These past couple of weeks have been flying by us. The storm
followed us in the Midwest and made the warms spaces we played even warmer.
Partnered by good friends and truly talented artists this winter tour couldn’t have gone any better.

Richmond: Power Trio (Phil on electric bass/Elliot on drums/&I
on electric guitar) leave from D.C. to arrive at an empty house and two
confused bands. After the host remembers about the show calls are made for the
next half hour and the show is a success. PBR consumed, burgers eaten, and Phil
sleeps on deflated air mattress

Winston Salem: One of the highlights of the trip.. Reich’s “drumming”
guides us through the pine sided highways. We arrive at the gigantic haunted
house (dada-dollhouse) cook a dinner for three, play in a room of great acoustics, and join
friendly faces in conversation deep in to the night. If you get a chance to
play or go to a show here do it!

Asheville: We arrive in Ashville and purge at a local record
shop (finds:hawkwind, erik frielander, prince jammy vs. scientist). Two of the
three of us went to check an early show at a book shop while I continue purging
at harvest records. Burritos were eaten, followed by drinks, preceded by a
meeting with Jamie who ushered more Mexican food and more beer. Jamie explains
that he had just broken rib and continues to grab it in pain every time he
laughs making every joke a bit funnier. The show began an amazing video artist
Mr. Photon projects his own digital video manipulations over an 8 mm video of
the pope and the life/times of JFK. Body of John the Baptist (Jamie’s group) played
after our set and blew the snow off the mountains, absolutely amazing, check’m.

Athens: Phil and I step up to our amps during sound check
and simultaneously flip our switches and neither of our amps turn on. PETE! Amazing
sound guy helps me fix mine and Phil goes directly in to the PA. Elliot waits
patiently. We play a gigantic club and Mercer throws an amazing show (free
pizza and coffee all night).. ‘tis a tasty world. The three of us sleep in a
living room with our new friend solo (90 pound puppy).

Bloomington: I learned that it’s not a good idea to drive 11
hours and attempt to play a show the same night. Phil gets sick and the roads
are so horrible it looks like were driving on clouds.

Indianapolis: We stop at uncle Albert’s to get Phil's amp
fixed, we are invited to visit the basement where we are a bit surprised to be engulfed
in the world’s largest batman memorabilia collection. The original bat suit
took a couple payment installments….

Chicago: It is fucking cold! Nobody ate until 9 pm. Bird
Names and other friends greet us at the empty bottle. John Bellows plays an earnest
and charming set. We hang in a cool dungeon and then head to bed. I wake up
really early shower and take a romantic morning stroll. Very Stupid! Hair
freezes and I get sick as Phil gets better. Oh and Hopefully I saved an abandon
puppy from freezing to death.

Pittsburgh: Due to the let down in Bloomington, we decide to
cancel this show. The Pittsburgh Gov. had put out a warning not to stand
outside for more than 30 seconds, shut down public transportation, and it was
projected snow 5 inches that night.

.. ..

Brookville, Ohio or Penn?: We stay in a motel here, I let
the other boys share the bed and I slept on the ground. Woke up in the morning
and felt like I had drunk a bottle of whiskey and swallowed a foot of barbed wire.
Waffles at the continental breakfast!

Brooklyn: Phil rushes to his girlfriends (quite anxiously)
while Elliot and I relax a bit and wait for Leo ‘Las Vegas’ Svirsky to arrive.
Leo gets off at NEWARK Penn Station instead of NEW YORK Penn Station. Elliot,
Winston, and I wander around for food at NEW YORK Penn Station. Leo arrives and
we head back to Brooklyn to fulfill burger dreams of said party. An Awesome bill
sets the night electric; Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, and Hologram.

Philadelphia: Everyone lazes all morning/afternoon. Arrive at
venue at 8:15, Saturday night; awesome band is playing and a big crowd of
beautiful Philadelphians. We’re told show started at 7 pm and that there
probably won’t be time for us to play. After sitting and waiting its evident
there not going to let us play and the show ends at 9:45 on Saturday night.
They still pay us? We head toward my friend johns house, I pass out while
others hang late night and order cookies that are delivered at 3 am. We play
radio show at 11 am the following morning, I was absolutely dead, my voice
dropped two octaves and sounded like sandpaper. We proceed with the set with a
new song half of the group learned that morning. Thanks EVAN!

Baltimore: I make my way to the closest space heater while
the group goes to eat. I couldn’t escape the grumpy zone that evening, never
the less I made new friends and talked about the future with old ones. The
Group splits and hugs and heads home.

OBAMA INAUGURATES, ARETHA SINGS, JOVI HOWLS, THINGS CHANGE,
I SLEEP FOR TWO DAYS

NEW YORK: This leg of the tour was with 3 saxophonists (Davindar,
Alec, and Andrew) and myself of double bassist. We were supposed to play a
composition but it remains unfinished so we just whaled in Manhattan. We
attempted to split the hour long set with Hologram but the sound guy cuts them
off after 2 ½ songs most heinously. We hang around the bar for too long and
then head back to Ryan’s house to find a most accommodating pad and host.

BURLINGTON: We arrive
hungry to a solemn Caribbean restaurant that looks like it hadn’t a guest in
years. Old Jamaican man watches as we eat from his buffet. We go next door to
the venue and wail in Burlington. The act following sang to us about killing Nazi’s
with his robot, renting cops, and how pretty clouds are. Four dollars made.

Montreal: This was another highlight of the trip. We cross
the border and are greeted by desolate towns and French signs. We cross the
bridge into the city and end up in a large practice room at McGill University. Here
in the practice room I taught the other guys songs and we wrote a set for the
night. We show up a bit early to the loft and are pointed towards an Indian restaurant
which quiets everyone. Hordes of Canada’s youth show up to the show and
everyone is digging everyone. Lab Synth runs a tight ship and I’m amazed it’s
so high afloat.

Portland, Maine: After a run in with police in New Hampshire
because of a subject “MAP” we are frisked and detained for way to long in the
cold. The cop is a racist and Davindar lets him know. I had learned the night
before that the space we were to play ran in to troubles with neighbors so
everything got moved into a very small house. We rubbed elbows with a diverse
crowd and play very well. Three of us drink while the fourth anxiously waits to
drive us back to Boston so he can rendezvous with his interest.

Boston: We split and I head towards Davindars place for a
promised futon. In the kitchen of his home lies a giant cardboard box that
reads SNAKE in a rushed sharpie script. I try to ignore the sounds of the
constrictors escape attempts all night and try to focus on the rattling of
their ancient heating system. The next day we head to Twisted Village purge a
bit there and settle with some falafels. We played that night at the outpost
with some high class improvisers who knew how to scrape a bucket. We said our
goodbyes and I hastily made the long drive home.

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