55. Gypsy Ballroom. Dallas, TX May 14, 2005
May 14, 2005 03:09 PM
This is a placemarker. I will come back. We're in the dressingroom with family now. nfg set still on. later ya'll! bd
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The Eyes of Texas are upon me...
We're going to make you sick - saying over and over again - how great it is to be back in Texas. How could the whole state feel like home, though? This state is bigger than most countries. Right now, we're driving to San Antonio. Everyone is asleep. John A. is driving. But I should head back up the trail and cover my tracks. (random cowboy phrase which means: go back and talk about the events of the day)
Starting back in that little New Mexico town the night before - I crashed at 3:00+ am, got up at 6:00am, drove the sleeping inhabitants of the Eisley van 485 miles to Deep Ellum, Dallas - to arrive and park in the Gypsy Tea Room parking lot only seconds before the rest of the DuPree clan wheeled in.
It was just like I said: tight, long, hard hugs with tears... followed immediately by gift giving, followed by a ferocious "Angry Dog" sit down meal before load in. It was a divine reunion. I'm going to curb urges to define and redefine the feeling with goopy, superlatives. It's still with me today.
Best of my knowledge, the sold out show was a big success. How I measure show success: if everyone who contributed left with at least a 7 feeling. "Contributed" means: band, audience, marketers/promoters, stage managers, production crew, TM's, road crew... etc. My grade scale: 6 is average. 7 on up meters the range of "success". I'd give it a solid 7. 82563290. That's pretty high - almost an 8.
I gave it such a high grade because all 3 bands got a tremendous response, with means the "contributors" were getting a good feeling... which spilled over to the bands - which spilled back to the fans. Good times.
I can't say enough good things about the people/staff at the Gypsy Tea Room and Charles Attal Promotion. They're always so kind to us. They go WAY out of their way to make things good for us. (the hook up - even as the underdog openers since we're home town and they love Eisley) Tommy even opened doors at 7:00 for me because I complained that Eisley fans never get into see the band when they've opened at the Ball room. (25 minutes to process 1,200 people?) That's the kind of favor that makes a difference. Remember, in business, good relationships are everything. You treat everyone... from the lowliest, snaggletoothed, cigarette-smoking roadie - to the box office girl - to the house monitor guy to the top dog - promoter with courtesy, respect... you treat them like they're doing you a big favor... like they deserve ultimate kindness - each of them, because they're people. And they get a lot of crap from bands who think they're rock stars.
Eisley's Show
The fans score a 8.948932461832, which probably made up for Eisley's tiredness. The set was tight enough, and I actually liked it quite goodly, but I know they were feeling your love. That makes all the difference in the world. I wonder how many Eisley fans were there? I couldn't tell. I could only tell that how ever many there were, you were amazing... singing the lyrics loudly, celebrating the live music, supporting the dorky siblings in a prolific, resounding, boisterous way. Sheesh, 7 Songs for 20 bucks. Whoever you were, if you were only Eisley fans, you were very giving. I know so many of you guys - and love you so much. Thank You.
Worn Out Hats
I was busy as a one legged horse on a rocky trail (with a 12% grade) last night. Dealing with a limited guest list in our home town is something I utterly dread. Add family to the lis - complete with getting the right clearance with passes, tracking down headlining band for photo passes, dealing with tight security about where they can and can't shoot from (thanks Peter!!) as the opening (low life) band is hard. Fit in meals, coffee, load in/out (remember, one of my hats is one of 2 roadies), settling, meal buy outs, set lists, cameras, stupid details like making sure batteries are charged, videotaping, making sure I'm not out of video tapes, , spending time with my beloved wife after not seeing her face for almost 3 months, doing the production on myspace (resizings/coding/upload, this journal, etc. Add tons of friends, conversations, etc. - it get's crazy. I think my hats are getting worn out. Weirdly, ended up setting in with nfg for that song sherri sings since Chad had been asking me for weeks. I would have loved to have rehearsed it more than once thu during souind check. It was ok i guess. not so hot. An easy song to play to once you learn the stops/starts, breaks, fills, grooves on the vrs's, chorus - switch to ride on bridge and crash ride on chorus/outro. Anyway, it was fun. Right after, I put on my TM hat and went to settle.
We ate Dinner at 2:00 - 3:00am which toasted my brain. I mostly just rested my weary body on Kim during the festivities. It would have been better to be hungry and just crash. Saying goodbye to her and Collin was hard - they had to drive 2+ hours back to Tyler. I called her to make sure she was awake as I was drifting off about 3:30am. Tilt.
53. Sunset Theatre. Albuquerque, NM. 5.13.05
May 13, 2005 04:43 AM
We're only 650 miles away from Dallas
... but the band has a wonderful opportunity to play in New Mexico for the first time ever! What will happen? Will nfg's pop punker New Mexico kids get the vibey melodian kids or not? I have no clue. We'll find out. But I know they'll give it their best shot...
And after the show - we're driving 277 miles toward Texas. That will leave 473 miles before we cruise into Elm street and park in the Gypsy Tea Room parking lot where we'll embrace the loving arms of loved ones with happy tears.
btw. You Dallas Eisley fans better get in the front of the line. Doors are early and there's only 30 minutes before eisley starts after doors. If you're at the back of the line, you'll miss their set. I promise this is true. It will happen.
But for now, we're here at our Quality Inn - getting ready to check out and go to Old Town (?) to get me some medicine and eat some lunch... we'll hang out and be bored until time to drive 2 hrs to the venue. Weston hung with nfg so he and Chad are probably already at the venue, asleep on the bus. I want COFFEE!!!
I feel a little better today, but my eye hole is still stumpgudgered and swoll nearly shut. I look pretty gross.
Gotta split for now. bd
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I tried to get on line all afternoon... and night
NFG's bus's uplink wasn't getting out. So I couldn't do "myspace" or the eisely tour journal or check for important email at all. So I'm writing this now so I can post it when we get to the Econlodge Hotel in some small town with a long name that starts with a T. We still have to leave like... at 6:30am in the morning...
Stream of Road Conciousness
Well, I met "Giant" and some other Eisley forum fans at the show tonight. And speaking of the show, it sounded great. I sound like I can't write. I sound like I suck at writing anything good tonight. We're cruising down the road at 75-mph and it's bumpy. See, even that was a lame sentence. I sound like I can't feel good about my words.
I need a Red Bull, but I like SoBe's "No Fear". I hope we stop at a gas station. WAIT!!! omgosh. we're pulling off. no joke. i didn't plan that. Chauntelle and Christie are singing Wynona, Weston is singing that wonderful first track on The Shins last record.. into a phone. It must be Mica from Pilot Drift. The gas station was closed. We're back on the freeway. Chad is speaking in some loud British voice. Sherri is laughing at everyone. It's loud in here. It'll get quiet in about 60 miles. I promise. When we drag into the hotel, everyone will behave like zombies. My throat is still sore. Kimbertones called me in eye-drops at Walgreens. Next exit - gas station food. yea!
Beardo and Jon are on the nfg bus. We wanted to escort Chad into the great state ourselves. Plus, obviously, we're more fun. Every time Weston stays on the nfg bus, they spank him... last night they spanked him with pizza.
Tonight's Show - Stream of Brain Stroodle
The crowd was very responsive tonight. But we didn't sell very many cd's so - i don't know what to think. I'm tired of trying to read crowds. They liked Eisley; overall; I'm sure of it. I think I'll quit this an go grab some video from tonight. Exit 194 for gas. Stacy singing in some vocal gymnastical skill...
New Mexico. We weren't here long enough for me to get a feel for it. I've been on family vacations here as a child. Iron Gate. Where is that. I took the most beautiful photo of my life at Iron Gate; a cow lapping water pouring into a wooden trough from a water-pump as the late afternoon sun lit a field of wild iris's that buried him in a scenic display of grandeur. But anyway, the show went well and everybody was really receptive and crazy over the band. Hope we can come back to New Mexico.
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Focus. In and Out.
We're floating somewhere between mountain and central time - but technically, it's still only 2:00am, not 3:00am. I crashed for a bit - flopping around in this vinyl skinned thrown by every gouge and bump in the road; it's hard to sleep, but I don't regret it a bit. What an adventure this has been.
SoBe green tea is good for you. I just know it. I can feel it's goodness. I mean, there's no coloring, it's not very sweet. So.. right there, you know it's health food.
Sleeping in our own beds will be freaky. And my wife will be laying next to me. wow. I hope she remembers to bring my big Wacom tablet from home, since I found my pen in the side door compartment but lost Thomas's pen I borrowed as a replacement (but it's here somewhere Thomas, don't worry).
12 miles to go. "Everyone is beautiful" is almost over. Better pack up my computer n wires n crap. I see the lights of the city. What a boring journal. I feel like a smaz-mo in my writing head. If my brain were a lobotomy and Einstein was my brother, I'd be Boyd DuPree.
Sweet. Wireless in a Econolodge - $50 hotel. The world is changing.
Goodnight.
52a. Drive Day - from Tucson to Albuquerque
May 12, 2005 04:57 PM
Well, i contracted the wicked viral outbreak from John A.
My eye hole is a seathing, swollen, enflamed, red, monsterous, dead - godzilla-glassy-fish-eye of pain and grossness. I complain more than John A. - he's still getting over his dualeye situation. His weren't swollen...just red, but his bronchial cough sounded like a deep woods yetti who'd undergone a tracheotomy with rusty (Lucky 13) fish bate hooks.
I drove 500 miles with one eye... running fever, soar throat... uhgh. need to go to sleep... quivering. Ready to go home.Last few days have been hard. I'l touch base tomorrow.
Girls have to go to NY right after we get back to do really, really important interview with MTV. It's the next level up from that "You Saw It Here First" or whatever. I hear it's a big deal. They're happy about the opp.' but grumbling about having to go thru the motions, logistics.... more travel.
bd