message board

[Dav]

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=16372261&blogID=168964769&MyToken=03b7f0ab-c655-4951-8954-f4cc8192c89c


Sunday, September 17, 2006


September US Tour 2006

So of course I leave a ton of crap to do the day Im supposed to fly. Instead I waste the whole day trying to get an airport card for this junky G3 Jeff has. No luck, day wasted. On my bike home to pack I have a very NY celeb sighting. Vincent Gallo. Later on the plane ride over to I have a very LA celeb sighting. Flavor Flav. And he flies coach. And he wears his big clock around his neck.

LA is stressful. Luckily my friend Kate picks me up and I eat tacos and hang out with old college friends. Jeff and I stay at their house and in the morning I bump into Jon Rosenthal of The Giraffes and camp 180 fame. he leaves and Jeff and I watch 3 episodes of Freaks and Geeks (decent). We go snorkeling with dave and other freinds, despite the Steve Irwin incident. It's fun wearigna wetsuit. I can't beleive they work so well. But I don't last long. I'm scared cause its my first time and the ocean is damn scary. Jeff gets smashed by a wave and loses his goggles. They cost an extra $25 at the rental place.
we meet up with our driver Jess and her vehicle. She runs a country band, Younger Sister with our drummer Dave in NY and was out West for the Burning Man Festival.
The show is fun. The sound guy is amazingly precise and overly professional. A true pleasure. Were also graced with the presence of our original drummer Anders Griffin sitting in with us on percussion (and some great trumpet on Posters).
we try out our new soft version of "If Life Exists" and hit them hard with "Will O." "Kids on Tour" and the usual videos.
Jeff says we set a new record for merch sales for the US.
During Adams set he pulls a shy Hispanic kid in a hoodie up to dance with him during Dance with Me (he does this often when he plays this song). Its hard to tell if the kid is enjoying it or totally embarrassed as Adam kisses him on the forehead and gropes him from behind.

I see some old faces from school. Also Mika from Giant Drag comes, which was a nice surprise. Also there to see Adam is Har Mar Superstar, Ryan Gentles and Drew Barrymore. (though I only spot Sean and Ryan).

The next day we have a long hot drive to San Francisco. We yell at each other over what went right and what went wrong at the LA show. It's our usual post show routine, but it's the first time Jess has heard us all yell at each other. I hope we don't scare her away. Through the desert we watch forest fires burn on a mountain/hill. I strip down to my underwear its so hot. I cant wait till San Fran and the cool Bay breeze. When we get there its freezing. I cant win.
Most of my friends I were hoping to see cancel cause of work, but I hang out with one, Johnny, which is nice.
The crowd is pretty dead, hardly moving a muscle even when we do "punk history." We do a decent version of "Deer in the Woods" Tonight we are joined by Eric Frasier on Indian flute, Daves old roommate now living in Oakland. Sound great on Jeff's video for "Crow" and "Roll Bus Roll" I kind of mess up Last Time I Did Acid" but Jeff somehow screws up the lyrics to four songs "They Always Knew," "Acid" and more. There is at least one actual fan who requests Dont be Upset, which we do and Jeff flubs some lines there as well..
Dave our drummer runs off to catch a Greyhound to visit friends in Oregon. Jess, Jeff and myself are trying to decide which route to take to Portland. We have a day off to drive and we could take the quickest = 12 hours and little scenery or the famous Route 1 along the California coast and through the Redwoods, which might take up to 16 total hours.

The next day we head off from Oakland, and decide to take the long route which is the end probably took 18 hours. The route along the coast is unbelievable, huge rocks jetting out of the sea and totally beautiful. It reminds me of Norway. I dont know why the ocean and cliffs are so breathtaking. What is it that is attractive? They just are. But the road is so curvy I get pretty car sick and have to close my eyes. We pick up a hitchhiker; late I the day, but then decide not to take him too far. We make it to the redwood forests and sleep in the car at a campsite.
The next morning we take another long route and check out some redwoods and more coastal vistas. We pick up drummer Dave in Southern Oregon and head off for Portland.
Its exciting cause my girlfriend, Marci, and I are moving to Portland in October. So I get to see the house well be staying in and meet up with my old friend Rebecca who lives there now.

More to come ... (I hope)
_________________
http://uberaffe.bandcamp.com