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My band, orange is in, is playing the Houston Art Car Parade on May 10. If you’ve never been, it is a very cool event put on by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. It is the oldest and most famous parade of its kind in the world and attracts visitors and wacky automobiles from across the globe.

We’re going to be performing on a flat bed trailer in the parade and are really looking forward to it. However, doing this is quite an undertaking for a band that doesn’t spend all year prepping funky looking cars, so we need some help. Like any other effort, we need cash for things we’ll need to rent, purchase, etc. Our show at Bohemeo’s on April 26th is not only a great way to see the band (and be a part of the recording of a live CD), but a good place to give a little extra at the door. Of course, we’ll take it whenever you have it and you are welcome to contact me about contributing at ANY time.

Just as importantly, there are a few items we really need leading up the parade and, even more importantly, we’re looking for volutneers. Here’s a small list to start. Let me know if you have anything (or know anyone who might) on the list and/or if you are willing to donate your time, money, etc. You’ll be like totally forever in my debt and stuff.

Items:

Full-size truck or SUV with trailer hitch
We’d prefer a truck with an open bed. We WILL BE DECORATING the vehicle but WILL NOT cause permanent damage. We will also need it for the 4 or 5 days leading up to the event and the day after for clean up. The tank will be full when we are done.

Flat Bed Trailer
No smaller than 6 feet wide and 16 feet long (the bigger the better as long as the aforementioned vehicle can haul it). It needs to be in fairly good condition since we’ll be playing on it. Like the truck, we’ll decorate it, but nothing that will do permanent damage. We’ll also need it for the 4 or 5 days leading up to the event and the day after. We would consider renting this or taking a donation from a trailer rental place.

Warehouse/Garage Space INSIDE the Loop
We need a place to store and decorate the vechicle and trailer that will be protected from the weather leading up to the day of the parade. It needs to be inside the loop so we don’t have to use freeways for any driving to and/or from the parade route.

Gas-Powered Generator
We need something that can power all our gear and a small PA system for appx 4 hours. We will fill it up as much as necessary and return to you full.

Decorations and Decorating Supplies
We’re going with an orange theme (obvious, we know), so anything orange that would be fun to decorate a vehicle - plastic oranges, orange crush cans, orange juice cartons, streamers…anything goofy, fun or both. We also need ways to affix said items to the vehicle and trailer in creative ways that WON’T damage the vehcile. We’re open to suggestions - we’re musicians, not artists.

Volunteers:

Driver
We need someone who can drive the vehicle and trailer. We’ll need you, at the very least, for the parade, but possibly parts of May 9, 10 and 11. We need someone who won’t kill us or themselves or damage the truck/trailer if they have to back the thing up. Valid drivers license please.

Decorators/Artists
Like I said, we’re not artists, we’re musicians. We need creative people to help decorate everything - probably the Wednesday and Thursday before the parade and a few folks to help monitor the stuff before the parade starts at 1pm on Saturday.

Helpers
We could really use some people to walk the crowd, give out cd’s (and the like) and generally pimp us and add people to the mailing list as well as take photos, shoot video and the like. We won’t do this from the parade route (except maybe take a photo or two), but anyone who will be willing to work as “street team” would be helpful.

We can’t promise a lot, but you WILL be rewarded at some point in the future - we promise!!!

Thanks for all your help. You rock!

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