Mike’s Tour Blog: Vol. III Issue III

Saturday in New York made me think about changes in scenery.

You know sometimes when you’re all alone on a big stretch of highway you play mind games or maybe the other way around.  If you think hard enough, and this can only happen on those big desert stretchs where nothing much changes, you start to feel like you car is stationary and the world is just spinning under it.  After all the world is spinning, 1000 miles and hour or something like that.  That may or may not have everything or nothing to do with our trip to New York City.

Our Saturday in New York was surreal.

Instead of taking little shopping trips down St. Marks, or taking pictures in front of that cool Joe Stummer memorial, or seeing the sights, we went to a BBQ competition in South Brooklyn.  I thought about how everyone has to have their niche and how maybe competition is inherent in wanting to be good at something even if it is just marinating and grilling meats.  We spent a couple hours at the windy competition and were sent home with a 20 pound bag full of all kinds of good stuff.  We were starving by the time we got to our subway stop.  The lamb was the first to go, they looked like little meat lollipops, delicious.

By the time we got back to Rob’s place it was time to head down to the venue, Daniel was still recovering on the couch.  We made a couple plates, ate and piled back in the van and across the Williamsburg bridge.  It didn’t seem as intimating this time.

As we loaded into the Mercury Lounge we said some long due hellos to the Damnwells and met a great band from Louisiana called Sons of William.  Can’t wait to play some shows with them, easy guys to get along with and very talented.  Turns out their guitar player used to play with Butch Walker as well, were definitely coming from the same place.  I caught up with Alex breifly before their crew headed off to grab some food.

I absolutely loved the sound of the venue, one of the best.  My guitar tone felt a little off for some reason but other than that the set felt great, I loved having Nathan play guitar with us, it just felt right.  The guy is a professional and an official king, we’re hoping you will see more of him in the future.  Here’s a couple videos our friend Gilly took of our set, apologies to Reel Big Fish, I really do love your band… I don’t know why I say things sometimes…

The rest of the night was a celebration.  We downed every shot the good folks in NYC brought us, pal’d around with some old friends and some new ones and finally saw the Damnwells play.