Bakersfield, Long Beach, Hollywood, Glendale
Thought it might be a good opportunity to share some musician lore.
4 days in the life of a working band. Roadhouse country. Me and my guys - Grant Langston and The Supermodels.
Hollywood - The Cinema Bar
Came off a plane from Nashville at 9:30 for a 11pm show at this LA institution. My drummer Tony Horkins was flying in from Toronto, and my wife Catie was bringing my gear from home. We were supporting Rich McCulley, and The Cinema is a MIGHTY awesome little bar.
By some miracle we all got where we were supposed to be on time, and in time to see Rich play. PROBABLY the best show I've ever seen him do. Keyboards, and two of the best side men in the business - Taras Prodaniuk on bass and Brian Young on Drums. It was a real pleasure...
Unfortunately, by the time we took the stage things had cooled off a bit. The faithful hung out and drank some beer and yelled...We finished about 12:30, and I was used up. I always play acoustic in the Cinema, it the club is small, and we play too loud most of the time anyway. So, it is appropriate...but not nearly as much fun as the beloved gretsch.
We're about 2/3rd's done with a new record and we played some of those tunes - Not Another Song About California, Call Your Bluff, Stand Up Man, etc. and happily it all seems to be pretty well received.
Friday Night could not have been more different. We were on a crazy bill with a glam band, a punk band, and a modern rock band. oie. and the place was packed. When that happens we general reel it back in and stick to basics. the tried and true - Drunken Prince Charming, Three Dollar Whore, and a little Merle Haggard. These things have been honed by hundreds of shows, and if the audience has a pulse, and isn't furious at the site of my cowboy hat - things usually go well. My guitarist Larry Marcino got crazy with our Devil Went Down to Georgia cover, and we turned some of those fine folks into fans.
The 2nd act, Siggy, is a band where everyone is a PHD in Psychology. Who ever heard of such? It is a punk thing...punkish, i would say, and I enjoyed it.
But back to the joy's of playing clubs the LOAD OUT WAS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR! which wasn't so bad coming in, with no one in the club - but proved to be almost impossible at 1am with the place full of sweaty patrons. Besides the ego bruise of dragging your amp past the people who think you're a successful musician.
Bakersfield - Fishlips
I've written at length about this great club. Shawna and Andrew run a welcoming place where people feel at home and free to drink too much, dance in an embarassing manner, and hoot and holler. We LOVE it there, and we do a 3 set all night extravaganza to prove it.
Our last show at Fishlips in October didn't go too well. It was the usual stuff...drugs - drink - indulgence. But we had a burning desire to RAWK that place and I feel like we hit the mark. Brett Cox, son of radio personality Scott Cox, came up to jam with us on a couple of country classics.
the people there know and LOVE country music. We did every song we know. The originals, the Hank Junior, the Hank Senior, the Possum, all of it. they know the words and sing along. At the end of that show, I always feel a little bit better about life.
Long Beach - The Pike
LBC baby. The Pike is a cool restaurant/club owned and operated by Chris Reece formerly of Social Distortion. He is a WONDERFUL guy, and I love playing his club. We've had some hit and miss shows there but this night the place was jammed full of people. The patrons are a crazy mix of hippies (one woman gave our bassist Josh Fleeger a run for his money), tattoo'd rockabilly cats, gang members (?), and yuppies. At some point while Josh and I were smoking a cigarette outside a gang of MOPEDS pulled up. I kid you not. Josh said it sounded like two dozen lawnmowers coming down the street. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. and they pulled right up on the pike side walk and came in.
We did two sets...and of course, the entire time the club yelled at us to TURN IT DOWN. "It's too loud!" Which made me wonder...is a little country band the loudest act you have here? we can't be. we don't even like to play loud. With the punk vibe they must have some punk bands in that blow the doors off. We tried to turn down. It's just that when a couple who are sitting 15 feet from the band wanna chat about their children's private school it is impossible to get thing quiet enough to accomodate them. you wanna say - "Guys, it's time for MUSIZA! Talking time is over!" but that would be rude.
So, we finished up...packed it up...and rolled
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