The Fancy Boys
Chicago, Illinois, United States | SELF
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Turning a summer hobby into a business
By STEPHANIE N. LEHMAN - slehman@lakecountyjournal.com
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Amanda Holsen, 7, of Hawthorn Woods, gets a wakeboarding lesson from Ian Engels on June 30 during Thrashin’ Thursdays at Lindy’s Landing Restaurant, Bar and Marina in Wauconda. (Candace H. Johnson)
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WAUCONDA – It was late spring when Cheryl Lindstrom, co-owner of Lindy’s Landing Restaurant, Bar and Marina in Wauconda, started getting phone calls.
People wanted to know when Thrashin’ Thursdays were coming back to Lindy’s, Lindstrom said, and she told them they were coming soon.
Now, they’re here.
Thrashin’ Thursdays – the creation of Chicago teenager Ian Engels and his family – is a combination of wakeboarding lessons and musical entertainment presented to the Wauconda community every Thursday through Aug. 4 at Lindy’s Landing, 115 Park St., in Wauconda.
Engels, who grew up spending summers with his family in a cottage on Bangs Lake in Wauconda, started his own family company – ChicagoWake – to help defray the cost of one of his favorite hobbies.
Wakeboarding.
Then, along came Thrashin’ Thursdays, which – in a way – were meant to increase business, but really were just to get more people wakeboarding, Engels said.
“There’s not a wakeboarding scene here, so we kind of tried to pick it up here – spread the word,” Engels said.
Engels’ attempt at spreading the word has been a success. John Engels, Ian’s father, estimated they pulled 200 people ages 5 to 70 around Bangs Lake on only seven Thursdays last year.
And while Thrashin’ Thursdays may never be a booming success monetarily for the Engels – a quick lesson and pull around the lake costs only $5 a person – that’s not the point.
“We’re not going to make a ton of money,” John Engels said. “[But] we still have fun. It’s a good time to be here. Wauconda’s a great community. I can’t think of a better town in Illinois to have fun in.”
How it progressed
Ian Engels, who will turn 18 on July 7, said the idea for ChicagoWake and Thrashin’ Thursdays was a natural progression from turning a hobby into a business.
The 2011 Whitney M. Young Magnet High School graduate grew up waterskiing, but once Engels tried wakeboarding, he never looked back.
“There’s always the idea of progression [in wakeboarding] – you’re never at the top,” Engels said. “There’s always something else you can do.”
He started competing in the INT League, a competitive wakeboarding, waterskiing, kneeboarding and wakeskating league, and competed twice at the U.S. Championships in the intermediate division.
Most recently, he placed first in a wakeboarding competition June 25 on Diamond Lake in Mundelein.
And in between the competitions and practicing, Engels would teach others to wakeboard.
“We’d always take everyone out [on our boat], and we’re like, ‘Wow – this costs a lot,’” Engels said.
John and Linda Engels, who are Chicago Public Schools teachers, were quick to agree, though Linda Engels said it was her son’s idea to start a business to help pay for his hobby.
“He was like, ‘You’re spending way too much money,’” Linda Engels said. “So, he was like, ‘What can we do to subsidize this? Do you think I can teach wakeboarding?’”
The Engels did, and on summer week days, ChicagoWake charges around $80 for more in-depth lessons with Ian Engels as instructor and John Engels at the helm of their wakeboard Supra boat.
“We’ve got customers [who have said], ‘Oh my gosh, we’ve tried lessons for two years – you got him up in one hour, jumping over one wake,” Linda Engels said.
Or, customers can choose to surf Midwest-style by wakesurfing behind the Supra, which produces waves just like the ocean, John Engels said.
Then, of course, there’s Thrashin’ Thursdays, when the Engels are joined by a crew from Skipper Buds of Volo, and two boats pull novice and intermediate wakeboarders around Bangs Lake.
Dave and Michele Kushner of Tower Lakes brought almost their entire family to Thrashin’ Thursdays on June 30 to celebrate Michele’s birthday.
While Michele Kushner and grandma Betty Lou Langford watched from the shore, Dave Kushner watched from the Engels’ boat as his children David, 10; Kellie, 13; Kassie, 14; Katie, 16; and Sierra Siddons, 26, of Barrington, took turns getting their first pull.
Every sibling got up on the wakeboard, prompting Engels to say it was one of his best Thursdays ever.
And the Kushners loved the experience.
“I was so scared, but it was so fun,” said Kellie Kushner.
“They did wonderful,” Dave Kushner said of his children before complimenting the Engels. “They’re a wonderful and truly spectacular business. They made the kids feel very comfortable, and it’s only $5. It’s a wonderful program they have.”
Helping teens
Not only was Thrashin’ Thursdays the idea of a teenager, but the event also helps other teenagers and young kids with business dreams of their own.
For example, after teaching wakeboarding lessons for three hours, Engels isn’t done.
The college-bound teen hops out of his boat, changes clothes and grabs his guitar to perform with his jam/funk/jazz band, Everyday People – formerly known as The Fancy Boys – on the deck of Lindy’s.
It’s a nice weekly gig for Engels, Spencer Brown, Brian Sanborn, Luke Sangerman, Angie Fritz and Josh Greenberger to have, said Linda Engels.
Then there’s Amy Shelton, a good friend of the Engels who takes photos of the band and those learning to wakeboard during Thrashin’ Thursdays and promotes them on her Amy Shelton Photography Facebook page.
Even 7-year-old Chase Malanowski – known locally as Chase the Button Guy – has been able to promote his business, selling buttons to patrons at Lindy’s.
Other kids and teens help Thrashin’ Thursdays run smoothly, too, like Ian Engels’ sister, Chloe, 19; his cousins, Issy, Cam and KK Crowley, who are 7, 11 and 13, respectively; and other family friends who have grown up on Bangs Lake with the Engels.
“It’s a totally kid-run thing,” Linda Engels said.
If you go ...
What: Thrashin’ Thursdays
Where: Lindy’s Landing Restaurant, Bar and Marina, 115 Park St., in Wauconda
When: Mini wakeboarding lessons take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 4 on Bangs Lake, followed by a performance by Everyday People at Lindy’s
To learn more: Visit www.ChicagoWake.com or call 847-644-2650 - Lake County Journal
Leader of THE FANCY BOYS, Ian Engels on guitar and vocals, at our Pro Jam/Open Mike at the Dunn Inn. We have known Ian for a few years now and he is an excellent musician ... the kid can PLAY! - Chicago Studio Club
Go For the Good
“Fan-cy, Fan-cy, Fan-cy” chanted the
crowd at the Northside College Prep High
School Battle of the Bands competition.
The Fancy Boys gave a very fancy
performance on Feb. 13 performing the
song “Santeria” by Sublime. The lead
singer Riley Castle ’12 ran across the
stage touching all the audience members
outreached hands.
“The energy from the audience was
just unbelievable” said Martin Kim ’11,
the Fancy Boys drummer. The band
placed second at the Battle of the Bands
competition.
Band members Ian Engels ’11, Lewis
Etzkorn ’12 and Castle, were brought
together through their Spanish class and
one day decided to jam at Engel’s house
along with their friend Kim.
Engels is the band’s guitarist and
has been playing guitar for seven years.
Etzkorn plays the keyboard and Castle
plays the bass and does vocals.
The group named their band after an inside
joke and were kidding around when they
called themselves “The Fancy Boys,” but
afterwards realized how catchy it was and
kept the name.
The band performed at the Justo Lamas
concert held at WY where they played the
song “La Bamba,” and also will be playing
in Parkerpalooza.
“I love The Fancy Boys because
whenever I’m listening to them, I start to
feel fancy!” said fan Zack Berglind ’10.
- Whitney Young Beacon
Palmer Jamfest 2010 is a fundraiser for Palmer School featuring high school bands who are volunteering their time and talent to raise funds for Palmer.
Ian Engels is one of THE FANCY BOYS and is one of the featured artists at Palmer Jamfest 2010. - Chicago Studio Club
Discography
We are currently working on our first album.
Photos
Bio
Our band, The Fancy Boys, has had many influences. The Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, Derek Trucks Band, Phish, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, The Meters, and Buddy Guy have definitly played a part in our musical growth, along with many others. We are different from other bands because we sound much older than we actually are and we are very tight. We are able to get people of all ages excited and dancing, and the first time people see us, they are pleasantly shocked. We played on the kids' stage at Wicker Park Fest, and drew people away from the main stage. We draw a crowd wherever we play.
Ian, our talented lead guitarist, who is mainly self-taught, started playing open jams a few years ago and was picked up by an older blues band. He recently had an opportunity to play with some seasoned players this year and was the only one in that group with whom Dickie Betts soloed. After playing with adults for about two years, Ian sought out talent at his Chicago Public School. He found a few talented kids, who played with him for a while.
The kids entered a contest and took second to the home school, realizing that they actually had something. At a fund raiser, they met Spencer, from a different Chicago Public School.
Spencer played guitar until his teacher caught him playing bass lines on the top four strings, and encouraged him to play bass in eighth grade. He is now one of the best young bass players in Chicago. He plays in a Ravinia group with Brian.
Brian played in a different band with Spencer and was enthusiastic about joining The Fancy Boys. He had played in School of Rock and toured with the All-Stars, so he was a talented guitarist and a great fit for our band.
Angie also played with Brian and Spencer, played in School of Rock, toured as an All-Star, and with her amazing voice, was a great addition for background vocals, and lead on songs, like Janice Joplin's Piece of My Heart.
Luke, is an insane drummer, way beyond his years! He jumped in the day of our Heartland gig and fit our band like a glove!
Josh, our newest band member is an amazing keyboardist who adds to our funky jams !
We have an amazing horn section, Manuel Canchola- Sax
Andrew Rehayem- Trumpet, that joins us at larger gigs.
At each gig that we play, we are hired for another and at our city gigs, we receive cards from producers, studio managers, establishments, and agents.
We are talented, energetic, young musicians who love to jam and are enthusiastically ready to entertain you and your guests!
(Although we are not 21, Ian's parents attend festivals and will be our guardians. Most of us are in college currently. We also have parents at all of our bar gigs.)
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