Hung Over

We arrive in Kansas City, I rise slowly and am I hung over as shit. Those killer beers killed me.
I catch up on the blog and make my way into the venue for catering. Chicken, orzo with mushrooms and peas and pecan pie was tonights meal. It cured my hang over and made me feel somewhat normal. Nick (AILD) is hooking me up with use of his camera so I can forge on with the blog, he rules! Tonight's show goes well considering were on God Forbid's equipment (again!). Those guys have really helped us a lot. After the set, I shower and I'm semi worn out on routine and I head out for local stimulation. I walk into a bar called Out of Bounds and realize upon entry that I'm instantly recognized as "fresh meat" by everyone in the bar including the lone karaoke singer. It's a gay bar. I check the taps out and make a quick u-turn to find another spot. I walk into The News Room pub order a Peroni and start shooting the shit with Ryan (bar tender) and Scott (Art Teacher). We talk everything from George Brett shitting his pants, George Brett having a record setting batting career before creatine and the Kansas City Mafia. I sip a Makers Mark and Scott convinces me to try a Hamms.
Afterwards I head back over to the venue and LOG is killing it, best show of the tour for me personally. A few beers later and Chris says "Hey...Britny Fox is playing down the street, let's go!". We go and they rule, totally out rocking today's musical youth by a long shot and even close with a cover of Judas Priest's You've Got Another Thing Coming. Back to the Bus! The AILD crew is transporting me to St. Paul, MN. We stop at Walmart and I'm let down 'cause they don't carry frozen White Castle Cheeseburgers! Bummer!

Denver

Del Taco's fish taco's reign supreme. Each time I'm on the west coast Del Taco is a priority tour stop. I order 3, consume them and get back into the van. God of War on the PSP propels me for a few hours until I notice we're stopped on the side of the road for 20 minutes before I make an inquiry. The wheel bearing come loose and hault our progress. AAA comes, we connect the dots (Steve of Cephalic Carnage bails us out) and we make the show, without canceling! The show is great and catering is even better. I stuff my face with Tofu, squash, green beans and one of the best cheesecakes I've had. I had a great devil's food cupcake as well and this is all before the set of course 'cause I'm still on my "food before playing" kick. Hanka, Frankie, Moe and I head over to
The Cheeky Monk for some beer, I had an Orval and it was awesome. En route we discovered a killer beer store and I scored a Gulden Draak, Rochefort 10 & an Avery Mephistopheles Stout and those came in handy on the LOG bus as they were nice enough to transport us to Kansas City so we wouldn't miss the show.

DAY OFF!

Taco Cabana is where we started the day off. We drove forever and ended up in Amarillo, TX at The Big Texan home of the Free 72oz steak. If you can eat it in an hours' time that is. Joey Chesnut holds the world record clocked in at 8 minutes and 52 seconds for everything. 72oz steak, 3 shrimp, salad, baked potato and a roll. The unofficial record for the fastest time belongs to a 500 pound Bengal Tiger, less than 90 seconds.
We watched 4 people take the challenge while we were there and no one could could do it. One contender changed his name to "ralph" as the staffed rushed a garbage can over to him. It was hilarious.
I had a measly 16oz filet mignon w/fried onions, Rochefort salad, mac & cheese and a HUGE beer. I had trouble finishing mine and wondered how the hell the guys going for the 72oz could try that. Fuller than full we drive off into the night to find a hotel hours later.

Dallas

At this point, I'm playing catch up and the catering in Dallas wasn't my favorite. Blackened catfish that seemed not cooked all the way, broccoli and mashed potatoes. The chocolate cake was just ok.
The crowd was great at this show, Tony got spit on, you gotta love the haters. Speaking of haters, let's rewind to Houston. I head to the Balcony to watch LOG from a nice relaxed point of view in the row seats amongst the crowd. I take position, the intro starts and the crowd was like boiling water within seconds. "In your words" the lead track off of "Wrath", Lambo of God's new album follows and the all man, all muscle, no brains slurred drunken fan besides me knows all the words in his own way, which is at the top of his lungs to the point of almost loosing his voice. The song ends and he's still going, high fiving me and everyone around him in all his glory. A few songs in Randy (LOG vocalist) shouts out Municipal Waste and the same drunken fan reacts the same drunken way, only negative. "They fuckin' suck", "that band fuckin's sucks", "Municipal Waste...fucking suck" at peak volume along with high fives to everyone in his area, including me and I respond "Fuck yeah man..you're gay" and he goes "Yeah man" with all the veins in his head/throat bulging. He's soooo pumped up he missed the fine print. It was great. I escaped with my life and laughed to myself the whole way to the dressing room for my Samiclaus treat.

Corpus Christi

Home of real metal fans and good ass food. Sour Cream Enchilada's, cheese quesadillas, some of the best grilled chicken I've had on this tour, deep fried poblanos and two amazing desserts. A dark chocolate cup filled with mousse, whipped cream and raspberries AND a pineapple brulee concoction. Yes and of course I had them both. No visual evidence today, my Nikon S600 is in the shop for the second time for a lens malfunction and sometime's I feel like a panhandler asking people to take photo's. At the end of the night I Dos Equised myself into bed for another overnighter.

Hunan Village

Houston, TX home of Hunan Village. I love this place. Todays' catering was no joke either, chicken parmigiana super lightly egg breaded, green beans with onions and mushrooms and linguine & clam sauce. The chicken parm was once of the best I've had, the breading was supreme.
I've been on this kick of eating before playing and I'm told this is a "no no" or "man....I'll puke if I eat before I play", so I'm wondering if this is just a mental thing or my new habit is giving me the extra fuel I'm needing to pull off a good performance. I have noticed a positive difference in my playing since I've started this routine. My playing seems more consistant and balanced. I'll keep on this until it proves me wrong. Oh..Hunan Village has some the best mock meat I've had in my travels and always keeps me coming back. The mock General Tso's is unbeatable and great everytime.

Yee Haw!

We’re playin’ a Rodeo Ring today, yee-haw! There is dirt and dust everywhere and it’s more or less a shock to the tour system compared to yesterday’s plush and spacious back stage area. June Bug’s hospitality and food quickly boosts everyone’s moral and the show seems more like a hang out/bbq. Everyone involved with the show, from the runners who crammed Nick, Kenny, Joe and myself into the back of their car for a comfy Starby’s run (and Cane’s secret sauce), to the local gargantuan college football players hired as security were all friendly and accommodating. Beef brisket, crawfish, andouille sausage, crawfish etouffee stuffed brisket, potato salad, dirty rice aligned themselves in my stomach harmoniously and provided and excellent base coat for drumming and drinking. After our well received set I opened an Avery Quad only to be lit up like a Christmas tree and find inspiration for a duel “Soy Bomb” attack during As I Lay Dying’s set. Magically marked with “Soy Bomb” Tony and I stormed the stage taking the risers and monitors like Normandy Beach answering Columbus’ set soy bomber (Josh/AILD). There was love in the air as the crowd roared in favor of our infiltration. We exit triumphantly, consume multiple beverages and our jubilation mutates into tribulation as we get our asses handed to us in Arena Ball later that evening. Can’t win ‘em all I suppose.