Failure to launch didn’t mean failure to entertain at the Mesquite hot air balloon festival
Written by Scott Dunford
Everything was set for the 4th Annual Mesquite Hot Air Balloon spectacular. Thousands got up early, some as early as 4 a.m. to be see 40 balloons launch into the early morning, azure blue skies over Mesquite. Balloons at the ready, the spectators at the ready, cameras and news crews all at the ready in anticipation for what has become a main event in January in Mesquite Nevada! And then mother nature showed up and she had other plans. Seems you can’t launch hot air balloons if there’s more than a eight mile per hour trade wind above 200 feet, which unfortunately was the case both mornings. There’s always next year right?
However, it didn’t stop the other weekend events, like the celebratory champagne tasting or “Squawk” the exotic bird show at the CasaBlanca Showroom. Thousands stuck around, gambled, enjoyed the otherwise beautiful weather and waited with anticipation for the evening events. The “Balloon Night Glow” heated up the evening with its own impressive sights and sounds. At least 10 candling balloonists fired up their burners and impressed us with 10 foot flames that sounded like small jet engines all set to music. At 8:30, Zeppelin USA otherwise know as ZUSA for short, performed to a sold out show! What a great and extremely talented group of four musicians. Each one with their own incredible ability to sound just like the real deal!
The band featured Brody Dolyncik (vocals) who never missed a note and if you turned your head you honestly thought you stepped back 20 years and were in the presence of Mr. Robert Plant himself. Then the incredible Steve Zukowsky’s guitar playing blew us away with his impeccable talents and versatility. I never really understood how Led Zeppelin created a violin sounding electric guitar until I witnessed Steve use a bow on his. Very cool!
Completing the foursome was drummer Pat Leon and Jonathan Gilcrest on bass and keyboards. Jonathan is also in “Yellow Brick Road” a classic rock band that does a variety of material. Extremely popular in Vegas! I don’t think anyone in attendance that evening left without being a bit horse. We were all singing and dancing to the tunes that made Led Zepplin one of the worlds’ greatest bands of all times!
All in all a fun weekend that we won’t soon forget. Thank you CasaBlanca for bringing us such great entertainment and class acts. It’s just another reason why we love living here. See ya next year.
