Austin, TX
It's as I feared: the excitement and impetus to really dig deep into everything that's going on begins to wane. The 24-hour drive back into Texas, while just as beautiful as the drive into California in the opposite direction, didn't leave me with the same urgent sense of its significance. I'm led to wonder if this relates at all to whether or not I'd ever be able to live in a desert environment; would everything this stark and desolate lose its beauty, while Virginia's aged and treecovered mountains started to look more like the real America?
But I'm woolgathering. Forgive me.
Currently: at the bar in the Houston Airport Marriott with a coffee the bartender seemed reluctant to make (sorry, man). We're holed up here an extra day before heading to New Orleans tomorrow. The Versailles girls called at noon to see about abducting me to go with them a day early, but sleeping in until 2pm on a Marriott bed was apparently more important than hearing my phone ring (sorry, ladies).
Austin happened fast and was done. A shower at the Super 8 and then over to Elysim which was hell of rad looking, at least. Unfortunately for us and for Austin it ended up being one of the lesser attended shows thus far (we found out halfway through the night that we were competing with Rob Zombie... so it goes). For a composite of reasons, I was in what's probably been my foulest mood this whole tour. Tired, hungry, maybe missing home a little.
And yet, once again we (as in, the whole tour) seemed to have a good enough time with it. A few hours before going on I got a text from a friend back home who I hadn't heard from in quite a while, which might have helped more than I gave it credit at the time. And it's funny, how just getting up there and putting on a good show for whoever came to see you makes things a little better. So, once again, by the end of the night there were no real complaints.
And Austin. Austin, Austin, Austin. I do wish I'd had more time, or more interaction with more people, to figure you out. The people seen at the bars surrounding Elysium and in the streets the day after paint you in a light that, while not disparaging, does confirm a lot of prejudices. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I can't grow a beard and I look terrible in a headband, so, keep that club for yourself. Thanks for some really good music 33% of the time, though.
(uploaded from Denny's, whose free wifi trumps the Marriott's $13 wifi)
But I'm woolgathering. Forgive me.
Currently: at the bar in the Houston Airport Marriott with a coffee the bartender seemed reluctant to make (sorry, man). We're holed up here an extra day before heading to New Orleans tomorrow. The Versailles girls called at noon to see about abducting me to go with them a day early, but sleeping in until 2pm on a Marriott bed was apparently more important than hearing my phone ring (sorry, ladies).
Austin happened fast and was done. A shower at the Super 8 and then over to Elysim which was hell of rad looking, at least. Unfortunately for us and for Austin it ended up being one of the lesser attended shows thus far (we found out halfway through the night that we were competing with Rob Zombie... so it goes). For a composite of reasons, I was in what's probably been my foulest mood this whole tour. Tired, hungry, maybe missing home a little.
And yet, once again we (as in, the whole tour) seemed to have a good enough time with it. A few hours before going on I got a text from a friend back home who I hadn't heard from in quite a while, which might have helped more than I gave it credit at the time. And it's funny, how just getting up there and putting on a good show for whoever came to see you makes things a little better. So, once again, by the end of the night there were no real complaints.
And Austin. Austin, Austin, Austin. I do wish I'd had more time, or more interaction with more people, to figure you out. The people seen at the bars surrounding Elysium and in the streets the day after paint you in a light that, while not disparaging, does confirm a lot of prejudices. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I can't grow a beard and I look terrible in a headband, so, keep that club for yourself. Thanks for some really good music 33% of the time, though.
(uploaded from Denny's, whose free wifi trumps the Marriott's $13 wifi)