This tour has been one of unexpected changes. From simple things like “this road no longer exists” to much more complex issues like Heather’s last-minute joining of Dar Williams’ tour, chaos has been the watchword of our wanderings. Friday morning we discovered that our Saturday night show was cancelled, so by Saturday morning we re-routed from Wilmington and Charlotte NC to Maryland and then Louisville, KY (always a welcome detour). Sunday night we find out there’s a third act for Monday’s show and on Monday night the third band’s van breaks down and it doesn’t look like they’re going to show. Also, we discover that there IS wireless at the gig, allowing us to broadcast the night. By the time the Live feed is set up we discover that the third band WILL be able to make it, causing us to restructure the night AGAIN (they blew fuses in their van and then BRIDGED said blown fuses with guitar strings resulting in melting part of their dash – Jettison Never? YOU are rockstars!)… Tuesday’s radio show at KDHX is nothing but chaos with us arriving early, then going on late, songs played out of order, mics being swapped at the last second… as my jackelope says
“BEJESUS!!!”
Which leads us to tonight! Loyal Family, always a helpful booking community in St Louis, booked us for a show tonight in which we were a last-minute (and therefore presumably short) addition to a Live Feed benefit for the homeless at Pop’s Blue Moon. Unfortunately, the Live Feed benefit became disassociated with the night for some reason or another about a month ago and as of a phone call today it turns out we’re the sole act for the night… Chaos.
Oh, and also? PBM doesn’t actually have wireless so we WON’T be broadcasting tonight! Ahhh… we roll with the punches. As for Heather? She reports that there are wavy mirrors and disco lights on the ceiling of her tour bus. I’m a little bit jealous.
Heather and I performing at the An Poitin Stil for an audience distracted by Miller Lite Girls. Sometimes I wonder at our species – and in the past I wondered about how it was possible that we survived as creatures. That was before I realized how powerful our sex drive was and how much alcohol could lubricate it. Almost no matter what Armegeddon we can wreak, we can probably outbreed it.
VLUU L200 / Samsung L200
ilyAIMY smiling pretty in the firelight at the College Perk in College Park, MD. Well… out back.
I don’t know the name of the band performing on the hastily-built College Perk back-up stage, but rather than performing inside the new Perk, because of yet ANOTHER problem with permits we found ourselves gathered around a bonfire playing in the open air. I actually liked it better than I think I would’ve liked playing inside the cramped interior, especially with about 200 people in the audience – but because we were rocking the exterior we got shut down by the police about halfway through our set. They were polite about it, but firm. Of course, wouldn’t have happened if we’d been playing indoors!
Sharif and PS24 contemplating the fire at College Perk’s non-open Grand Reopening.
We were invited to return the College Perk to operational status in style – unfortunately – we were only able to show up and return the Perk to …. crowded… in style. The Grand Opening turned out to be something more of a soft opening, but it was still a lot of fun. Java Mammas denizen Ana came all the way down to catch one last ilyAIMY show before we all went our separate ways for a couple of weeks. Rowan and I running off to the Midwest, Heather touring with Dar Williams and Sharif staying home to take care of the kids. Or the slowly recovering Perk, whichever the case may be.
Rowan gearing up to perform at the College Perk. He’s so freakin’ smiley!
In our honour, the burning of the broken Perk chair, out with the old, in with the new – like a phoenix rising from the ashes – it was cool to have REAL pyrotechnics!
