Today starts as usual. Chadwick tells me to be at the brixton at 4pm.. And is, himself, late. I take the time to enjoy the scenery, which includes the pier, the guys fishing off the pier to eat the "croaker" that a large sign tells you is unsafe to eat, and of course, the waterfront performers. It's odd, the closer you get to a large body of water, the more street performers you find.
My favorites today include the Elvis guy, crooning "love me tender".. He looks old enough to actually BE Elvis.. But he has the prettiest blue eyes. I'm guessing he was attractive in his younger-pre-street performer days.. And the guy mumbling/yelling some Doors songs.. This guy was an interesting one..I recorded and youTubed him, he was so entertaining.. I even tipped him whatever change I had n
So, a jaunt around the pier, and then Ace and Xristian arrived with gear to load in..
Shortly after, Chad shows up with my merch.. Time to get to work..I set up under the stairs (I AM the people under the stairs!) in th "coat check" area.. It's tiny, but comfy, I guess. I grab a sammich from backstage.. And decide to go walk with ace, then decide it's fat time and get a Hot Dog on a Stick..mm fried.
I get back to the venue, and there's a bartender rockin a bunny hoody/hat thing. Since it's easter, I rock my bunny ears too.
Slowly, the aging eightes rock fans roll in. Boy, is it interesting.
I'm located next to th VIP room, which is apparently reserved for the promoter. People keep going in and out, and a few feel like they need to explain to me about it.." I know julian!" me:" ok, well, I don't"
I even saw one girl push with all her might on what she thought was the door.. But was actually the wall next to the door. The wide open door.. Sigh.
Danny and ace hang out with me on and off, play with my food, (Sammy, the bread man, with olIves for eyes and an onion for a mouth..) and Ace drinks my beer. Haha. Danny continues to be a good housewife and grab me beer, though.
I realize halfway through thE show I'm not wearing my earplugs..oops.
I talk to a guy with a FP and VH tattoo. He's from Minne-SOTA. He buys a lot of stuff. Whenever people buy a ton of merch, I can't help but see them as a giant walking dollar sign. Or dollar bill. Like in the old school cartoons, where the wolf sees the other character as a giant walking t-bone steak. Mmm, steak.
So TUFF is playing as well, and I'm already annoyed by thE guy. If you aren't funny, please don't try to be.
He mentions I didn't leave him space to sell merch. I say, ya, I didn't have room for all my stuff. He gets butthurt and then says "I guEss I'll have to sit on your lap!". ..i dont play alOng.. I say, no, there's no room.
He says something about asking Taime..
I hate when people do that!
I told him I will sell his stuff, but i get a 20% cut of his sales..he didn't seem to go for it.. Hah.
Yeah, buddy, your ass isn't gonna be in my way, nor do I work free.
The brixton is basically a dungeon. It's downstairs, there's no cell service at all.. Which is either really good, or really bad. It's bad when I need the band to bring silver sharpies and I have to run up stairs to outside where it's cold to text.. Good, cuz I'm not getting stupid texts all night!
So far, I haven't even noticed the openers.
Someone walks up and asks if Julians friends get a discount, and I tell her that I don't even know who he is. In all reality, I think he's the promoter. But..I have a passionate dislike for promoters of any type, they're just horrible people. All that I've met are shiesty mofOs.
So theres a sound guy, and he keeos announcing stuff over the mic, and he sounds juuust like a strip club dj..
So the show goes off without a hitch.. The crows loves it! I got a couple videos, theyre on youtube.
Post show is just madness.. We hurry to load out, and even though the show was backlined and we dont have that much gear, it seems more difficult even than tour.
For some reason, local shows are way more of a pain.
After some hissyfits, and chinese fire drills, deciding who goes in what car, somwhow we end up with extra people.. which involves me driving up to Hollywood.. And i was so close to home! Dammit!
I drive Xristian and a friend to Hollywood, and stay in the valley myself..
I slept like a baby, only to wake to a phone call from Taime about how he needs his harley keys! So, first thing in the am, back down to redondo to bring T his keys..
Then? Off to the groceey store to spend my hard earned rock n roll money on.. Hookers n blow? No. Groceries.
So fuckin rock n roll.
