So, we've been relaxing at a compound in Phoenix for the past couple days. It's a really rough lifestyle, what with the pool, copious amounts of food, and private living quarters. And to make matters even worse, our hosts are insanely kind and generous. Don't they know us rough & gruff rockstars can't be loved in such a way?
In all actuality, it's been a really nice reprieve from the barrelling down the road in the van. I haven't had to drive since Saturday, which is awesome. We've also been taking care of miscellaneous things that pile up over time. Like laundry. Trips to the bank, post office, and repair shop were also needed. Oh, and we went shopping at a Mexican clothes store on Saturday. The only crime was the fact that I didn't bring the damn camera. We tried on some comical items, to be sure.
I snapped a few pictures at a nearby park to give some idea of the change in scenery over the last week. It's about 95 degrees today, with a slight wind, which is a far cry from the other places we've played thus far. It doesn't cool down all that much at night, which is fine...our quarters are air-conditioned. I know, rough.
We are heading to Gallup, New Mexico tomorrow afternoon as we split up a long drive into two days. This is another hub on the old Route 66 arterial. A bunch of us in the band are quite fond of that nostalgia of the recent past. Just think about that trip from the midwest to California when you are dirt broke and the vehicle you are driving is held together with duct tape and a prayer. I think our 6 week journey can be trying. It's nothing like what it was for those folks moving west in search of a living.
Ironically enough, Bryan just finished up Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, which tells the story of a family making the trek from Oklahoma to the California orchards. I read it a few years ago as well. It's a great book, and in a similar irony, I was about as poor as I had ever been. Tons of debt, living paycheck to paycheck, it was a miserable point in my life - at least financially. Even then, I realized that it was highly ironic that I had somehow supplanted myself into that very novel. Thankfully, after I finished it, my life improved (at least in my mind it did..).
That's it for now. Check back for some more pictures of Route 66 in Gallup. For now, all I got is blooming cacti and ducks.
cheers,
DF & SBSD
Monday, May 12, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
We Got Our Kicks on Route 66
Played Prescott, AZ last night. The first and last set were pretty good. The middle one was met with a bunch of crickets. Still, it was a good night for the band, though quite exhausting. We played from 9:30 till 1am, which included setting up and handling our own sound. By the end of the night, we were zonked.
We stayed in this cool old motor court last night called the Apache Motel. It will soon go the way of the Do-Do bird as it is being sold and then torn down. It’s the wave of the future, more corporate America blandness, less mom & pop character. I’m a sucker for old time stuff, so this kind of thing is a bit heart-breaking.
As we traveled over from California, we essentially followed the old Route 66 thru Arizona. Lot’s of cool things to see along the way. We got to see some of the old billboards, hotels, gas stations, and shops in Williams and Flagstaff. It’s pretty amazing to think of all the people that have traversed that route over the years – especially during the dust bowl.
Tonight, we are playing the Last Exit in Tempe. We also get a bit of a reprieve in the length of our set as we are joining forces with another band, Tramps & Thieves. After playing a number of 3+ hour shows, it will be nice to kick back after doing a power set and not have to worry about our own sound.
Cheers,
DF and SBSD
We stayed in this cool old motor court last night called the Apache Motel. It will soon go the way of the Do-Do bird as it is being sold and then torn down. It’s the wave of the future, more corporate America blandness, less mom & pop character. I’m a sucker for old time stuff, so this kind of thing is a bit heart-breaking.
As we traveled over from California, we essentially followed the old Route 66 thru Arizona. Lot’s of cool things to see along the way. We got to see some of the old billboards, hotels, gas stations, and shops in Williams and Flagstaff. It’s pretty amazing to think of all the people that have traversed that route over the years – especially during the dust bowl.
Tonight, we are playing the Last Exit in Tempe. We also get a bit of a reprieve in the length of our set as we are joining forces with another band, Tramps & Thieves. After playing a number of 3+ hour shows, it will be nice to kick back after doing a power set and not have to worry about our own sound.
Cheers,
DF and SBSD
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Grand Doesn't Even Describe It
"Holy Hell!"
It was the only thing I could utter upon walking to the rim of the Grand Canyon. Just insane how enormous that gigantic gash in the earth is. I've seen countless pictures of this area, but you can't even put into words how insignificant you feel standing on the top looking down to the Colorado river below.
We spent about an hour gazing down into the depths of the canyon. On account of my fear of heights, you won't be seeing any pictures of me with my back to the edge of the rim. It makes me nervous just thinking about it. No one else is nearly as scared of the high places as I am - which is why they are the ones shining bright smiles with the canyon majestically propped in the background.
It was definately worth the 400+ mile drive yesterday to be able to do this. You can see the posted pictures...but like I said, they will fail to even come close to the immensity of the canyon.
***
Tonight we are playing Flagstaff at Mia's Lounge. It looks like a really cool room, complete with a huge stage. This is a rare event on a tour of this level. We generally are crammed into a coffee can, trying not to impale/probe each other with guitars, drum sticks, and mic stands. It will be a good night, indeed.
cheers,
DF & SBSD
It was the only thing I could utter upon walking to the rim of the Grand Canyon. Just insane how enormous that gigantic gash in the earth is. I've seen countless pictures of this area, but you can't even put into words how insignificant you feel standing on the top looking down to the Colorado river below.
We spent about an hour gazing down into the depths of the canyon. On account of my fear of heights, you won't be seeing any pictures of me with my back to the edge of the rim. It makes me nervous just thinking about it. No one else is nearly as scared of the high places as I am - which is why they are the ones shining bright smiles with the canyon majestically propped in the background.
It was definately worth the 400+ mile drive yesterday to be able to do this. You can see the posted pictures...but like I said, they will fail to even come close to the immensity of the canyon.
***
Tonight we are playing Flagstaff at Mia's Lounge. It looks like a really cool room, complete with a huge stage. This is a rare event on a tour of this level. We generally are crammed into a coffee can, trying not to impale/probe each other with guitars, drum sticks, and mic stands. It will be a good night, indeed.
cheers,
DF & SBSD
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
El Cid
It was crazy day in LA. We had an interview with folks at Rock Remedy in which we had a sit-down type of question/answer session, then we played 5 songs as they filmed us. Say what you will about how we'll look on camera...but I think it came out alright. At the very least, we now have something to put up on Myspace/Facebook/Scotlandbarr.com that involves something more than sound.
We then took a couple hours to chill out (the day was already long, having driven from San Diego that morning) at Chris's brother's house (Eli). We got a chance to catch up on random things - mostly sleep - and to recharge a bit. After that, we had another filmed interview with Hollywood Premiers at El Cid. This interview was a bit easier and more fun...which likely had more to do with the fact that it wasn't in the AM than anything else.
Finding ourselves hungry, we spent a bajillion dollars on sushi from a joint we came across on Sunset. Feeling satiated, we retreated back to El Cid to prep for our show. El Cid is one of the coolest clubs I've ever been in. For Portlander's, it's like Dante's, except smaller and slightly more formal.
Ronnie Mack's Barndance is an institution here in LA, and it is to our great honor that we were able to play it. It's a whirlwind of a situation, in that you only get a small alotted amount of time and you basically have to use their equpiment (amps/drums/etc). Still, we had a great show, were received really well, and even sold a few CDs. It was the funnest show for me so far on tour.
Today, we are off for a KOA near Flagstaff which is about 400+ miles away. No show tonight, but we'll be exhausted nonetheless. We'll have the morning and afternoon to ourselves to go see the Grand Canyon and try not to fall in (or drive in, as it were). It will be a pleasant day.
Cheers for now - pictures coming later today from El Cid.
DF & SBSD
We then took a couple hours to chill out (the day was already long, having driven from San Diego that morning) at Chris's brother's house (Eli). We got a chance to catch up on random things - mostly sleep - and to recharge a bit. After that, we had another filmed interview with Hollywood Premiers at El Cid. This interview was a bit easier and more fun...which likely had more to do with the fact that it wasn't in the AM than anything else.
Finding ourselves hungry, we spent a bajillion dollars on sushi from a joint we came across on Sunset. Feeling satiated, we retreated back to El Cid to prep for our show. El Cid is one of the coolest clubs I've ever been in. For Portlander's, it's like Dante's, except smaller and slightly more formal.
Ronnie Mack's Barndance is an institution here in LA, and it is to our great honor that we were able to play it. It's a whirlwind of a situation, in that you only get a small alotted amount of time and you basically have to use their equpiment (amps/drums/etc). Still, we had a great show, were received really well, and even sold a few CDs. It was the funnest show for me so far on tour.
Today, we are off for a KOA near Flagstaff which is about 400+ miles away. No show tonight, but we'll be exhausted nonetheless. We'll have the morning and afternoon to ourselves to go see the Grand Canyon and try not to fall in (or drive in, as it were). It will be a pleasant day.
Cheers for now - pictures coming later today from El Cid.
DF & SBSD
Monday, May 5, 2008
Weekend Wrap Up
Made the drive to Pappy ‘n Harriet’s this afternoon up in Pioneer Town. This is a popular hangout for all types of people. Lots of musicians can be found playing on Sunday (with the Thrift Store All-Stars), as well as other Hollywood types to get away from it all. This town was created as a movie set for Hollywood westerns. Last time we played here, we stayed in the ‘card room’ that was named after Gene Autry (and friends) as they passed the time after a days’ work. Very cool place, indeed.
Instead of staying up in the high desert, we chose to drive back to San Diego. Since we have a day off, we felt a good place to be was near the beach. The day off will be welcome. After a few late nights and the long windy drive to Pioneer Town, we are all a bit ragged and in need of some extended sleep.
The show itself went really well. We would have liked to play longer, but we still had fun and played solid set. We are anxious to get back and play there again. Between the Joshua trees and the excellent vibe from Pappy ‘n Harriet’s, it’s one of the most fun shows we get to play.
The San Diego shows ended up okay. Though we played mostly to an audience that had other interests on their minds (meaning drinking and chasing), we still had a number of people that really dug us. Saturday was especially fun as we all had a good number of friends come out. Then, we capped the evening off with a trip to Jaunita’s and a couple orders of Asada Fries. Seems odd, but this little appetizer is one of the best dishes ever conceived.
That’s it for now – got to get some sleep. Take care and stay tuned for more wacky adventures from the band that (nearly) never sleeps.
Cheers,
DF & SBSD
Instead of staying up in the high desert, we chose to drive back to San Diego. Since we have a day off, we felt a good place to be was near the beach. The day off will be welcome. After a few late nights and the long windy drive to Pioneer Town, we are all a bit ragged and in need of some extended sleep.
The show itself went really well. We would have liked to play longer, but we still had fun and played solid set. We are anxious to get back and play there again. Between the Joshua trees and the excellent vibe from Pappy ‘n Harriet’s, it’s one of the most fun shows we get to play.
The San Diego shows ended up okay. Though we played mostly to an audience that had other interests on their minds (meaning drinking and chasing), we still had a number of people that really dug us. Saturday was especially fun as we all had a good number of friends come out. Then, we capped the evening off with a trip to Jaunita’s and a couple orders of Asada Fries. Seems odd, but this little appetizer is one of the best dishes ever conceived.
That’s it for now – got to get some sleep. Take care and stay tuned for more wacky adventures from the band that (nearly) never sleeps.
Cheers,
DF & SBSD
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Beaches and More!
I love San Diego. It’s so fricking beautiful here. I hung out at the beach with some friends of mine for most of the afternoon. Went swimming in the ocean – and it was the same beach where that guy that got eaten by a great white shark last week. Still, I didn’t worry about it too much. Being in the water is too much fun to even worry about it such trivial things. At least, I say that now…
The Surf ‘n Saddle was an okay show. I thought we played pretty well, but the crowd was more of your standard frat/sorority affair, so without playing cover songs, we were somewhat background music. Still, there were a number of people that loved us and bought some merch. However, you’ll have to take a peek at the photos…there is one with a chick in front of the stage requesting us to play some ‘classic rock or blues songs’. Right. We’ll get right on the ZZ Top song right away.
Tonight we play Bar Leucadian, with Dr. Finklestein opening the show. This will be a nice relaxed evening and we’ll probably hit Jaunita’s afterwards, which is a Mexican joint that our song off of All The Great Aviators Agree is named after. We’ll have a bunch of friends in the audience as well, so that is always fun to be playing for them.
Gas is 4.09 across the street. Absolutely insane! There will be a picture of that coming soon. Short of that, the tour is going rather well after the first week. Let’s hope that it continues in similar fashion, eh?
Take care,
DF & SBSD
The Surf ‘n Saddle was an okay show. I thought we played pretty well, but the crowd was more of your standard frat/sorority affair, so without playing cover songs, we were somewhat background music. Still, there were a number of people that loved us and bought some merch. However, you’ll have to take a peek at the photos…there is one with a chick in front of the stage requesting us to play some ‘classic rock or blues songs’. Right. We’ll get right on the ZZ Top song right away.
Tonight we play Bar Leucadian, with Dr. Finklestein opening the show. This will be a nice relaxed evening and we’ll probably hit Jaunita’s afterwards, which is a Mexican joint that our song off of All The Great Aviators Agree is named after. We’ll have a bunch of friends in the audience as well, so that is always fun to be playing for them.
Gas is 4.09 across the street. Absolutely insane! There will be a picture of that coming soon. Short of that, the tour is going rather well after the first week. Let’s hope that it continues in similar fashion, eh?
Take care,
DF & SBSD
Thursday, May 1, 2008
LA LA LA LA LA
We got an awesome review in the LA weekly. The link we sent out earlier does not do it justice – it included a picture of the band and the review as ‘what to do Wednesday’ in the print edition of the magazine. It was quite impressive – so much that we all had giddy smiles from it.
The show at Molly Malones went okay - the ad certainly helped. It wasn't our best performance, but we did the best we could to our ability. It certainly could have been a lot worse, in that no one might not have payed to see us. Good one to build on for the future.
Tonight we play the Cinema Bar here in Culver city before heading South to San Diego. I promise to get more pictures soon. Until then - cheers!
DF & SBSD
The show at Molly Malones went okay - the ad certainly helped. It wasn't our best performance, but we did the best we could to our ability. It certainly could have been a lot worse, in that no one might not have payed to see us. Good one to build on for the future.
Tonight we play the Cinema Bar here in Culver city before heading South to San Diego. I promise to get more pictures soon. Until then - cheers!
DF & SBSD
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