We headed back out to the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival again this spring.
It was good to see everybody, as usual. It was extremely wet by the second day, but a very good time again.

We played on Fri. right after the huge rain storm began, the power even went out once, somehow it gave the whole thing a more communal feel. stomping and shouting and splashing around.

That was cool for the first few hours, then it just got annoying and wet.

We also played the Kraken Bar, which we had never done before. It was a pretty cool time. They allow dogs and we like dogs. I will say their muzzles were all supiciously wet, alcoholic dogs, maybe?

We headed down to Florida, to hit the same old suspects, plus a couple of new spots. Always good to see the folks at the Ale and the Witch and the Belle Isle Yacht Pub and Will's Pub, of course.

We did Bryan Childs 9 Bullets radio show in Tampa, which he claims will soon be called the Sad Bastard Song Club. Then we drank a lot of craft beers with said Bryan Childs at a place called Southern Brewing Company, I believe. Really good beer and neither one of us likes craft beer.

This caused us to be late for our show at the 8th Avenue Pub in Safety Harbor, but I think we still pulled it off o.k., despite having to play the whole night, which means, covers(not my favorite thing) and more work. Luckily our buddy Animal jammed along with us and we made it through.

Thanks to everybody who helped on this run and everybody who didn't can piss off.  Another one's coming soon.

We are getting pretty excited about the next run we're making.
Like listening to Professor Longhair and ReBirth excited.

Louisiana during Carnival season is just something you can't explain.

Talked to our buddy Will Walker the other day and we're booked for 
Orlando again in April, so awesome. Will (Will's Pub) and Dave from the Belle Isle Yacht Pub are in a competition to see who can make us feel most at  home in the city with big (Mickey) ears.


So, keep your eyes on the usual spots and your ears open. We may be right next to you before you know it, in one way, or another (creepy).

Oh Halloween.

We played with our buddies the Funky Seeds. Good fella's all.
Particularly exciting to see Animal (who wore a fine Animal hat).

We did a couple of sets, one featuring "Cowboy Batman".
I wore no costume, unless you count going as my Dad.

As always, the Ale and the Witch is a very cool place and Brett(sp?)
the owner, is another in the fine and very welcoming bar owners
we've encountered across the country. Maybe it's not playing punk
rock clubs, as much, or just a change in the atmosphere, but man
there are a lot of nice people running venues these days.

We headed out after the music was over and hung out and played
music at Inside the Gates,  until about 6 o'clock in the morning.
Oh what a night.

We left Columbia sometime in the a.m., around 9, I think.
We didn't have to be in Birmingham until midnight, but
how do you not figure in problems?

We rolled into town at about 10 and proceeded to hanging
out with the bartender and a couple of nice fellows who
were the only inhabitants of the bar.

They were very concerned when we got out of the car and
stood outside for a while. Guess that's damned
suspicious behavior in Birmingham on a Monday night.
Also, I guess anyone who stands outside on a 55 degree
night in Alabama is obviously a degenerate.

We went on around midnight to a small, but highly appreciative
crowd.  Marty rolled in and hung out for the first set. We did a
one condenser mic set-up and it sounded suprisingly good.

After the second set we hung out for a little bit and then started
loading things into the car. A homeless man in a wheelchair rolled
by and started to ask us for money. He then stopped and said"Oh,
you guys are musicians". He didn't ask us for money again. I guess
everyone knows musicians are broke.

We loaded up, said our good-byes and headed for Bradenton.
that's only another 10 hours from Birmingham.

We are definitely looking forward to getting back to Marty's though
always a good time.