A Barking Dog

Getting to be about time to wrap up the old Mexican adventure. This will be the final chapter of the saga. We were 23 days into it, though it seemed like 23 months. Even though some of the gigs were under trying circumstances, all of the performances were well received. When you went to these towns and did this size show, those were the places bands gigged. Not too many of them were pop bands from the States. The band, while only used to playing a few gigs in a row with each other a time or two a month, was really starting to smoke. Good band, and good folks to boot.

(more…)

Our stay in beautiful Juarez had been extended for a few hours. Instead of taking an early afternoon Aero California flight to Mexico City, we were taking an early evening Mexicana flight. We were given the reason that Aero California “was not a good airline.” However true that is or was, it would mean we wouldn’t see a hotel in Mexico City until after 11:00 that night, possibly midnight. The gear was being shipped back to Mexico City via a freight company. When I asked HLB about piece counts I was told not to worry about it. So I didn’t. To quote the Goddess of Mon Beach at the big rock show, “I am SO over this right now…”

(more…)

We’re winding down the last couple of installments of the Great Mexican Adventure, or Dave’s version of Sierra Madre. The computer karma at Roaddog Manor, located in the “versatile” Capitol Hill neighborhood , didn’t fare so well this week. The server upgrade was a little shaky and there was lost mail and then to top it off my last Powerbook, or should I say Kenny’s last Powerbook, bit the dust. With my tour notes, pics and my iTunes library on it, about the only things that weren’t backed up. I also lost the cooling fan on my BillGatesXPPro box, nearly smoking the CPU. It took nearly a week for the Mac doodz to download my homemade porn from my hard drive, err I mean fix the Powerbook. Today’s installment really needs pictures so one can get the full effect of the story.

We return you to our regularly scheduled program, already in progress…

(more…)

The 4:15 wake up was mighty early, considering I hadn’t racked until nearly 2:00 am. I did a pack and dash, the ritual where you pack the night before, leave the luggage near the door, get up late as possible and make a mad dash to the door. It’s a tried and true method,used by many a big time show business roadie types, and smaller timers like me. The crew assembled in the lobby just prior to depart. Nice hotel, too bad I only had a few hours there. We were getting the gear out of storage, the rest of the luggage and heading on the “8 to 10 minute” drive to the airport. We were to fly to Mexico City, change planes and land in Chihuahua, near the Texas/Mexican border.

(more…)

A ringing phone woke me from a rock hard sleep. It was dark and somewhat dank in the room. There was no central climate control, no heat, no air though there was a standalone fan in the closet. I glanced at my travel alarm, 12:40 pm. I took a drink of water and cleared my throat as not to sound as if I just got up.

(more…)

So, there we were about to jettison the guys I’d grown to love. The sound guys, anyway. The lighting crew chief Jimmy and his “partner” Jorge were a couple of guys I could do without at this point. Sure, they could have been good guys to hang with, but I have shit to do and don’t any lying bullshit. Life is too short for it. In one way, I was glad to see him gone. Particularly since I made a stink about how he should be sacked during the first couple of gigs. I didn’t, however, want to lose my sound dudes. They rocked, even if the gear was a bit dodgy.

(more…)

Three days off. In a row. That’s nearly unheard of in rock tour circles. Even though we were doing a TV show the previous day, I’m getting pretty bored. I get up, shower (hot water, YAY!) and make my way to the Dunkin for a few stage weights and a couple of cups of Dunkin mud. I had to get three because they were so small.

(more…)

The next day was a well deserved day off. Normally on my days off, I try not to hang with most of the party or with only limited members. I’m not a very social animal. My phone rang at what seemed to be crack of dawn. It was actually 12:30 in the afternoon. Ten hours sleep, nice job, dude. It was lighting dude telling me to get my ass to the bar, they had American football, NASCAR and baseball on the tube. I came right down.

(more…)

The tres err… third part of our little Mexican jaunt. We are learning a bit about culture, the Mexican way and the wonders of Don Julio. Anejo, of course. Or is that Repesado?

(more…)

Part two of our continuing saga in Mexico…..

So I finally had my flight out of Sea-Tac. Except that an ATC delay at SFO held us on the tarmac in Seattle for nearly an hour. It didn’t matter, I was hung over and tired from the hurried tasks of the night before. I slept nearly the entire flight. My itenerary didn’t list what the layover time was. Seems out little delay left me with scantily 20 minutes to make the connection to Mexico City. Damnest thing I ever saw, same flight number, but requiring a change of planes along the way. I take that back, I’ve seen that a few other times. What’s up with that?

(more…)