This won't hurt a bit.

Golly.

Sometimes music is the
weirdest business in the world.

I love you, Chicago brethren,
and it was probably my fault,
we scheduled our "big" show
on Memorial Day weekend.

I underestimated how many
people would go out of town,
or otherwise not be interested
in coming to a show.

Or perhaps, it was my mistake
to book another gig at the Cubby Bear.

It's hard to figure out,
I know a lot of people hate that place,
but they treat us very well,
and people came out in record
numbers for our last show.

Literally, we set the record
for attendance of original
local music.

At least that's what they told me.

So for this past show,
May 27, I poured my balls into it.

We handed out 800 CDs with tickets inside,
I put up more posters than I have ever put up before.

We held off playing shows,
we put all our eggs in one basket,
and then,
we dropped the basket.

We had less than half
of the attendance of last time.

Those of you who did come,
thank you very much
from the bottom of my heart.

Those who couldn't make it,
I'm sorry to schedule it on
such a dumb weekend,

All the others, it's cool,
you've been there before,
and hopefully you'll come out again.

I spent the next 4 days
depressed, with raw egg
all over me (from the basket),
in a haze of pot smoke,
which of course makes
me more depressed.

I was hoping the next show would
bring me out of the funk,
we played in Grand Rapids,
cool place, cool people,
but, it was the Wednesday after
Memorial Day, slim pickins.

It was the bartender at the end
of the night that really cheered me up.

He was just nice,
he made me feel important.

He came up and asked us if
we needed anything at all.

I ordered a good beer,
sat down, and talked to him.

He said some nice things,
and smart things,
and it all made me feel better.

That's how it starts,
one little thing to push you
back to positive.

Then,
I get a call from Mike,
he works for a bar in Columbus,
he got me the Blues Traveller gig.

Now he wants us to open
for the Gin Blossoms on August 11.

Not bad.

Then,
I sell two CDs online,
always cool, extra money
to spend on online poker.

Next up,
an email from our old friend,
Matt Donehoo, one time drummer.

He is putting in a good word for
me with the booker at Martyrs in Chicago.

See, Pops had the idea to try to open
for TrainWreck, that's Kyle from Tenacious D's
side project band, not a bad idea.

So, then I get an email from Bryan,
he does my booking, looks like the
TrainWreck gig is on, not a sure thing yet,
but they are interested.

That's how it happens,
you get low, you get high,
you get pushed around a bit,
and when you feel down,
you get nice people, friends,
fans, and bartenders, to remind you
that it's all going to be cool.

Happy Friday-after-Memorial Day.

-p