A Neat Picture at the bottom, but this first:

The year was 1975 and things aren't looking too good for Lane South Dakota. The Lane Liquor Store is still sporting their ancient Budweiser sign. No one mows the weeds on main street anymore. The sun is about down for another 100 degree summer day. Just a very quiet night. They are all like that now.

The second building on the right is the silent remnant of the Rainbow Ballroom. Lane never was much of anything but on Friday and Saturday nights this town took you to another dimension. Parking was at a premium, fun ran rampant, dance, gamble, stunt drink, get stoned you name it. Have a world class steak or a greasy hamburger, the band is about ready to start. Time to rock and roll. The Beach Boys, and tons of 50's bands played here. Everyone 8 to 80, blind, crippled, or crazy were welcome. Red Deneke ran the place and maintained order. A mountain of a man, looked like a refrigerator with a head. Drank 151 proof rum for energy.

Just an incredible place. I can remember the smells of sweaty people, steaks grilling, alcohol and much more. The laughter, the fun, and all of us thinking it would last forever. We should have known better.

The end came for The Rainbow in 1974 when government entities insisted that Red do thousands of dollars of improvements to meet new codes. Red said, "No." The last night the Rainbow was open featured Black Oak Arkansas. Jim Dandy and crew gave the Rainbow an a*s kicking departure into oblivion. What a night it was. They played til around 4 AM and finally ended it with their version of "Singing the Blues." Then silence from the stage. Ok, one more, they did "Fools and Friends" from when they were the Knowbody Else. It was electrifying and so sad.

Thunderheads were looming with nasty lightning.It rained like a cow pissing on a flat rock. What a light show. I walked away numb. This was the end of an institution. A bunch of us stuck around and helped with clean up and then hung around with Red and partied until after noon on Sunday. Really wasn't much of a party, more like a wake. Everyone knew it was over, the end of an era was at hand. Red finally stood up said, "Time to go home." I watched the big man wiping away some tears as he and his wife walked away.

When they got in their vehicle to drive away, I was curious if he would look back. He didn't, and I believe he couldn't.

Mark