a Sammy Hagar look alike contest to a guy that looked as little like Sammy Hagar as possible, due to the distinct lack of entrants. There were only two guys, and I thought the other guy should have won, but he didn't look much like him either! At least we got a bunch of cool T-Shirts for ourselves! And yes, there were the usual assortment of FREAKS there (as with most places we play!). All I can say is "God love 'em!"

Well, we're off for a bit. We will be back on Sept 7th with a great show at The Isles in Buckley Il.

See Ya' then!

8/18/02

Hey everybody, what's up? We had a great weekend- lot's of fun at Neil St Pub, and especially at Tommy G's. If you haven't been to Tommy G's, definitely check it out. Cool people, big stage, cold beer, and great food, too!

Finally got some pics posted on the site- check 'em out here!

ESP will be performing at the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival this Saturday, August 24th. We play from 6-7pm on the main stage. Check out more info here. We really hope to get a lot of our fans there. It is a great festival, with tons of food and BEER available, so get on down to Urbana on Saturday!!!

The main act is Delbert McClinton, w/ Delta Kings opening. They will be starting about 7:30. But we will be off to Slick Rick's in Bloomington that night, so we will be packing up right after our set and heading out of town.

'Til next time..........SEE YA!

8/14/02

Hope you guys like the site. It is still coming together! Will have some pics up this week. You can now hear some audio, and with a faster connection you can view some video of the band from GuitarlessonOnline.com.

Looking forward to our in-town weekend. We will be at Neil St Pub Friday, and at Tommy G's on Saturday. Tommy G's is really a great new place. We had a great show last month, and this one is sure to be a blow out too!!