Atlanta, GA. July 1, 2005. Nick's Olde Bar and Grill
July 01, 2005 06:34 PM
Twenty-One and Up
Hey Everyone. It's 3:33am; we just got back to our Comfort Inn after loading out around 3:00am from Nick's Olde Bar n Grill. I'm terribly sleepy but am committed to spewing out something to mark tonight's episode in this short journey. There's only one "first" us headlining tour in their history.
I can honestly say taht Atlana's 21+ market is smaller than some of the other 21+ markets we've been to. I'm not sure why I thought Atlanta was a very Eisley friendly crowd. Well, not to say tonight's crowd wasn't friendly. They were.... under 200 total. Somehow, playing with Brand New, Snow Patrol and later - NFG seemed like it would have been more productive in terms of reaching a solid foundational eisley fan base...
then again, it's the beginning of the 4th of July too.
All that aside, the show was great. Aside from a few boggles or missed power chords, the set was tight and wonderful. The medium sized croud seemed to like the music/band. I hope I have good vido up.
I am too sleepy. More in the morning. Thankyou for coming -
Unfortunately, we won't be back in July w/ Hot, Hot Heat. Eisely has a wedding to sing at. But the shows before and after, they shall play indeed.
goodnight.
boyd
June 30th. Drive Day. Leave Carborro - land Altlanta
June 30, 2005 02:19 AM
A Moment... a memory
I've been outside trying to find a great spot to work on a logo for my
partner of 10 years in a design firm. Well, X partner - I left that to do
this, but... anyway, it's amazing outside this little Best Western nestled in
the tall pines, magnolia's, live oaks... all trimmed neatly by gardens that
look very personal - old lady-ish; Day lilies and the likes... it's a blast
from the past; I grew up in the South... the deep South; Louisiana, where
the state flower is a Magnolia. I felt inspired.
I walked down this long road trailing back to some hidden entrance to
this place, locked in time - flanked by mammoth junipers, flowers, a
forest wall - the kind where the shadows are deep blue, like on paintings;
bees were buzzing around clover beds, birds were providing a simple
symphony for my pleasure alone. I needed this moment.
In the breakfast room, they had a little basket full of "honey buns". The
stairs leading up to the second level are made of wood and painted
white... you know the kind; like Cooter down the road built it for Midge,
the nice old lady behind the counter... It's a hotel frozen in time. They
don't know anything exists past 1957. I love it.
The slide and the merry go round... the swing set like at one of those old
Southern town parks is out there... I tell you, this is my favorite Best
Western so far. Clean, old, simple... adequate, timeless, nostalgic, rich
with character that bled (i fear) from the era without modern man's
concern.
Anyway - we drive today. 7+ hours. I just wanted to hammer a guidepost
into the ground to mark my journey... and remember how life was.
boyd
Carborro, NC. June 29, 05. The Cat's Cradle
June 29, 2005 11:41 AM
HEY!
We're in the SOUTH again. weird. We just drove to the South. Crazy. North Carolina is in the South, right? Wait..surely. But some of the Pilotdrift guys aren't sure.. where's that Mason Dixon line? Further North, of course. I know we're in the South. I can feel it.
Wait, I just called Gramps... Line is between Pensylvania and Maryland. Woah, we're way South.
Anyway... We're in the dressing room at the Cat's Cradle. We drove from a Comfort Inn just outside Phily - here. Arrived exactly at 4:00pm, on schedule, for load in. Everything went so smooth. Low stress... then we drove out (I put stools with Eisley posters that said "Eisley's Parking" since there weren't cones. We're in a strip mall center. It's rad. Anyway, we drove out and went to McAllisters and then Carabou Coffee... then back.
... to find a giant pile of a line at the door. Felt weird since we had to walk right past them. Even me... i felt like a monkey. Cuz i prolly look like one. But I know there's over 300 pre-sale. That's amazing. What's going on? How does anyone know of this band out here? I know Eisley played once... somewhere a few hours from here.
Pilotdrift is getting ready to go on.
gotta go listen. be back soon.
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Pilotdrift won the crowd over by their second song - as usual. I think I've heard every set... unfortunately, I haven't heard every Lovedrug show cuz I have to tend to things.. but I've probably heard 75%. I love the live shows of both of these bands. Hearing them every night has not gotten boring yet at all.
Sounds like a very vivacious crowd - full of vim, vigor and vitality. It's thck... very thick. I can't easily get from the dressing room to FOH. Stacy just burned a new mix cd for Mark to play - she had like 1.5 minutes to get it burned so i could dash back to Mark and get him to spin it right at the end of Pilotdrift's drum-off. I made it within seconds.
The last one had a "Trail VanHyde" song (Stacy and Christie's side project for fun), but I don't think anybody noticed. Wonder if it's on this mix cd. hmm... (yes. confirm. it's in the mix)
anyway.... a very exciting night indeed. Ahh... Mew. I hear Mew in the line-up. SO... I'd better print out set lists, etc. DAY OFF TOMMORROW!!! well, it's a drive day - not really a day off. It took forever to get here.
talk soon. bd
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The show is over, the floors of the Cat's Cradle have been mopped and Eisley, along with friends - Pilotdrift, are nestled in a forest freeway - Best Western. There are tall pines, swingsets, humble little rooms and a sweet black lady at the reception desk who helped me find this place. I love it.
CAT'S CRADLE
Another 500 crowd... in - where? where are we? I'm so confused. But I think Eisley played one show w/ nfg in a town abut 2 hrs from here. Another amazing turn out - and another super-enthused crowd, singing very loudly - Tree Tops and other favorites. There were guys with braided dreds, long hair'ds, mullets, indie-rockers, parents, kids - every kind of human imaginable. What a great night. And tomorrow is a drive day so we can slip out of this "lodge" around 11:30am.
They played "Sea King" for the encore... it came off so strong. I enjoyed the show... even tho' i was video-taping.
Getting sleepy. But first, i made a discovery today. While driving, freeze your head as much as you can - to stay awake. A very cold head is a very awake head. A heated head is a sleepy, dead head. Freeze your head and live. I did. And I'm still alive.
(high, cold blowers to the head should do the trick)
boyd
p.s. there were no mullets. and, honest, most of the crowd was indie, just like the promoter told me that would be the case. Carobbo suposedly has a huge indie scene. bd