How come most blogs start with an apology?  Cause I'm lazy or busy?  Can I be both, would you believe that.  Yeah, I wouldn't believe that either.  And for those that read the last blog and think I'm a total idiot, I kinda messed with the homonyms on purpose.  Yes, I know the difference in to, too and two, there, their and they're, your and you're, but hey I gotta entertain myself somehow.  I'll try to better this time.

Sitting at the Blue Note in Columbia, notorious for after show merch rush and pre- and present merch slow, so I'm gonna try to write a blog while John D. Hale rocks your face off.

But before I go any further I gotta talk about the last show, Fowler Fest at Nutty Brown in Austin.  Kevin Fowler is crazy folks, which I'm sure most of you knew already.  The whole day they were working on confetti cannons to fire off during the show.  Couple that with beach balls and a leaf blower that dispensed a roll of toilet paper in 14 seconds, it was a rather crazy night.  Or typical Fowler night.

But what happened before that was the Great Mosquito Festival in Clute.  First off, I only killed one mosquito and hopefully that was before I was given the west nile.  We got to town earlier than expected and took our sweet fancy time loading in.  But as sound check time came around, as did the clouds and the tears of angels.  After a quick shower trip to hotel and a bar-b-q meal at one of the cook sites, the rain parted as my nap completed.  

Set up merch about time Brandon Rhyder started.  We all get into patterns and have played a handful of shows with Brandon lately, then we'll go 8 months without seeing them at all.  Our booths were set up directly to the side of the stage (to not confuse people looking for Dippin' Dots) so I couldn't SEE the shows, but sounded good.  I did walk around front to watch a bit of JB&S show and the humidity did not keep anyone dry.  Jason looked like he was wearing a silk shirt and I'm almost certain he doesn't own a silk shirt.  Signed a few autographs and made our way to the hotel parking lot.  Spent 45 minutes looking for my keys, eventually finding them in the merch box.  Don't ask.

But what happened before that was we left Fort Worth EARLY Thursday, picked up the Austin crew and headed for Beaumont.  Whiskey River with Aaron Watson, I guess the sequel to the tour from last year.  Load in and sound check, hotel trip and back for an abbreviated nap.  Got to see a preview of Aaron's live dvd they shot a few weeks back in Waco.  Looks really good, plus it's in hi-def.  That was all of their "show" I got to see as merch was slammed in the back of the bar.  Although it was a slow night, I did catch a guy and girl that tried to grab a handful of Watson's shirts.  I got the shirts back and then got the owner in hopes they would be thrown out.  Unfortunately the owner knew them (as friends of his son) so he said they would be dealt with later.  Less than 5 minutes later, the guy comes up and completely throws the girl under the bus.  According to him, she drug him over there, grabbed the shirts and took off before he really realized what was happening.  So he was either telling the truth or felt that he wasn't gonna get any so he blamed her.  Either way, stealing is for losers.

I stole some candy bars once, a Love's Store in Shawnee, OK, when I was in the 9th grade going to a basketball game.  I'm still haunted by that.

As with Aaron's show, couldn't see much of the JB&S show either.  Besides the girl that made out with three different guys during the set, not much to report.  Sorry for the lack of information and too much information at the same time.

But what happened before that was playing the CCRuise Send Off Party in Galveston.  Had to haul ass out of Woodward as soon as that show was finished for the 700 mile trip, so much haul ass that Greg got a speeding ticket.  Damn the man.  I was unaware as my friend Ambien told me bedtime stories until we were 30 minutes away from port.  Close to load in parking, got Greg to a room quick and set up.  The show was in the ballroom of the hotel across the street, where Jason Eady and the Trishas played an afternoon acoustic set.  Then as the sun goes down the Brandon Jenkins, Stephania Briggs and Bruce Robison.  Although I was downstairs, I made a few trips up to check out the tunes.  I mean, it's Bruce Robison, he's not just the tallest guy in country music he's also one of the best writers. If ya don't believe me, ask George Strait.

But what happened before that was the Woodward Elks Rodeo, which is one of the most fun times we annually have.  Get into the newly renovated town about 1, completely different than our 2007 trip (missed out on 2008 with Jason's vocal surgery).  Apparently a city .5% tax brought in enough money to make it fancy for a presidential visit.  

So we load in and sound check, grab some food and a shower.  I hang out with my mum a bit who's making a short stop before heading to Idaho for Braun Brothers Reunion.  Rodeo finishes about 10:15 and Mark McKinney opens the show.  For all the touring we've done, this the first time we've played with them.  Can't say I saw much of the show, given the dreaded side stage merch set up.  However, hung out with them while JB&S played and were all cool cats.  And much more fashionable than myself.  JB&S played and no stage diving, broken tradition to say the least.  After the show was a hurry up and get down the road, 700 miles to Galveston so no good stories that you haven't already heard.

But what happened before that was a kick ass show in Brownville, Nebraska.  Third time to play TJ's Tavern in the huge town of 148, we quadruple the town's population.  Makes us feel like The Stones or The Beatles, minus the groupies.  Also, have to note pulling out of Texas at 100+ degree weather and arriving in Nebraska and the day's high was 77.  I'll just say I'm ready for fall and leave it at that.

Standard working afternoon, off to hotel for showers and grub.  Thankfully the fireworks stand was still open so I got to pick up some party favors for later.  At the venue Seth Schaefer of Stumblin' Jones opened acoustic.  He was good, so hopefully we'll get some band shows with him soon.  JB&S plays their set, I'm running out of adjectives to describe it.  I still like the new set list more than the old.  'Tulsa Time' is kicking ass in the middle of the show.  Hmm, other than that it seemed rather routine.  With the fairly packed crowd I was kinda expecting a little ruckus but everyone was well behaved.  Especially for as much alcohol that was consumed.  

Thankfully after the show I got to set off some Black Cats, I think that's my new sign for 'get on the bus we're leaving'.  You know how people have dinner bells, I got Black Cats.

But what happened before that another rodeo, even though it was first so shouldn't necessarily be another.  Now I'm confusing myself.  Either way we left out of Texas early, although still 87 degrees at 6am, and pulled into Pawhuska at noon.  Had the youngest set of loaders ever, median age must've been 12.  But hey, they worked and pushed gear.  I felt sorta guilty but I worked when I was their age and I turned out okay.  Oops, bad example.

Dodged some rain clouds in the afternoon and eventually got a sound check.  No real hotels in town so we went to a haunted bed and breakfast to clean up.  Two bathrooms, one didn't have a shower so I took the first bath since I was 8.  And I know why I don't take baths.  

We tend to do a few rodeos during this time of year and I'll say this is the first I can recall where there was a serious injury during the barrel racing but not the bull riding.  Rodeo lets out and the crowd changes gear to drinking and dancing to some JB&S.  Dancing a lot, that was the most boot scooting, buckle rubbing crowd I've seen in quite some time.  Makes me wish I had boots.  Or a buckle.  Or rhythm.  

But before all that was the last blog, the ratard one....at least now I'm caught up so that I can fall behind in a few weeks.  We don't have much time off during the huge August run but I'll do my best to let everyone know how nice it is to walk on the beach.  I may just skip the shows!

Nuge,

mR.m