Well, my first attempt at blogging went as expected: well articulated and inconsistent. I managed to be drunk most of the Western leg of the tour and when I returned it was hard to get back on the wagon to write a blog about an experience that was hard enough putting into words while we were in the midst of it.

To show that we weren't tourists this year as much as a touring band we have only a few pictures from the West to remind us of the good times so the good times and amazing experiences that were had will be left to those who were sober enough to remember them.

I thought a wrap-up of the West would be appropriate. Following in the footsteps of the first blog for this tour, I'm going to focus on the people we met because in the end all we have is people and without them our tours would be worthless. The fictious towns that spring up around various ports, natural resources and farming don't accurately describe where we played as much as the people who attended those shows do. Maybe I"m just being all sentimental or maybe I"m just sobering up the day before I head out East. Whatever the reason, here's a short list of the many great people we met along the way and the wicked times we had. I'll try to put them in order of appearance. Keep in mind I won't be referring to any of the fine people in Kenora or Winnipeg in this little entry.

To Josh Atmoic and those that hate him.
Let's get this out of the way, he didn't rape your sister so let's drop that whole rumour and he hates virtually everything, including your sister most likely. Thanks to Josh for letting us stay at Battle House (not Battle West, we couldn't afford that place), introducing shotgunning beer into the repetoir of sport games we would play on a regular basis along the tour. We hope you learned that when you jokingly say that Kyle can have anything in your house he will take virtually everything in your house. We hope you get your 1000 bucks back from that asshole. Thanks for the cassette tapes, AM radio was getting tedious to listen to, although I did enjoy  the 45 minute segment with Canada's second best poet. Oh, and no problem for the ride from Kamloops to Van City.


TO what I have termed "The Rebel Spell House":
To Stepha and Isis:
I don't have the time to express my appreciation for these two. Stepha is one of the coolest chicks I know and Isis is by far the coolest kid I know. Thanks for housing us so hospitably for over a week. Stepha played host to a band, mom, housekeeper, drummer in my favourite band and overall best friend for the week I was there and I'm sure she did a few other things as well, I can't even imagine how I am to pay back such immense generosity. I guess I'll start with a few cases of beer and as much vegetarian food as I can carry home. Don't worry there won't be any meat, I don't wanna get murdered like what happened at the Sushi restaurant...oh..we probalby should keep that on the low down...

To Abe and Jess:
If we gave out awards for nice guys, Abe would have been in running contention. (The guy brought his girlfriend flowers every fucking day...and balloons once, and he wasn't even in trouble, he's just that fucking nice!). And to Jess, I thought you should have fallen over and passed out so many times but you trooped on like the champion that you are. Maybe one of our favourite moments of tour was when Jess was bowling (wasted) fell face first into the gutter while the foot fault line just kept beeping...she did not move. Oh, and while we're on the subject...sorry about the damaage bowling lane people, I would have never known you could throw a ball 3 lanes over into a gutter and have it bounce out to make a strike without the use of your facilities.

To Oliver:
You are a legend to us.

To Cory:
Thanks for the piercing party on the final night at the Rebel Spell house. It was kinda crazy watching a whole bunch of people's arms get pierced but an experience regardless. Last year when Sean was in Van on a vacation he got a piercing from Cory quite randomly I assume. It just so happens that Cory lives at the TRS house which was a wicked coincidence so Sean said "fuck it, let's get drunk and pierce my bridge."

Alie:
Allie carried us a flat over four blocks to the TRS house and did an excellent job co-hosting with Stepha (something about bringing us beer and something). Put in perspective, Phil wouldnt even get us a six-pack when we asked him because it was "too far".

Todd: "Todd is a light-weight."

Fuck there were a lot of people at that fucking house. I'm totally late for our East Coast Tour Kick Off....fuck it..I"ll be a little more late.


OH FUCK...the Yukon..this list is twice as long. Let me try to sum it up.

To our friends in the territory of booze and fake gold:
It's slightly disorienting to get out of the bar at 1am and still ahve the sun shining in your eyes but you get used to it....with more booze.
Yes, girl we initially stayed with, it was 4pm not 7am and when you get let go from work in the morning for being drunk, heading back to the bar is a good idea but just remember to bring a watch. And yes, the nickname you coined for Phil should stick for its irony alone: "Phil, Phil, Phil the Thrill". Oh, and I"m sure you'll get vegetarianism someday just not at an alcohol level of 0.33.

The main crew was: Brandyn and Max (the greatest swingers we've ever met), Andrea (the only real liason we've ever had -- man she took good care of us.) and Sheldon who kept Phil away from the rest of the band for most of the weekend. Phil actually got to see some of the nature up in the Yukon -- drinking and what not. The rest of us played Kareoke with swiningers and drank and what not with them....truly some of the best people we've met. Thanks to Chris and Erin and the Tundra punks for flying us out and treating us like musicians -- its a nice change from Ontario shows.

Where did we go next....


Oh, Eat Shit and Die Records -- thanks for the seven inch offer with Mad Cowboys, we hope we can get our act together in September and make that shit happen. And to the Blame-Its, we're not as alcoholic as you might think, that was just a particularly intoxicated night for us after a long drive and one a single grilled cheese each in our stomaches. The show went quite well but the BBQ at your house was, well, we're totally wrecked. Next time we'll have coherent conversations but thanks for the pad.

In Regina, I (Nick) totally played that punching game in the bar where it measures your strength. I totally got the high score....fuck yeah.

To Meagan in T-Bay, thanks for stumbling into our show, taking us to your cottage, letting us in your sauna and letting some of us jump in your lake. It's always wicked to have completely random evenings like that...especially after a 20 hour haul that involved picking up our old van, dropping off Hennessey's van and travelling from Regina to T-Bay all in the same 24 hours.

Thanks to all the kids in the Soo who reminded us what a back alley party look like.

I"m sure I forgot a ton of people but that's what happens when you procrastinate on this shit. But there were so many great people and so many good times. Now I have to go have some drinks or the Rotten will kill me.

Cheers to all and we'll see you on the East Coast if possible.

Nick