DICKENS ON THE STRAND 2005

The Bilge Pumps made our first trip back to Dickens on the Strand after being banned for 5 years, and like Ozzy returning to the Alamo, we rocked the house! har har. Though many of the band members almost had a stroke onstage trying not to let those bawdy rhymes come slipping out on "Donkey Riding". We also got to harrass the crew of the Tall Ship Elissa for the first time since 2000. They were most accomodating, even letting us do our last show there on the quarterdeck of the grand lady herself! Here's hoping for many happy returns.

Here are some pics and movies to make your yule log shrivel

THE LOUISIANA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 2005

For a change, we rolled into cajun country on the first three weekends instead of the last three and decided to kick off the festival in style by putting our pirate mark all over the newly made stage in the Painted Badger Pub. Due to FEMA locking down hotels for Katrina evacuees, we ended up staying with our favorite midwife, Jamie, and proceeded to eat of her groceries and drink all of her liquor. Now that's a kind hostess! We made some new friends in the Washer Wenches and the Pirate Shantyman and got to see all of our old friends as well. We couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more without dipping ourselves in pudding.

See us do some more damage to the Louisiana landscape

RED RIVER RENAISSANCE FANTASY FAIRE 2005

The premier of the RRRFF (aaaarrrrf!) took place in the German town of Meunster and for once the Germans get invaded instead of the other way around! We rolled into town, ate all their schnitzel, sang pirate ditties to them, ate some more of their schnitzel, sweated all over the place, and then rolled out of town before the local sheriff knew what him 'em. Next time, could we please have the schnitzel delivered to the ship, so we don't have to actually walk to the restaurant?

You want pics? You can't handle the pics!

TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY PARTY 2005

The first ever Talk Like a Pirate Day party to hit the D/FW area couldn't be complete without real pirates! So we stopped to meet some real pirates at the gas pumps and then went to the party to act like pirates as the Bilge Pumps! It was a fun evening as we met up with some old friends, ran into some new friends, and shocked new friends into submission.

Pictures, pictures, and... pictures.

SCARLET'S MID-SUMMER RENAISSANCE FAIRE 2005

Back in Oklahoma City looking for some tail... fox and mermaid tail that is! The welcome change of a nice, regulated 80 degree temperature inside while the sun raged outside made us jump up and down with joy. Well, that and the 5 year old bottle of Johnny Jump Up that we still can't get out of our blood stream. It was fun to hook up with new and old friends both and Blue and Galleon certainly enjoyed hanging with the mermaids and giving a whole new meaning to working for scale. hyuk hyuk.

Pics so hot, they burn your eyes!

PIRATE PICNIC 2005

We decided to add a little culture to our lives and throw ourselves a pirate picnic as a benefit to the Hip Pocket Theater in Ft. Worth. We invited our friends Bret Roberts, The Foxmoon Mermaids, and Brendana's Dream to help us keep everyone entertained in the billion degree summer in Texas. Those that braved the sun had themselves a good time... or maybe that's just the heat stroke talking.

Take a bite outta these shots

OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE 2005

There may not have been a stunt show at the Castle this year, but you can't stop the Bilge Pumps from knocking down the gates and spreading our piratey ooze all over the festival. Our 6th year at the Castle in Muskogee made for grand tales as we welcomed Aloysius back to the stage and even saw a return visit by Squeegy. At one point on the last weekend, you had 9 Bilge Pumps on stage at the same time. Now that's worth the price of admission!

Grab your sea-sickness pills, 'cause these pics will hurt ya.

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA MEDIEVAL FAIR 2005

A new stage, gorgeous weather, and a bunch of insane pirates bellowing and dancing around! You can't ask for a better way to the Bilge Pumps to make a grand return to the OU Medieval Fair in Norman. There might not have been any pirates in their skivvies onstage, but we made up for it by telling every tasteless joke we knew. Now if only we can find some sunscreen to put on Galleon.

We got pictures! We got pictures!

MARDI GRAS AT O'FLAHERTY'S IRISH PUB 2005

The Bilge Pumps finally got to play the real Mardi Gras in New Orleans as we rolled back to the French Quarter for 5 nights at O'Flaherty's Irish Pub to play for all those looking to shed their inhibitions (and tops) before lent. Despite illness and loss of voices, especially to Maroon, a fun time was had by everyone and we managed to prevent the ghosts that lurk at the pub from carrying Galleon away as he slept.

The power of buccaneers, booze, and boobs in digital form

SCARLET'S MID-WINTER RENAISSANCE FAIRE 2005

Who needs good weather to put on a festival? It may have been 25 degree wind chill and sleeting outside, but we were nice and toasty inside at Oklahoma's first indoor renaissance faire. We enjoyed a chance to reconnect with our friends and fans in Oklahoma and to storm Maroon's mom's house and eat all her food.

Click to see us nestle in Scarlet's warm, foxy fur

KREWE OF THE CELTS TABLEAU 2005

The Krewe of the Celts needed to throw a party in Lafayette and their theme was piracy.... hmmmm... who is there available to play at this little pre-Mardi Gras fiesta? We can! We rolled into town with flags flying and rum bottles spilling, what better way to debut our newest Bilge Pump, John Crow the Cook.

Click here for fun in Lafayette.