This first day has gone much more pleasant than other first days. For instance, in elementary school, my first four first days began in tears. Thus far, no tears.
Like many other days, though, it begins late. Best laid plans and all that jazz. After saying goodbyes to loved ones and dogs, who, for all of their stupidity and reputation of not knowing what the hell is going on, actually know pretty damn well that someone is leaving, and may not be back for some time. Ringo and Chewie, if you read this, WOW! and we miss you. We run all over town, dropping things off and picking things up, waiting for arrivals so we can say goodbye, playing catch, etc. Charlie, somehow, throttles his elbow on the rear view mirror and nearly breaks himself on a skateboard. Amazingly, all before setting sail in the Hannah Vantana mk. II.
It’s only the first day, but I’m beginning to understand how this might start to feel like work night after night. Road trips are fun, until you start driving. Then it’s sitting still and entertaining yourself. Regardless, and we’ll see if I sing the same tune in a few weeks, this would have to be the best job in the world. The tour begins! Phantom radios be damned!
Our arrival in Bismarck was greeted not with the deafening applause and massive crowds we’d imagined. We are, after all, two rock and roll bands on tour. Instead, we enter Menard’s and make replacement keys for the trailer. Then, off to Walgreen’s for film, the Polaroid variety of which we still can’t find. After a woman, who, surely, was raised by a village of Sloths (the animal, not the Goonie) rings me up, Mr. Tomtom tells us, in his most proper Queen’s English, how to get to Project Noise, the first venue. The room is huge, walls plastered in old newspaper (one ad, probably from the 1940’s, depicts a little girl serving her grandfather Pabst Blue Ribbon out of a majestic looking 40 oz. bottle), set up around some sort of gazebo. Pretty neat, apparently an old grocery store or something. We begin the waiting game, and people don’t start showing up until 9. Good thing the show started at 7, otherwise we’d be here all night! (laughter)
Vaginal Blood Farts (no shit) takes the stage first, followed by Oobs, Scurvy Monster Squad, and DO. Once all was said and done, quite a few people showed up and hung out, and it was a pretty successful start to the tour. At the very least, we made up for a tank of gas. What more could you ask? Next up: Grand Forks.
PS: The Good Charlotte Boca Burrito from Denny’s may sound like a good idea, but, I assure you, it isn’t.
—-
Jake
