Well we are technically back but...

The A/V onslaught i wanted to present isn't quite as near completion as I had hoped so I will just give the 2nd tour update as if after Chicago I had typed this....

Chronicles from the traveling agency:

Alright alright, two more shows in the bag!

We got our lazy bones up and kicking in Pittsburgh, had a delicious breakfast (Thank you Beckah) and gassed up the van and I bought deodorant.  When I crossed the street some cop drove past and yelled "WAIT FOR THE SIGNAL" I'll grant him that, but for him to speedily roll down his window and then take his eyes off the road to yell at me is far more dangerous to other drivers then me and my deodorant crossing too soon.  Anyway I just laughed and got in the van...we're outta here coppa!

Westward into the Buckeye state...

A fine drive, recapping the revelry of the prior evenings drinking and musings...

Pulled into to Ben's Aunt Rose's house to find a backyard full of Wilson's and kids running amok.  A lot of Ben's fam were in Columbus for his other Aunt's 60th birthday party, so we got to see his Mom and Dad (whom a whopping large thanks for van usage goes out to)

So we chatted, got questioned about the plethora of groupies we have, had, will have. Enjoyed some killer potato salad and hams and hots and elderberry pie with ice cream.

Then having no real information from Bernies other then load in 7 doors at 8, show at 9 we figured we might as well go explore what was already looking a tad grim when 3 days before leaving we got a message from one of the bands saying they weren't going to play the show...awesome.

So we set off past the Star Liner Diner in search of Bernies and found it nestled right next to Ohio State U's campus.  Lots of graduations and people out and about.  We walk down into the Berns to be greeted by a fairly large room with pool tables and a bar, the guy in charge said "Well we had one band cancel tonight"   "Which one?" we inquire.

...not the one that had contacted us.

Crump.

So now a two band bill we set up on the lovingly sticky stage, build a set list and with two hours to kill we walked around outside to play balafon and acoustic and maybe catch some folks off guard and convince them on a sunday night to creep into Bernie's.

No such luck, we did speak with two gentlemen to great lengths about different music, bands, venues in the area and when asking what kind of music they liked they described different elements that definitely embody elements of Controlled Storms, but they didn't show up...it started to rain...

We played for mostly Benny's fam, his dad taped the show (stay tuned) and we bumbled through a set barely hearing each other and trying hard to never let our skin make contact with the stage.

Set over, we got off the stage, talked to a few folks, made 5 whole dollars, and watched the only band that showed up, the Barn Owls, play their groovy, semi-improvised jam rock which was definitely a good mix, nice dudes, two brothers.

We got the fuck outta there, hip hop night was rolling in promptly at 11 so we went to the Motel 6 that Papa Ben got us (massive thank you ) because Aunt Rose's house was full of fam.  We got in, snacked, Predator was on and I was only going to watch the Predator kill one more person but then I forgot how damn awesome that movie is and watched the whole thing.  I also knocked out a big chunk of the hummus and chips which in my defense was helping Arnie beat that bad mofo  "NO ARNIE LOOK OUT, HE SENSES BODY HEAT, HE TRYIN' TO STEAL MY HUMMUS!"  B&B were both asleep but me, trader joe's hummus, and Arnold totally kicked the predators ass.  *The predator's laugh when he tries to kill Arnold (please dummy he's the star power) is REALLY cheesy, they should've cut that. I had to have my baseball mitt ready the next morning to catch all the flack for eating the hummus/chips...I didn't want Arnie getting tricked.

Ok, anyway. wake up, stretch and head back to Aunt Rose's for scramby eggs and waffles and general home cooking deliciousness, and funny little kid quotes "I tooted" and Fibi the dogs great presence.

Good bye Wilson's!

Wow,its monday morning I have to go to work....

oh wait a nano-second, I have to go to CHICAGO!

BOO-YEAH

Really enjoying not having to keep track of time, the days are for joking and traveling, the evening for being a little drowsy pre-set, and the night is full of soundwaves and meeting people, its brilliant I definitely recommend it.

So north-westward up to Chicago.

Forgot about the hour change, so we arrive with plenty of time to wander around Ukrainian Village.  Found this awesome record shop, took a potty stop at McDonald's, Brando got a large coffee at Astro Coffe or Nuclear Coffee or some shit, anyway the name will prove important later and finally loaded our gear into the Darkroom.

We met Arunas, whom I had been emailing about the show, and Pat the sound guy.  Both awesome dudes and the space itself was really, really nice and they even BBQ'd for us which was tops.  We dined and chatted with the gentlemen of Trio in Stereo, whom were in fact 6 dudes and were tight as fuck.  They kicked it off to a fairly decent crowd for a Monday night and then we set up and played to a lot less folks yet still enthusiastic energy, some Philly love was tossed out.  Erin and Josh came out and took a bunch of photos (stay tuned) that utilized the space well.  So Miss Autopsy closed which was a solo act, his name was Steven, nice dude, I liked the stuff where he used a drum machine, well layered.  So that wrapped it up, B&B chatted with a lady from Baltimore who was also a school teacher I think, and we spoke with Pat the sound guy a lot about changing cars to veggie oil, using abandoned urban spaces for greater good.  Great sound guy and some one working to change the perceived model of things, good luck Pat. Also 3-1-2 Brewery is awesome.

Drove to Erin's place and unloaded the van into her apartment, and played with Piper her dog.  Got our rooms set up, and it was off to slumberland....for some of us.

stay tuned ghouls and bees 

happy fiscal new year

happy birthday semi-united states

happy late night ER response team, for blown off hands, fingers, eyes, and dehydration

"fuckin' Monday...fuckin' life...fuckin' flowerz" (made up mental thought process of some dude we passed in Chicago slumped on a chair on his porch barely holding a hose off the side of the deck)

"I'm sorry I didn't catch that, did you say this blog is over?"

Dial toned down