We’ve just passed a bright yellow 18-wheeler that advertises “Alexis’ Lemonade Stand”. I wonder if that was TRULY a semi filled to the brim with lemons and sugar. I sure hope it was.
We’re on our way to the National Association of College Activities Mid-Atlantic Festival and I’m just about as nervous as I can be. We’re not going to do what we do best. When it’s a festival where we’re playing a short set I know we just have to show up, be prepared, and DO what it is that we do best: play our little hearts out. At this event we get to do that for five minutes and for the rest of it we have to find a balance of fun and seduction and friendliness that encourages these people to invite us to their schools. I have no idea how we’re supposed to do it – and out of the 60 or so performers showcasing at the event, I believe we are the ONLY act here completely alone, representing ourselves [This turned out to be incorrect, there’s about three or four of us including our neighbours Headlocks, a surf-rock group called the Alien Surfer Babes and one or two other acts]. Everyone else seems to have an entertainment company, some sort of “incorporated” something or management group acting as their buffer betwixt themselves and the colleges. I don’t know if this works to our advantage or if it makes us come across as unprofessional in some way. There are plenty of first-time artists, but I think we’re the only first-time “associate”.
Yeah, I’m nervous.
I’m glad we’ve got Ashraf Dawod with us. Ash (mOsno) is a constant force of enthusiasm and optimism, and I think Heather and I particularly need his sense of joy right now. Whenever I look up, his fluffy hair is in the rearview, and I’m glad for the company. He’s going to help us man our booth, help us remain personable and fun, and… well… I don’t know what else. He’ll probably help us carry shit.
Ash is the ultimate backup plan: for anything we can’t think of, there will be Ash.
Heather and I both feel bone-tired. She’s been working nonstop on the booth and I’ve been working nonstop at HMT, FUNDING parts of the booth. Brennan Kuhns of Petal Blight has worked hard at putting together a very cool booking video for us and we’ve gotten a lot of moral support from everyone… but now, after a week of getting up early, working all day, gigging almost every night and getting to bed late, after about 6 days straight of burning the candle at both ends, all we have to do is be sparkly, engaging and entertaining for the next 48 hours straight.
I’ve read all I can find to read, I’ve printed out as much stuff as I can think to print out, I’ve got new strings on the guitar, we’ve got all the random merchandise bits we can think of…. I feel like there are critical holes in my understanding of the event, but I think the only way I’m going to fill those holes is to just go and see. At 2.30 this morning I finally went to bed thinking … well… nothing to it but to do it.
