well, i am back. and back at work and it is kind of lame, but at least i am makin' money.
here are some things i learned on tour:
1. you can open a beer bottle with a water bottle or another beer bottle. its the same principle as opening one with a lighter. if you're not familiar, ask me next time you see me and i will demonstrate. i've kind of become the master of it.
comes in very handy in the dressing room or hotel room.
2. if you are at a club waiting to soundcheck and want to play pool for cheap, put your money in, rack the balls, and then get plastic cups and put them in all the pockets. you can play forever, or at least until club doors open.
you can also do this for foosball, but you need to use newspaper instead to make little nests inside each goal to catch the ball so it doesn't disappear.
pat figured out the foosball one. the pool table already had cups in it at first ave in mineapolis. so now we know.
3. the shins are a kick ass live band and continue to get better and better. their cover of 'destroy the heart' by house of love really did destroy me every nite.
that and them pulling out 'Eating Styes from Elephants' Eyes' from the nature bears a vacuum 7" on omnibus. that ruled.
4. the less cheese you eat, the better you will feel riding in the van.
5. the less caffeine i consume, the less it feels like my heart is going to explode.
6. take everything that was left for you in the dressing room. you paid for it and it may just end up being your midnight snack or breakfast the next day.
except for the sliced fruit trays, that stuff won't keep. (duh)
7. the shins can outparty rogue wave any day of the week.
8. it is OK to keep playing the same songs on the Ipod in the van becuz then you all get to know each others favorites and it becomes like a virtual mix tape for the tour. after a few weeks, put your ipod on the top 25 most played and set it on random and see what you get. it's fun.
9. the innocence mission, damien jurado, the moore brothers, cass mccombs, and the fruitbats are awesome to listen to when you are driving all day almost every day.
10. shots after midnite are bad. bad.
there are many more things i learned on tour, but these are the most fun ones.
another really good one that is really hard to do is to listen twice as much as you talk. you'd be surprised what you learn by keeping your mouth shut a little more.
there is a reason we have 2 ears and only one mouth.
cheers,
gg