Show Date: June 27, 2009 - Bond's 007

Back in San Antonio.

We played Bond's 007 which was interesting because it's a metal venue but we're not a metal band. No way. But we played with Las Cruces and Snake Skin Prison, and come to think about it, Snake Skin Prison isn't a metal band either. But we pimped it for what it was worth and yes. We won over some metal heads.

It was funny because during sound check, the sound guy kept telling Rick to turn up his amp. Usually we're used to people telling us to turn our volume down. Venues nowadays want to be able to control your volume thru the monitors.

Not this guy.

He kept telling Rick to turn his amp up again and again and I'll never forget the confused look on Rick's face as he maxed his volume knob out.

It was ol skool. I luved it.

Las Cruces killed it. Loved them guys and Snake Skin Prison killed it with his wireless bass.

Ahhh, you just had to be there.

Show Date: June 16, 2009 - Bottomless Beer Tuesdays

Back at Gary's Spot for Bottomless Beer Tuesdays. So check what Gary does on a Tuesday night. He gives away lifetime $.25 cent refills on draft beer until you grow old and die and all you have to do is buy a Bottomless Beer Tuesday mug which is only 20 bucks.

Then he gives you live music and throws in free pool. No really, it's insane. We headlined. Bands drink for free.

Show Date: May 30, 2009 - Houston Dynamo

So we got asked to open for the Houston Dynamo.

I had never been to a professional soccer game before but it's actually a cheap way to spend a day. They set the parking lot area with vendors, music, food and games. I was talking to people who were just there for the festivities and weren't even sticking around for the game.


Probably the best part though were the Dynamo girls. What are they called??? The Dynettes? I have no idea but I'm officially a huge Dynamo fan.

It was hot but packed. It was cool because we got to play for thousands of people. Alright maybe not so much for them than at them.

Show Date: May 29, 2009 - The Funeral of Rosie Palm

We had this show on the books for awhile but with Rosie passing it was obvious that we had to do something special, so we decided to hold a memorial service for her.

We were very fortunate that amazing trumpeter David Chapman, - who played with such musical legends as The Four Tops, Temptations, O’Jays, Little Anthony & The Imperials, The Grass Roots, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Bobby Vinton, Bob Newhart, Regis Philbin, Tom Jones, Wayne Newton, and many more. And did I mention Wayne Newton? - decided to play taps for Rosie and join us on a few of our songs.

I built Rosie a coffin out of cardboard and painted it black. We had her right in front of the stage. It was a touching sendoff. At one point I jumped into the coffin with Rosie and almost broke my coccyx. We also had snuck in confetti poppers and we're spraying confetti all over the place. I don't think the owner was too happy about having to clean that up, but then again I can't be sure cause he was really drunk.

Click on picture to read fine print.

Show Date: May 15, 2009 - The Death of Rosie Palm

So we roll into San Antonio where we'd be playing The Ten Eleven (formerly known as The Warhol). I was real excited because it was our first time in San Antonio and looking at show pics from this place I knew it was going to be a blast. It would actually inspire a song Warhol that quickly became one of my favorite songs in our set list.

This would also be the first time we'd play with Electric Courage Machine who are the most awesome of awesomeness. Check them out, great tunes and excellent stage show. They are in my top 5 fav bands.

Now The Ten Eleven is small. You don't even have to mic anything except for kick drum and vocals which for some reason are the most fun places to play and where we have our best shows. Plus, I was enamored with all the penis tuxedo cartoons. We had a great time. It was complete pandemonium, panic, attack, fun, and tipsiness. Rick was playing so hard he shredded his fingers on his strings and was bleeding all over the place and his guitar. But he played on. Unfortunately though, tragedy did strike.


As we were getting Rosie ready for the show, she didn't want to wake up, she was very non-responsive and deflated, no matter how much air we'd blow in her. We brought her to the show anyway, but it was obvious something was really wrong.

We tried to keep our minds off of it, focus on the show but the next morning our worst fears had been realized. Rosie had passed.

Show Date: May 10, 2009 - The Texas Buzz

So Gabe hooked it up for us to play The Texas Buzz at Scout Bar. Now The Texas Buzz is thrown by Scout Bar in conjunction with 94.5 FM The Buzz to showcase local talent. We were headlining.

As The Lots Effect.

It's usually not a good sign when they get your name wrong on the marquee, but come on, the creativity needed to get The Lots Effect from Lotus Effect is pretty special. And I say that in all sincerity.

Now I have played Scout Bar many times with other bands but I have never headlined there. So when I roll in I start heading to the green room by the side of the stage when I'm stopped. Guy tells me, that's not your dressing room. This is your dressing room and leads us to the back to a huge green room with our own TV, bathroom, leather sofas and amenities.

Then as if I wasn't already feeling like a king, they checked that we were all of age and then rolled in two cases of beer. Utterly fantastic. It kind of made up for the fact that they got our name wrong.

We ended up having a blast. Not to mention the cool ass people we met and hung out with that night.

Oh, yeah, and keep buying our merch. It's the only way Rick can afford to keep buying soap to take a shower. Yall are the best.

Show Date: April 30, 2009 - The Final's Meltdown

This show was by far the greatest/most fun/best show I've ever played in my life for any band that I have ever been in. Hands down.

So we organized a little college-themed party at the Jet Lounge. Since it was in the midst of finals we called it the final's meltdown, just a way for everyone to take a break from the pressure of the semester and had some really fun talented bands lined up: us, Empty Vessel, Make Your Escape and The Hidden Images (Las Imagenes Ocultas). We promoted like a beast and got out in access of 3,000 fliers. The only problem - The Rockets had extended their playoff series and were now playing a home game.

The Jet Lounge is right next to Reliant Arena and since they don't 'own' their parking lot, not only is parking in the entire area packed but they charge $20 - $30. It was a heart breaker because not only was it nearly impossible for us to find parking as we were loading in, I had friend after friend txt me and tell me that they couldn't stay because parking was insane.

We still had some diehards come thru and I still gonna refund them their parking fees cause that still doesn't sit right with me. But after my initial disappointment, I looked around and saw we still had a nice intimate group, let's just have a great time and I proceeded to get tanked.

What happened next I still have people come up to me and talk about. Some people who I don't even remember being there because the night quickly became a hectic blur of pandemonium. JB from Empty Vessel played a nice acoustic set which lead into The Hidden Images. These boys are awesome, if you haven't checked them out yet, make that a priority. Then the rowdy boys of Make Your Escape brought down the house and we were headlining.

The little I do remember involved lifting Rick on my shoulders unawares while he was in the middle of a guitar solo, hanging upside from the rafters for a song, and steadily feeding my band mates a steady stream of Lone Star while they played. I remember feeling how the whole set felt like it blended into one big long song. It was definitely a huge blast.