Oracle Band
News and Information

This page last updated 07/20/2008

Upcoming Public Performances

Oracle returns to Whispers Restaurant in Glen Burnie

On Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26, Oracle will be retuning to one of the classiest restaurant/nightclubs in the Washington / Baltimore area, Whispers.

Performances at Whispers are always a blast, and you never know what might happen.  The only way to know for sure is to come out and join us from 9:00 until 1:00 each evening.

The dance floor is spacious, the drinks are potent, and the food is quite good.

It's east to get to Whispers.  Located just off Route 100, it is only 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore, and less than 30 minutes from Laurel, Odenton, Severna Park, and Columbia.

Directions to Whispers Restaurant

Oracle always has a great time when we visit Whispers.  Want to see for yourself what an evening at Whispers is like?  Head on over to our Whispers Photo Gallery and see for yourself just how much FUN there is to be had there!

There is a $5 cover charge.  Performance at Whispers tend to fill up quickly, so advance reservations are definitely recommended.  Call 410-768-3900 to make your reservation and ensure a great table.

Since we're performing there two nights in a row, we'll be doing an Oracle Band "no repeat weekend", where the songs on Friday are totally different from those on Saturday, so come on out BOTH nights and get a double barreled dose of Oracle Band.

Independence Day Concert at Laurel Lakes a HUGE Success

On July 5th Oracle had the thrill of performing for the concert prior to the City of Laurel Independence Day fireworks display, and an audience of literally tens of thousands came out to hear Oracle perform.

We're still getting the photo pages edited and neatly formatted, but we want to get all of the photos online as quickly as possible, so you will be able to find ALL of them on a single page at the temporary Laurel Independence Day Concert Photo Gallery.

The animated photo above shows a series of photos taken from the stage, beginning around 3:00 when we were setting up, to the moments just before the fireworks when the crowd stretched as far as the eye could see.

All of the Independence Day activities were dedicated to Corporal Richard Findley, a ten year veteran of the Prince Georges County Police Department, who had been killed in the line of duty a week earlier in Laurel.  Findley, a father of two daughters aged 9 and 6, was also active at the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department. We mourn his passing and would like to offer our thoughts and prayers to his family and colleagues.

We'll have more information on this performance as time allows...it took almost all day Sunday to peruse, crop and edit the 800 some photos we took down to a more manageable 60+ pictures.  We'll make the gallery pages look prettier, and format them to accommodate folks with a dial-up connection within the next day or so.

 Mother Nature Makes Appearance at Wedding

As you know Oracle performs at a lot of weddings throughout the year.  From backyard poolside weddings to incredibly formal affairs at exotic locations, (and everything in between), we've experienced a multitude of unusual situations.

However, just when you think you've seen it all, yet another situation pops up to lend yet another chapter to the book of life.

As everyone in the area knows, we've been seeing some pretty heavy duty storms come though the DC area in the past few weeks, resulting in some significant power outages.  At a recent wedding out near the water at Maryland Yacht Club, the forecast had been for high temperatures but with little chance of rain.

We suppose it was inevitable that sooner or later the weatherman might make a mistake...it happens so infrequently around here (lol).  Anyway, after a good start to the the festivities, which included Heather & Bobby sharing their first dance as husband and wife, we noticed some flickers of lightening on the horizon...flickers that soon turned to spectacular fireworks as the heavens opened up and Mother Nature entertained everyone with a show that put the fireworks on the Fourth of July to shame.  Unfortunately this light show came at a price, namely the total loss of power for the duration of the reception.

Not that anyone would allow this to put a damper (no pun intended) on things...not by a long shot.  With the room illuminated by candlelight we broke out the acoustic guitars and started things back up again.  Since there was no PA amplification for the voices, we enlisted the aid of the entire audience, and the evening turned out to be one of the most memorable in recent years, with everyone singing along to all their favorite songs, including acoustic versions of songs like "Love Shack" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me", which were probably the most unusual renditions of these songs anyone has ever heard.

The evening serves as a lesson that adversity can always be overcome.  At the end of the day the happy couple is still married, and they have a story to tell their kids and grandkids for years to come!  

Northwestern HS Class of 1973 - 35 year Reunion

As several of you all know our trumpet player Steve has lived in the Maryland area most of his life, and is a 1973 graduate of Northwestern High School over in Hyattsville.  Yes...believe it or not that is Steve in the photo in 1973 playing his horn at a school concert.

Knowing that several other members of Steve's graduating class are regular visitors at Oracle performances, we wanted to take a moment to let everyone know that the Northwestern HS 35 year reunion is coming up on Saturday, August 2nd, at the Oracle Band's performance at Perry's Restaurant in Odenton Maryland.

The reunion had previously been scheduled for the following day in Annapolis, but a lower than expected response from class members necessitated a change of venue and date.  That Oracle is now able to host the event at Perry's has Steve thrilled, and hopefully we'll have a nice turnout now that the location has been settled and the cost has been significantly reduced.

There is no cover charge at Perry's, the drink prices are reasonable, and the food is quite good.  Northwestern classmates will be treated to a buffet dinner in the party room at Perry's prior to the band going on, starting around 6:30, giving everyone plenty of time to socialize before hitting the dance floor.  The menu is still being worked out, but everything else is pretty well set.

Registration for the reunion is $25, and all others are of course admitted to the restaurant for free, but are not permitted in the party room.  For more information and to register for the reunion, visit the official reunion website at Classreport.org/usa/md/hyattsville/nwhs/1973. 

Perry's Restaurant is only 10 minutes from I-95, 15 minutes from Laurel, and about 30 minutes from either the Washington or Baltimore beltways.  Located just off Route 32, Perry's is easy to get to, located right in the heart of Odenton Md.

Directions to Perry's Restaurant

Perry's is a fun place to party.  The band always has a great time there, and we've been coming there for many years.  Since this is an open performance for anyone, if you were a member of the class of '72, '74, or any other Northwestern class for that matter, you'll be made to feel welcome.  You're also welcome to register for the buffet if you'd like to join us for dinner and spend some time with us in the back.

Since we've been performing there for so many years, we've accumulated literally hundreds of photos from our past performances there.  You can check them out at Perry's Restaurant Photo Gallery.

Parks & Recreation Concert Pulled Off
Despite Mother Nature's Threats

The week before the big Independence Day concert in Laurel Oracle was pleased to once again host the opening of the weekly Laurel Parks & Recreation Concert Series at Laurel Lakes.

Although we have been fortunate over the many years that we have had the privilege of opening this series, this year Mother Nature thought she would try to throw a bit of a damper on the festivities.  A fairly heavy thunderstorm arrived just one hour before concert time, threatening cancellation.

However, Oracle, being veterans of summer parks concerts, knew that these storms seldom last long, and that there might be a lot of disappointed fans out there if we DIDN'T go on, so we covered up the electronics with tarps, secured everything that might blow away, and waited out the storm.

As you can see, we were able to get the show off the ground after just a little bit of a delay, and despite the rain a nice crowd of fans as well as many new faces came out to enjoy the music.  The sun soon reappeared and quickly dried the ground, and we once again had an enjoyable evening under clear skies, and were treated to a beautiful sunset as well!

Check out the photos of the Laurel Lakes 2008 Concert Series Photo Gallery.

Recently at Afterdeck

Some time back Oracle returned to The Afterdeck in Pasadena Maryland for a rare Friday night performance.

It seems our schedule has filled up so fast on Saturdays that we were unable to find an open Saturday to perform there, so the management at Afterdeck graciously offered us a rare Friday night performance in response to the many requests they have had for our return.

While the numbers were not as large as on a typical Saturday night for us, the quality of the crowd was top notch as always, and we had a great time with the many fans that came out to catch the show.  We also got to meet a number of new friends as well, and many of these folks requested that they be added to the subscription list for the Oracle Newsletter to keep better track on when and where we'll be performing.

Anyway, as always we got some great photos, including some of the entire band (Steve included), taken by an anonymous fan who snapped away from out in the room.

So, head on over to the newest Afterdeck Photo Gallery and check out the photos in all their glory.

Keep an eye on the Oracle Calendar to see if we manage to book any additional performance at Afterdeck prior to the big pre-Thanksgiving party in November.

Sold Out Performance at Gambrills Athletic Club
Bull Roast A Major Success!!!

What a great party!  We always look forward to playing at Gambrills Athletic Club.  The room is cavernous, and although it can be kind of a tough room with anything less than a hundred people there, when you pack over 300 in there you have all the makings for a great party.

Once again the Mother's Day weekend bull roast to benefit the Gambrills Athletic Club was a smashing success, as tickets sold out over a month in advance, and there were dozens of names on the waiting list for tickets.

From the first note to the last the dance floor was rocking.  The money wheels were spinning and generating revenue for the club, and the 50-50 drawing netted a handsome prize of several hundred dollars to one lucky winner.

We've added a new page of photos from the evening for everyone to check out.  Head on over to the Gambrills Athletic Club Mother's Day Bull Roast Photo Gallery to see lot's of photos from this fabulous evening of FUN!

We're pleased to announce that Oracle will be returning to Gambrills next year for the 2009 Mother's Day Bull Roast, so keep your eyes on the calendar and we'll let you know just as soon as tickets go on sale.

Check Out The 2007 Year In Review Retrospective!

Well, it took over two months to finally get it put together, but the Oracle Band 2007 Year In Review photo retrospective is finally available.

Look back on the performances from 2007...the clubs, the weddings, the Yacht Clubs, and the other special events.

We also feature dozens of photos of our Oracle Family members who have come out to party  and spend some quality time with us.

We'd love to hear your feedback!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do ;-)

St. Patrick's Day 2008 at American Legion Post 175

OK...so it was a few days early.  The 14th instead of the 17th.  The key to this strategy is that it gave everyone an entire weekend to recover from this fantastic party!

Performing at the Legion for St. Patty's Day party has become a tradition for Oracle, and we haven't missed a year for a very long time.  Each year the size of the crowd grows and tickets sell out earlier and earlier.  Last year the event grew so large it had to be moved to the downstairs party room.

The evening started off around 5:00 in the afternoon with some traditional Irish food staples...corned beef & cabbage, Irish potatoes, and of course, your favorite Irish libations.

The party continued for 7 1/2 hours, with the band taking the stage at 8:30 and keeping the dance floor hopping continuously.

Two of the Legion regulars, our good friends Pat and Carol, honored the assembled guests with a virtuoso dual performance on the "Boom-Bah", an incredibly difficult instrument that has only been mastered by an extremely few talented individuals.  To have not one but TWO performers who have mastered the instrument in one room at the same time is nothing short of phenomenal.

Speaking of phenoms, our own virtuoso Nikki opened the show debuting a new show piece entitled "Beethoven's Virus".  Lifted liberally from Beethoven's "Pathetique" piano sonata, this new version was arranged by the group BanYa for the video dance game "Pump It Up".

In addition to the photos you see here, we got lots more great fun shots.  Head on over to the American Legion St. Patrick's Day Photo Gallery to see just how much fun everyone had.

We're also pleased to announce that we have signed a contract to return to the Legion NEXT year for St. Patrick's Day 2009.  Once again, since St. Patrick's Day falls in the middle of the week, we'll be doing it the Friday before, on March 13th..  Mark your calendars!

Oracle Performs for Chocolate Ball!

On Saturday, March 15th Oracle had the privilege of performing at a benefit for The Arc of Howard County, affectionately dubbed "The Chocolate Ball".

In addition to a silent auction and raffles, area confectioners competed for the "People's Choice" award in designing the most elaborate chocolate confection, be it a cake or other delightful treat.  With a middle east theme, we saw flying carpet cakes, elaborate structures, magic lanterns, and a host of other ideas to inspire the imagination.

Just prior to the band taking the stage we were even treated to a performance by Samira Shuruk, an elegant, extremely talented, classically trained belly dancer.

The event was held in the lobby of the Kossiakoff Center at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics lab, a beautiful setting for such a worthwhile event.

The Arc of Howard County sponsors vocational and residential support and services, respite care, and other programs and services for children and adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

This was the third year in a row that Oracle has been invited to participate in this event, and we're pleased to announce that we have been invited back again next year, which we were of course thrilled to agree to.

The crowd that came out was simply wonderful.  The dance floor was filled almost immediately, and a great number of people stayed until the very end keeping the dance floor hopping all night long.

We took a lot of photos to document the evening, and you can view them all by heading over to the Arc of Howard County Chocolate Ball Photo Gallery.

We'd like to thank the folks at The Arc for inviting us, thank BB&T Bank for sponsoring the event, and especially thank all the people who came out to make this evening such a wonderful success!

Valentine's Day Dance at American Legion Post 175

On Friday February 15th Oracle had the pleasure of performing back at American Legion Post 175 in Severna Park for their annual Valentine's Day dinner/dance.

This event featured a fabulous surf & turf dinner of lobster and filet mignon, then everyone hit the dance floor for four hours of non-stop partying.

The room was awash in a sea of red outfits as special friends and lovers came together to celebrate a magical night.

Sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion, the event was not only a great party, but also helped raise funds for this particularly important branch of the American Legion. The charitable work performed by the Sons of the American Legion go far towards helping those less fortunate, and it was a pleasure to help and be a part of such an important fund raising effort.

We took lots and lots of photos, and we have placed them in a new photo gallery for the Legion.  Head on over to the American Legion Valentine's Day dance page and see for yourself just how much FUN everyone had.

Oracle Band will be returning to the American Legion Post 175 in March for the big St. Patrick's Day party, (see above). 

We are also happy to report that after a 1 year hiatus we will be performing at the Legion again for this next big New Years bash!  Hooray!

Fun Photo

As many of you know, Steve, the band's trumpet player, drives a truck much of the time for a company that makes deliveries all over the east.

On a recent trip down to Hot Springs Arkansas, while passing through Bristol Tennessee, he was at a rest area opposite a rather unusual shaped building, a music museum shaped like a guitar.

While snapping a few shots of this rather unusual structure, who should pass by on the highway but one of the big rigs hauling the Brooks & Dunn show to their next gig!

The funny thing is, he didn't even notice the truck until going through the photos when he got back!

Click on the photo to see an enlarged view of this unusual building.

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

It may be somewhat difficult to imagine, but we here with Oracle Band are already thinking and planning for the "upcoming" holiday season!

Given the limited number of weekends just before Christmas, and the high demand for our services at holiday parties, we find that February is the peak month for booking our holiday parties for December.

It's tough to even bring ourselves to think about making plans so far in advance, but we wanted to post a little note here to try and avoid disappointment later in the year when we have to tell people we're already booked for their favorite holiday party date.

If you would like to have Oracle perform for your company's holiday party this year, won't you please let the person in charge of the event know that NOW is the time to begin the booking process. 

Although we don't "hold" a date for someone without a contract and deposit, we WILL grant a company "right of first refusal", meaning we'll call your company before signing a contract with another company for the same date. 

Call us ASAP so we can discuss YOUR plans and how Oracle can help make it a party to remember! 

What's Your Favorite Place To Hear Oracle Perform?

We'd love to hear from all of our fans who come out to hear us on a regular basis, and find out which places you all prefer to come hear us perform.  No personal information is saved...your vote is completely anonymous. 

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Oracle Band E-Newsletter

The Oracle Band electronic newsletter is our best means for letting our fans know when and where we'll be performing, as well as offering them an opportunity to take advantage of some special opportunities during the course of the year.

Short reminders are send prior to most of our public performances, and every other month or so we send out a more detailed newsletter letting everyone know what's been happening with the band, including photos and lots of links to fun stuff.

If you're not already receiving our newsletter, how about subscribing right now?  It takes about 30 seconds.

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Oracle Band
19359 Keymar Way
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This page last updated 07/20/2008

Copyright 2007 by Oracle Band