Whenever Two or More ...

#281 / Flood Time Capsule: 2000

A popular trope in our circle recasts words from the Bible’s Book of Matthew, that whenever two or more gather in its name, it is “The Flood," and a gig 23 years ago this week is its origin story.

The occasion was the first time the band played at Woodlands Retirement Community, which at that time had only just opened a few years earlier in the hills of Huntington. The Flood, though, had a rocky introduction to the venue, and thereby hangs our tale.

Four Minus One …

By the autumn of 2000, The Flood was a foursome, but going into this gig, we were already down a man. Several weeks earlier, our new bassist, Doug Chaffin, had badly boogered up his wrist while working on a car in his garage, so he would be out commission until at least the end of the year.

… No, Wait … Two

Joe Dobbs arrived at the Bowen house at 6:30 to give Charlie a ride and as they were waiting for David Peyton to join them, the phone rang. It was Dave’s wife, Susie, calling to report an accident. At the far end of the road leading to town, their car had collided with another. No one was hurt, but Dave wouldn't be making the scene either.

After making sure they didn't need help, Joe and Charlie soldiered on up the hill.

Meeting Woodlands

Some of the residents of the palatial new residence met the guys at the doors and escorted them to the cozy events room. Acoustics there were good enough that Joe and Charlie didn’t even need mikes. They just pulled a couple of stools in front of the audience and launched into their songs.

“When we started playing, there were about 20 people,” Charlie told his mom in an email the next day. “By the end of the second tune, we had a room full. They heard the fiddle and just kept coming. They were really into the swing stuff -- we had 'em singing along -- and by the end, they were calling out requests.”

The duo played for about an hour, but “we told them this might have to be our last public performance,” Charlie wrote, “because ‘Shoot, we're running outa guys!’"

After the show, a half dozen residents came up to ask them to come back again, but next time bring reinforcements.

We would, many times. In fact, since that first minimalist outing, The Flood — in various configurations — has played Woodlands dozens of evenings, including this one as recently last summer: