the rhythm room has the look and feel of an old county bunker.  one of those all cinder block joints, no windows anywhere.  unidentifiable doorways.  and apparently no one home.  we hang around a lot in the 120 degree parking lot.  a door opens, and MONA appears to let us in.  even more rustic inside than out, but, true to its name, there are old black and white photos of valley area musicians cranking it out and invariably smoking cigarettes all around the bar.  and a very impressive roster of posters of contemporary bands up by the front door.  THE THERMALS.  !!!.  BON IVER.  THE CAVE SINGERS.  at last, the feeling that we are in the right place.  that we are being tended to by people that care.  and these people, it turns out, are real promoters.  JEREMIAH AND JASON of STATESIDE PRESENTS.  folk and fan started showing up before we got loaded in.  soundcheck went on until 6:30 or so, and most of us went back to the hotel.  

and sure enough, the hotel was buff.  two rooms in our room, a wet bar, big overstuffed fancy and modern furniture, and a bed i knew i was going to make sweet sleep to later on.  strange attempts at modern decor... pictures to cover the windows, sliding on galvanized plumbing pipe, mounted on u-bolts.  a curtain rod over the closet constructed of same, but that would fall apart every time the curtain slid.  this place was under renovation.  the pool was a beauty.  all freshly tiled up, had fountains installed in one end (?), little green l.e.d. lights in the bottom.  the exact temperature of my skin.  still 15 degrees cooler than the surrounding air.  at 7:30 pm.  still somehow refreshing.  

epic was the parking lot, upon our return to the club at 9.  maybe 150 cars out there.  and almost standing room inside.  capacity 300.  not a huge place.  still, everyone drove themselves?  still, that is phoenix.  (i saw light rail tracks last night.  what?)  openers captain squeegee were great, maybe to much a mixed bag for the crowd, but young enthusiasm bubbling.  by the time we took the stage, the room was so crowded that there was no room to dance, maybe room to sway.  i wore hush puppies on stage, always a mistake on a carpeted stage.  can't sashay.  no matter.  the crowd erupted after every song.  everything about this night is just tremendous.  if steve had taken care of his voice, we could have played for hours.  but we play a long encore, and enjoy a long night in the bar afterwards.  the whole night had the feel of a night at the belmonts inn from 15 years ago.  we were the home team, playing for the home crowd, with all the perks.  i can say, in no uncertain terms, that, other than our WOW HALL shows, in the last three years we have not felt that feeling more than a few times.  i grew up in the valley.  maybe i'll move back.  

monumental was the drive today.  northern arizona was beautiful enough.  rolling up to '7000 feet, all of a sudden into pines, and then north of flagstaff and the san francisco peaks and into the savannah and all of a sudden a turn to the east on highway 163  and into utah.  and soon enough we see the incredible and huge rocks rising out of the desert floor.  monument valley!  crap.  i am glad i gave the wheel to dana.  an hour of spectacle and splendor.  how do you approach a drive that you know you are only driving through?  you plan a trip back.  maybe one with your sweetie.  bring the family.  find a dirt road and go until it ends on some precipice.  stop a lot.  take some time.  do it right.  this a primer.  like so many that i have had, in my traveling life, life on the road, with the band.  i know neighborhoods, not monuments.  sometimes they meet, in the form of structure.  the st. louis arch.  something like that.  not the same.  no?