Sorry I guess four days does make a difference. Anyhow. Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. We started off on the 4th in St Louis at a new club. Lots to NOT like about this situation. 1. 4th of July shows usually suck balls (not in a good way). Either nobody shows up, or you’re playing in front of 10,000 people while fireworks explode during your tender love ballads. Neither are conducive to a positive rock and roll experience. 2. NEW club always makes me nervous. Why have I never even HEARD of this place. Plus the other club we’ve been playing is fine. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I was worried. Luckily I was proven wrong on both accounts. People actually did show up, and had a pretty damned good time as a matter of fact. Further bonus, the new venue was killer. Very much like a smaller version of Headliner’s in Louisville. So between those factors and the added benefit of our nation’s birth and I was quite the happy fellow. We did have a lovely moment during ‘Someone Else’s Baby’ where a guy in the very front wanted to sing along with me and Blade. Usually we enjoy this, and that’s a fine opportunity for anyone to chime in, however, his freestyle/screamo stylings were a bit out of place. We’d sing softly, ‘….and I know just what you’d say…’ and then in the pause he’d growl, kinda like cookie monster, ‘….I KNOW JUST WHAT YOU’D SAY!!!’ It took everything we had to not completely breakdown in laughter. The same chap was later seen buying a new Will Hoge t-shirt, and then roaming the bar shirtless for a while until he could find the time to put it on. Damn good times. Special thanks to our friend/promoter John Henry for all the hospitality. He was kind enough to have his mom and pops come down and bring a grill to cook for us. Burgers, wings, baked been, tater salad, cupcakes. It really did make us all feel better about missing the holiday at home. Many thanks y’all.

Next night was Indianapolis and the same ‘new venue’ blues were making me nervous. I love the Music Mill and wasn’t sure this ‘beergarden’ gig would be worthwhile. Again, was I wrong. The joint was fabulous! Really more like a mini outdoor theater. The weather was absolutely perfect. The place was packed. People old and new were receptive. The steaks were wonderful, the drinks were cold. Hell I couldn’t ask for much more. So the Rathskeller is now gonna be a yearly summer stop for us. Yes, it was that much fun.
Siggi left to celebrate his mama’s birthday after the show. Happy belated birthday Mama Birkis!! Sean headed back to Cincy. Which left only me and Dan and Blade to transgress the highway to get back home. Talked a lot of rock and roll and how it is and should be. Solved the problems of the world AND bought a dozen day old Krispy Kreme donuts for one American dollar! And I thought it couldn’t get better? aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

See you all in Cincy on Wednesday right?