on touring w/ mike and (i)nc...
i was only gone for 10 days but it seems like longer. a tornado in colorado delayed my home-coming, and i rolled in late, a bit sick..
i wasn't impressed for my first show in Petaluma, at the run-down and grafitti-covered Phoenix. it reminded me of Gilman, 6 bands, and it lasted bloody forever. Amanda showed me how to do things, and it did feel good to see Phyte again, and meet the INC guys. the opening band on tour, We are Wolves, are from Montreal and truly awesome. Trail of the Dead was good as well, tho i've never been into them. i was able to sleep in my bed that night. It was good to see Brooke at the Fillmore, and J.C.'s ex-wife was in town, it was lots of fun. I didn't have to work much at that show, so i just enjoyed myself. i got used to being on the road pretty quickly. 4 people to a room at night, up early and just 3 minutes or so each to shower, than out to the van, than off for food and ideally caffeine. everyone teased lots and made inappropriate jokes. eventually i got into it too. The swedes were awesome! funny and friendly and generally good to be around. we played lots of good and bad music in the van. I got to know Phyte better, he's an amazing person, and Scott. Morrissey and Har Mar Superstar were at the L.A. show, and Fred came by as well, then we went to the Knitting Factory where i saw Fischer and Hayden!
The Vegas show was nuts. As we rolled over the Nevada state line, I trilled happily and made everyone take notice, since that's where Dan is from and i'd never been there before. It always weirds me out to be in the desert. It's gorgeous but so different from what i grew up with. We passed a car accident that had just happened. bunches of people were running to this bashed up car that was smoking. there was someone passed out in the driver's seat.
The House of Blues is connected to a casino, so us merch folks had to sell there, watching people gamble, smoke, and get drinks from coctail waitresses in bunny costumes. i started to get to know Alex, WAW's manager, better at that show. we talked a bunch and he's sweet, smart and quirky. Phyte's friend Robert met up w/ us at that show, and he is another amazing person. he travels around the northeast building obstacle courses for kids in places like Maine or New Hampshire. he hasn't had a home in 6 months, his job pays for hotels for him. he gets to be outside all the time.
The San Diego show was a ton of fun, Alex and this otehr girl and i had miniature dance parties behind the merch table. Everyone kept bringing me drinks, i always felt very taken cared for. We had to leave and therefore didn't get to swim at 3am w/ the other folks. we headed to Phoenix, the last one w/ Trail of Dead. it went well, i got a marriage proposal from a drunken glam-rawker who wouldn't let it go.