Day 9 - March 20th 2009
Finally, show day. We hadn’t played since New York and I Was anxious to get the kinks worked out as far as I was concerned. The last show was my first show, felt great but didn’t 100% nail it like I wanted to which is always the case when you’re performing new songs for the first time. I want to get to a point of proficiency sooner rather than later.
Load in time was pretty early and since we were back lining (providing guitar and bass amps as well as drums) the whole show. We left here in time enough to make it to Lovejoys which was where we were playing. Of course when we get there the first band has all their equipment up and we have to find a way to store all of our crap so that it’s out the way. The show got underway at 12 and the crowd was pretty sparse but the free beer would bring them in slowly but surely. I basically did a thing where I would sit and listen to a band for about 10-15 minutes and if I wasn’t feeling it I’d go wander around the festival. I did quite a bit of that until it was Leslie’s turn to play.
Leslie is a three piece Southern Rock band from South Carolina that Bang Camaro has been touring with since about September. We picked them up in Nashville a few days ago and they’ve been rollin with us ever since. I’d heard their EP and it was awesome and had been looking forward to seeing them live. They were amazing the epitome of an old school rock and roll band.
They’ve got a look, a sound, and that it factor many people chase. It was the first tiem all day I felt like I was looking at something legitimate. They blazed it but like all other good things it had to come to an end. It was Bang Camaro’s turn up to bat.
I was told by the new sound guy that we could forget hearing ourselves today which concerned me. I’m a tad louder than the rest of the guys so if I’m really screwing the pooch people can hear me. I forgot an earplug and had to borrow one from Rodrigo. That helped a great deal in terms of hearing everything. The band is still loud as all hell though so there were definitely points where I was more focused on getting the notes that rocking out.
I had been plagued recently by exactly how I’m supposed to behave physically on-stage. My musical background is a lot different from the rest of the singers so even when I sang in rockfish type bands my mannerisms on stage would be slightly different. I basically decided to do what came naturally and let the guys tell me if I need to do anything different. I did what I would normally do which is ride the beat, when it comes to rhythm Pete gives you plenty. I know you like my band went better than last week, I was told last night that it should be more of a quiet blend as opposed to the belting I was doing in NYC. She’s Gone Critical also sounded better. The crowd was pretty live and they really ate it up it was an amazing experience. Morgan was next to me during the show it felt a little more like we were in it together than it did being next to someone else last week.
We waited a while for the truck ( I was subjected to the non-awesomeness of the Texas Rockfest) and all went our separate ways. Bryn, Theresa (Merch Girl), Myself, Glen, Sadler, and Doz came back to the house while others stayed at the festival. I decided to come outside to the gazebo area and play some guitar I stumble and fall straight through this wooden board into this hole in the ground. I was able to pull myself out and didn’t think a whole lot of it.
I was playin some tunes and low and behold the hole I fell in started filling up with water and overflowing. Sadler peeps that there’s something funny going on with the pipe it was separated from the rest. Glen (who was making pizza at the time) comes out and says “We’re getting no water pressure” FUCK (sorry Mom) I have succeeded in breaking the house. Bryn was in the midst of calling a plumber when Glen got the owner of the house on the phone, she said that she was gonna come over and take a look. They arrive to shut the valve off, after their done their car gets stuck and has to be pushed out…I am the ruiner of everything. Me, Boy Wonder, master of Pimp Rock, leader, Philadelphia Big Shot, goes on his first tour and falls down a well. I half expected them all to hold hads and write my stupid ass a song.
All of a sudden they make it up to the leak, figure out what’s going on just start breaking out piping and various tools and what not. Turns out when I fell through my foot went completely through the pipe. But they look at it and know what to do, they are going to MacGeyver this pipe. I alternated between standing out there over the pipe and coming in the house trying to stay off my leg. After some cutting and what not they were able to get the pipe fixed sufficiently enough for us to be able to use the water, There was talk of sledge hammering some stuff after we leave the property. Turns out their son was a Bang Camaro fan from playing rock band so Bryn and Sadler talked to him and Bryn gave him some stickers.
I spent most of the evening apologizing profusely. They assured me that this could have happened to anyone. I told them that yes falling through the board and into the well could have happened to anyone. The epicness that followed (overflowing water, cars getting stuck, me completely mangling myself etc.) would only happen to me. I felt like crap. They could have completely thrown me under the bus but they didn’t. These guys are pretty cool.
We spent the rest of the evening talking about music, Sadler shared his George W. Bush story and we ended up eating Glen’s pizza which was pretty good. I would go to bed shortly afterward but not after waking up around five to get water and having to recount the tale to Alex.
My leg and hip are pretty sore (cause I fell down the well) but I should be fine for tomorrow’s show provided I take it easy. It’ll be a true test, my first back to back shows with the band.
Big day tomorrow.
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