117%.
So yeah it was a pretty good year.
Sent via iPhone
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Here is a good example of how difficult of a person I am..just now at
Moes I got a little offended whenthe cashier said "merry Christmas" to
me. Even though I celebrate Christmas I don't like people making
assumptions about me. And it's not because I don't believe in god and
people assuming I do makes me mad (I'm not an idiot like those kinds
of "atheist", I'm not even an atheist...just really lazy and
apathetic), I just don't like anyone making an assumption about me.
How do you know I'm not fucking Jewish or a Jehova that hates Christmas?
Moes I got a little offended whenthe cashier said "merry Christmas" to
me. Even though I celebrate Christmas I don't like people making
assumptions about me. And it's not because I don't believe in god and
people assuming I do makes me mad (I'm not an idiot like those kinds
of "atheist", I'm not even an atheist...just really lazy and
apathetic), I just don't like anyone making an assumption about me.
How do you know I'm not fucking Jewish or a Jehova that hates Christmas?
I really should care about more important things than this....
Sent via iPhone
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
from time to time, Chuck from Beartrap PR will send out these generic interview questions to the bands on his roster and see if anyone is interested in filling them out. Year end lists have always interested me so i have been filling out all the ones he sends me recently, and I feel like I sound like a douchebag in anything I say that involves me giving my opinion on anything. See below for an example...
What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?
5. Antillectual – “Testimony”
4. OleHole – “HoleMole”
3. Glass and Ashes – “Glass and Ashes”
2. The Bronx – “the Bronx (III)”
1. Lemuria – “Get Better”
What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
Had an impact on my life? I don’t know, I never really listened to the Hold Steady much before this year, but now I listen to them pretty regularly. I really like OleHole a lot and I think if we hadn’t played with them at the Fest I would have never gotten into them. Im not sure if either of these bands had an impact on my life, but I just started listening to them this year, so, I suppose that’s relevant.
How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)
For me, personally, this was the year that I stopped listening to as much new music and started focusing on the records I really love and figuring out why I love them so much. I got Blink-182’s “Dude Ranch” like, 10 years ago and I still love it to this day, and I spent a lot of time this year revisiting records like that as opposed to tracking down new ones and trying to remember and figure out why those types of records made me interested in playing music. I really didn’t have much interest in the Gaslight Anthem or whatever bands are really hot right now…for me I am less concerned with what people I have never met are creating. I think in 2008 I was way more concerned with what the community around me, the stuff that me and my friends are and were making, and are/were doing with our lives and our scene, as opposed to slobbering over the new Off With their Heads of Abel Baker Fox records.
Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.
Last year I got really into collecting vinyl…I think this year I have just been more of a vinyl buyer. I don’t really buy CDs anymore, but at the same time I very rarely see the need to have multiple copies of the same record anymore. I guess I feel like that with Vinyl you are getting more for your money, and its something that you can hold and feel producing sound. I think a lot more care goes into a vinyl packaging and the process of listening to a record is much more intimate than a CD or an iPod. I think people are starting to realize that for the same price of a CD, you can get a lot better packaging, and often lots of different colors and just a much better feeling from owning an LP or a 7”. I’ve seen TONS more split 7”’s in the past 2 years than I have in all of my life prior, and I think that is something that isn’t going away. Im not sure if it is a fad or not, but, I guess either way, it can’t be a bad thing. If people are buying records and supporting bands, then, that’s great.
What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)
The Fest 7 was pretty incredible. All three sets I was a part of were some of the best shows I have been a part of. More than the shows and music, the Fest was incredible because I think every friend I have ever made from playing in bands were all in one city at one time. I couldn’t walk down the road or go in Taco Bell or go in a venue without running into some good friends that I don’t get to see that often. For me that was the pinnacle of the year. Jena Berlin’s trip to Europe was also pretty amazing, simply because it gave me a lot of perspective on how we treat bands in America, and really changed the way I think about helping out touring bands when they come through Atlanta. But above those two, I adopted a dog this year…she’s pretty amazing.
What can we look forward to from you in 2009?
Touring a lot, I suppose. I know Benard has a split 7” or two in the works, and I know Die Benny has about two EPs worth of material that we need to record and figure out how to put out. Jena Berlin is going to be doing some weekends here and there and possibly another European trip, and I’m sure I’ll be spending a lot of time on tour with Mose Giganticus this year.
What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?
I honestly don’t know. I guess I’d be really happy if Young Hearts put something new out. I’m real interested in hearing the new Fake Problems LP…How Far Our Bodies Go was one of my favorite records when it came out and I’m really interested to see what they do on their second full length. Oh!, and whenever Worn in Red puts out their new record, I’m sure it will slay.
Your Name: Zac Hobbs
Band/Label/Zine/Etc: Benard (bass/vocals), Die Benny (Guitar, vocals), Jena Berlin (Bass), Mose Giganticus (Guitar).
What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?
5. Antillectual – “Testimony”
4. OleHole – “HoleMole”
3. Glass and Ashes – “Glass and Ashes”
2. The Bronx – “the Bronx (III)”
1. Lemuria – “Get Better”
What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
Had an impact on my life? I don’t know, I never really listened to the Hold Steady much before this year, but now I listen to them pretty regularly. I really like OleHole a lot and I think if we hadn’t played with them at the Fest I would have never gotten into them. Im not sure if either of these bands had an impact on my life, but I just started listening to them this year, so, I suppose that’s relevant.
How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)
For me, personally, this was the year that I stopped listening to as much new music and started focusing on the records I really love and figuring out why I love them so much. I got Blink-182’s “Dude Ranch” like, 10 years ago and I still love it to this day, and I spent a lot of time this year revisiting records like that as opposed to tracking down new ones and trying to remember and figure out why those types of records made me interested in playing music. I really didn’t have much interest in the Gaslight Anthem or whatever bands are really hot right now…for me I am less concerned with what people I have never met are creating. I think in 2008 I was way more concerned with what the community around me, the stuff that me and my friends are and were making, and are/were doing with our lives and our scene, as opposed to slobbering over the new Off With their Heads of Abel Baker Fox records.
Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.
Last year I got really into collecting vinyl…I think this year I have just been more of a vinyl buyer. I don’t really buy CDs anymore, but at the same time I very rarely see the need to have multiple copies of the same record anymore. I guess I feel like that with Vinyl you are getting more for your money, and its something that you can hold and feel producing sound. I think a lot more care goes into a vinyl packaging and the process of listening to a record is much more intimate than a CD or an iPod. I think people are starting to realize that for the same price of a CD, you can get a lot better packaging, and often lots of different colors and just a much better feeling from owning an LP or a 7”. I’ve seen TONS more split 7”’s in the past 2 years than I have in all of my life prior, and I think that is something that isn’t going away. Im not sure if it is a fad or not, but, I guess either way, it can’t be a bad thing. If people are buying records and supporting bands, then, that’s great.
What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)
The Fest 7 was pretty incredible. All three sets I was a part of were some of the best shows I have been a part of. More than the shows and music, the Fest was incredible because I think every friend I have ever made from playing in bands were all in one city at one time. I couldn’t walk down the road or go in Taco Bell or go in a venue without running into some good friends that I don’t get to see that often. For me that was the pinnacle of the year. Jena Berlin’s trip to Europe was also pretty amazing, simply because it gave me a lot of perspective on how we treat bands in America, and really changed the way I think about helping out touring bands when they come through Atlanta. But above those two, I adopted a dog this year…she’s pretty amazing.
What can we look forward to from you in 2009?
Touring a lot, I suppose. I know Benard has a split 7” or two in the works, and I know Die Benny has about two EPs worth of material that we need to record and figure out how to put out. Jena Berlin is going to be doing some weekends here and there and possibly another European trip, and I’m sure I’ll be spending a lot of time on tour with Mose Giganticus this year.
What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?
I honestly don’t know. I guess I’d be really happy if Young Hearts put something new out. I’m real interested in hearing the new Fake Problems LP…How Far Our Bodies Go was one of my favorite records when it came out and I’m really interested to see what they do on their second full length. Oh!, and whenever Worn in Red puts out their new record, I’m sure it will slay.
Your Name: Zac Hobbs
Band/Label/Zine/Etc: Benard (bass/vocals), Die Benny (Guitar, vocals), Jena Berlin (Bass), Mose Giganticus (Guitar).
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
October 24th – Clarksburg, WV
Clarksburg is our first show of the Fest Quest part of our tour. I have never spent more than a couple hours driving through West Virginia and after sitting around and playing a borderline shit show…I’m still not impressed. Cryptorchid Chipmunk also played, and I don’t really understand the whole costume thing. And I feel like I can safely say that and have that conversation after spending a month of my life on tour with the Emotron.
October 25th – Proctorville, OH / Portsmouth, OH
It just dawned on me today how Mose Giganticus and the Emotron really will tour anywhere. I did not even know that places like Proctorville and Portsmouth existed, and here we are playing rock music to handfuls of crowds. I think there is something to be said for that, but it is kind of weird playing in a band that plays more small town shows that in big cities. Its sort of like being on tour in Europe – if I want to see all the big city tourist shit, ill take a vacation to Cincinnati. Except with Europe it was picturesque countryside and not shitty Krogers and farmland.
October 26th – Blacksburg, VA
Tonight we played with The Bastards of Fate. I hated their name and a lot of their music but was really into the atmosphere they created. There was something very haunting about the singers voice and his stage presence, combined with a light he carried around. I think of all the bands I have seen on this tour, this was by far the most interesting one. I told Matt that watching them made me feel like what I feel it must have been like to be a part of the Salem Witch Trial. I can’t really put into words this band, so I suppose I should stop trying.
October 27th – Spartanburg, SC
For some reason I always forget that republicans exist outside of my aunt and uncle and maybe a cousin or two. I am not talking shit about republicans, but I think every person that I spend a lot of time with is very liberal, or if they aren’t we just don’t talk about political matters. Every night we spend lots of time with lots of prObama people. I feel like everyone in Spartanburg tonight was probably a republican, and I don’t think that is a bad thing. But it is really weird that you so rarely come in contact with a certain idea that it becomes foreign to you. A guy dancing in his underwear singing songs about Pearl Jam t-shirts doesn’t catch me off guard, but to meet someone that thinks John McCain is the answer to Americas problems takes me back.
October 28th – Charleston, SC
We played to no one. Almost literally. The bartender was there. The club owner was there. A couple of trivia goers would straggle in and out from the patio every once in a while, but, for the most part, we played to no one. While Kyle was playing, a drunk middle aged one tried to make fun of him for being bald. I filmed Matt squeeze Claxtons stomach to help him vomit.
These were the two highlights of my night.
October 29th – Jacksonville, FL
We ran very late today. So late that as soon as we showed up we had to load straight onto the state but I don’t really care. We played well, things are starting to click and I think we are really starting to shine as a tight band. Jacksonville is a very blah city and tonight I feel pretty blah. We are driving to Gainesville, we have no place to stay. Phillip didn’t seem into helping us out. I’ll be seeing lots of friends this weekend. Im real excited about that.
October 30th – Off day
The difference between a ‘Tron show and a Mose show can be determined by examining the personalities of Matt Mose and Kylemotron. Matt is very orderly and specific and detail oriented, where as Kyle is sporadic, unpredictable and slightly “out there.” Last night was a ‘Tron show and it was the embodiment of one. Also, we didn’t have a place to crash in Jacksonville, so we drove to Gainesville and slept in the bus in the Holiday Inn parking lot. I slept in “the cave,” which is the area of the loft that doesn’t have enough clearance to roll over without hitting your back. To leave in the morning, I had to suspend myself over Matt Mose, who was sleeping in the aisle on the floor, and monkey-bar myself out of the van. Fest.
October 31st – Gainesville, FL
Benard got into town around noon, for some reason. While walking down the road to the Fest registration, I saw Antillectual in their van with One Win Choice, and I didn’t know it at the time, but apparently Willem said “Look, theres Chad!” I spent just shy of 3 weeks with that guy and he still confuses me with Chad Muthard. If I didn’t have such an affinity for him and his band I would probably want to fight the Dutch bastard.
November 1st – Gainesville, FL
Played three sets today and could have done quite a few more. Benard was one of the better sets we have ever played as a band. Jena Berlin and Mose Giganticus were two of the most fun sets I have ever been a part of.
After the Emotron, Kyle chased, captured, hog-tied and kiss Nathan Streeper, meaning by the end of the day, 3/5 of the members of Die Benny have kissed the Emotron.
November 2nd – Gainesville, FL
Jon, Drelling, their two friends and myself all went out to the Warehouses because we heard the Lawrence Arms and Off With their Heads were playing out there. When we got there, we realized they were not, and it was nothing but a bunch of damn wiener bands and wiener kids. What I mean by “wieners” is this: on Friday night Paint it Black tried to play an outdoor show that ended in an inevitable trainwreck. A bunch of Police Officers on horses came to the gathering to break up the crowd, and a bunch of drunk idiot festers started chanting “Cops on Horses.” I remember feeling like it was nothing but a bunch of old dudes at that show, because I don’t think the younger festers really know, or give a shit, about Paint it Black and their contribution to the fest. Anyway, we were at the warehouse, and I should mention before anything that the average age was probably about 19 years old, but the kids start chanting “Cops on Horses.” Why? There were no cops. No horses. Just a bunch of wiener kids and wiener bands playing shitty wiener punk.
November 3rd – Orlando, FL
After the Fest we drove to Orlando to stay with Momma ‘Burg (Claxton’s mom). This started a spree of VIP treatment we would receive back to ATL. Which was nice, because at our Orlando show, some drunk dick poured beer all over us, effectively frying Matt’s keytar for the night, stopping our set after our third song. The best thing was that the kids answer for having all of our extremely nice gear covered in beer was that we should have bought shittier gear and continued to talk shit for us getting pissed at him. I wondered if the next day he woke up and realized what a dipshit he was being, but, as Matt pointed out, probably not. He probably woke up the next day and thought we were the ones being dicks. If that kid would have been at the Fest, he would have been one of the weiner kids chanting “cops on horses” at the warehouse two nights after Horse Cops broke up a show
November 4th – Sarasota, FL
John Skiffle is the first person I have encountered while being on tour in the states that treats bands they way Europeans do. Warm food and breakfast, and easily wins the award for most stoked dude of tour. The show tonight was probably one of the better shows of tour, top 5 for sure. Kids really got into Everlong tonight. Matt Mose said the tragic thing about me is that I am so young and only at the age of 23 have lost all interest in new music and the like. Again, I’m fine with the choices I’ve made.
November 5th – Drive Day.
We helped skiffle and Jen move a chicken coop. Skiffle and Jen’s dog is the best dog of tour. I feel like I spend a lot of time arguing or upset on my cellphone on this trip. We’re sitting at a reststop processing oil before we finish our drive to Tallahasee and I don’t have much to say about today.
November 6th – Off
Kylewilliam is an oil intern. I spent hours sitting in our bus texting while Matt taught Kylewilliam the ropes about collecting and processing vegetable oil. For some reason today I felt home sick. Not having any show and not having anything to reminded me of what it feels like to not be home and I suppose thats what made me briefly miss laying out my couch or playing in my bands. I miss my bands. I miss my dog. I miss my friends and my mom and my dad. I miss them, but not enough to come home and I think they understand that. I think its very obvious that this is the happiest I have ever been and it makes me so insanely happy that they have never tried to take this from me that it makes me miss them even more.
November 7th – Valdosta, GA
Shit Show (N).
1. A total mess, something unsalvageable, a total metaphorical trainwreck
2. When Matt Mose loses his voice on the first song of the set and the Emotron has to finish the vocals for our set.
November 8th – Atlanta, GA
Sometimes I feel like I get so stuck up my own ass that I ask too much of people. I tried to run tonight shows like a European show and got very frustrated when it didn’t operate as smooth as I had hoped. I don’t know if it is just because I am easy to take advantage of or if people really don’t give a shit.
November 9th –Off day in Atlanta
There is a girl that makes me really happy in Atlanta. I often worry that she deserves someone that isn’t going to leave all the time…sometimes I worry that she deserves better than me.
November 10th – Off day in Atlanta
I’m not sure if is sad or reassuring that sleeping in my bed isn’t that important to me. It’s comfortable but really sleeping in my own bed means nothing to me.
November 11th – Off day in Atlanta
At 3:30 in the afternoon I called Matt and he told me that IZ had died. At 8:30 our bus finally reached a Pep Boys. The tasks we accomplished in the hours between should not have taken 5 hours and AAA enjoys making difficult situations as difficult as possible.
November 12th – Broke Down Day
Matt woke up at nine and if he got the bus running early enough we would leave around noon for Hickory, NC. I woke up at 1:30, and even though we are still running on Matt Mose time, its pretty obvious that we aren’t going to make it to NC tonight. I hate off days, even when off days are at home. I left my house at 8:30pm and Matt still hadn’t returned from working on IZ and sadly IZ still wont run
November 13th – Johnson City, TN
I am not one to complain about anything, but I suppose that sentence isn’t true because what I am about to say can be construed as complaining, but… If you are going to tell a band to come back on a Thursday, and they re-route their tour and come through a town sort of out of the way, and especially a town that has never been very good to the bands, at least put a couple locals on the bill and try and promote it as hard as you can. I feel like this is me complaining about a show, which im not doing. Always mad stoked to have a show to play. Sometimes I just wish promoters would think.
At 1:10 I went to lunch with my parents at Teds not expecting to make it to Johnson City tonight. At 1:20 the waiter at Teds told me and my parents that they were out of veggie burgers and I said to just bring me a big plate of french fries. At 1:30 Matt Mose called me and told me that he had been kicked out of the Pep Boys parking lot and we are just going to have to tour in my van up to Philly. At 1:35 I got my plate of French Fries. I wasn’t expecting to be playing tonight, never the less to not be playing to no one.
November 14th – Greenville, NC
Greenville, NC scares me a little. This is my third time in this city this year and every time I feel a little uncomfortable. Kyle Knight says he would love to live in Greenville and that doesn’t surprise me at all. Every time I come here something slightly surreal happens…this time it was walking back from the Sheetz and heard someone other than the three other people on tour with me call my name. Kenny is playing bass for Club of Rome and at the end of the night had surprisingly kind things to say about Mose. I like Kenny.
November 15th – Charlottesville, VA
While at Sheetz Kyle witnessed a drug deal. I drove all the way form Greenville to Charlottesville, making only one stop to piss and to check the oil. Charlottesville is probably the cleanest city I have ever been to, so I got a real kick out of Kyle puking out the passenger side window of our van while I was looking for a parking spot.
And I wasn’t that surprised when there were no remnants of the puke to be found early the next morning.
November 16th – Philadelphia, PA
Back in Philly. I have spent more time in this city in the past three months than I have in my own hometown. We played our last show together in front of 10 people and I told Matt and Kyle how much I appreciate them taking me on tour. Leaving and going on tour is not a big deal to me anymore, there is very little preparation anymore for me to leave for a while. Going home has become my new going on tour…I never know what to expect when I get home
Clarksburg is our first show of the Fest Quest part of our tour. I have never spent more than a couple hours driving through West Virginia and after sitting around and playing a borderline shit show…I’m still not impressed. Cryptorchid Chipmunk also played, and I don’t really understand the whole costume thing. And I feel like I can safely say that and have that conversation after spending a month of my life on tour with the Emotron.
October 25th – Proctorville, OH / Portsmouth, OH
It just dawned on me today how Mose Giganticus and the Emotron really will tour anywhere. I did not even know that places like Proctorville and Portsmouth existed, and here we are playing rock music to handfuls of crowds. I think there is something to be said for that, but it is kind of weird playing in a band that plays more small town shows that in big cities. Its sort of like being on tour in Europe – if I want to see all the big city tourist shit, ill take a vacation to Cincinnati. Except with Europe it was picturesque countryside and not shitty Krogers and farmland.
October 26th – Blacksburg, VA
Tonight we played with The Bastards of Fate. I hated their name and a lot of their music but was really into the atmosphere they created. There was something very haunting about the singers voice and his stage presence, combined with a light he carried around. I think of all the bands I have seen on this tour, this was by far the most interesting one. I told Matt that watching them made me feel like what I feel it must have been like to be a part of the Salem Witch Trial. I can’t really put into words this band, so I suppose I should stop trying.
October 27th – Spartanburg, SC
For some reason I always forget that republicans exist outside of my aunt and uncle and maybe a cousin or two. I am not talking shit about republicans, but I think every person that I spend a lot of time with is very liberal, or if they aren’t we just don’t talk about political matters. Every night we spend lots of time with lots of prObama people. I feel like everyone in Spartanburg tonight was probably a republican, and I don’t think that is a bad thing. But it is really weird that you so rarely come in contact with a certain idea that it becomes foreign to you. A guy dancing in his underwear singing songs about Pearl Jam t-shirts doesn’t catch me off guard, but to meet someone that thinks John McCain is the answer to Americas problems takes me back.
October 28th – Charleston, SC
We played to no one. Almost literally. The bartender was there. The club owner was there. A couple of trivia goers would straggle in and out from the patio every once in a while, but, for the most part, we played to no one. While Kyle was playing, a drunk middle aged one tried to make fun of him for being bald. I filmed Matt squeeze Claxtons stomach to help him vomit.
These were the two highlights of my night.
October 29th – Jacksonville, FL
We ran very late today. So late that as soon as we showed up we had to load straight onto the state but I don’t really care. We played well, things are starting to click and I think we are really starting to shine as a tight band. Jacksonville is a very blah city and tonight I feel pretty blah. We are driving to Gainesville, we have no place to stay. Phillip didn’t seem into helping us out. I’ll be seeing lots of friends this weekend. Im real excited about that.
October 30th – Off day
The difference between a ‘Tron show and a Mose show can be determined by examining the personalities of Matt Mose and Kylemotron. Matt is very orderly and specific and detail oriented, where as Kyle is sporadic, unpredictable and slightly “out there.” Last night was a ‘Tron show and it was the embodiment of one. Also, we didn’t have a place to crash in Jacksonville, so we drove to Gainesville and slept in the bus in the Holiday Inn parking lot. I slept in “the cave,” which is the area of the loft that doesn’t have enough clearance to roll over without hitting your back. To leave in the morning, I had to suspend myself over Matt Mose, who was sleeping in the aisle on the floor, and monkey-bar myself out of the van. Fest.
October 31st – Gainesville, FL
Benard got into town around noon, for some reason. While walking down the road to the Fest registration, I saw Antillectual in their van with One Win Choice, and I didn’t know it at the time, but apparently Willem said “Look, theres Chad!” I spent just shy of 3 weeks with that guy and he still confuses me with Chad Muthard. If I didn’t have such an affinity for him and his band I would probably want to fight the Dutch bastard.
November 1st – Gainesville, FL
Played three sets today and could have done quite a few more. Benard was one of the better sets we have ever played as a band. Jena Berlin and Mose Giganticus were two of the most fun sets I have ever been a part of.
After the Emotron, Kyle chased, captured, hog-tied and kiss Nathan Streeper, meaning by the end of the day, 3/5 of the members of Die Benny have kissed the Emotron.
November 2nd – Gainesville, FL
Jon, Drelling, their two friends and myself all went out to the Warehouses because we heard the Lawrence Arms and Off With their Heads were playing out there. When we got there, we realized they were not, and it was nothing but a bunch of damn wiener bands and wiener kids. What I mean by “wieners” is this: on Friday night Paint it Black tried to play an outdoor show that ended in an inevitable trainwreck. A bunch of Police Officers on horses came to the gathering to break up the crowd, and a bunch of drunk idiot festers started chanting “Cops on Horses.” I remember feeling like it was nothing but a bunch of old dudes at that show, because I don’t think the younger festers really know, or give a shit, about Paint it Black and their contribution to the fest. Anyway, we were at the warehouse, and I should mention before anything that the average age was probably about 19 years old, but the kids start chanting “Cops on Horses.” Why? There were no cops. No horses. Just a bunch of wiener kids and wiener bands playing shitty wiener punk.
November 3rd – Orlando, FL
After the Fest we drove to Orlando to stay with Momma ‘Burg (Claxton’s mom). This started a spree of VIP treatment we would receive back to ATL. Which was nice, because at our Orlando show, some drunk dick poured beer all over us, effectively frying Matt’s keytar for the night, stopping our set after our third song. The best thing was that the kids answer for having all of our extremely nice gear covered in beer was that we should have bought shittier gear and continued to talk shit for us getting pissed at him. I wondered if the next day he woke up and realized what a dipshit he was being, but, as Matt pointed out, probably not. He probably woke up the next day and thought we were the ones being dicks. If that kid would have been at the Fest, he would have been one of the weiner kids chanting “cops on horses” at the warehouse two nights after Horse Cops broke up a show
November 4th – Sarasota, FL
John Skiffle is the first person I have encountered while being on tour in the states that treats bands they way Europeans do. Warm food and breakfast, and easily wins the award for most stoked dude of tour. The show tonight was probably one of the better shows of tour, top 5 for sure. Kids really got into Everlong tonight. Matt Mose said the tragic thing about me is that I am so young and only at the age of 23 have lost all interest in new music and the like. Again, I’m fine with the choices I’ve made.
November 5th – Drive Day.
We helped skiffle and Jen move a chicken coop. Skiffle and Jen’s dog is the best dog of tour. I feel like I spend a lot of time arguing or upset on my cellphone on this trip. We’re sitting at a reststop processing oil before we finish our drive to Tallahasee and I don’t have much to say about today.
November 6th – Off
Kylewilliam is an oil intern. I spent hours sitting in our bus texting while Matt taught Kylewilliam the ropes about collecting and processing vegetable oil. For some reason today I felt home sick. Not having any show and not having anything to reminded me of what it feels like to not be home and I suppose thats what made me briefly miss laying out my couch or playing in my bands. I miss my bands. I miss my dog. I miss my friends and my mom and my dad. I miss them, but not enough to come home and I think they understand that. I think its very obvious that this is the happiest I have ever been and it makes me so insanely happy that they have never tried to take this from me that it makes me miss them even more.
November 7th – Valdosta, GA
Shit Show (N).
1. A total mess, something unsalvageable, a total metaphorical trainwreck
2. When Matt Mose loses his voice on the first song of the set and the Emotron has to finish the vocals for our set.
November 8th – Atlanta, GA
Sometimes I feel like I get so stuck up my own ass that I ask too much of people. I tried to run tonight shows like a European show and got very frustrated when it didn’t operate as smooth as I had hoped. I don’t know if it is just because I am easy to take advantage of or if people really don’t give a shit.
November 9th –Off day in Atlanta
There is a girl that makes me really happy in Atlanta. I often worry that she deserves someone that isn’t going to leave all the time…sometimes I worry that she deserves better than me.
November 10th – Off day in Atlanta
I’m not sure if is sad or reassuring that sleeping in my bed isn’t that important to me. It’s comfortable but really sleeping in my own bed means nothing to me.
November 11th – Off day in Atlanta
At 3:30 in the afternoon I called Matt and he told me that IZ had died. At 8:30 our bus finally reached a Pep Boys. The tasks we accomplished in the hours between should not have taken 5 hours and AAA enjoys making difficult situations as difficult as possible.
November 12th – Broke Down Day
Matt woke up at nine and if he got the bus running early enough we would leave around noon for Hickory, NC. I woke up at 1:30, and even though we are still running on Matt Mose time, its pretty obvious that we aren’t going to make it to NC tonight. I hate off days, even when off days are at home. I left my house at 8:30pm and Matt still hadn’t returned from working on IZ and sadly IZ still wont run
November 13th – Johnson City, TN
I am not one to complain about anything, but I suppose that sentence isn’t true because what I am about to say can be construed as complaining, but… If you are going to tell a band to come back on a Thursday, and they re-route their tour and come through a town sort of out of the way, and especially a town that has never been very good to the bands, at least put a couple locals on the bill and try and promote it as hard as you can. I feel like this is me complaining about a show, which im not doing. Always mad stoked to have a show to play. Sometimes I just wish promoters would think.
At 1:10 I went to lunch with my parents at Teds not expecting to make it to Johnson City tonight. At 1:20 the waiter at Teds told me and my parents that they were out of veggie burgers and I said to just bring me a big plate of french fries. At 1:30 Matt Mose called me and told me that he had been kicked out of the Pep Boys parking lot and we are just going to have to tour in my van up to Philly. At 1:35 I got my plate of French Fries. I wasn’t expecting to be playing tonight, never the less to not be playing to no one.
November 14th – Greenville, NC
Greenville, NC scares me a little. This is my third time in this city this year and every time I feel a little uncomfortable. Kyle Knight says he would love to live in Greenville and that doesn’t surprise me at all. Every time I come here something slightly surreal happens…this time it was walking back from the Sheetz and heard someone other than the three other people on tour with me call my name. Kenny is playing bass for Club of Rome and at the end of the night had surprisingly kind things to say about Mose. I like Kenny.
November 15th – Charlottesville, VA
While at Sheetz Kyle witnessed a drug deal. I drove all the way form Greenville to Charlottesville, making only one stop to piss and to check the oil. Charlottesville is probably the cleanest city I have ever been to, so I got a real kick out of Kyle puking out the passenger side window of our van while I was looking for a parking spot.
And I wasn’t that surprised when there were no remnants of the puke to be found early the next morning.
November 16th – Philadelphia, PA
Back in Philly. I have spent more time in this city in the past three months than I have in my own hometown. We played our last show together in front of 10 people and I told Matt and Kyle how much I appreciate them taking me on tour. Leaving and going on tour is not a big deal to me anymore, there is very little preparation anymore for me to leave for a while. Going home has become my new going on tour…I never know what to expect when I get home
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
October 3rd – Brooklyn, NY
I imagine that getting into New York City is a lot like climbing Mount Everest: physically exhausting, hazardous to your health, financially draining, and ultimately not worth it. Furthermore, I have never seen a larger gathering of self-serving hipsters in my whole life and I can’t escape the urge to open up a vein or drop a bomb on Brooklyn.
Decent enough show, though.
October 4th – Ithica, NY
Bubba is way stoked on everything and I didn’t know it at the time, but he would not be the most stoked dude we would encounter on this tour. Regardless, Bubba is way stoked to have us play in his basement, and we are way stoked to be playing to a gathering of late teen/early-twenty-somethings who really dig skanking. Like, the ska dance. I wonder what it feels like to actually be excited about live music, because that idea has escaped me about half a decade ago. Ultimately though, I’m ok with the decisions I’ve made.
October 5th – Syracuse, NY
I feel like we need a rider that clearly states that we will play anywhere so long as it isn’t up three flights of stairs. Usually I wouldn’t mind lugging gear around, but expecting us to lug our full PA and amps up four flights of stairs seems like a cruel joke that everyone but us was in on. I was half expecting someone to tell us after we lugged all our shit upstairs and played to 15 people “I mean, I guess we could have just let you play in our living room…”
October 6th – Fredonia, NY
Another flight of stairs and Jakes 13x15 living room is our venue for the night. Kinda awesome, kind of not. Furthermore, Fredonia is the most southern northern state I have ever seen. People drive tractors down the road and are really into Jesus and the Bible but do it all with a thick upstate NY accent. Kinda awesome, kinda not…
October 7th – Day Off – Fredonia, NY
Matt Garfield works on our bus in a warehouse in Dunter, NY while I watch the sun give way to night. And that’s how I spent my whole day. Being on tour is fun and exciting, no?
October 8th – Day Off – Drive Day – Tewksbury, MA
Gather Oil in Rochester. Get rained on. Argue on the Phone. Argue on the phone while getting rained on while gathering oil in Rochester.
October 9th – Day Off – Tewksbury, MA
We arrived at Vallerys around one in the morning and we all went straight to sleep. When I walked into the house I was hit with the over bearing stench of dog shit. To be exact, the house smelt just like a clients house that had two very old and very little dogs that were not house trained, so at least once a day I would have to pick up turds from the living room. Vallery’s roommate’s dog is obnoxious and strikes me as the type of dog that isn’t house trained and probably jumps on top of tables to steal food, and, over the course of our stay here I would realize that all my assumptions were true. Matt dubbed the dog “Cock Trotter” and I don’t think we ever learned its real name. I was left with a shitty two person couch that is in the epicenter of the shit smell, but cant for the life of me find the shit anywhere. Cock Trotter jumps all over me while I try and sleep, the smell is overbearing, and I am about 24 inches too tall for this couch.
So, I slept in the bus.
Behind the small couch I planned on sleeping on is a giant curtain. Behind that curtain lay piles among piles of dogshit.
October 10th – Allston, MA
Our bus is well over a 10 foot clearance, and our GPS sent us through every single low overpass between Tewksbury and Allston. Have you ever tried to back up a handicap airport shuttle bus down a busy road? Neither have I.
October 11th – Off Day – Tewksbury, MA
4th off day in 5 days and I have reached my snapping point and beat every objective on Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and I hate myself more and more as every second progresses.
October 12th – Mexico, ME
We played an hour and a half off the highway in a city that, aside from having modern vehicles, is stuck in the 1950s. Matt Mose and I got caught redhanded stealing used vegetable oil form a chicken coop and all the cop said was to not make a mess and to have a good night and we are invincible.
October 13th – Medford, MA
If I had to pick a worst show of tour, this would be it (obviously I am writing this long after all of this happened. To give you some kind of perspective, I am on a plane going BACK to Philadelphia right now on November 29th. Everything written is a lie). Battle sets are awkward and just, really, not very much fun for anyone.
October 14th – Providence, RI
Note To Self: Math the Band. Math, the fucking Band.
October 15th – Hartford, CT
Less than 4 miles from our destination, our bus IZ dies on I-64 east. Chris and John meet us on the side of the road…we will spend two hours here watching a very unhappy tow truck driver toss around IZ, and then take 4 car loads worth of gear to the Underground Café on Trinity College, which is down a flight of stairs and about a two football fields away from the closest place we can park. When it rains it pours, I suppose
October 16th – Brooklyn, NY
I woke up at noon. When I wonder outside Matt is elbow deep in grease and oil trying to fix our blown serpentine belt. After about 30 minutes of driving around, we realized that the bus is not actually fixed and we spent a good 3 or 4 hours getting really familiar with a Pep Boys parking lot. After getting the correct belt and buying a new battery, we are finally on our way, albeit about an hour and a half late. While our return to Brooklyn was not nearly as painful as the first, my perception on the city hasn’t changed at all and it never will. This Brooklyn show was much more enjoyable, regardless of the fact that Pete Morgan was swaying votes in the Gay Game, thus forcing me to have to kiss the Emotron. This doesn’t bother me that much because I have only had to do this once, where as Claxton has had to get gay with the Tron at least 3 times now.
October 17th – Doylestown, PA
Rednecks really get a kick out of the Emotron, for some reason. I have yet to figure out why, but I have never seen more camera phones and uninterested bar-goers snapping pictures of a guy in his underwear.
October 18th – Willmington, DE
Fucking sound guys.
October 21 – Baltimore, MD
Surprisingly, I have spent a lot of time watching Ace of Cakes on the Food Network. I have been to Baltimore twice this year and have always been within a mile of Charm City Cakes, the bakery in which the aforementioned show takes place, and I still have yet to even drive past the shop. I have a feeling that if I can make this happen, my Baltimore experience will without a doubt be much more enjoyable. Never before has a city given me such problems trying to get a show booked, and actually playing it sort of makes me wonder why I try so hard.
I imagine that getting into New York City is a lot like climbing Mount Everest: physically exhausting, hazardous to your health, financially draining, and ultimately not worth it. Furthermore, I have never seen a larger gathering of self-serving hipsters in my whole life and I can’t escape the urge to open up a vein or drop a bomb on Brooklyn.
Decent enough show, though.
October 4th – Ithica, NY
Bubba is way stoked on everything and I didn’t know it at the time, but he would not be the most stoked dude we would encounter on this tour. Regardless, Bubba is way stoked to have us play in his basement, and we are way stoked to be playing to a gathering of late teen/early-twenty-somethings who really dig skanking. Like, the ska dance. I wonder what it feels like to actually be excited about live music, because that idea has escaped me about half a decade ago. Ultimately though, I’m ok with the decisions I’ve made.
October 5th – Syracuse, NY
I feel like we need a rider that clearly states that we will play anywhere so long as it isn’t up three flights of stairs. Usually I wouldn’t mind lugging gear around, but expecting us to lug our full PA and amps up four flights of stairs seems like a cruel joke that everyone but us was in on. I was half expecting someone to tell us after we lugged all our shit upstairs and played to 15 people “I mean, I guess we could have just let you play in our living room…”
October 6th – Fredonia, NY
Another flight of stairs and Jakes 13x15 living room is our venue for the night. Kinda awesome, kind of not. Furthermore, Fredonia is the most southern northern state I have ever seen. People drive tractors down the road and are really into Jesus and the Bible but do it all with a thick upstate NY accent. Kinda awesome, kinda not…
October 7th – Day Off – Fredonia, NY
Matt Garfield works on our bus in a warehouse in Dunter, NY while I watch the sun give way to night. And that’s how I spent my whole day. Being on tour is fun and exciting, no?
October 8th – Day Off – Drive Day – Tewksbury, MA
Gather Oil in Rochester. Get rained on. Argue on the Phone. Argue on the phone while getting rained on while gathering oil in Rochester.
October 9th – Day Off – Tewksbury, MA
We arrived at Vallerys around one in the morning and we all went straight to sleep. When I walked into the house I was hit with the over bearing stench of dog shit. To be exact, the house smelt just like a clients house that had two very old and very little dogs that were not house trained, so at least once a day I would have to pick up turds from the living room. Vallery’s roommate’s dog is obnoxious and strikes me as the type of dog that isn’t house trained and probably jumps on top of tables to steal food, and, over the course of our stay here I would realize that all my assumptions were true. Matt dubbed the dog “Cock Trotter” and I don’t think we ever learned its real name. I was left with a shitty two person couch that is in the epicenter of the shit smell, but cant for the life of me find the shit anywhere. Cock Trotter jumps all over me while I try and sleep, the smell is overbearing, and I am about 24 inches too tall for this couch.
So, I slept in the bus.
Behind the small couch I planned on sleeping on is a giant curtain. Behind that curtain lay piles among piles of dogshit.
October 10th – Allston, MA
Our bus is well over a 10 foot clearance, and our GPS sent us through every single low overpass between Tewksbury and Allston. Have you ever tried to back up a handicap airport shuttle bus down a busy road? Neither have I.
October 11th – Off Day – Tewksbury, MA
4th off day in 5 days and I have reached my snapping point and beat every objective on Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and I hate myself more and more as every second progresses.
October 12th – Mexico, ME
We played an hour and a half off the highway in a city that, aside from having modern vehicles, is stuck in the 1950s. Matt Mose and I got caught redhanded stealing used vegetable oil form a chicken coop and all the cop said was to not make a mess and to have a good night and we are invincible.
October 13th – Medford, MA
If I had to pick a worst show of tour, this would be it (obviously I am writing this long after all of this happened. To give you some kind of perspective, I am on a plane going BACK to Philadelphia right now on November 29th. Everything written is a lie). Battle sets are awkward and just, really, not very much fun for anyone.
October 14th – Providence, RI
Note To Self: Math the Band. Math, the fucking Band.
October 15th – Hartford, CT
Less than 4 miles from our destination, our bus IZ dies on I-64 east. Chris and John meet us on the side of the road…we will spend two hours here watching a very unhappy tow truck driver toss around IZ, and then take 4 car loads worth of gear to the Underground Café on Trinity College, which is down a flight of stairs and about a two football fields away from the closest place we can park. When it rains it pours, I suppose
October 16th – Brooklyn, NY
I woke up at noon. When I wonder outside Matt is elbow deep in grease and oil trying to fix our blown serpentine belt. After about 30 minutes of driving around, we realized that the bus is not actually fixed and we spent a good 3 or 4 hours getting really familiar with a Pep Boys parking lot. After getting the correct belt and buying a new battery, we are finally on our way, albeit about an hour and a half late. While our return to Brooklyn was not nearly as painful as the first, my perception on the city hasn’t changed at all and it never will. This Brooklyn show was much more enjoyable, regardless of the fact that Pete Morgan was swaying votes in the Gay Game, thus forcing me to have to kiss the Emotron. This doesn’t bother me that much because I have only had to do this once, where as Claxton has had to get gay with the Tron at least 3 times now.
October 17th – Doylestown, PA
Rednecks really get a kick out of the Emotron, for some reason. I have yet to figure out why, but I have never seen more camera phones and uninterested bar-goers snapping pictures of a guy in his underwear.
October 18th – Willmington, DE
Fucking sound guys.
October 21 – Baltimore, MD
Surprisingly, I have spent a lot of time watching Ace of Cakes on the Food Network. I have been to Baltimore twice this year and have always been within a mile of Charm City Cakes, the bakery in which the aforementioned show takes place, and I still have yet to even drive past the shop. I have a feeling that if I can make this happen, my Baltimore experience will without a doubt be much more enjoyable. Never before has a city given me such problems trying to get a show booked, and actually playing it sort of makes me wonder why I try so hard.
how I spent this year
Merch dude for Worn in Red
January 1: Charlottesville, VA
January 2: Pittsburgh, PA
January 3: Cleveland, OH
January 4: Colmbus / Cinicnatti, OH
January 5: Louisville, KY
January 6: Knoxville, TN
January 7: Clemson, SC
January 8: Athens, GA
January 9: Atlanta, GA
January 10: Tampa, FL
January 11: Gainesville, FL
January 12: Savannah, GA
January 13: Drive to Charlottesville, VA
Die Benny – Clutch and Judgment
March 16: Asheville, NC
March 17: Charlotte, NC
March 18: Charlottesville, VA
March 19: Richmond, VA
March 20: Richmond, VA
March 21: Greenville, NC
March 22: Virginia Beach / Deleware
March 23: Brooklyn, NY
March 24: Albany, NY
March 25: Rochester, NY
March 26: Buffalo, NY
March 27: Pittsburgh, PA / Columbus, OH
March 28: drive home
Young Hearts Tourcation
May 26: Tampa, FL
May 27: Gainesville, FL
May 28: Savannah, FL
May 29: Greenville, NC
May 30: Virginia Beach, VA
May 31: Baltimore, MD
The Only thing Benard did all Year besides the Fest
June 20: Charlotte, NC
June 21: Greensboro, NC / Charlottesville, VA
June 22: Charlottesville, VA
Jena Berlin
August 26: Philadelphia, PA
August 27: Asbury Park, NJ
August 28: Philadelphia, PA
August 29: New Brunswick, NJ *
August 30: Brooklyn, NY
August 31: Syracuse, NY / Philadelphia, PA
Sept 1: Philadelphia, PA
September 2: Philadelphia PA *
September 3: Fly to Europe
September 4: Nijmegen, Holland
September 5: Belgium
September 6: Le Havre, France
September 7: Le Harvre, France *
September 8: Travel Day Toulouse
September 9: Toulouse, France
September 10: Lyon, France *
September 11: Milano, Italy
September 12: Austria *
September 13: Austria
September 14: Slovenia
September 15: Slovenia
September 16: Zurich, Switzerland
September 17: Munich, Germany *
September 18: Manhaiem, Germany
September 19: Celle, Germany
September 20: Nijmegen, Holland *
September 21: Belgium
September 22: Philadelphia, PA
September 23: Atlanta, GA *
September 24: Philadelphia, PA
September 25: Philadelphia, PA
September 26: Philadelphia, PA
September 27: Philadelphia, PA
September 28: Philadelphia, PA *
September 29: Philadelphia, PA
September 30: Philadelphia, PA
Mose G Leg 1
October 2: Philadelphia, PA *
October 3: Brooklyn, NY
October 4: Ithaca, NY *
October 5: Syracuse, NY
October 6: Fredonia, NY
October 7: Fredonia, NY *
October 8: Rochester, NY / Tewksbury, MA
October 9: Tewksbury, MA
October 10: Allston, MA / Tewksbury, MA *
October 11: Tewksbury, MA
October 12: Mexico, ME
October 13: Medford, MA
October 14: Providence, RI *
October 15: Hartford, CT
October 16: Brooklyn, NY
October 17: Doyelstown, PA / Philadelphia, PA
October 18: Willmington, DE / Philadelphia, PA
October 19: Philadelphia, PA *
October 20: Philadelphia, PA
October 21: Baltimore, MD / Philadelphia, PA
October 22: Philadelphia, PA
October 23: Philadelphia, PA *
October 24: Clarksburg, WV
October 25: Proctorville, OH / Portsmouth, OH *
October 26: Blacksburg, WV
October 27: Spartanburg, SC
October 28: Charleston, SC *
October 29: Jacksonville, FL
October 30: Gainesville, FL
October 31: Gainesville, FL *
November 1: Gainesville, FL *
November 2: Orlando, FL
November 3: Orlando, FL *
November 4: Sarasota, FL
November 5: Tallahassee, FL
November 6: Tallahassee, FL *
November 7: Valdosta, GA
November 8: Atlanta, GA
November 9: Atlanta, GA
November 10: Atlanta, GA *
November 11: Atlanta, GA
November 12: Atlanta, GA
November 13: Johnson City, TN
November 14: Greenville, NC *
November 15: Charlottesville, VA
November 16: Philadelphia, PA
Mose G Leg 2
November 29: Harrisburg, PA
November 30: Olean, NY
December 1: Cleveland, OH*
December 2: Dayton, OH
December 3: Indianapolis, IN
December 4: Louisville, KY
December 5: Murfreesboro, TN
December 6: Knoxville, TN*
December 7: Chattanooga, TN
December 8: Marietta, GA
* nights I showered on this past 3 month trip. I dont know why i noted it
January 1: Charlottesville, VA
January 2: Pittsburgh, PA
January 3: Cleveland, OH
January 4: Colmbus / Cinicnatti, OH
January 5: Louisville, KY
January 6: Knoxville, TN
January 7: Clemson, SC
January 8: Athens, GA
January 9: Atlanta, GA
January 10: Tampa, FL
January 11: Gainesville, FL
January 12: Savannah, GA
January 13: Drive to Charlottesville, VA
Die Benny – Clutch and Judgment
March 16: Asheville, NC
March 17: Charlotte, NC
March 18: Charlottesville, VA
March 19: Richmond, VA
March 20: Richmond, VA
March 21: Greenville, NC
March 22: Virginia Beach / Deleware
March 23: Brooklyn, NY
March 24: Albany, NY
March 25: Rochester, NY
March 26: Buffalo, NY
March 27: Pittsburgh, PA / Columbus, OH
March 28: drive home
Young Hearts Tourcation
May 26: Tampa, FL
May 27: Gainesville, FL
May 28: Savannah, FL
May 29: Greenville, NC
May 30: Virginia Beach, VA
May 31: Baltimore, MD
The Only thing Benard did all Year besides the Fest
June 20: Charlotte, NC
June 21: Greensboro, NC / Charlottesville, VA
June 22: Charlottesville, VA
Jena Berlin
August 26: Philadelphia, PA
August 27: Asbury Park, NJ
August 28: Philadelphia, PA
August 29: New Brunswick, NJ *
August 30: Brooklyn, NY
August 31: Syracuse, NY / Philadelphia, PA
Sept 1: Philadelphia, PA
September 2: Philadelphia PA *
September 3: Fly to Europe
September 4: Nijmegen, Holland
September 5: Belgium
September 6: Le Havre, France
September 7: Le Harvre, France *
September 8: Travel Day Toulouse
September 9: Toulouse, France
September 10: Lyon, France *
September 11: Milano, Italy
September 12: Austria *
September 13: Austria
September 14: Slovenia
September 15: Slovenia
September 16: Zurich, Switzerland
September 17: Munich, Germany *
September 18: Manhaiem, Germany
September 19: Celle, Germany
September 20: Nijmegen, Holland *
September 21: Belgium
September 22: Philadelphia, PA
September 23: Atlanta, GA *
September 24: Philadelphia, PA
September 25: Philadelphia, PA
September 26: Philadelphia, PA
September 27: Philadelphia, PA
September 28: Philadelphia, PA *
September 29: Philadelphia, PA
September 30: Philadelphia, PA
Mose G Leg 1
October 2: Philadelphia, PA *
October 3: Brooklyn, NY
October 4: Ithaca, NY *
October 5: Syracuse, NY
October 6: Fredonia, NY
October 7: Fredonia, NY *
October 8: Rochester, NY / Tewksbury, MA
October 9: Tewksbury, MA
October 10: Allston, MA / Tewksbury, MA *
October 11: Tewksbury, MA
October 12: Mexico, ME
October 13: Medford, MA
October 14: Providence, RI *
October 15: Hartford, CT
October 16: Brooklyn, NY
October 17: Doyelstown, PA / Philadelphia, PA
October 18: Willmington, DE / Philadelphia, PA
October 19: Philadelphia, PA *
October 20: Philadelphia, PA
October 21: Baltimore, MD / Philadelphia, PA
October 22: Philadelphia, PA
October 23: Philadelphia, PA *
October 24: Clarksburg, WV
October 25: Proctorville, OH / Portsmouth, OH *
October 26: Blacksburg, WV
October 27: Spartanburg, SC
October 28: Charleston, SC *
October 29: Jacksonville, FL
October 30: Gainesville, FL
October 31: Gainesville, FL *
November 1: Gainesville, FL *
November 2: Orlando, FL
November 3: Orlando, FL *
November 4: Sarasota, FL
November 5: Tallahassee, FL
November 6: Tallahassee, FL *
November 7: Valdosta, GA
November 8: Atlanta, GA
November 9: Atlanta, GA
November 10: Atlanta, GA *
November 11: Atlanta, GA
November 12: Atlanta, GA
November 13: Johnson City, TN
November 14: Greenville, NC *
November 15: Charlottesville, VA
November 16: Philadelphia, PA
Mose G Leg 2
November 29: Harrisburg, PA
November 30: Olean, NY
December 1: Cleveland, OH*
December 2: Dayton, OH
December 3: Indianapolis, IN
December 4: Louisville, KY
December 5: Murfreesboro, TN
December 6: Knoxville, TN*
December 7: Chattanooga, TN
December 8: Marietta, GA
* nights I showered on this past 3 month trip. I dont know why i noted it
Monday, December 8, 2008
Some girl told Matt to tell me "Hi from Eric". I only know two
Erics...Erik in Holland and Eric Grantham, neither one of them I don't
think have any connection to Chattanooga, TN.
Erics...Erik in Holland and Eric Grantham, neither one of them I don't
think have any connection to Chattanooga, TN.
Sometimes I worry that I have spread myself too thin. Sometimes I
worry that there is no future in anything I want to do. It's a real
pain in the ass to feel old at 23.
Long story short, tomorrow is the last day of tour for the year. Don't
know how I feel about that.
Sent via iPhone
Saturday, December 6, 2008
We are playing this anime/D&D/nerd convention Knoxville, TN. I just
asked some little fat shit kid with braces where he got his soda, and
he tried to tell me how to hack a vending machine. I said I was an
English Major and wouldn't be able to figure it out and as I walked
away I heard him say "you should use your English Major poetry skills
to hack it". Fucking, nerds, man.
asked some little fat shit kid with braces where he got his soda, and
he tried to tell me how to hack a vending machine. I said I was an
English Major and wouldn't be able to figure it out and as I walked
away I heard him say "you should use your English Major poetry skills
to hack it". Fucking, nerds, man.
Sent via iPhone
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
My mom often tells me that the only person you can look out for is yourself, and the most important persons happiness on the planet is that of your own, and ultimately the most important thing in your life is to make yourself happy...and that you cant make the decisions that make you the happiest based on anyone but yourself.
It took me 23 years and having this run through my ears several times to realize it, but my mom is the smartest person on the whole fucking planet.
Sometimes i think I am bound to learn lessons the hard way. I also learn these lessons at the last possible moment.
Having said all of that, this year has been real good for me.
It took me 23 years and having this run through my ears several times to realize it, but my mom is the smartest person on the whole fucking planet.
Sometimes i think I am bound to learn lessons the hard way. I also learn these lessons at the last possible moment.
Having said all of that, this year has been real good for me.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Just in case.
Order stuff needs to be brought to the van:
1. Guitar
2. Subs
3. Keytar
4. Stands bag
5. Kick pedal
6. Snare drum.
7. Merch and Cabel bins (3 total)
8. Mains (Speakers).
9. Mains (Rack).
10. Cable backpack
11. Sub 2
12. Guitar cab
13. Bass synth
14. Guitar head.
15. Floor tom
16. Rack tom
17. Other guitar.
18. Penis Missle.
19. Bass cab.
20. Costume bag
21. Kick drum.
22. Gear rack.
23. Cymbal bag.
24. Black Dahlia.
25. Red merch case.
Sent via iPhone
It's been a real interesting 24 hours, and I'm pretty sure that if I
wasn't out on tour right now I wouldn't have been able to deal with
the sheer wienery that was going on.
wasn't out on tour right now I wouldn't have been able to deal with
the sheer wienery that was going on.
I think "damn wiener kid" is my favorite phrase ever. And I get to say
it a lot...bunch of damn wiener kids and wiener bands doing a lot of
wienery things.
When I see something but shitty snow or whatever I'll take a picture
of it and post it.
Sent via iPhone
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Never Shop When You Are Hungry
i miss the Dutch Dudes, And what bums me out moreso is I have no idea when I'll see those dudes again. Hopefully these two European tours come together next year
Home from tour till November 29th. I start working again here in a couple days which is really exciting...since I am bored as shit right now. Luckily I have been sick, which gives me something to think about.
I hate being that guy and over romanticize touring and make it sound like this bigger than life experience, because it really isn't. The monotony of the day would almost be painful if it wasn't for the little quirks and little interesting things that happen through the day that make it all worth while. But having said that, every day on tour you have a goal and something to work for every day...for instance every day for three months, as soon as I woke up, I would pack my things and get ready to head towards the next place, because the only thing we had to achieve every day was to get to where we are suppose to be, set up, and play. It's not much, but its something to look forward to and something that i really love looking forward to. What am I doing at home? Waking up and preparing to go sit in smokey bars? Counting days to till I get to wake up at 7am to clean up dog shit?
I am not trying to be that guy, because I love my friends and my family and my dog and my job, but, I cannot wait till February when I can start doing the one thing I have been working my whole life for again. I feel like i spent this year testing the waters trying to figure out if touring is something i really wanted to do, and I think its pretty obvious that the answer is a resounding yes.
A friend told me about something a mutual friend said about me, and it was something to the effect of I could be doing anything I wanted with my life, but all I want to do is play music. And I'm pretty happy with that.
since I am living on my parents dollar as far as food goes right now, I'm giving this vegan thing another run.
Home from tour till November 29th. I start working again here in a couple days which is really exciting...since I am bored as shit right now. Luckily I have been sick, which gives me something to think about.
I hate being that guy and over romanticize touring and make it sound like this bigger than life experience, because it really isn't. The monotony of the day would almost be painful if it wasn't for the little quirks and little interesting things that happen through the day that make it all worth while. But having said that, every day on tour you have a goal and something to work for every day...for instance every day for three months, as soon as I woke up, I would pack my things and get ready to head towards the next place, because the only thing we had to achieve every day was to get to where we are suppose to be, set up, and play. It's not much, but its something to look forward to and something that i really love looking forward to. What am I doing at home? Waking up and preparing to go sit in smokey bars? Counting days to till I get to wake up at 7am to clean up dog shit?
I am not trying to be that guy, because I love my friends and my family and my dog and my job, but, I cannot wait till February when I can start doing the one thing I have been working my whole life for again. I feel like i spent this year testing the waters trying to figure out if touring is something i really wanted to do, and I think its pretty obvious that the answer is a resounding yes.
A friend told me about something a mutual friend said about me, and it was something to the effect of I could be doing anything I wanted with my life, but all I want to do is play music. And I'm pretty happy with that.
since I am living on my parents dollar as far as food goes right now, I'm giving this vegan thing another run.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
IZ broke down in ATL on Tuesday and can't be looked at until Monday,
so we are taking my van to Philly. It's not as bad as it would seem,
and we have been making enough tonget us gas to the next place.
so we are taking my van to Philly. It's not as bad as it would seem,
and we have been making enough tonget us gas to the next place.
I need to shave and forgot to bring socks for this last leg.
If tour has to be over, I am excited to come back to Atlanta, but I
don't want tour to be wrapping up soon.
Sent via iPhone
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Priorities of Matt Garfield:
1. Locate Vegetable Oil
2. Decide whether oil is good or bad oil.
3. Determin how much oil is available
4. Gather Vegetable Oil
5. Anything having to do with the bus (engine matinence, make sure the
stereo works, etc)
6. Get to the show on time.
1. Locate Vegetable Oil
2. Decide whether oil is good or bad oil.
3. Determin how much oil is available
4. Gather Vegetable Oil
5. Anything having to do with the bus (engine matinence, make sure the
stereo works, etc)
6. Get to the show on time.
Its 11 and I have been up for an hour and a half but I went to bed 6
hours ago and fuck my life right now. I feel like I'm misspelling
words so badly that they aren't even coming within the ballpark of my
phone being able to recognize and then fix them.
I left my Pillow in Fredonia, NY (Oct 6) but thank holy shit for the
euro tour pillow I bought in Nijmegen.
Bus Sleep.
Sent via iPhone
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Rob Fucking Gordon
Seriously, i dont feel like I am a music snob, but here in a few sentences, I will probably negate that sentences, it takes me just shy of an hour to get from Fishtown to West Philadelphia (15 minutes of walking, 15 minute train ride, 20 minute walk), and, this has been my "Fishtown to West Philly" playlist:
1. "Knifeman" - the Bronx
2. "Young Bloods" - the Bronx
on repeat. For an hour, all I have been listening to is these two songs over and over and over again. I just recently got two Hold Steady Records and the Thermals records on my computer, and have a wealth of new music at my disposal, but, all I am interested in are the two new Bronx songs. And I have been ok with that.
But then i realized that I could probably condence my whole iTunes library down to less than 25 songs that Id actually be interested in listening to. And guess, what, I totally did. And here they are.
1. "Where's My Myagi" - Army of Ponch
2. "Wendy Clear" - Blink-182
3. "Not Now" - Blink-182
4. "So Single" - Braindead
5. "Young Bloods" - the Bronx
6. "Knifeman" - the Bronx
7. "Posterchild" - Crossbearer
8. "Fire Back About Your NewBorn Baby's Sex" - Don Caballero
9. "Real Problems is SRQ" - Fake Probems
10. "Seconds Before the Bottom Drops Out" - Glass and Ashes
11. "Exit Wound" - Glass and Ashes
12. "Stuck Between Stations" - the Hold Steady
13. "Communique" - Jena Berlin
14. "Hawaiian T-Shirt" - Lemuria
15. "From Me 2 U" - Reggie and the Full Effect
16. "Get Well Soon" - Reggie and the Full Effect
17. "Vinegar and Baking Soda" - Scream Hello
18. "The Cannons and the Tanks" - Small Brown Bike
19. "Here's Your Future" - the Thermals
20. "Drinks are our Amnesty"- Young Livers
21. "The Small Hours" - Small Brown Bike
these are the only 21 songs i am remotely interested in listening to. i'm ok with that
1. "Knifeman" - the Bronx
2. "Young Bloods" - the Bronx
on repeat. For an hour, all I have been listening to is these two songs over and over and over again. I just recently got two Hold Steady Records and the Thermals records on my computer, and have a wealth of new music at my disposal, but, all I am interested in are the two new Bronx songs. And I have been ok with that.
But then i realized that I could probably condence my whole iTunes library down to less than 25 songs that Id actually be interested in listening to. And guess, what, I totally did. And here they are.
1. "Where's My Myagi" - Army of Ponch
2. "Wendy Clear" - Blink-182
3. "Not Now" - Blink-182
4. "So Single" - Braindead
5. "Young Bloods" - the Bronx
6. "Knifeman" - the Bronx
7. "Posterchild" - Crossbearer
8. "Fire Back About Your NewBorn Baby's Sex" - Don Caballero
9. "Real Problems is SRQ" - Fake Probems
10. "Seconds Before the Bottom Drops Out" - Glass and Ashes
11. "Exit Wound" - Glass and Ashes
12. "Stuck Between Stations" - the Hold Steady
13. "Communique" - Jena Berlin
14. "Hawaiian T-Shirt" - Lemuria
15. "From Me 2 U" - Reggie and the Full Effect
16. "Get Well Soon" - Reggie and the Full Effect
17. "Vinegar and Baking Soda" - Scream Hello
18. "The Cannons and the Tanks" - Small Brown Bike
19. "Here's Your Future" - the Thermals
20. "Drinks are our Amnesty"- Young Livers
21. "The Small Hours" - Small Brown Bike
these are the only 21 songs i am remotely interested in listening to. i'm ok with that
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
409 Haus
foot projection screen seems extreemly out of place. And awesome
Sent via iPhone
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
It's always awkward when the guy who sets up your show is totally
sweet, but his band is just terrible. I know that's terrible to say,
but it's the truth.
sweet, but his band is just terrible. I know that's terrible to say,
but it's the truth.
Also, today Chad Muthard asked what is that word that means you are ok
and happy with everything around you. Said it started with a "C."
content
We hit the road again on Friday. Hopefully something interesting will
happen.
Sent via iPhone
the Tron
picture of me and Jason Kyle Knight
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Vegan Straight Edge FTW
Starting as soon as I post this, I am going to start to refrain from
cheese, stuff made from eggs, and any gummy product, just so I can be
an even more boring human being. And if I can sharpen up that edge
some in the process...
cheese, stuff made from eggs, and any gummy product, just so I can be
an even more boring human being. And if I can sharpen up that edge
some in the process...
I'm gonna miss pizza, though.
Sent via iPhone
Saturday, October 18, 2008
I dont really like music. This is not a lie nor is it me being ironic...I genuinly dont have any interest in listening to music or finding new bands. Until the Shitty Music Contest comes up, these are the only albums I am remotely interested in listening to for the sake of "pleasure"
- Braindead - "No Consequences"
- Crossbearer - Entire Discography
- Punchline - About Half of "37 Everywhere" and Half of "Action"
- 6 out of the 10 songs on Scream Hello's "Everything is Still Happening"
- The Hold Steady - "Boys and Girls of America"
- The Thermals - "The Body, The Blood, the Machine"
The last two are new additions, and I have Jena Berlin and Mose G to thank (blame) for that.
Tour is going well. Playing some good shows, making enough cash to survive, bout to start heading down south.
We are spending a week in Philadelphia, and I feel very comfortable here. I love this city and the people I am meeting are all decent enough. Something to think about.
- Braindead - "No Consequences"
- Crossbearer - Entire Discography
- Punchline - About Half of "37 Everywhere" and Half of "Action"
- 6 out of the 10 songs on Scream Hello's "Everything is Still Happening"
- The Hold Steady - "Boys and Girls of America"
- The Thermals - "The Body, The Blood, the Machine"
The last two are new additions, and I have Jena Berlin and Mose G to thank (blame) for that.
Tour is going well. Playing some good shows, making enough cash to survive, bout to start heading down south.
We are spending a week in Philadelphia, and I feel very comfortable here. I love this city and the people I am meeting are all decent enough. Something to think about.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A bungie chord came undone and fought my neck
Sent via iPhone
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
We just collected about 70 gallons of vegetable oil in Rochester, and
now Matt is huffing it out to just outside Boston. If my life was a
movie, I had the standard classic rebirth scene in a parking lot
collecting oil in the rain and I'm real interested in how the rest of
the tour turns out
now Matt is huffing it out to just outside Boston. If my life was a
movie, I had the standard classic rebirth scene in a parking lot
collecting oil in the rain and I'm real interested in how the rest of
the tour turns out
Sent via iPhone
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Fredonia, NY
back of the room.
Sent via iPhone
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Things I've Learned from 2 Days Worth of Touring With Mose Giganticus and the Emotron
- Aldi throws away a lot of perfectly good bread.
- Dunkin' Doughnuts does not allow you to take their soon to be thrown away doughnuts.
- Kids born after the year 1988 have no idea what or who Temple of the Dog is.
- Kids love to skank in Ithaca, NY
- Aquacore
- Two hand tapping gives the illusion that you are way better at guitar than you really are.
- Not only do you have to pay to get into New York City, often times you have to pay to leave too.
Since August 25th I have taken 11 showers, which is a shower every 3.5 days, which is actually better than I do at home when I am working.
Congratulations on the wedding Ashley. I'm sorry I couldn't make it.
Syracuse tomorrow, my second time there over this whole adventure.
- Aldi throws away a lot of perfectly good bread.
- Dunkin' Doughnuts does not allow you to take their soon to be thrown away doughnuts.
- Kids born after the year 1988 have no idea what or who Temple of the Dog is.
- Kids love to skank in Ithaca, NY
- Aquacore
- Two hand tapping gives the illusion that you are way better at guitar than you really are.
- Not only do you have to pay to get into New York City, often times you have to pay to leave too.
Since August 25th I have taken 11 showers, which is a shower every 3.5 days, which is actually better than I do at home when I am working.
Congratulations on the wedding Ashley. I'm sorry I couldn't make it.
Syracuse tomorrow, my second time there over this whole adventure.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
This downtime between Jena Berlin and Mose Giganticus is really getting to me...aside from practice 2 hours a day with Mose, all I have been doing is sitting around, sleeping on Jon and Companys couch, and walking to the Market-Frankford line. At least I really like Philadelphia...
It's sort of bummer to be away from everyone. I know it is my fault just as much as it is everyone else's, probably moreso mine, but not hearing from people is starting to get to me. Maybe its just because I woke up today kind of sick, but, today has been borderline miserable. Aside from my 24 hours in Atlanta and the information I could take in during then, I have absolutely no idea how everyone is doing or what has been happening in Atlanta.
there is no point to any of this. I just want to get on the road again.
It's sort of bummer to be away from everyone. I know it is my fault just as much as it is everyone else's, probably moreso mine, but not hearing from people is starting to get to me. Maybe its just because I woke up today kind of sick, but, today has been borderline miserable. Aside from my 24 hours in Atlanta and the information I could take in during then, I have absolutely no idea how everyone is doing or what has been happening in Atlanta.
there is no point to any of this. I just want to get on the road again.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Nijmengen
Willem, Riekus, Erik, Pitter, Myers, Klyman and Muth all went out to a bar in Nijmengen to celebrate its 25 year anniversary, as well as it being the next to last day of tour, as well as Erik's (our driver and game face extraordinaire) last night on tour, as he wont be accompanying us to Belgium tomorrow. Jon and I stayed in...Jon is sleeping on Willems couch and I writing in a blog on Riekus' computer. Jon has legit reasons for staying in, but I just think i am bad at touring.
Ill try and write something real about this tour, but as for now a couple paragraphs will have to suffice. We have been over here since September 4th, and along that time I have become pretty comfortable with never knowing what people are saying around me. The Antillectual dudes all speak flawless English, but they do spend a lot of time conversing in Dutch, which is awesome, because it has given us time to play the "try and guess what the Dutch are saying" game, which I dont think they find the humor in. Being in Slovenia where even the Europeans had no idea what the people around us were speaking was nice, simply because we all looked like a bunch of assholes; I have mastered the art of picking out a "Coca Cola Light" and a pack of Gummy Bears, taking them to the cashier, avoid all eye contact, give them my euros and hope they arent fucking me over. I was talking to Dave about how when I was in South Philly walking around, I just felt like everyone around me KNEW I wasnt from South Philly. That feeling is amplified over here, but over 17 days, you learn to feel comfortable looking like an American Asshole. The majority of people have been so nice and helpful over here that this has easily been one of the most enjoyable, incredible experiences of my whole life. This tour never became "just another tour"; I feared that somewhere along the way the glitz of being on a whole other continent playing shows would wear off and I would eventually settle into the idea that this is just another tour and I would forget that this isnt happening on the East Coast. That never once happened, and I am incredibly happy about that. Tomorrow we play in Belgium. After the show, we'll get driven straight to the airport, where we will get on a hour and a half fight form Amsterdam to Frankfurt, and then from Frankfurt from Philly, and life will be normal again.
Mad bummer.
Ill try and write something real about this tour, but as for now a couple paragraphs will have to suffice. We have been over here since September 4th, and along that time I have become pretty comfortable with never knowing what people are saying around me. The Antillectual dudes all speak flawless English, but they do spend a lot of time conversing in Dutch, which is awesome, because it has given us time to play the "try and guess what the Dutch are saying" game, which I dont think they find the humor in. Being in Slovenia where even the Europeans had no idea what the people around us were speaking was nice, simply because we all looked like a bunch of assholes; I have mastered the art of picking out a "Coca Cola Light" and a pack of Gummy Bears, taking them to the cashier, avoid all eye contact, give them my euros and hope they arent fucking me over. I was talking to Dave about how when I was in South Philly walking around, I just felt like everyone around me KNEW I wasnt from South Philly. That feeling is amplified over here, but over 17 days, you learn to feel comfortable looking like an American Asshole. The majority of people have been so nice and helpful over here that this has easily been one of the most enjoyable, incredible experiences of my whole life. This tour never became "just another tour"; I feared that somewhere along the way the glitz of being on a whole other continent playing shows would wear off and I would eventually settle into the idea that this is just another tour and I would forget that this isnt happening on the East Coast. That never once happened, and I am incredibly happy about that. Tomorrow we play in Belgium. After the show, we'll get driven straight to the airport, where we will get on a hour and a half fight form Amsterdam to Frankfurt, and then from Frankfurt from Philly, and life will be normal again.
Mad bummer.
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