The Roberts-Meisner Band played a three-week engagement in the Players Lounge at The Sands in Atlantic City, NJ from June 7th-July 3rd, 1988.
Rick and Randy were interviewed by Alissa Wolf of the Asbury Park Press during their stint at the Players Lounge. Both talked about their lives since leaving their former bands, how they got together, and what they hoped to accomplish with their new venture.
Randy: “We have to go with the same people who liked the Eagles and bands from that era. We may attract younger people but things do go in cycles. That’s what we’re counting on.”
The caption on the photo is wrong and should read: L-R: Bray Ghiglia, Rick Roberts, Ron Grinel, Cary Park, and Randy Meisner.
Rick Roberts told the Camden Courier-Post that playing the casino was a “nice gig” and that people came to see them because “they’re really into the band…not just because they’re losing.”
“We normally do colleges and clubs, but this is a nice gig. It’s a good payin’ gig, they treat us nice and we’ve been getting good crowds. The audience has been sparse on weeknights but they’re really into the band. They come in to see us, not just because they’re losing. …”
“Sure we have reputations, but it’s a two-way street. If you don’t live up to expectations, you could burn it out in one night–there’s always people who want to say, ‘Oh, they’re just a burnout man, they can’t do it anymore.
“The band wasn’t ready a year ago, but now it’s coalesced. Now we’re ready to play where they (the record companies) want us to play.”
The Roberts-Meisner Band played two sets a night, three on Saturdays, including a show at 2:00am. They were off on Mondays.
Below: onstage at the Players Lounge.
Peter Key, columnist for the The Press Of Atlantic City, noted that Rick and Randy didn’t just cover their classic songs, such as “You Are Are The Woman” by Firefall and “Take It To The Limit” by the Eagles, they reinterpreted them. He further stated that “there were times during a recent set at the Players Lounge…when the harmonies generated by Meisner and his bandmates sounded as if they’d just floated off an Eagles compact disc.”
He also felt the band was just fun to see: “Its members were comfortable and professional onstage and Roberts and Meisner belied their ‘star’ status with nice touches of self-deprecating humor.”
Sadly, the review does not give a full listing of the songs that were played.
This wasn’t Rick and Randy’s first gig in Atlantic City. The previous August, they played a two-week engagement at the Bay Caberet at Harrah’s. The Roberts-Meisner Band continued to tour together until the summer of 1989 when Randy left to rejoin Poco for a reunion album and tour.
Great information as always Jessica! Thank You so Much!
You’re welcome. Thanks, Gwen!
If only we had the Internet back then.. I would have been able to see the Meis.Thx, Jessica. I look forward to you emails.
Well, thank you. That’s very nice to hear.
I wish I’d been born a little earlier so I could have seen him back in the day. I was a bit too young.