Flint, MI
Right, I'm gonna give a go at updating after each show, see how that goes off.
Flint, Michigan last night, as shaky a start to a tour as one could expect. A decent crowd (if skewing surprisingly older) on a really cool stage in a really cool banquet hall, in the first Masonic temple I've ever entered. In any other situation I'd have explored it more; it was a fascinating relic of a Flint that once had enough middle-aged white gentry to support such an edifice. I can imagine the ghosts of higher-ups from fifty years ago howling at such an intrusion as was visited upon them for the sake (I assume) of making ends meet.
Unfortunately your standard variety sound issues conspired with my own gear issues and Andy's developing Hamthrax (he's in denial, but it's totally Hamthrax) to make for a rocky as hell performance. The only saving grace is every other band sounding great in the house and then complaining of the same terrible stage sound, so perhaps we weren't too awful.
Voltaire is on tour with The Hellblinki Sextet right now, and we had the merry good fortune of sharing this event with them both. Caught Hellblinki for the first time since DragonCon and the second time ever and they easily confirmed themselves as one of my new Favorite Things. As disparaging as this will sound, it's always a shock to the system when I catch an act in "this scene" consisting of accomplished musicians that create truly accomplished music. Haven't decided to complain or be grateful for the kick in the pants to step up my game. And they're fantastic people, to boot. Here's Valerie:
So things have now officially started, I suppose. Being out with Ego Likeness is awesome enough, but now come to find out openers and strangers-before-yesterday Versailles are not only a great band but generally awesome people. A few health issues aside (Andy may or may not be sleeping through a fever on the couch next to me right now), I remain cautiously optimistic.
Flint, Michigan last night, as shaky a start to a tour as one could expect. A decent crowd (if skewing surprisingly older) on a really cool stage in a really cool banquet hall, in the first Masonic temple I've ever entered. In any other situation I'd have explored it more; it was a fascinating relic of a Flint that once had enough middle-aged white gentry to support such an edifice. I can imagine the ghosts of higher-ups from fifty years ago howling at such an intrusion as was visited upon them for the sake (I assume) of making ends meet.
Unfortunately your standard variety sound issues conspired with my own gear issues and Andy's developing Hamthrax (he's in denial, but it's totally Hamthrax) to make for a rocky as hell performance. The only saving grace is every other band sounding great in the house and then complaining of the same terrible stage sound, so perhaps we weren't too awful.
Voltaire is on tour with The Hellblinki Sextet right now, and we had the merry good fortune of sharing this event with them both. Caught Hellblinki for the first time since DragonCon and the second time ever and they easily confirmed themselves as one of my new Favorite Things. As disparaging as this will sound, it's always a shock to the system when I catch an act in "this scene" consisting of accomplished musicians that create truly accomplished music. Haven't decided to complain or be grateful for the kick in the pants to step up my game. And they're fantastic people, to boot. Here's Valerie:
So things have now officially started, I suppose. Being out with Ego Likeness is awesome enough, but now come to find out openers and strangers-before-yesterday Versailles are not only a great band but generally awesome people. A few health issues aside (Andy may or may not be sleeping through a fever on the couch next to me right now), I remain cautiously optimistic.