Day 46 - April 26th - 2009
It was more like an Epilogue than an actual tour date today. Woke up in the AM to my phone being deader the Bea Arthur (Too soon?). I’d lost my charger backstage at Jimmy Kimmel and needed to get another one because today was a day I needed my phone. Leslie was playing a Barbeque and invited everyone to it. I was able to get my parents in. I was told most of the guys were going to make the BBQ so I was excited to see everyone and say my last goodbyes. I also had my first ever show in Los Angeles. I’d never done any Boy Wonder stuff so far away from Philly so we had to get directions from the hotel to the Barbeque, then from the barbeque to Molly Malone’s.
I charged my phones and as we were on our way to the barbeque the texts and phone calls were flying in from LA friends that were coming to the show. I was excited that everyone was so motivated to see me. A truly amazing thing. I even got a call from a friend from elementary school that lives out here. She said she was coming.
I pulled up to the BBQ and the level of California there was awe inspiring. Hot girls dressed like hippies in short skirts. Laid back people basking in the cool weather, little kids running around, and people getting ready to play music. I saw the guys and I hugged them, it was great to see everyone in a more relaxed setting. Admittedly it was a pressure cooker sometimes with so many of us on top of each other. A dude named Caesar played. His tunes reminded me a little bit of Radiohead or something like that. His voice was a lot less agonizing than Tom Yhorke’s making the music easier to listen to. Then all of a sudden Bryn asked me to play a song. He had cleared it with the Leslie guys so I went and grabbed my six string.
Jason Fox said they wanted to wait a little while to play so I could play several songs. I tuned up and inhaled. I could literally smell my allergies kicking in…this was going to suck balls. I toughed it out and did the best I could and either people were really polite or they liked what they heard.
I was able to stick around and listen to the Leslie guys. It was awesome to hear them with the volume turned down. There are a lot of subtleties in their music that I was able to pick up better with the amps turned down. They really are the real deal. Unfortunately I had to say my final final goodbyes and head over to the gig. I had gotten a text message from one Laura Wilson she wanted to meet me at the place I was playing Molly Malone’s for a drink. The club reminded me of a nicer version of The Fire back home.
Laura Wilson was the talent buyer at World Café Live when I was really getting my project going. I had played their open mic and done some shows for them for about six months and was granted direct access to her, after some begging (a lot of begging) she was the first person to ever let me book a show anywhere. She was the person that hired me to host Philly Rising and whenever I did stuff at World Café Live she was always the one that took care of me. So I owe a great deal to her for helping me to become the man I am today. I hadn’t seen her since she left for Los Angeles so I was happy to see her. We traded stories and laughed and talked. It was always nice to see a friendly face especially when it’s attached to a sane person that has their stuff together. She had to leave before the show but it was great to see her.
It was nearing the time and people started rolling in. The Midnight Miles Crew (Laila, Serina, and Sara) Christina From High School and her crew, Latifah from Elementary School, My cousin Mickey plus the small crowd that was there. But the highlight for me was when Rod and Rich (with their lovely ladies in toe) from Bang Camaro showed up followed by Leslie a few moments later. Musicians of this caliber that have toured the country countless times aren’t obligated to see little old me play by myself in some club somewhere. I was really touched that they came out to support me.
The time was upon me. It was time to see if I could be good in LA….I opened with my Ain’t No Sunshine/Woman medley and when it was over I said Hello LA to a round of applause. I picked up right away on how much my time with Bang Camaro has allowed me to grow as a performer. I wasn’t a slouch before I left but a wall that I usually had set up between me and an audience was completely gone. I was interacting with the crowd making them laugh. I definitely sounded better than I did earlier in the day. I finally played my new song Get me to California, a tune written that fateful night in Denton after the long walk. It was well received especially by my tour mates. I was pretty happy about that. After a few more tunes I ended my set with 3000 Miles Away, I figured since I was about that far away from home it would be fitting.
I got to say goodbye to Rich and Rod one more time, the Leslie boys were gonna stay with me tonight but we split off to get grub.
My cousin Mickey took us to the World Famous Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. I didn’t even get to my chicken before the itis gripped me up and wouldn’t let go. I fell asleep in the back of the van and woke up in front of the hotel where Leslie was waiting. We went up to the room where Sadler was asleep outside with his sunglasses on (he’s even cool in his sleep…lol) Sadler hit his air mattress, Carman made a bed out of the couch cushions, and Jason Fox bunked with me…Back to back one last time, mainly cause we rule, even in our slumber.
I fly home tomorrow to questions of what’s next. I’m scheduled to go straight to Philly Rising because only a fool would get off a plane and head straight to host an open mic.
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