Well, you would think a guy could find some time to work this typee thingy, but no such luck. So here I am finally finding time at The Beach Break Grill in Hilton Head SC. So I guess I'll start from the beginning.
Pappy McGregors
It was nice to have Poly back as there was a real good crowd and a couple tables of good friends there to send me off. The defining moment of the night though was when loading out. The back step to the stage where one gains access is none other than an empty 5 gallon container, turned upright so yo step on the lid to egress. Well, guess who went ass-over-elbows on that one. Narrowly escaped severe damage, due to my gazelle-type reflexes and grace, but still managed to leave a trail of blood and I'm sure this patch on my arm will be seen for a long time.. O well Off to Pioneertown
You might have noticed big blank spaces of dates at beginning and end of the tour. These dates are for me to brief and debrief at my favorite spot to relax on the planet. The Pioneertown Motel,, Annie Oakley room to be specific. Just so happens the Mother Hips Desert Dust Up was that weekend at Pappy and Harriet's, the best roadhouse on the planet. Hips, Los Lobos and a grip o other bands, 2 day festy followed by the Sunday Band on Sunday. Cheri, Whitey, Lisa, Annie and other friends were down and we had a blast. Craig, probably one of my oldest friends, came down Wed and took me to sushi for my 50th and hung for a couple days which was great. I really spent most the time just kickin back at the room hangin with Scott, Joe and Mike, the Pioneertown Posse. One of the highlights was to meet a couple from Georgia one morning, Frankie and Jodie. We hit it off immediately. Frankie plays it down, but he is a great songwriter and I am going to visit him in Georgia after the North Carolina run.
Pappy McGregors
It was nice to have Poly back as there was a real good crowd and a couple tables of good friends there to send me off. The defining moment of the night though was when loading out. The back step to the stage where one gains access is none other than an empty 5 gallon container, turned upright so yo step on the lid to egress. Well, guess who went ass-over-elbows on that one. Narrowly escaped severe damage, due to my gazelle-type reflexes and grace, but still managed to leave a trail of blood and I'm sure this patch on my arm will be seen for a long time.. O well Off to Pioneertown
You might have noticed big blank spaces of dates at beginning and end of the tour. These dates are for me to brief and debrief at my favorite spot to relax on the planet. The Pioneertown Motel,, Annie Oakley room to be specific. Just so happens the Mother Hips Desert Dust Up was that weekend at Pappy and Harriet's, the best roadhouse on the planet. Hips, Los Lobos and a grip o other bands, 2 day festy followed by the Sunday Band on Sunday. Cheri, Whitey, Lisa, Annie and other friends were down and we had a blast. Craig, probably one of my oldest friends, came down Wed and took me to sushi for my 50th and hung for a couple days which was great. I really spent most the time just kickin back at the room hangin with Scott, Joe and Mike, the Pioneertown Posse. One of the highlights was to meet a couple from Georgia one morning, Frankie and Jodie. We hit it off immediately. Frankie plays it down, but he is a great songwriter and I am going to visit him in Georgia after the North Carolina run.
As I said, I kicked back drinkin beer and vapin for 10 days til I went to La Jolla to play Beaumont's. Great to play there and great to see the crew and Toni. I turned around right after and got back to Pi-Town in time to walk over to Pappy's and play a couple songs with the Sunday Band featuring Victoria Williams, Damian Lester, Gar Robertson, Bob Furgo, Caleb Winn, Rachel Dean, Ryan Norman. Great group of musicians. Sorry about bein terrible about taking pictures, but its like pullin teeth to get me to break out my camera,,, which brings me to my next subject.
You may remember that on the eve of my departure from Cali on the Spring tour, I had an uncooperative tooth that I had to get yanked. Well, guess what. I hope this doesn't become part of my tour routine or I'll be doin the "What the fuck Daffy Duck" tour soon. Still made it to play Ted Quinn's Reality Show that night and got up before dawn to make the pilgrimage to Silver City New Mexico, where I played at Diane's, which is a super cool spot. Gregor was cool enough to let me park the tour bus in his yard and after a short hang, off to bed and up early to head to San Antonio.
You may remember that on the eve of my departure from Cali on the Spring tour, I had an uncooperative tooth that I had to get yanked. Well, guess what. I hope this doesn't become part of my tour routine or I'll be doin the "What the fuck Daffy Duck" tour soon. Still made it to play Ted Quinn's Reality Show that night and got up before dawn to make the pilgrimage to Silver City New Mexico, where I played at Diane's, which is a super cool spot. Gregor was cool enough to let me park the tour bus in his yard and after a short hang, off to bed and up early to head to San Antonio.
Made it to the Hiking Vikings in the beautiful Hill Country outside San Antonio and headed to Leon Springs to play at Fralos. We hung out all day Thursday and watched eminent danger develop in the form of Tropical Storm Karen. Looks like it's heading right along my route for the next few days.
Made it to Lake Charles no problem. I can't say enough good stuff about this place. I stayed with Eric and Nikki again and played Cigar Club Fri and Sat night. Ashley and the crew sure treat me like a king there.(no pics, soory,, actually I haven't taken hardly any since). Got up Sunday morning early and headed out to Spanish Fort Alabama to play at Traders on the Causeway on the gulf near Mobile. Great ride in Louisiana listening to the local station's Cajun Sunday show. The ride wasn't bad until I hit Mississippi. Then all hell broke loose.
I had driven through some shitty weather and hard rain on the last trip, but I wasn't prepared for that bitch KAREN. Even with most cars driving 40 in a 70 with emergency flashers on , cars and trucks were hydroplaning and spinning off the road all over the place. I'm not sure the old van would have made it. Glad I used the Rain-X too. After about 2 hours of Butt-Puckering White-Knuckle Driving, I finally made it to Traders, and I was happy to see that the water was up , but not too much. I knew it was bad weather when after I told KR the bartender where I drove from, he looked at me whith a very concerned amazed face. After we decided the storm surge wasn't going to bring the tide in too high, I set up and played a 4 hor show, starting with Willin' of course. Had to keep my head on straight cuz I wasn't too excited to sleep in the lot with the chance that the tide come up and flood me out, so it was a treat that Mark let me drive to his acerage nearby to crash on his land. Great time runnin round with him in the morning. By then the storm had passed and it was pretty nice. Ready for a break , I was happy to drive to Woodbine Ga to check out of the world for a few days, a bit of Karen near Jacksonville, but nuthin like sunday Woodbine,, no cell(sprint) no pc no nuthin. I slept for the first day and a half, then went and tied one on at Captain Stan's, and it is a treat to converse with the locals at that bar especially Kevin, Tommy and Scott, and of course Stan. Played a good gig there Wed night and decided that Thursday I would head to Hilton Head a day early to hang out there. Got to Hilton Head Island and ate lunch at Annie O's and had Shrimp and Grits which was off the frickin hook. Tom, the owner wouldn't let me pay for the food or the beer. Great guy , Great place. Took a nap and did an 8 hr shift as a patron of the Beach Break Grill. Steffan the owner snd Paul Z the tender took real good care of me, and I poured myself in the van and got a good night sleep. Woke up in the AM and took a real long walk on the beach here, then went and saw Gravity 3D. Ate a burger at 5 guys, took a nap, and here I am at the Beach Break Grill finishing my up-to-the-minute blog just in time to set up and play.. THIS PLACE GOES OFF and I'm really looking forward to tonight... see ya soon,, your pal, Spanky
I had driven through some shitty weather and hard rain on the last trip, but I wasn't prepared for that bitch KAREN. Even with most cars driving 40 in a 70 with emergency flashers on , cars and trucks were hydroplaning and spinning off the road all over the place. I'm not sure the old van would have made it. Glad I used the Rain-X too. After about 2 hours of Butt-Puckering White-Knuckle Driving, I finally made it to Traders, and I was happy to see that the water was up , but not too much. I knew it was bad weather when after I told KR the bartender where I drove from, he looked at me whith a very concerned amazed face. After we decided the storm surge wasn't going to bring the tide in too high, I set up and played a 4 hor show, starting with Willin' of course. Had to keep my head on straight cuz I wasn't too excited to sleep in the lot with the chance that the tide come up and flood me out, so it was a treat that Mark let me drive to his acerage nearby to crash on his land. Great time runnin round with him in the morning. By then the storm had passed and it was pretty nice. Ready for a break , I was happy to drive to Woodbine Ga to check out of the world for a few days, a bit of Karen near Jacksonville, but nuthin like sunday Woodbine,, no cell(sprint) no pc no nuthin. I slept for the first day and a half, then went and tied one on at Captain Stan's, and it is a treat to converse with the locals at that bar especially Kevin, Tommy and Scott, and of course Stan. Played a good gig there Wed night and decided that Thursday I would head to Hilton Head a day early to hang out there. Got to Hilton Head Island and ate lunch at Annie O's and had Shrimp and Grits which was off the frickin hook. Tom, the owner wouldn't let me pay for the food or the beer. Great guy , Great place. Took a nap and did an 8 hr shift as a patron of the Beach Break Grill. Steffan the owner snd Paul Z the tender took real good care of me, and I poured myself in the van and got a good night sleep. Woke up in the AM and took a real long walk on the beach here, then went and saw Gravity 3D. Ate a burger at 5 guys, took a nap, and here I am at the Beach Break Grill finishing my up-to-the-minute blog just in time to set up and play.. THIS PLACE GOES OFF and I'm really looking forward to tonight... see ya soon,, your pal, Spanky