August 19, 2005. The DETROIT SHOW. Magic Bag
August 19, 2005 02:42 PM
This Club Rules
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/eisley
All of these shots were blurry.
This is just for esthetic value. There's no purpose.
Memories from the bus. Oft' we'd sit up front and talk with Jeremy.
This particular morning, Jeremy made Starbucks coffee after cleanin
the bus while Eisley slept in cushy bunks with TV's in each.
The bus is like an office, a home, and an entertainment center all at once.
I have more pics from Detroit that I'll post. Just tossing these up now.
Venue Police - reporting in...
I like everything about it so far. The band is about to sound check, so...
that's the last hurdle. It's an old theatre... been renovated. Remaining,
giant wooden sconces - art deco, with the upward bursts of light...along
the nave. Spacious, deep wooden stage... Sloping floor; Outside the
marquee boasts 3 sides; perfect condition. Eisley's name is out front
super big. There's coffee across the street - "The Beanery". And down
the street, there's another place; the girls got ice chia. Both have
wireless. See... it's the best. And, all the people are friendly. very. So... it
should be a good night.
Motorheads Love Music Too
I hear there are Saturn people coming. That's amazing. Think of it...
Eisley gets to present their music to people who are supporting this... the
ones who design an build cars... right here in Detroit. I just it when things
are outside the box. There's this vip section they'll all be sitting in.
They're coming to check out what Yahoo is doing and who they're
supporting. Well, I hope... or, I don't think they'll be let down. Who
knows... maybe there are some music lovers in the bunch. I imagine
they made the choice at Yahoo's recommendation... and surely they
know - there's no substance abuse, drunkenness, wacked behavior that
would damage their brand. I could see how it might be risky - promoting
and putting dollars behind rock bands. That's a volatile situation.
Anyway... I need to get back in there. Just came out to the bus to get
something for Chauntelle. laterOnYawls
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Describing tonight will be easy. Because.
It wasn't like any other show in Eisley history. What is was: wuz - a combination between a concert (notice I didn't say show) and a showcase. And, that's not a bad thing. Adventure. Variety. Spice. It keeps you on your toes; keeps you guessing; it's too easy to give into pathways of least resistance... doing what feels comfortable and normal... the cool things.
Playing for a mezzanine of Saturn executives (were they?) at a Yahoo show promoted by Pop2Life as well as your loyal fans (crowded around the front) at a host venue in Detroit, Michigan was pretty amazing. If not amazing, extraordinary. Hey, they paid for it, they deserved to get to see it. And you know what? I think they dug it. I watched them.
It was too loud. Chalk that up to the "mix position". (you have to learn these terms if you're gonna read my beat). How could Mark leave his post, climb down the ladder, hop onto the floor in the back, run down the walkway, bumping into people, pushing into the center of the room, listen, reverse order...
Sorry everyone. It really was too loud. I told people - it was one click away from the pain threshold. Actually, Days Away was dead on the threshold of pain mark. Actually one click above it. You should check out their band. Their record is really good. I'm not just saying that. Very nice music, indeed.
Edgy. Loud. Eisley
There was an edgy, brittle kick to the band tonight. I suspect that was pure volume. (literally) But it was polished. Best show on this tour, by far. Difficult to say what the corporate guys thought... Again, it was WAY too loud. Great crowd. Not sure what the numbers were, but the venue only holds like 400 capacity. Tables and chairs.
The night was very organized. The guitars were given away to 2 lucky winners. My sentences are choppy on purpose.
Onward. Westward
We're checking out of this amazing Westin Hotel... these are the kind that executives stay in. And executives can afford $20 for hi speed unlimited and $20 for a big breakfast. That's why Quality Inn's attract us - free hi speed (wireless) and free continental breakfast. Ok. To be honest, the Continental b-fast is only $10 bucks here. But the rooms... omygosh. Indescribable.
We're headed Westward to LA today... where it gets even busier. Anytime we're anywhere near LA, it gets busy. Label. Management. And this time there's a video. So... yeah. Bus call at 11:15am. (i've always wanted to say "bus call") Jeremy takes me to FedX to ship xtra merch and all our free stuff from Yahoo back home.
I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone who came to any of these 3 shows on this part of the world. Again, please forgive me for not remembering names...and sometimes faces. The band had a great time; I'm going to have to extract them with a 600XL BusEvac (by Extract-Co). Everyone will be so sad. It might be a year or two before we're on a bus again... but, it's something to work toward, right? Well... gotta go. Boyd
August 18, 2005 THE CHICAGO SHOW. Double Door
August 18, 2005 11:27 AM
The Windy, Rainy City greets us with dreary skies...
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/eisley
Are these getting boring? Ok. I heard that. I quit.
Great headline right? Man. That's a great headline... I'm not quiting but I
can't post but for a second. (aww... stop cheering) We're checking out of
this Lennox Suites Hotel in dt Chicago. The girls and I strolled out into the
grey to find Jamba Juice. On the way back, the sprinkling deluge of drivel
did come down upon us. Great... another setback besides the free show
to keep people at home on a Thursday night. jk.
Off to the venue. See some of you tonight. Bring a friend. A 21+ friend.
Bring your mom, your dad, your grandmother. Otherwise, I don't think
we'll have a big turn out. Bring your tickets. Sell X-tra's for $15 dollars to
scalpers... tell them "surely you can double your money, man.."
bd
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Sitting outside the Double Door in the bus. weird.
the SUN is breaking thru!!! yes! later.
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Still sitting in the van... doors are open. not too many peeps in thar. So,
I'm bored and this is discouraging so... I thought to post this map of our
routes since February. 1000's and 1000's of miles of sitting on grey vinyl
van benches. I have to admit I was in the front and the seats are nicer.
Anyway...
We're bored. Sitting in the bus. the BUS... our happy thought right now...
especially since it seems like nobody is here... Well, i dunno. 21+ in a
market that Eisley's been in several times recently. I'm not really sure
people know about this show. I mean, that sounds pretty far out,
considering everything, but... a bunch of people I've talked to have said -
"man, we only found about this because we browsed across Eisley's site
yesterday... I wouldn't have known otherwise". But - it's all good, as they
say. Whoever came is in for a giant love sized dose of Eisley tonight. The
sound is pretty sweet here. Intimate, I think they call it. 
But - isn't that a perdy graphic of our tours? I am working on editing a
little stuff - in the bus, etc. and maybe some from tonight's show. Well...
bye for now.
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Well, I spoke too soon..
It's filling up. I jumped the gun. I shot the goon. Somebody shoot that goon. Anyway... I just sombered thru and I'm digging the scene in there.
Eisley is getting put on stage as I type... so, I'd better plug in ya'll. Report about the show directly after. Yahoo!!!!! (real goony goon face)
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AFTER-SHOW REPORT
Hey.... I blew it. I was going to find my way back to the bus, log on and
write a bit, but by the time I got back to the bus, I was the last person to
get on the bus; Next thing - Jeremy said, “are we ready? It was too late
to get on line. We were pulling away from the DD.
Near Blow-Out
I was so wrong. The house filled up... packed. Still shocked over such an
amazing turn out from 21+ crowd. Honestly.. that's amazing. Thanks
muchly.
After the show: veryone was tired. We ate some snacks, Stacy,
Chauntelle and I talked to Jeremy for a while, he got a phone call, Stacy
bailed, I grabbed my Apple, Chauntelle is watching the wide screen, but...
It’s getting sleepy in here. I can’t hold on much longer. Pick back up in
the morning. Nite.
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Good Morning
Eisley is sleeping like Mars chocolate bars, wrapped in 50's paper (yes,
with the old logo)... and the bars are in a box... and the box is put up in
an old fashion pantry... it's dark in there; very dark. I know, I unwrapped
myself, climbed out of the box and opened the pantry door into this
bright - light world.
It's 8:20am - only we lost an hour so it's not really. We're sitting in the
parking lot behind the Magic Bag. I hear there's a "The Beanery" in the
front. I might go check that out, but after I used my secret wireless
decoder ring (well, it's really a wireless finder that Luke's mom got me)
and found there was a signal. Vuahahh.... I'm on.
The Show
Well, I guess we were all very thankful; early signs indicated it would be
a no show... Chauntelle and I were walking around outside and thought,
hey, let's go see what the line looks like; we rounded the corner
and...GuLp; even 20 minutes before doors, it looked like about 10 - 15
people were there. We thought, "oh wow... this is going to be a tough
night to get through".
I kept thinking, "well, I guess Eisley needs to stop touring for a while...
we've just saturated Chicago and other areas... time to go away for a
long, long time - so that we don't ever have to experience this again."
The band was having a hard time pulling themselves up for the show;
combine the fact that they're so tired from touring with the reality that
nobody wants to see you - even a free show promoted HUGE in a market
that supposedly loves you.... it's not a pretty emotional sight. I was
giving them pep talk cpr. Imagine the irony of pulling up in the mammoth
bus and having no one show. (well, a few... but 30 - 50 people would be
like a no show almost)
All in all, the night turned out really great I think. Did you guys enjoy the
show? Sherri was having major problems surviving the hot lights. She
came back to the bus, was listless... very not herself for a long, long,
time in the bus before crashing. I haven't checked on her this morning,
but I'm sure she's ok. I know she wasn't happy with her performance as
a result of whatever she was dealing with. The sound was decent... the
band was about a 7 our of 10, but the Chicago crowd totally made up for
it. Seriously, you guys were crazy. Thanks for the warm welcome. You
turned the night around for the band. I hope they reciprocated with the
songs, the vibe, the love you were hoping for.
I did read that report from the dude at the Chicagoist... which, to be
honest, was a knife in the heart. Chauntelle and I had just looked at the
line of 10 people and then Kim called and read it to me on line. I wasn't
angry or anything... that's what critics do. It's their job to call it like they
see it. I just think he gave himself permission to speak for all of Chicago
when he didn't have a lisence. From my non-jaded, very rational, very
reality based view of what's happening - Chicago is becoming one of the
faster growing markets and certainly, besides, LA and Texas, the most
exciting city for the band to play.
If he'd been to the Metro (Snow Patrol), House of Blues (NFG), The Magic
Stick (Eisley's headlining tour), the Metro (Hot Hot Heat - where it was
difficult to tell who was the headlliner) and... last night, wouldn't he have
had to recant and reconsider? The response has been huge. I'm being as
honest as I can. It's just my opinion, but... I think Chicago is very much
embracing Eisley. Am I wrong? I'm willing to admit I could be way off. Of
course, you guys are fans, so...it's not fair to ask the question here. We'll
see. But not for a while.
Eisley won't be back in Chicago for possibly a long, long time. The
Switchfoot tour doesn't come through here... so, more than likely, it'll be
next year... and not even early next year. Summer, if that. But, we've
certainly been here SO many times, it's ok to give it a break... and not
over-saturate.
Well, off to find coffee and do some video editing - unless something
sucks my time first. It typically does. Thanks! boyd
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Yahoo, Pop2Life, Saturn
Been editing this. Gotta go back into the venue now. We're all set up.
Getting sound going now for sound check. Band is relaxing in the big,
beautiful bus. Thankyou Yahoo and Saturn. I hear many Saturn people
are coming to the show tonight to see what they're supporting. That's
fairly cool I think. And the Yahoo guys and the pop2life people (all guys
and girls) are so cool.
Seriously... they're so into music. They all have music backgrounds -
were band managers, A&R at labels, Tour Managers... all so into Eisley.
The last show they did like this was "the Bravery"; They're totally into
supporting emerging artists and knowing what's cool. I've been hanging
out with them a lot. I like. Corporate or not, they're wanting to make
Yahoo a leader in music... and they have great vision. The new
subscription based on line thing is something like $5 bucks per month for
millions of songs. I dunno. I can't do it.... not for Macs. But, sounds like
an amazing dea. This was not an ad. This was Boyd's honest, unsolicited
journal, as always.
August 17, 2005 Luxuriousness - ness
August 17, 2005 09:31 PM
Episodes and Reflectives on Busing
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/eisley
Well, it’s 8:00am. I’m the only one up in the bus. Oh wait. I think the bus driver is up, which is good since we're barreling down the highway doing 70mph. Besides him, I’m the only one who seems to be able to sleep for only a few hours, but wake up when feel like I have to get up because the sun is up.
Posturing the Heart
(Note: blibberings below are stream of conciousness centered around the fact that Eisley's Yahoo tour afforded them a bus... For subsequent tours, they'll be zooming across the country back in their home away from home - GMC 15 Passenger Van.)
hmm... What should I talk about? Let’s see - being on a bus? That’s what you’re asking? Well, first off, I’m intrigued by the whole, “we’re in a bus but don’t deserve to be” thing. Sounds negative, but I think it’s not so much a defeatist mindset as much as it is a “like it or not, we’re not here yet and, our van awaits us for upcoming tours, so let’s don’t get to comfortable..” But we are comfortable... today, so why not enjoy it?
The bus upgrade is sorta like that Penthouse hotel upgrade (see previous post). I’m not sure if I enjoyed it more, less, or the same being that it was a temporary lifestyle upgrade. Question: Should I enjoy this plush, spacious, bus with sofa’s, a table, refrigerator, coffee pot, with individual TV’s on each of 12 bunks, a 36” plazma TV at the front of the bus - and one in the lounge area in the back of the bus...any less than if it were a current, touring reality? Of course not.
Either way, I think the truth of this comes down this: We learn to build safeguards to protect our emotions in life so that expectations aren’t dashed in the face of failure or loss. We all want success, and occasionally taste it.. see glimpses of it... brush against it. Therefore, the only thing that would keep us from really enjoying the moment is fear of failure. I think it would be more healthy to work hard, not fear the lack of success or the fear of failure... and just enjoy the moment. “Live one day at a time... tomorrow has enough cares of it’s own.” I’m preaching to myself.
Overall, I think our attitude, while guarded, is pretty healthy. We’re going to enjoy this ride for all it’s worth... we’re going to live life as if there’s no tomorrow and relish this little road trip with our kid-like, giddy behavior intact. And I’m going to enjoy every mile viewed through the beautiful widescreen window to might right - exposing God’s arresting landscape - regardless whether or not there’s a future bus for Eisley... or a future in music at all.
A rich young rock star once said, “I can’t get no... satisfaction”. A rich young bus driver, Jeremy, once said,“ Always be content, but never be satisfied”. I say “be both, but always strive for excellence”... (wait ya’ll, why did i just quote myself?)
The First 3 Hours
I wondered what the band would do after climbing aboard the H3-45 Prevost - a.k.a. The USS Jeremy after climbing aboard outside the Bowery Ballroom. I knew that Weston would surely hang out, up front, with Jeremy (where I’m sitting right now) but I really thought the girls would hang out around the table area, the couches, be walking around checking everything out, enjoying the new mobile environment. I was wrong. The all band piled around the front...for hours, talking to our bus driver, Jeremy. Do I get to ride longer if I use the name Jeremy in a paragraph more than 4 times?
I finally fell asleep around 2:30am right in back of the lower cockpit - all knarled up on the short couch. I hear rumors that I talked in my sleep - prompted by their annoying forced conversation. I kept saying something about trying to get used to the space... the environment... the space. At 3:30am, I heard some of the band head back to the bunks... so I decided I should give some real sleep a try.
Top bunk is a little scary. You could roll off, but that was the only choice so I gladly climbed in. At 5:00 I was still awake... trying to get comfortable, trying to deal with the weird equilibrium, the feeling of floating and bouncing... moving forward but feeling like you’re moving backward at the same time... it’s trippy; like you’re inside an enclosed cabin... like you’re entombed on a boat, tossed at sea. But I was never queazy. I just rationalized that the physical stimulus was likened unto “perching” above our 57 Chevy back seat or sleeping on the floorboard (us 3 brothers traded between the back seat, the perch and the floorboard. the floorboard was my favorite even though it had the hump) while my dad drove 6 hrs from Louisiana to East Texas)... and finally crashed.
But when the bus stopped, I’d wake up; when the bus would hit a big bump or when the cabin pressure changed because of altitude, I’d toss and turn again. I think i got 3 hrs. max. I’m feeling it right now.
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We made it. We’re in a Hotel in downtown Chicago. It’s boring but we’re all chillin’ in our bedrooms. I’m the only one with internet because i have “earthlink”. There’s no wireless or eithernet...which sucks. ‘Took me an hour to get up and running since my Earthlink preferences didn’t make it over to my new Mac. Oh well... i’m on line now. I worked on the Switchfoot tour budget all afternoon in the bus until dark here in my hotel room, so I jumped at the opportunity to walk over to Borders with the girls and get coffee.
Talking to Chauntelle after the girls had been discussing how thankful they were for every thing - especially the bus, made me happy. Plus, it seems that Jeremy is really finding solace in Eisley’s friendly, sane, peaceable environment. He said it was “therapeutic” and he really needed this. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.That’s what this is all about...
talk tomorrow. bd