08/25/07 Mitchell, SD Corn Palace Festival

Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:57 am

I wonder what's with the turnover of stage managers this tour? Especially since Skip Lisk (whose only negative, as far as I could tell, was a rather excessively-disciplinary approach to fan-herding) stayed with the show for such a long time. Maybe Al just hasn't found the person who's the right "fit" yet.

Post by **Kristine** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:48 am

It might not be that they are giving Joe the boot... it could be that Joe decided to leave (maybe go back to a different "day job" or to his family?).

Post by **kaffy©** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:17 am

Awwwwwwwwwwww no more Joe D?

Thats so sad..

He was so fun to pick on!

Alinite27 · Post by **Alinite27** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:27 am

Skip wasn't the Stage Manger was he?? I thought it was Ed Halverson. At least, he was at my shows on the last tour. It also has him listed as the Stage Manger in the Spring 2004 Tour Itinerary book that I have. It has John "Skip" Lisk as Rumor Control. Maybe Skip was the Stage Manger on previous tours? I don't remember who was at my first show on Running With Scissors.

Also, I don't think that it's a fact of "Al pushing him out". As far as I know, they didn't have any problems with him. He had been on tour with them from May 24 to August 25...three months and a day...he took over from Yogi Garcia on May 24. So, I think this is correct and I doubt any of it has to do with "Al pushing them out". I know at least Yogi's didn't...for what I'd heard at Pompano Beach, I would assume it was correct.

March 10-May 24--Yogi Garcia
May 24-August 25--Joe
August 25-?--"Two other guys".

I know Dan had told me that Joe was explaining and showing a lot of stuff to two different guys. So, not sure if it actually means that there's two or even how that would work out. I'm sure I'll find out more later after tonight's show.

With whatever happens, Joe will definitely be missed.

Post by **algonacchick** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:40 am

Skip was indeed stage manager during the Poodle Hat tour. He's the one who made it so I could go backstage in Jackson. That was March 26, 2004. Also, he was tour manager for the Al-Can tour for sure, because that's what Al says on the Road Reports.

Alinite27 · Post by **Alinite27** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:18 am

Well, the tour book states Ed as being the Stage Manger for the Poodle Hat Spring tour, and I always remember him holding the harmonica, following Al in One More Minute, and doing the spotlight in Dog Eat Dog. However, the jacket for One More Minute had Skip's name on it...so I figured for sure he was on earlier tours.

Yank27 · Post by **Yank27** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:49 am

Okay, so Im confused, since Joe was there tonight in Des Moines. So I must have misheared something Steve said. I brought up the soundcheck, and how there wasnt one in the Corn Palace, because Steve said they werent doing them anymore since its not needed, but they were going to do one tonight in Des Moines because of a new stage manager.

So Im all confused about this whole deal. But from the sounds of it, there's going to be a replacement for Joe *sometime* this tour. We'll see what happens tommorow at the MN State Fair show.

Post by **algonacchick** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:07 am

Well, it certainly was not Ed that got me backstage. It was Skip. I think Skip was technically road manager, not stage manager. Either way, I really didn't get to meet Joe D. Liked the ho gag he did, though.

Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:48 pm

Patti, you're right; Skip was road manager. I don't think there's really been anybody from Al's crew reading the riot act to aftershow fans this tour, has there? Obviously there IS a road manager, but maybe whip-cracking has now been completely delegated to venue security.

It still seems like a bit of turnover in the stage manager spot. But maybe a lot of guys who are free to hit the road and hold down a job like that aren't necessarily free to do it for six or seven months at a stretch.

Post by **DrSteggy** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:58 pm

Orthography Enthusiast @ Aug 27 2007, 08:48 AM wrote: Patti, you're right; Skip was road manager. I don't think there's really been anybody from Al's crew reading the riot act to aftershow fans this tour, has there? Obviously there IS a road manager, but maybe whip-cracking has now been completely delegated to venue security.

From what I have seen this tour, the individual venues are doing all the fan herding...some just allow enought time to say helo and get a signature, others nearly encourage photography--some of that probably depends on just how many fans there are hanging around afterwards.

FWIW, having been herded (I love this term OE) by Skip on RWS and Poodle Hat, I never really found him overtly strict or draconian....he would lay out the rules, the rules were ALWAYS the same venue to venue, and everything went smoothly. I never saw anyone actually get thrown to the angry mod, at any rate

Now...if your first exposure to the post show thing was this tour, then I can see how Skip could be thought of as strict.

Jackie