Shinybass journal entry 09-30-13

Words are hard.

Actually, use of the English language is hard, especially when a news camera is in your face.  We watched the Sunday night game last night, which ran late, so we decided to stay up and watch the NBC late news.  Yesterday the Titans QB was sent to the hospital, and NBC decided to get the local fan reaction to the injury.  Now, I went to college in Mississippi, lived in Alabama, and have relatives in NC, VA, and Georgia.  It took all of my international language and cultural skills to understand what these people were saying last night.  Our first interviewee was a rare treat.  Granted, it took me a moment to hear the, ahem, English words coming out, since I was completely distracted by the furry stuffed toy raccoon on her head.  Even after that shock, the trailerpark-ese was so thick, I made out two words.  Then they cut to a gentleman with a Titans flag under his hat like a Tennessee version of an Arabian Shora, and again, I have no idea what he was saying.  These are the BEST examples of fans you can pick?  I guess when you are under a tight deadline and at a football game, you grab the most-sober person you can.  Or maybe the editors are seeing how far they can push the envelope.  If they are, I applaud them for sneaking this by the producers.  Again.

As I wait patiently for my iPhone to update to iOS7, I am forced to write this entry without the aid of pictures.  I will say, however, that this run was far from picture-friendly.  Not that our country isn’t beautiful, I just found myself both tired and isolated from the world, and didn’t find much to snap.  It’s OK, I will tell you all about them and attempt the ‘1000 words’ you are missing.

My week started with an early flight on a Denver based airline that rhymes with Frontier.  This airline is pitiful.  First of all, and this is to all airlines – if there is room in the overhead bin, it is ILLEGAL to make a musician gate check a musical instrument.  It will fit in the overhead, and yes, it’s way more important than underwear and socks in the carry-ons.  And you know what?  The flight originated in Nashville, which has one or two professional musicians flying in and out for work, so yes, Virginia, there will be guitars on your flight.  Get over it.  And making some people pay $2 for coffee while others get drinks for free? Again, shameful.

Our destination was Colorado Springs for a radio charity event.  I was happy to be in the area again – I really do like it out west.  Seeing mountains between Denver and Colorado Springs is a nice change of backdrop.  Our show was short and sweet, which also describes my sleep that evening after the show.  4AM came early.  We took a short flight to Omaha, Nebraska to meet up with the bus, and I immediately slept until early afternoon.  That is usually my sightseeing, do-something time, but not today, Josephine.  Our club show was a late one, and the good crowd made it much better for us all – we like that adrenaline boost.

The next day we were slated to play Cornstock, which is a festival in the middle of nowhere – Garnett, KS to be exact – and the day started out crazy bad, then somehow ended up really well.  The morning weather was cold and rainy, so muddy in fact that our bus was getting stuck in the mud as we tried to navigate to load in.  The crew unhitched the trailer, then moved the bus to high ground, which made for a pain in the ass for everything.  We had no sound check, but we do have a top-notch crew that can handle just about anything thrown their way, so I wasn’t too worried.  As the day wore on, the clouds parted, the temps warmed up, and at showtime, we had a very tolerable 55 degree temp, and about 3000 people cheering us on.  Gloriana was on before us, and they sound good.  Nice to see they are still out and trucking.

Another week behind us, another week ahead.  Tomorrow is Phil’s charity golf tournament, and then we head to JMU in Harrisonburg for a couple of shows then to Annapolis for Ram’s Head, then up to Westhampton, NY for a Sunday show.  Are you coming out?  You need to.  The band is sounding great, and we’re throwing new songs into the mix every night.  You never know what you’ll get…

I guess it’s officially fall.  I don’t mind that at all, since I get to wear more jackets.  I am a jacket and shoe nut, and summertime doesn’t allow for either.  So unpack those sweaters, and get ready for an electric fall.  And watch my Pirates tomorrow night, as they bring playoff baseball back to Pittsburgh for the first time in 21 years.  My hat is off to them!

See you on the road!