Thursday, July 22, 2010

Lost in Translation





Travel Day

“It’s a long, long way from Houston baby” or rather it’s just a long long way from where I was last year…. I’ve got back in the swing of running things with the band (with a little bit of help of course this time around!) We just finished that record & can’t wait to share it in October. Til then I’m excited to be back on the road as we head out to Europe again…I love it over there (Even though I gotta admit, there’s some thing about coming home to Long Beach that is really the best feeling in the world) Hopefully I’ll be able to see more and do more this time around…last time we came over here it was really cold and we were on tour with the street dogs. I’m starting to get used to the different countries…like Germany to me is similar to the us, but a little more hard around the edges…my favorite is Sweden….I wish we were going to Stockholm this time around, but I’ll take Oslo...lots of festivals too. I don’t think I’ve played any fests in Europe yet, so this should be very interesting…totally excited, but a little homesick. This time around we’re bringing out my little brother to tech… should be an experience since I think he’s really used to having lots of things done for him etc….today I was like “you’re hungry? Well go get some food” ha ha….he’s young, but I really think this experience will change him for the better…..maybe he’ll even get the itch like me and Suzi…the one that keeps you wanting to travel and keeps your best feelings when you check into a hotel & check your bags…it’s a different kind of person that thrives on being in a new place everyday….it’s a good way to live….never get boring!

Prague or Praha - Mini Vacation

We hung out in Prague at our drivers house. It was good to be back in a city we were familiar with and it’s always cool to be able to locate the h & m or know how to ride the train….we have knowledge of both of these! We’ve stayed at our driver Mdogs house before….it’s this really cool flat on the 5th floor and his parents are never home! We ate our fav potato pancakes at this little pub. Its always a shock coming back to Europe and remembering that people still smoke indoors….I always feel kinda lucky that no one in my band are smokers….that’s the worst…Jacq and I went with
Mdog to the Mighty Sounds Bar & felt totally local…

The second day in Prague was the best because it straight up felt like summer camp. We went to this lake, which isn’t really a lake, it’s a mined out old rock area that filled up naturally with water….it’s only about a few hundred feet, not very big…but its super murky and goes down so deep no one knows,…there’s fish., And who knows what else….lake monster? We jumped off the cliff into the water. That was one of the most thrilling jumps of all time….once was enough though! Played some vollyball (yes! Vollyball!) and remembered what a competitive jock I am….ha ha…It was here that I experienced the best cider of my life…hands down THE BEST! I am a cider conosuier as people who know me know and it was fucking incredible…and on top of that, the selection was HUGE!!! Enough vacation…lets get some shows going!

Had an AMAZING run at Mighty Sounds...the photos speak for themselves...there's some shows where the vibe is just there...the vibe was TOTALLY there....the response to our new stuff has been amazing...I'm really really happy right now...We got to catch up with our homies in H20, sans a few of the guys for these festivals....it's always nice to see people you've toured with when you are a million miles away from home...ok maybe not a million....but a lot! Same goes with the Serengeti fest....good to catch up with some members of Flogging Molly & hang out with our new drinking buddies Valiant Thor....where's the hard liquor?! Great show sans some technical difficulties...and it's not everyday we get to open for GWAR!!!!




Munich-

This show was awesome…Sweaty, real….rock n’ roll….the ghost in our room that night was super NOT awesome. The fact that some people knew about it, and didn’t share…super NOT awesome! I would have slept in the van for sure over this…IT was strange because I had this gut feeling not to go up to the club flat. I actually didn’t even make it up there until 40 min after we played. When I realized I was the only one up I got a little creeped out and laid down only to hear door opening and closing & scratching on the wall….horrible stuff….

But the show was good! Ha ha….and Pernod from Big Cheese came out to the show to bring us some magazines…he gave us the cover, which I’m sure will help out the shows….we were totally stoked on the turnout last night…..it’s starting to not even feel like an hour long set at this point….

I need to change my guitar strings when we get to the next venue for sure…..3 shows and one super sweaty one is too much….gotta make sure we don’t have any malfunctions….

Thanks to everyone who came out to Munich….you guys were rad even though we were in a sauna…Sometimes that’s the best though!