Tour Archives
Van Helsing
10/27/07 – 6 PM – On the road to Bend
We said goodbye to Tim and Kim this morning after we ate the delicious breakfast they prepared for us. We know we've really lucked out when we get not just couches but beds, and not just beds but breakfast. Then we headed southeast towards Bend. The scenery is beautiful – the sun sinking behind distant purple mountains, winding roads overlooking orange gorges, vast brown fields on either side. There was one ridge that looked just like the one where Luke and Obi-Wan stood and overlooked Mos Eisley spaceport. However, I was somewhat disappointed when we stopped at a gas station somewhere near Warm Springs and we had to pump our own gas. WTF, Oregon?
10/28/07 - 11:30 AM - Beth's house in Eugene
Our van stopped running on the way to Bend last night. We made it to Bend, but we didn't get to play. We aren't going to make it to Arcata tonight. We've never had to cancel a show before, and we're really bummed about it. Hopefully the van will get fixed tomorrow, it won't be too expensive (fat chance), and we'll play the last three shows of the tour. Heartfelt apologies to the folks who wanted to see us in Bend and Arcata - we wanted to see you, too. And we will eventually.
In better news, we've added a Pittsburgh homecoming show on Saturday, Nov. 10th w/ Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Details on the shows page.
We said goodbye to Tim and Kim this morning after we ate the delicious breakfast they prepared for us. We know we've really lucked out when we get not just couches but beds, and not just beds but breakfast. Then we headed southeast towards Bend. The scenery is beautiful – the sun sinking behind distant purple mountains, winding roads overlooking orange gorges, vast brown fields on either side. There was one ridge that looked just like the one where Luke and Obi-Wan stood and overlooked Mos Eisley spaceport. However, I was somewhat disappointed when we stopped at a gas station somewhere near Warm Springs and we had to pump our own gas. WTF, Oregon?
10/28/07 - 11:30 AM - Beth's house in Eugene
Our van stopped running on the way to Bend last night. We made it to Bend, but we didn't get to play. We aren't going to make it to Arcata tonight. We've never had to cancel a show before, and we're really bummed about it. Hopefully the van will get fixed tomorrow, it won't be too expensive (fat chance), and we'll play the last three shows of the tour. Heartfelt apologies to the folks who wanted to see us in Bend and Arcata - we wanted to see you, too. And we will eventually.
In better news, we've added a Pittsburgh homecoming show on Saturday, Nov. 10th w/ Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Details on the shows page.
What a curious life we have found here tonight
10/27/07 – 12:18 AM - Tim and Kim's, Olympia
Today was a long day. After waking up with the daylight in our van and killing some time at a cafe, we headed to the University of Washington campus for an in-studio at their radio station. We ended up waiting around for awhile due to some miscommunication about timing, but fortunately the folks at the station were cool, so we chewed the fat, shot the shit, talked about The Mighty Boosh, etc. We played a few songs acoustically on the air, which turned out to be really awkward and unsatisfying, which we chalked up to the early hour and the positioning of the microphones and the sound in the room and such. But we had a good time despite wishing we could've given some better renditions.
Then it was off to the tire shop to try and repair our leaking tire (“Affordable Tire and Brake? I feel like I'm about to tire and break.”) Much to our chagrin, the tire was irreparable, and one of the others was very close to falling apart as well. So a bunch of money that we don't have later, our van has four new tires on it.
Then we were off to Olympia, which took a lot longer than it ought to have due to bad traffic. Blech! But the 4th Ave. Tavern was the first venue on this tour that fed us, so that was a big bonus. Then came the show, which ended up being a lot of fun. There's a big back room for music at the 4th Ave. that we feared would be totally empty when we played after we found out that the local band had canceled (again!) and we'd be the only ones playing. But apparently we'd gotten a nice writeup in the local paper (albeit one that implied we were a 22-person band), and so there were two couples who had showed up to hear us on that basis. They showed more moxy, more verve, more chutzpah, than 90% of the people we've ever played for, and so we all ended up having a great time, despite our extreme levels of fatigue. The sound onstage was really good, too, so we tore through every song we knew (and even played Artichokes twice, by request) and it all felt good. Even more fortunately for us, Tim and Kim, two of the aforementioned enthusiastic audience members, took us into their home. No sleeping in the van! Woohoo! So all in all, it was a successful day. Tomorrow we head to Bend, where we get to see Beth again and we won't have to pump our own gas.
Today was a long day. After waking up with the daylight in our van and killing some time at a cafe, we headed to the University of Washington campus for an in-studio at their radio station. We ended up waiting around for awhile due to some miscommunication about timing, but fortunately the folks at the station were cool, so we chewed the fat, shot the shit, talked about The Mighty Boosh, etc. We played a few songs acoustically on the air, which turned out to be really awkward and unsatisfying, which we chalked up to the early hour and the positioning of the microphones and the sound in the room and such. But we had a good time despite wishing we could've given some better renditions.
Then it was off to the tire shop to try and repair our leaking tire (“Affordable Tire and Brake? I feel like I'm about to tire and break.”) Much to our chagrin, the tire was irreparable, and one of the others was very close to falling apart as well. So a bunch of money that we don't have later, our van has four new tires on it.
Then we were off to Olympia, which took a lot longer than it ought to have due to bad traffic. Blech! But the 4th Ave. Tavern was the first venue on this tour that fed us, so that was a big bonus. Then came the show, which ended up being a lot of fun. There's a big back room for music at the 4th Ave. that we feared would be totally empty when we played after we found out that the local band had canceled (again!) and we'd be the only ones playing. But apparently we'd gotten a nice writeup in the local paper (albeit one that implied we were a 22-person band), and so there were two couples who had showed up to hear us on that basis. They showed more moxy, more verve, more chutzpah, than 90% of the people we've ever played for, and so we all ended up having a great time, despite our extreme levels of fatigue. The sound onstage was really good, too, so we tore through every song we knew (and even played Artichokes twice, by request) and it all felt good. Even more fortunately for us, Tim and Kim, two of the aforementioned enthusiastic audience members, took us into their home. No sleeping in the van! Woohoo! So all in all, it was a successful day. Tomorrow we head to Bend, where we get to see Beth again and we won't have to pump our own gas.
I Have Been Floated
10/26/07 - A Cafe in Seattle - 9:30 AM
Last night in Seattle was a great show. There was a vibe. Portland - no vibe. Seattle - vibe. It's as simple as that. Flatpack did a great set of Blur covers, then we played/jumped/sweated (although apparently I'm the only one who sweats), then Syn Wagon gave a rollicking performance that brought to mind the rock and roll side of Simon and Garfunkel. I offered my Les Paul to the guitar player when he broke a string, because boy have I been there. I'm on a great streak of not breaking strings though.
Unfortunately, we were unable to secure a place to stay, so we found a place on the street and slept in Van Halen. I think I speak for all of us when I say I hope that's the only time that happens.
But we found a cafe, brushed our teeth, ate some bagels with schmear, and now it's time to do some kind of interview for Rainy Dawg Radio, then we're off to Olympia.
Last night in Seattle was a great show. There was a vibe. Portland - no vibe. Seattle - vibe. It's as simple as that. Flatpack did a great set of Blur covers, then we played/jumped/sweated (although apparently I'm the only one who sweats), then Syn Wagon gave a rollicking performance that brought to mind the rock and roll side of Simon and Garfunkel. I offered my Les Paul to the guitar player when he broke a string, because boy have I been there. I'm on a great streak of not breaking strings though.
Unfortunately, we were unable to secure a place to stay, so we found a place on the street and slept in Van Halen. I think I speak for all of us when I say I hope that's the only time that happens.
But we found a cafe, brushed our teeth, ate some bagels with schmear, and now it's time to do some kind of interview for Rainy Dawg Radio, then we're off to Olympia.
Wearing rags and feathers from Salvation army counters
10/24/07 – 10 AM – Hiram and Melissa's house
My apologies, dear readers, for not updating in the past few days. Believe it or not, sometimes there's no wireless internet. Let's recap:
We stayed with Beth and Megan in Eugene and ate delicious food and listened to good music. That night we played at the Black Forest, where the bill puzzlingly consisted of two touring bands and no locals on a Sunday night. However, the sound was quite good and the other band, Acute, were awesome. They did a cover of Chelsea Hotel No. 2 that made my night. Making connections with people on the road, especially other like-minded musicians, is one of the best parts of going on tour.
The next day we went to Dundee to stay with the Gildens, where we consumed more delicious food and drink and generally recuperated after playing six shows in six days. All the nights of strenuous rocking/drinking followed by awkward sleeping certainly take their toll. We also had an opportunity to do a short acoustic set for a group of psychology students/professors, who listened to us very politely. Once again, performing in a space with other people unmediated by microphones and amps and monitors is most enjoyable and reassures me that I can, in fact, sing. All that stuff between me and the sound and the audience can be such a pain.
Then yesterday, after taking another beautiful stroll through the vineyards of Dundee, we left for Portland. We hung out at Powell's for awhile, then we went to Corey's place and totally hung out some more. Then we headed over to Kelly's Olympian, where we were impressed to see our names on a big marquee. We were 2 hours early for the gig, though. Sometimes it's an awkward position to end up in when you're in a strange city with a few hours to kill, but you don't want to move your vehicle or spend any money. We ended up taking a walk back to Powell's and then back to the venue again, and by that time things were almost ready to get started.
The Harvey Girls, everyone's favorite metafilter supergroup, played first and impressed with their three-part harmonies and banjo-picking. We were up next. But playing our set was, contrary to my expectation, not much fun at all. The sound on stage was really bad, although I've decided to trust reports that the sound in the audience was good. It's hard, though, to get into playing when the mix you're hearing sounds lifeless and crappy. You have no choice but to trust the sound guy, although you've only just met him. Sometimes you'll think you sound great and then people tell you afterwards that the sound was bad. But sometimes it's the inverse. Anyway, Petrea and Corey were kind enough to come out, and the trumpet player from the Minor Thirds thankfully brought a little enthusiasm to the room during our set. Those same intervallically-named lads and lasses finished out the evening, and by the end not much was on our minds but bed. We headed back to the home of Hiram and Melissa (a.k.a. 2/3 The Harvey Girls) and claimed a couch, an air mattress, and some floorspace.
10/25/07 – 3 PM – On the road to Seattle
We said goodbye to M&H yesterday after a delicious breakfast at the Cup and Saucer. Then we hung out at Corey's place, drank some special beer, and watched The Mighty Boosh (I'm Old Greg!). Afterwards we had to split up to find the van (which we recently dubbed Van Halen), but find it we did, despite the gray Portland drizzle that had beset us. We hadn't yet secured a place to stay, but luckily for us we had not yet exhausted Eugene and Petrea's hospitality, so we headed back to their place in Dundee for another excellent meal and restful night. Of course we also wanted to see Simon and Bear again. Now we've hit the road once more, and after making a stop at Burgerville for lunch and at Corey's to pick up my again-forgotten capo (!), we're heading to Seattle for our 12th and northernmost performance.
Finally, take a look at this awesome take on February Third by a talented Jr. Arch Enemy.
My apologies, dear readers, for not updating in the past few days. Believe it or not, sometimes there's no wireless internet. Let's recap:
We stayed with Beth and Megan in Eugene and ate delicious food and listened to good music. That night we played at the Black Forest, where the bill puzzlingly consisted of two touring bands and no locals on a Sunday night. However, the sound was quite good and the other band, Acute, were awesome. They did a cover of Chelsea Hotel No. 2 that made my night. Making connections with people on the road, especially other like-minded musicians, is one of the best parts of going on tour.
The next day we went to Dundee to stay with the Gildens, where we consumed more delicious food and drink and generally recuperated after playing six shows in six days. All the nights of strenuous rocking/drinking followed by awkward sleeping certainly take their toll. We also had an opportunity to do a short acoustic set for a group of psychology students/professors, who listened to us very politely. Once again, performing in a space with other people unmediated by microphones and amps and monitors is most enjoyable and reassures me that I can, in fact, sing. All that stuff between me and the sound and the audience can be such a pain.
Then yesterday, after taking another beautiful stroll through the vineyards of Dundee, we left for Portland. We hung out at Powell's for awhile, then we went to Corey's place and totally hung out some more. Then we headed over to Kelly's Olympian, where we were impressed to see our names on a big marquee. We were 2 hours early for the gig, though. Sometimes it's an awkward position to end up in when you're in a strange city with a few hours to kill, but you don't want to move your vehicle or spend any money. We ended up taking a walk back to Powell's and then back to the venue again, and by that time things were almost ready to get started.
The Harvey Girls, everyone's favorite metafilter supergroup, played first and impressed with their three-part harmonies and banjo-picking. We were up next. But playing our set was, contrary to my expectation, not much fun at all. The sound on stage was really bad, although I've decided to trust reports that the sound in the audience was good. It's hard, though, to get into playing when the mix you're hearing sounds lifeless and crappy. You have no choice but to trust the sound guy, although you've only just met him. Sometimes you'll think you sound great and then people tell you afterwards that the sound was bad. But sometimes it's the inverse. Anyway, Petrea and Corey were kind enough to come out, and the trumpet player from the Minor Thirds thankfully brought a little enthusiasm to the room during our set. Those same intervallically-named lads and lasses finished out the evening, and by the end not much was on our minds but bed. We headed back to the home of Hiram and Melissa (a.k.a. 2/3 The Harvey Girls) and claimed a couch, an air mattress, and some floorspace.
10/25/07 – 3 PM – On the road to Seattle
We said goodbye to M&H yesterday after a delicious breakfast at the Cup and Saucer. Then we hung out at Corey's place, drank some special beer, and watched The Mighty Boosh (I'm Old Greg!). Afterwards we had to split up to find the van (which we recently dubbed Van Halen), but find it we did, despite the gray Portland drizzle that had beset us. We hadn't yet secured a place to stay, but luckily for us we had not yet exhausted Eugene and Petrea's hospitality, so we headed back to their place in Dundee for another excellent meal and restful night. Of course we also wanted to see Simon and Bear again. Now we've hit the road once more, and after making a stop at Burgerville for lunch and at Corey's to pick up my again-forgotten capo (!), we're heading to Seattle for our 12th and northernmost performance.
Finally, take a look at this awesome take on February Third by a talented Jr. Arch Enemy.
It was half my fault and half the atmosphere
10/20/07 – 5:30 PM – On the road to Redding
We've left the Salem House, but not its awesome inhabitants, who will be playing with us again tonight. Chico seemed like a cool town with a lot going on, but I'm confident that there was no better place to be last night than where we were. Today we had lunch at the Pita Pit and heard lots of great stories from Rick. Now we're passing some nice pastoral scenery on CA-36. If you showed me the view from this road, I'd probably never guess where it was. Lots of wide open fields and farmland. The hand-lettered signs on the side of the road read “Julia's Fruit Stand,” “MEAT 400 FT.,” and “We process deer.”
8:00 PM – The Red White and Brew Pub
We arrived at the venue a few hours before the show. It's really tiny and shares a wall with a Subway. This whole country is becoming a sandwich shop. Anyway, we ate at the Subway and it turned out that the guys working there who looked like maybe they were in a band are in a band. They were cool, and Mink traded them a CD for his sub. Then I sat on top of the van and played Magnetic Fields songs for awhile until my hands got cold. Now I'm connected to the Quality Inn network. I like seeing the names of different wireless networks. “Les Filles.” “Vintage.” “Jah647.”
10/21/07 – 12:00 PM – On the road to Eugene
Last night was just what we needed. It was the kind of night we've been waiting for since we've been out here. Nights like that are often in the towns where you don't really expect it – Williamsport, PA, or Redding, CA. The bar was packed. It was the kind of room where you can look everyone in the eye when you play, and it was the kind of night where they look back. The whole bill was great – we had been worried last month that there was going to be no one playing but us, but it ended up with seven acts, and the crowd never dispersed. John Tre did a great stripped-down folk set with harmonica, and then Duologue played some groovy art-rock, then we played, then we were treated to another great set from Boy Elephant and Belda Beast, then the Hummingbirds did some foot-stomping alt-country, and then there was another acoustic duo. People came because they knew one band, but they stayed and danced for the whole night. We all had fun, but no one tore it up quite as much as one Mr. Jimbo James Josephs, who sat it with both Boy Elephant and The Hummingbirds and absolutely killed. We all made some good new friends (especially JJ). Then we stayed with Ben, who provided excellent accommodations, to say the least.
Now we're heading to Eugene to stay with Beth, who tells us she has a pie in the oven. Also, our ¼ tank of gas lasts for a really long time. It's like the miracle of Hannuka.
We've left the Salem House, but not its awesome inhabitants, who will be playing with us again tonight. Chico seemed like a cool town with a lot going on, but I'm confident that there was no better place to be last night than where we were. Today we had lunch at the Pita Pit and heard lots of great stories from Rick. Now we're passing some nice pastoral scenery on CA-36. If you showed me the view from this road, I'd probably never guess where it was. Lots of wide open fields and farmland. The hand-lettered signs on the side of the road read “Julia's Fruit Stand,” “MEAT 400 FT.,” and “We process deer.”
8:00 PM – The Red White and Brew Pub
We arrived at the venue a few hours before the show. It's really tiny and shares a wall with a Subway. This whole country is becoming a sandwich shop. Anyway, we ate at the Subway and it turned out that the guys working there who looked like maybe they were in a band are in a band. They were cool, and Mink traded them a CD for his sub. Then I sat on top of the van and played Magnetic Fields songs for awhile until my hands got cold. Now I'm connected to the Quality Inn network. I like seeing the names of different wireless networks. “Les Filles.” “Vintage.” “Jah647.”
10/21/07 – 12:00 PM – On the road to Eugene
Last night was just what we needed. It was the kind of night we've been waiting for since we've been out here. Nights like that are often in the towns where you don't really expect it – Williamsport, PA, or Redding, CA. The bar was packed. It was the kind of room where you can look everyone in the eye when you play, and it was the kind of night where they look back. The whole bill was great – we had been worried last month that there was going to be no one playing but us, but it ended up with seven acts, and the crowd never dispersed. John Tre did a great stripped-down folk set with harmonica, and then Duologue played some groovy art-rock, then we played, then we were treated to another great set from Boy Elephant and Belda Beast, then the Hummingbirds did some foot-stomping alt-country, and then there was another acoustic duo. People came because they knew one band, but they stayed and danced for the whole night. We all had fun, but no one tore it up quite as much as one Mr. Jimbo James Josephs, who sat it with both Boy Elephant and The Hummingbirds and absolutely killed. We all made some good new friends (especially JJ). Then we stayed with Ben, who provided excellent accommodations, to say the least.
Now we're heading to Eugene to stay with Beth, who tells us she has a pie in the oven. Also, our ¼ tank of gas lasts for a really long time. It's like the miracle of Hannuka.
Castaways and Cutouts
10/20/07 – 12:30 PM – The Salem House
We played in San Francisco two nights ago. The Edinburgh Castle had a really nice little room for music. It's nice when there's a separate room for playing and you're not just in front of people who want to drink and not listen. Wayward Sway played first and put on a great Americana set, with vocal harmonies and mandolin and banjo. Then came Chris Koza's band, who were also lots of fun. Then we played to a small but appreciative audience. We had some sound issues – I've been trying to cover for the lack of bass with my guitar, but it's hard to do that and keep things from getting muddy. It was a fun show, though. I got to perform Julia in front of Julia for the first time, so that was a special occasion. Maggie Morris, whom I finally got to meet, played last. She was great, as was Nick, her wildman drummer/hurricane.
We stayed in quite comfortable quarters at Andrew's place, and he even made pasta with homemade sauce for us the next day. Then we got in the van and wandered around the city for awhile. The nice thing about always being lost is that you can never make a wrong turn. We went to the Golden Gate Bridge vista point and gazed across the bay. It was quite beautiful.
Then we were off to Chico, where we played our first ever house show at The Salem House (which was coincidentally their first show as well). Everyone is super-cool and friendly here. Erin Lizardo played first to a completely rapt audience. If you're into Joanna, Devendra, Cat Power, or NMH, check her out. Then came Belda Beast, who also kicked my ass with a really great ensemble sound. They've got a great collective thing going that I'm totally jealous of. They set up the show, and we're playing with them again tonight. We played last, and it was fun, but unfortunately a lot of folks had gotten really drunk and/or left by then. More unfortunately, my string-breaking ability seems to have advanced to the point where all I have to do is look at a guitar and the buggers start to snap. I broke the B on my guitar and then I broke the D on Zach's guitar. Blech! I swear I'm not using razor blades for picks. Oh well. We had a good time anyway.
Tonight we go to Redding to play one of the final shows at the Red White and Brew Pub, then tomorrow it's Eugene, where I finally get to see Beth.
We played in San Francisco two nights ago. The Edinburgh Castle had a really nice little room for music. It's nice when there's a separate room for playing and you're not just in front of people who want to drink and not listen. Wayward Sway played first and put on a great Americana set, with vocal harmonies and mandolin and banjo. Then came Chris Koza's band, who were also lots of fun. Then we played to a small but appreciative audience. We had some sound issues – I've been trying to cover for the lack of bass with my guitar, but it's hard to do that and keep things from getting muddy. It was a fun show, though. I got to perform Julia in front of Julia for the first time, so that was a special occasion. Maggie Morris, whom I finally got to meet, played last. She was great, as was Nick, her wildman drummer/hurricane.
We stayed in quite comfortable quarters at Andrew's place, and he even made pasta with homemade sauce for us the next day. Then we got in the van and wandered around the city for awhile. The nice thing about always being lost is that you can never make a wrong turn. We went to the Golden Gate Bridge vista point and gazed across the bay. It was quite beautiful.
Then we were off to Chico, where we played our first ever house show at The Salem House (which was coincidentally their first show as well). Everyone is super-cool and friendly here. Erin Lizardo played first to a completely rapt audience. If you're into Joanna, Devendra, Cat Power, or NMH, check her out. Then came Belda Beast, who also kicked my ass with a really great ensemble sound. They've got a great collective thing going that I'm totally jealous of. They set up the show, and we're playing with them again tonight. We played last, and it was fun, but unfortunately a lot of folks had gotten really drunk and/or left by then. More unfortunately, my string-breaking ability seems to have advanced to the point where all I have to do is look at a guitar and the buggers start to snap. I broke the B on my guitar and then I broke the D on Zach's guitar. Blech! I swear I'm not using razor blades for picks. Oh well. We had a good time anyway.
Tonight we go to Redding to play one of the final shows at the Red White and Brew Pub, then tomorrow it's Eugene, where I finally get to see Beth.
This ain't no party -- this ain't no disco
10/17/07 - 2 PM - LA
This morning we ate some tasty burritos while taking in a telenovela and drinking coca-cola at Tony's on S. Los Angeles St. Now we're heading to Sam Ash on Sunset so I can use my employee discount to buy yet another capo (and bring my Sam Ash store visitation total to 3). DW and Dawn suggested some sights to see, and Beth wants some pastries from Canter's, and Joe has to meet his friend big D, and then we have to head to San Luis Obispo for a late show, where we'll hopefully be playing for humans.
10/18/07 - 12:15 AM - San Luis Obispo
There's a sort of fascinating dynamic at work when we play in random bars. If you ask me, it's a litmus test for coolness. Everyone in the bar who isn't cool will be gone by four songs in. If you ever have a bar full of lame people that you want emptied, just get us in there to play. There were a few cool people tonight in SLO though, and we had a good time together. The coolest one by far was our new friend PJ, who is most graciously hosting us for the night.
We had a bit of a scare when we turned up at the venue (which had two whiteboards out front that both read: “Tonight: Steve Bulberg and the Arch Enemy”) and found out that they didn't have any microphones, which they somehow forgot to tell us. It's ok, they said, because the opening act is going to bring some. But the opening act never showed up. Fortunately, I convinced the sound guy at a venue down the street to loan us an SM58 and a stand and an XLR cable (the latter of which didn't work, but we had another one in the van.) Whew.
In other bummer news, my guitar seems to have some sort of uncanny sense of when would be the worst time to have a string break, and that's always when it happens. So tonight saw my third broken high E of the tour. They were new strings, too, and heavy ones (.11-.50).
But it's not all bad out here. One of the funny things about being in a position like ours is that you drive hundreds of miles for the ostensible purpose of playing a show, but sometimes the show ends up being the worst part of the day, and the fun part is what you do before or after. Last night we drove to PJ's place in Pismo beach. We took our instruments on a trek through the dark underbrush and emerged on the dunes, where we sat down and had a lovely singalong. It reminded me of how nice it is to sing and play when you're right next to your fellow musicians and you're not kissing a microphone and pushing too hard on everything but still unable hear yourself, and when the only sound you're competing with is the faint rushing of the ocean and not the noisy din of indifferent bargoers.
Ah well. Another day, another show. No one can tell me that I never tried. So now it's time to sleep on another couch and tomorrow it's San Francisco.
10/18/07 – 11:45 AM - California 1
“And the road a-winding goes
from Golden Gate to roaring cliffside
and the light is softly low
as our hearts become sweetly untied
'neath the sun
California one”
On the plus side, the view is as nice as Colin Meloy would have you believe. On the not-so-plus side, gas is $3.85 a gallon. Sigh. It sure is pretty, though. We made a stop in Monterey for a bite to eat. It's nice here. We walked along the beach and looked at kelp and listened to the distant squawking of seals. We scrawled “S G A E” in the sand and watched the waves rush in and wash it away.
Now we're out on the road again (on the road again) and we're driving by vast fields of artichokes. Bless their little hearts.
This morning we ate some tasty burritos while taking in a telenovela and drinking coca-cola at Tony's on S. Los Angeles St. Now we're heading to Sam Ash on Sunset so I can use my employee discount to buy yet another capo (and bring my Sam Ash store visitation total to 3). DW and Dawn suggested some sights to see, and Beth wants some pastries from Canter's, and Joe has to meet his friend big D, and then we have to head to San Luis Obispo for a late show, where we'll hopefully be playing for humans.
10/18/07 - 12:15 AM - San Luis Obispo
There's a sort of fascinating dynamic at work when we play in random bars. If you ask me, it's a litmus test for coolness. Everyone in the bar who isn't cool will be gone by four songs in. If you ever have a bar full of lame people that you want emptied, just get us in there to play. There were a few cool people tonight in SLO though, and we had a good time together. The coolest one by far was our new friend PJ, who is most graciously hosting us for the night.
We had a bit of a scare when we turned up at the venue (which had two whiteboards out front that both read: “Tonight: Steve Bulberg and the Arch Enemy”) and found out that they didn't have any microphones, which they somehow forgot to tell us. It's ok, they said, because the opening act is going to bring some. But the opening act never showed up. Fortunately, I convinced the sound guy at a venue down the street to loan us an SM58 and a stand and an XLR cable (the latter of which didn't work, but we had another one in the van.) Whew.
In other bummer news, my guitar seems to have some sort of uncanny sense of when would be the worst time to have a string break, and that's always when it happens. So tonight saw my third broken high E of the tour. They were new strings, too, and heavy ones (.11-.50).
But it's not all bad out here. One of the funny things about being in a position like ours is that you drive hundreds of miles for the ostensible purpose of playing a show, but sometimes the show ends up being the worst part of the day, and the fun part is what you do before or after. Last night we drove to PJ's place in Pismo beach. We took our instruments on a trek through the dark underbrush and emerged on the dunes, where we sat down and had a lovely singalong. It reminded me of how nice it is to sing and play when you're right next to your fellow musicians and you're not kissing a microphone and pushing too hard on everything but still unable hear yourself, and when the only sound you're competing with is the faint rushing of the ocean and not the noisy din of indifferent bargoers.
Ah well. Another day, another show. No one can tell me that I never tried. So now it's time to sleep on another couch and tomorrow it's San Francisco.
10/18/07 – 11:45 AM - California 1
“And the road a-winding goes
from Golden Gate to roaring cliffside
and the light is softly low
as our hearts become sweetly untied
'neath the sun
California one”
On the plus side, the view is as nice as Colin Meloy would have you believe. On the not-so-plus side, gas is $3.85 a gallon. Sigh. It sure is pretty, though. We made a stop in Monterey for a bite to eat. It's nice here. We walked along the beach and looked at kelp and listened to the distant squawking of seals. We scrawled “S G A E” in the sand and watched the waves rush in and wash it away.
Now we're out on the road again (on the road again) and we're driving by vast fields of artichokes. Bless their little hearts.
How to Overcome Jadedness
10/16/07 - 3:30 PM - On the road to LA
We got up this morning, caught a few episodes of the X-Files marathon on the Sci-Fi channel, and left Esteban's place. It was at that point that I realized I'd lost my second capo of the tour. After leaving the first one clipped to a mic stand in Las Vegas, I bought a new one and started keeping it in my pocket all the time. I guess I must've been squeezing it like one of those stress-relief hand squeezer things while riding in Esteban's car to get our van back, and it seems that that's where it remains. Another one bites the dust!
We just got a new spare tire for our van to replace the one that blew out in Arizona. The bill made us sad, but Eric's grandparents' pumpkin bread helped lift our spirits a little (Don't you love grandparents? I wish we could stay with somebody's grandparents in every city.) But I'm sure we'll sell a bunch of stuff soon so that we can continue to eat and put gas in the van. Fingers crossed.
In other news, I'm getting very good at minesweeper. The US military should hire me or something.
10/16/07 - 11 PM - Hollywood Blvd.
What do you do in LA if you're a person? Don't ask me. We had a good time playing at the Knitting Factory, though. I think both people in the audience had a good time, too. It was ok not having a bassist. I just turned up the bass knob on my amp, and voila! (and viola!) We rocked it pretty hard. Unfortunately the schedule for the evening was really tight and things got started late (even though it was quite early in the evening), and Devon Williams and his band only got through a few songs. We didn't get too many either, but we hit most of the key points. I got 2 Stone IPAs and we made $11, so at least that's better than San Marcos (which was 2 Stone IPAs and $0, for those keeping score). I got to chat a bit with Mindy, the friendly bartender, about our mutual friends Freud and Marx and Lacan. It's kind of a weird feeling to be all sweaty and tired and rocked out when it's only 9 PM. We ate at Mel's diner and looked at various flashing lights and Chinese theaters and sidewalk tiles that read "Bee Gees" and "Matt Damon." Now we're on our way to Devon's place. Tomorrow is SLO, where at least we're guaranteed to make enough for a tank of gas. I don't know where we'll be spending the night though. Suspense!
We got up this morning, caught a few episodes of the X-Files marathon on the Sci-Fi channel, and left Esteban's place. It was at that point that I realized I'd lost my second capo of the tour. After leaving the first one clipped to a mic stand in Las Vegas, I bought a new one and started keeping it in my pocket all the time. I guess I must've been squeezing it like one of those stress-relief hand squeezer things while riding in Esteban's car to get our van back, and it seems that that's where it remains. Another one bites the dust!
We just got a new spare tire for our van to replace the one that blew out in Arizona. The bill made us sad, but Eric's grandparents' pumpkin bread helped lift our spirits a little (Don't you love grandparents? I wish we could stay with somebody's grandparents in every city.) But I'm sure we'll sell a bunch of stuff soon so that we can continue to eat and put gas in the van. Fingers crossed.
In other news, I'm getting very good at minesweeper. The US military should hire me or something.
10/16/07 - 11 PM - Hollywood Blvd.
What do you do in LA if you're a person? Don't ask me. We had a good time playing at the Knitting Factory, though. I think both people in the audience had a good time, too. It was ok not having a bassist. I just turned up the bass knob on my amp, and voila! (and viola!) We rocked it pretty hard. Unfortunately the schedule for the evening was really tight and things got started late (even though it was quite early in the evening), and Devon Williams and his band only got through a few songs. We didn't get too many either, but we hit most of the key points. I got 2 Stone IPAs and we made $11, so at least that's better than San Marcos (which was 2 Stone IPAs and $0, for those keeping score). I got to chat a bit with Mindy, the friendly bartender, about our mutual friends Freud and Marx and Lacan. It's kind of a weird feeling to be all sweaty and tired and rocked out when it's only 9 PM. We ate at Mel's diner and looked at various flashing lights and Chinese theaters and sidewalk tiles that read "Bee Gees" and "Matt Damon." Now we're on our way to Devon's place. Tomorrow is SLO, where at least we're guaranteed to make enough for a tank of gas. I don't know where we'll be spending the night though. Suspense!
The dreamers ride against the men of action
10/15/07 - 5 PM - Esteban's house, San Diego
Well, today has been a nice relaxing day, except for the fact that we have no idea where our van is, which contains all of our instruments. We know that our bassist has it, but he's gone AWOL and seems to be holding the van hostage. So at the moment we're trying to decide at what point to report our instruments stolen, and we have no idea if we're going to have a vehicle or a bassist for the rest of our tour. Being in a band is exciting!
But we did go to an excellent pub today and drank a delicious double IPA with the excellent name of "Hop Juice." Then we took a little jaunt to the Pacific and hung out with some seagulls and bought postcards. It was very chilly, but quite picturesque. Now we go back to waiting.
10/15/07 - 8:30 PM - Esteban's house, San Diego
Fortunately, after some hours of waiting for communication and a trek across town to an Italian restaurant, we have reclaimed our vehicle. Unfortunately, Donald Norman had to be dishonorably discharged from the Arch Enemies. But that's life, and so we ride on in our new sleek power trio format. Tomorrow's the big LA show!
Well, today has been a nice relaxing day, except for the fact that we have no idea where our van is, which contains all of our instruments. We know that our bassist has it, but he's gone AWOL and seems to be holding the van hostage. So at the moment we're trying to decide at what point to report our instruments stolen, and we have no idea if we're going to have a vehicle or a bassist for the rest of our tour. Being in a band is exciting!
But we did go to an excellent pub today and drank a delicious double IPA with the excellent name of "Hop Juice." Then we took a little jaunt to the Pacific and hung out with some seagulls and bought postcards. It was very chilly, but quite picturesque. Now we go back to waiting.
10/15/07 - 8:30 PM - Esteban's house, San Diego
Fortunately, after some hours of waiting for communication and a trek across town to an Italian restaurant, we have reclaimed our vehicle. Unfortunately, Donald Norman had to be dishonorably discharged from the Arch Enemies. But that's life, and so we ride on in our new sleek power trio format. Tomorrow's the big LA show!
Tumbleweeds
10/14/07 - Somewhere west of Gila Bend, Arizona
I've been places in the past that I would call the middle of nowhere. Driving from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia takes one through some sparsely populated areas. But if that's the middle of nowhere, this might as well be the moon. There's nothing here but dirt and sun. We blew out a tire somewhere on I-8, and now we're waiting for the repair service, which we can only hope will arrive before we get fried.
We played at Dry River in Tucson last night. It's one of those all-volunteer collective space type deals. I've always admired the principle of such places, but I feel like in practice they can be hit or miss. I liked Dry River a lot, though. A bunch of cool people turned up and we had a good time. There was waltzing during Hideaway and even a perfectly timed cartwheel by one fellow in the audience during The Spy. Carrie, the girl who organized the night, was great. The only bummer was the hipsters.
I'm not typically one to complain about hipsters. It usually strikes me as vague and cliched and curmudgeonly to gripe about such things. But what I realized last night is that being a hipster is not about what clothes you wear or how you style your hair or what music you listen to. In fact, a hipster is someone who goes to a show at a tiny music venue not because they want to listen to music, but because they think it will make them look cool. Not to experience something new or to connect with people, but as part of some kind of fashion statement. They stand around outside and smoke cigarettes and pose until the one band they already know plays and then they leave. If you or your friends do this, you are a hipster, and you are lame. Being stoic and jaded is not cool. It is the opposite of cool. And that's all I have to say about that.
10/15/07 - Esteban's house, San Diego
It took us 9 hours to get to San Marcos last night. Esteban and Hippie Jon came out, which was great. There were supposed to be five bands on the bill, but somehow it turned into just us and one local. Maybe the promoter could've told us what happened, but he never showed up. Despite that, everything seemed like it was going to go really well when we finally arrived. But you can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't judge a show by the way a room looks when the local band is playing, because everyone came out only to see them and will leave as soon as they're done. What is wrong with you people? But I digress. At least the sound was really good onstage.
Anyway, today is our day off, so we're hanging out with Esteban and getting ready to play LA with the talented Devon Williams.
I've been places in the past that I would call the middle of nowhere. Driving from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia takes one through some sparsely populated areas. But if that's the middle of nowhere, this might as well be the moon. There's nothing here but dirt and sun. We blew out a tire somewhere on I-8, and now we're waiting for the repair service, which we can only hope will arrive before we get fried.
We played at Dry River in Tucson last night. It's one of those all-volunteer collective space type deals. I've always admired the principle of such places, but I feel like in practice they can be hit or miss. I liked Dry River a lot, though. A bunch of cool people turned up and we had a good time. There was waltzing during Hideaway and even a perfectly timed cartwheel by one fellow in the audience during The Spy. Carrie, the girl who organized the night, was great. The only bummer was the hipsters.
I'm not typically one to complain about hipsters. It usually strikes me as vague and cliched and curmudgeonly to gripe about such things. But what I realized last night is that being a hipster is not about what clothes you wear or how you style your hair or what music you listen to. In fact, a hipster is someone who goes to a show at a tiny music venue not because they want to listen to music, but because they think it will make them look cool. Not to experience something new or to connect with people, but as part of some kind of fashion statement. They stand around outside and smoke cigarettes and pose until the one band they already know plays and then they leave. If you or your friends do this, you are a hipster, and you are lame. Being stoic and jaded is not cool. It is the opposite of cool. And that's all I have to say about that.
10/15/07 - Esteban's house, San Diego
It took us 9 hours to get to San Marcos last night. Esteban and Hippie Jon came out, which was great. There were supposed to be five bands on the bill, but somehow it turned into just us and one local. Maybe the promoter could've told us what happened, but he never showed up. Despite that, everything seemed like it was going to go really well when we finally arrived. But you can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't judge a show by the way a room looks when the local band is playing, because everyone came out only to see them and will leave as soon as they're done. What is wrong with you people? But I digress. At least the sound was really good onstage.
Anyway, today is our day off, so we're hanging out with Esteban and getting ready to play LA with the talented Devon Williams.
I Left My Capo in Las Vegas
10/12/07 - 4:45 PM - On the road to Phoenix
Earlier this afternoon we left Las Vegas (and said goodbye for now to J. Bo, our most gracious host and truffle purveyor extraordinaire) and officially hit the road. The combination of our new large vehicle and my new small laptop now affords me the freedom to transcribe my thoughts while we travel. What a difference a van makes! We are travelling in comfort and style.
We drove over the Hoover dam earlier. When we stopped at the security checkpoint, The Duke waved his hand and said "This is not the van you're looking for. You can go about your business. Move along." And with that we were on our way.
The scenery here is very different from that of our last journey. Lots of wide, rust-colored expanses like I've mostly seen in movies. The west! There are stretches of highway out here where our GPS doesn't get reception because we're outside of satellite coverage. We're a long way from Pittsburgh.
The kickoff show in Vegas was an inauspicious beginning. It's never a good sign when you show up thinking you're ten minutes late for load in only to find that the show organizer and sound guy have yet to arrive. And I don't understand the aversion to draught beer in Las Vegas bars. All the same, it was a good feeling to be back onstage together, whether we could hear each other or not. We debuted a new song, Things I Used to Know, that we're all excited about. It's quite rhythmic and punchy and exciting. I want you all to hear it.
We've added some more shows - 10/28 in Arcata, 10/30 in Sacramento, and 11/1 in San Diego, CA. That brings us to a total of 18 shows, a nice healthy number. And best of all, there's no zigzagging involved. Three months of planning and preparations paid off.
Unfortunately we are currently without a still camera, an oversight which we'll remedy soon, with any luck. Mink, however, has his fancy video camera in tow and has It busy documenting each step of our journey in all of its moving, noisy glory. Keep an eye out for the Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies touring documentary in early 2008.
Mink shed his moustache sometime last week. I saved mine for the fine people of Phoenix, but its future is uncertain.
10/13/07 - 1:27 AM - Driving to Willy's house
Sometimes when you're playing in a bar, especially a sparsely populated one, it can be hard to tell if the hoots and hollers you hear from the back are sincere or sarcastic. Tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't certain if the people in the room were making fun of us or not until they came over and bought CDs at the end. All told, things went very well, despite the fact that I Left My Capo in Las Vegas. Thanks to everyone who bought stuff, and thanks to everyone who said nice things to us, especially the gents in Numbers on Napkins. Money puts gas in our van, but good vibes are what make us want to keep going.
10/13/07 - 11:00 AM - On the road to Tucson
We're very fortunate when people are nice enough to invite us into their homes for the night. In a situation like ours, the kindness of strangers counts for a lot. Still, being a nomad such as we are presently is a very unpredictable affair. If you're lucky, you might score a futon. If you're not, you end up on the floor with your head on a lumpy couch cushion and a cat circling you and meowing all night as you nurse a hangover headache and listen to the rhythmic snoring of the dude across the room.
But that's how it goes out here. Pretty soon it's light out again and time for another city. So long, Phoenix, and thanks for all the fish.
Earlier this afternoon we left Las Vegas (and said goodbye for now to J. Bo, our most gracious host and truffle purveyor extraordinaire) and officially hit the road. The combination of our new large vehicle and my new small laptop now affords me the freedom to transcribe my thoughts while we travel. What a difference a van makes! We are travelling in comfort and style.
We drove over the Hoover dam earlier. When we stopped at the security checkpoint, The Duke waved his hand and said "This is not the van you're looking for. You can go about your business. Move along." And with that we were on our way.
The scenery here is very different from that of our last journey. Lots of wide, rust-colored expanses like I've mostly seen in movies. The west! There are stretches of highway out here where our GPS doesn't get reception because we're outside of satellite coverage. We're a long way from Pittsburgh.
The kickoff show in Vegas was an inauspicious beginning. It's never a good sign when you show up thinking you're ten minutes late for load in only to find that the show organizer and sound guy have yet to arrive. And I don't understand the aversion to draught beer in Las Vegas bars. All the same, it was a good feeling to be back onstage together, whether we could hear each other or not. We debuted a new song, Things I Used to Know, that we're all excited about. It's quite rhythmic and punchy and exciting. I want you all to hear it.
We've added some more shows - 10/28 in Arcata, 10/30 in Sacramento, and 11/1 in San Diego, CA. That brings us to a total of 18 shows, a nice healthy number. And best of all, there's no zigzagging involved. Three months of planning and preparations paid off.
Unfortunately we are currently without a still camera, an oversight which we'll remedy soon, with any luck. Mink, however, has his fancy video camera in tow and has It busy documenting each step of our journey in all of its moving, noisy glory. Keep an eye out for the Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies touring documentary in early 2008.
Mink shed his moustache sometime last week. I saved mine for the fine people of Phoenix, but its future is uncertain.
10/13/07 - 1:27 AM - Driving to Willy's house
Sometimes when you're playing in a bar, especially a sparsely populated one, it can be hard to tell if the hoots and hollers you hear from the back are sincere or sarcastic. Tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't certain if the people in the room were making fun of us or not until they came over and bought CDs at the end. All told, things went very well, despite the fact that I Left My Capo in Las Vegas. Thanks to everyone who bought stuff, and thanks to everyone who said nice things to us, especially the gents in Numbers on Napkins. Money puts gas in our van, but good vibes are what make us want to keep going.
10/13/07 - 11:00 AM - On the road to Tucson
We're very fortunate when people are nice enough to invite us into their homes for the night. In a situation like ours, the kindness of strangers counts for a lot. Still, being a nomad such as we are presently is a very unpredictable affair. If you're lucky, you might score a futon. If you're not, you end up on the floor with your head on a lumpy couch cushion and a cat circling you and meowing all night as you nurse a hangover headache and listen to the rhythmic snoring of the dude across the room.
But that's how it goes out here. Pretty soon it's light out again and time for another city. So long, Phoenix, and thanks for all the fish.
She can make .5 past lightspeed
The tour kicked off tonight in Las Vegas. We have a beautiful new vehicle. It has mood lighting. We made a moustached new friend at the show. J. Bo, Brent, and Suzanne all came. I had a delicious taco and enchilada meal at Roberto's. We played these songs:
Artichokes
The Road
February Third
Julia
Runaway (Del Shannon)
Agincourt
Jane
Fake Palindromes (A. Bird)
Hideaway
Spy
23rd Century
Aeroplane (NMH)
Things I Used to Know
Summer's Ending
Artichokes
The Road
February Third
Julia
Runaway (Del Shannon)
Agincourt
Jane
Fake Palindromes (A. Bird)
Hideaway
Spy
23rd Century
Aeroplane (NMH)
Things I Used to Know
Summer's Ending
Howling from the Vaults
Greetings friends! Well, it's almost that time. The "Don't Taze Me Bro" West Coast Tour 2007 is about to kick off. The band is all here in Las Vegas, sharpening our chops and getting ready to rock.
And to celebrate, I decided to collect a bunch of old demos and covers and link them here for your convenience. These were recorded here and there over the years. Enjoy:
-Cover of When it Hits My Blood by John Vanderslice
-Cover of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
-Cover of Longtime Sunshine by Rivers Cuomo
-Cover of King of Carrot Flowers by Neutral Milk Hotel
-Acoustic demo of The Road
-Acoustic demo of Summer's Ending
-Acoustic demo of Julia
-Acoustic demo of February Third
-Acoustic demo of The Spy Part 1
-Acoustic demo of The Spy Part 2
And to celebrate, I decided to collect a bunch of old demos and covers and link them here for your convenience. These were recorded here and there over the years. Enjoy:
-Cover of When it Hits My Blood by John Vanderslice
-Cover of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
-Cover of Longtime Sunshine by Rivers Cuomo
-Cover of King of Carrot Flowers by Neutral Milk Hotel
-Acoustic demo of The Road
-Acoustic demo of Summer's Ending
-Acoustic demo of Julia
-Acoustic demo of February Third
-Acoustic demo of The Spy Part 1
-Acoustic demo of The Spy Part 2