2/23 - I'm at the computer at James' parents house. We're going to leave for tonight's show soon. I'm wearing the dice shirt that i inherited from Zachary Darling. James is downstairs playing Beatles songs on the acoustic guitar, Jeff and Greg are getting ready. We all had really good Vietnemese chicken soup and iced coffee w/ the Sparbers, and now we are all energetic and in good moods. I think this shall be a fun night.
Just as an example about how weird humor can get: we had breakfast today with a group of very nice girls we met the previous night. One girl started talking about a friend of theirs they call "the Nord." So James made an "avoid the noid" joke (in reference to the old pizza chain campaign about the gremlin that makes your delivery pizza cold before it gets to your house), and i said "avoid the Nord," which turned into a Scandanavian sounding "Avord the Nord" and "the Nord" became a viking with super-human frost breath that blew on your pizza right as you answered the door. Needless to say, James and i were in stitches over this, especially when we decided the Nord you are supposed to "avord" lived, of course, in a fjord.
James and Jeff bought harmoncias yesterday, and James once again almost paralyzed me with laughter, as he was doing his "vocorder" trick by singing like Tom Waits through the harmonica. I almost started crying. We're all a little punchy.
Not sure what else to talk about. Wish me luck out there.
Late that evening: As i predicted, tonight was markedly better than last night, but still kinda frustrating. The bill was better, a little anyway. Orange Park played and man have they gotten better (or at least play with a lot more conviction) and their bass players name is, simply, Harv. How could you not like a band with "Harv?" The only DC band of the night was Mood Room, who had a lot of fans. Their guitarist was the one who agreed to have us on the bill at the last second, plus they stayed late to watch us, so they're all aces in my book. Sadly, before us there was a band from the rockin' state of Delaware that basically cleared the place. Thanks fellas. We finally went on around 2:15, to a decent amount of fans (or at least a lot more than i would've anticipated) and the show was fun. We've had pretty good luck with this so far, knock on wood. I wonder what sort of strange turn this whole thing takes after we leave the comfort and sanctity of The Sparbers' house, but i'm looking forward to it.
I would be remiss not to mention Nick, the owner of the Metro Cafe, and in love with GIRL HARBOR. Of course, it took us a while to figure out who he was, and before we did, he approached James in the bathroom early in the evening and gave him $50. James rightly asked "so ... what's this for?" and the guy (who looks to be in his mid-40s) said "this is for rocking tonight! But don't tell the other bands, because i like to maintain my mysterio-so persona." Sounds like it's working.
Incidentally, you'll have to admire my not making any predictable jokes about dogs and Vietnemese food.
A coupla shots of rock
A new tradition begins
