Friday, August 22, 2008
Last Call
Performances are over. Last call. House lights on, stage lights off. The PA is packed and waiting for the 27 hour drive home just like the rest of us. Somehow I am in the woods with no running water, a make-shift shitter, and I still have internet. Technology is amazing.
Sorry for the delay in posts to those paying close attention. We were down in the hills of Petrolia, CA with no wireless connections.
Is this the grand finale putting the last couple of weeks into perspective for a band of brothers and musicians? Any big discoveries? I don't know. It was only a few weeks.
I don't know that we have all experienced big life changes, again it was only a couple of weeks. However, I can't lead you to believe that in this short time we haven't changed a little... a new appreciation for nature, the value of a dollar when you only have three, or maybe the realization that our art makes it very easy to meet new people and see the best in them...to name a few.
This has been a journey however long or short. I'm sure "a couple of weeks" has felt very long at times to the band and to our loved ones at home. You made this tour happen along with us. Thank you for your support.
Our music is tighter, our bonds are tighter, and we now share the same experiences of Snakebeard's first tour to talk about when we're too old for hauling speakers.
We can all agree this has been a learning experience. Not just in tour costs, booking, lodging, food and supplies. Despite a couple minor setbacks, we have managed to have a great time. I heard a few times before leaving that we will come back loving or hating each other. We will be back with as much love and respect for one another since day one. I hope to do this again.
The shows have also taught us something. We have a dedicated group of listeners at home. A fan base if you will allow. Here we had nothing, and every show came with attendance concerns that usually started around 8 o'clock and lasted until about 9:30. But each night we saw a similar pattern of little dancing and attention for about 4 or 5 songs. Then we would see a change. More dancing, more applause and more interest in the band. I have learned that our music touches more than our hometown crowd. I am grateful.
I am grateful for the people who have helped along the way. Many of them friends of band members and even one couple who took us in with no idea who we are. All they knew is we rocked their socks off. Thank you Shiz and Erin. Good luck with your new family. Thanks to the promoter in Bozeman for the place to crash. Maybe we can come back and play for a croud larger than staff and the one guy Marshall. It was fun either way. Thank you Ian and Evelyn, Molly and Ben, Broch, Brett and Shea, Jaymar, and the Petrolia Community Center...some of us slept there. Thanks to John at The Summit for giving us the show we never had.
We will have stories to tell when we come home that I can't seem to convey in type so I will save them. We have hundreds of photos and hours of video.
We have a long drive ahead and we have work to do when we get home. We need to put up the PA and get those stage lights on and house lights off...Oh and I'm gonna want a beer. We have a homecoming show for you all.
SBJ/Joey
Sorry for the delay in posts to those paying close attention. We were down in the hills of Petrolia, CA with no wireless connections.
Is this the grand finale putting the last couple of weeks into perspective for a band of brothers and musicians? Any big discoveries? I don't know. It was only a few weeks.
I don't know that we have all experienced big life changes, again it was only a couple of weeks. However, I can't lead you to believe that in this short time we haven't changed a little... a new appreciation for nature, the value of a dollar when you only have three, or maybe the realization that our art makes it very easy to meet new people and see the best in them...to name a few.
This has been a journey however long or short. I'm sure "a couple of weeks" has felt very long at times to the band and to our loved ones at home. You made this tour happen along with us. Thank you for your support.
Our music is tighter, our bonds are tighter, and we now share the same experiences of Snakebeard's first tour to talk about when we're too old for hauling speakers.
We can all agree this has been a learning experience. Not just in tour costs, booking, lodging, food and supplies. Despite a couple minor setbacks, we have managed to have a great time. I heard a few times before leaving that we will come back loving or hating each other. We will be back with as much love and respect for one another since day one. I hope to do this again.
The shows have also taught us something. We have a dedicated group of listeners at home. A fan base if you will allow. Here we had nothing, and every show came with attendance concerns that usually started around 8 o'clock and lasted until about 9:30. But each night we saw a similar pattern of little dancing and attention for about 4 or 5 songs. Then we would see a change. More dancing, more applause and more interest in the band. I have learned that our music touches more than our hometown crowd. I am grateful.
I am grateful for the people who have helped along the way. Many of them friends of band members and even one couple who took us in with no idea who we are. All they knew is we rocked their socks off. Thank you Shiz and Erin. Good luck with your new family. Thanks to the promoter in Bozeman for the place to crash. Maybe we can come back and play for a croud larger than staff and the one guy Marshall. It was fun either way. Thank you Ian and Evelyn, Molly and Ben, Broch, Brett and Shea, Jaymar, and the Petrolia Community Center...some of us slept there. Thanks to John at The Summit for giving us the show we never had.
We will have stories to tell when we come home that I can't seem to convey in type so I will save them. We have hundreds of photos and hours of video.
We have a long drive ahead and we have work to do when we get home. We need to put up the PA and get those stage lights on and house lights off...Oh and I'm gonna want a beer. We have a homecoming show for you all.
SBJ/Joey
