I’m jealous to get the text from home: “Rowan’s here! He’s baking apple pie!” My housemate Amy has apparently returned home with many a self-picked apple and Rowan has traded his exquisite baking labours for part of the haul. Among his many self-taught skills, his affinity for all things oven is probably the second-most popular.
Still, a couple hundred miles and some 30 hours away, it’s a beautiful day. Even U2 knows it.
Last night we played one of the longest gigs of our Lives, running strong from 9.15 or so all the way till 2 in the morning. It’s hard to say “no” when the owner keeps saying “can you just play a LITTLE longer”, backing the request with twenties and top-shelf whiskey. Of course, no matter how much I enjoy the feeling of strain in my voice and my fingers, nowadays my feet just feel exhausted from standing, my legs are aching from carrying the weight of the rest of me, and my arms are cramping. The next morning, beautiful though it is, my whole body is complaining from the abuse. My back aches and my neck aches and my fingertips are stinging – from all this overuse – and my voice from the singing.
The beautiful rainy streets of Short North in Columbus, OH. Heather gets her jam on while trading 80s music and slow-jam recollections with our friend Brandon in Columbus, OH.
A great night nonetheless. We’ve perhaps sort of graduated from Cal U, but are happy to visit Wood Street Bar – it’s got an element of class that I enjoy and the people are excited and friendly. Even the bouncer’s an Ani Difranco fan and we can get away with five hours of almost-original music, ilyAIMYitized covers and occasional of little storytelling sessions. We even recorded an interesting new (to us) toast.
Oh God – just say “no” to Fairy Bread. It’s apparently an Australian birthday tradition – sugary sprinkles on buttered bread. It’s every bit as gross as it sounds and gave me kind of a weird buzzy cholesterol n sugar high. Thank you student association of Westmoreland County Community College. Urp. People – don’t give up your chocolate cake! OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Heather making out with a very happy older white man on the side of the road in Greenburg, PA. The Colonel stood guard over a very cool antiques shop which included the above spectacular barrel couch. I’d kill to just set up an open mic / coffeehouse inside this store. Everything would be on sale except my PA. Sometimes I really wish I could just be a buyer for some hip shop somewhere. Give me a price limi, a credit line and a truck and let me do the rest. This is something of a lie actualy – it would be a good job for Heather, though.
We’ve got two more shows before we get home: one last Pennsylvania gig and then a night at an ice cream shop in West Virginia. If the weather holds (and my moderately-clever phone claims that it will), we’ll have easy, beautiful drives through some of the more scenic areas of the East-ish coast before returning to our own, more urban environs.
If we could model every tour after this one, I would do it gladly. It’s been lucrative and
Fortunately, shortly thereafter we were treated to an amazing Raspberry Mocha at a coffeehouse gig with Joy Ike at Commonplace Coffee in Pittsburgh, PA. These guys were pretty obsessed with their product and I take no issue with that – especially when the end result is the delicacy pictured above.A A very interesting breakdown on coffee-facts brought to us by Commonplace Coffee. I’ve got better focused shots but the light’s a little harsher. Fuck you flash. Bring me warm, buttery yellows over clarity.
most of the gigs have been not-too-hard with appreciative audiences. Even long shows like last night’s aren’t too rough when you know people care. (shoulder speaks up and would like it noted, for the record, that it doesn’t full agree with this sentiment) It’s been a good mix of colleges and coffeeshops and the occasional bar… and tomorrow… that ice cream shop.
Sigh – no ice cream for me, but maybe someone will just by me a sugar cone?
In any case, a runner from my army popped by as we were loading the car. I’ll take him as a good omen gladly as we mosey slowly Eastward and homebound. I think we’re fortunate to have not missed the turning of the seasons, pumpkins and colourful foliage await. Oh – and Rowan’s apple pie!
Speaking of beautiful steel towns – we were actually staying within sight of the mills. Unfortunately, that also put us right next to the railroad tracks. Regular trains every half-hour till 4am made Life sort of like Hell until we remembered to buy ourselves some earplugs.
Kimmy demonstrates her Snuggie. Hrm. It doesn’t LOOK like a genuine Snuggie to me… more like a … quilted fish costume.
