Show Date: July 25, 2009 - Super Happy Fun Land

Super Happy Fun Land is unlike any venue I've ever played. It's not so much a music venue as it is an art venue. If it's weird, eclectic, artful than you can find it at Super Happy Fun Land. They've had noise festivals, free jazz, poetry slams, blue-grass to emo, and such greats as Quintron and Miss Pussycat and The Monotonix have all played there.

It was a little surreal for us, because we've been on strange bills before but this was the first time I've played with a country band, a screamo band, a punk band and then there's us who are progressive.

One cool thing about that gig was meeting Larry Lorrack a free-style slam improv poet who dug our sound and put us on WHYZ Radio. Coolest cat and hope to do a show with him soon. He pulls out a guitar with a little amp and then proceeds to go all poetry on dat azz.

Show Date: July 18, 2009 - The Art Studio

We actually didn't end up playing this show which was a shame because I had made such a nice little flyer and video for it.

Show Date: July 16, 2009 - Fitzgerald's

Okay, this show had more drama wrapped around it than when I slept with my stepmother.

When Gabe had set this up it was originally gonna be at Rocbar with Peekaboo Theory and Weirdo. We had definitely been wanting to play with Peekaboo Theory for a while and they finally agreed to hook it up with us. Chris over at Rocbar had thrown a few dates at us and then confusion set in.

We could never lock down a definite date with Chris so we decided to change venues to Fitzgerald's, which was my first choice anyway. But then it turns out because of the confusion Peekaboo Theory got locked in to play Rocbar the same night as our show because they thought it was the show we had set up.

No problem, we replace them on the bill with A dream Asleep who along with American Fangs is one of my top Houston bands. They are a hardcore band but they get in where they fit in and can play on any type of show. So we have the line up are doing promotions and 4 days before the show Weirdo calls and says their bass player is hurt and can't play the show. What you gonna do? Only it was uncovered that their bass player wasn't hurt, they took another gig that offered them more money.

I am not gonna fault anyone for that, but we told them, listen, we're adults, you could have just told us you got a better paying gig, you didn't have to lie. That's when all pandemonium ensued. They called Gabe and cursed him out, saying that no one calls them a liar, he doesn't know how to run a business and all sorts of immature childish nonsense that was even below my level of maturity and that's saying something. We just shook our heads and moved on, they're just insecure dicks.

One thing that stuck with me though is I never ever heard someone refer to their band as a business. I mean I understand you want to carry yourself with a certain level of professionalism, but I'm not doing this so I can fill out a 1099 at the end of the year. I do this cause I love it. It shocked me to hear them say that, but I guess they don't call them Weirdo for nothing.

So The Hidden Images did us a huge favor and took the show on such short notice and once again, we had a fantabulous blast.

Show Date: July 11, 2009 - Dreamworld

We went out to Arlington to this music warehouse called Dreamworld Music Complex for what was to win the coveted prize of being our worst show ever.

The worst show I have ever played in my life.

A lot of technical difficulties with their monitors and Rick's gear cutting out, and most everyone was wasted. It was such a bummer because there is nothing more depressing than a bad show, especially when it's mostly your fault, and especially when you know that you're not living up to your potential. You only have one chance to make a first impression, not only to the people who are being exposed to your music for the first time but also to the venue, if you want them to have you back.

Here's a quick run down of just a few highlights.

During sound check everything seemed fine, but then when we started the song we couldn't hear each other. Gabe couldn't hear Rick in his monitors, Rick couldn't hear Gabe, Jason couldn't hear anybody and we got so off of each other we had to stop in the middle of a song.

Stopping in the middle of a song is like death.

If you have to stop in the middle of a song you have no business being on stage. None. And on top of that I was singing the song an octave higher than usual, it sounded horrible, no idea what I was thinking.

Then Rick had a problem with his gear and his guitar kept cutting out, so we go to play Villages and he can't get any sound out of it at all. We end up playing the song without guitar. Turns out that when I was jumping off the drum riser I kicked his amp plug out of socket, and it took him the whole song to figure out that it wasn't his rig, it was just that his amp was unplugged. I mean, looking back on it now I can laugh. But yeah, just terrible terrible.

A show like that has you ending up questioning life. I mean it wasn't all bad, we did still have our moments, but all in all, it was a disaster. But something positive always comes out of a negative experience and we did come up with a few ground rules to make sure stuff like that wouldn't go down again.

And Rick was getting his rig fixed.

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.