Thoughts de Guerre

My Key Chain, and Touring

2010-09-24T12:47:00.003-04:00

My key chain hangs out in my left pocket all the time. It has the usual key tags for things like CVS and Wegman's (though, as the nearest Wegman's to me is currently, and sadly, almost an hour away, its appearance on my keys could likely only be called wild optimism), a baseball and bat I found in a box of my dad's things, and my keys for my house (which I love, it being where my beds and TV and lady and cat is) and work (which I hate, as it takes me away from my beds and TV and lady and cat). As such, it takes up a fair amount of pocket space, and like all key chains, sometimes sneaks behind my pocket notebook and stabs me in the leg in all kinds of interesting ways. If I'm wearing pants, I have my keys on me.

Except:

The Sobriquets have been a fairly hard-working touring band over the last year or so; I've spent more time in a van and on friends' couches recently than when we were kids and got driven to each others' houses and slept over. And every time we head out, whether it's just a one-off or a week of dates, there's a moment, usually at the first rest stop, where I realize that my keys don't need to be in my left pocket, since I will need to unlock neither my home nor my work for the foreseeable future. At that moment, I miss my lady, I miss my cat, I miss my beds and TV... but my keys don't need to be in my left pocket. Tonight, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, I have only a responsibility to myself to follow my dreams, my passions, to sing and play and cavort and talk and drink and swear and love every moment.

Of course, that means I'm heading into uncertainty: spending hours dodging bad New England drivers, crammed into a van that increasingly smells like all the young dudes, scraping my throat raw and tearing my fingers to shreds to perform for for whomever is around to hear (5 or 500 of them though they be), subject to lumpy sofa-beds and cold floors, cheap drive-thru food, no sleep, ringing ears, too much booze and not enough cash, the real and imagined slights and frustrations of close quarters... but at that moment, being key-less is as close as ever I get to abject freedom.

I'm writing this southbound on the Jersey Turnpike after a long weekend of gigs; while digging my earphones out of my bag so I could block out Josh's metal and grab a nap in the back seat, my hands happened upon my keys, deposited four days earlier in the top pocket of my shoulder bag. At THIS moment, I am returning to my prosaic "real" life: terrible pay at an unfulfilling day job, unpaid rent, bills, grocery shopping, laundry, taking out the trash... and there are FOUR WHOLE DAYS before I can take my keys back out of my left pocket.

Never mind that I probably couldn't sing a show tomorrow night if my life depended on it (three straight shows with minimal-to-non-existent monitors do a number on your voice), never mind that every place I've slept this weekend has lacked curtains so I've woken up with the sun despite getting to bed after 3, never mind that I really can't afford any more food on this trip... every time my keys leave my left pocket, I feel alive and satisfied in a way I almost never do at home.

As a side note, I should REALLY stop leaving the spare set of van keys in my guitar case, as said guitar is frequently locked inside the van.

Well begun is half done... but only half...

2010-07-15T19:12:00.003-04:00

Starting to get my shit together... albeit slowly... lousy real life, intruding on my, well, everything... Soon, though, ideally, there should start to be some action...

2009-10-04T19:24:00.001-04:00

FINALLY! BACK IN PENNSYLVANIA!!

2009-10-04T18:48:00.001-04:00

Peed on Edison and sought (and was granted) an audience with his meat monarch... Now, once more into the breach...

2009-10-04T17:48:00.001-04:00

Strange though it may be, I'm actually really excited to be in New Jersey.

2009-10-04T17:39:00.001-04:00

Seems like the entirety of the 40 miles of stop and go was due to rubbernecking a VERY MINOR fender bender just into NYS. I hate people.

2009-10-04T17:15:00.001-04:00

So, after the 40 miles from New Haven to here took WAY too long, we're finally into New York. And more traffic. Whoo.

2009-10-04T17:13:00.001-04:00

2152057855

2009-10-04T16:57:00.001-04:00

And yet, when the sign says "Reduce Speed To 45," no one does it. Congratulations, Connecticutians: I'm officially speechless.

2009-10-04T16:49:00.001-04:00

Oh my god route 95 veers 10 degrees to the left SLOW DOWN!!! I thought 76 was bad... Fucking Connecticutians...

2009-10-04T16:19:00.001-04:00

Why is it that the roads around Ivy league schools feature the worst drivers and pedestrians? People can't merge in New Haven or cross the street in Ithaca...

2009-10-04T14:34:00.001-04:00

Ah, Connecticut: a vast wasteland for crazy Massachusetts drivers and crazy New York drivers to battle for turf supremacy... And eat nutmeg.

2009-10-04T13:53:00.001-04:00

Maybe I've got a reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland...

2009-10-04T13:06:00.001-04:00

Taxachusetts? D'oh!

2009-10-04T12:47:00.001-04:00

Back on the road after a stunning breakfast at the O'Brien's that did its best to chase away the hangovers... Now for a few hours of cloudy autumn drive...

2009-10-03T20:53:00.001-04:00

The hour approacheth... For reals now... Rock...

2009-10-03T18:42:00.001-04:00

The first dance(s) went swimmingly... Greek dancing (in 7, freaking Hellenites!) and cake en route... Then rock.

2009-10-03T16:11:00.001-04:00

Ah, the post-wedding, pre-dinner cocktail and milling: when the gap between the shoes that look good and the shoes that don't hurt is at its widest...

2009-10-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

And now, onto the traditional running-around-in-circles-trying-desperately-to-have-everything-work-out-before-the-wedding-starts dash...

2009-10-02T18:58:00.001-04:00

YAY hotel! Yay shower! Yay restringing guitars! Yay everything!

2009-10-02T17:58:00.001-04:00

And finally, FINALLY, State 6: Acceptance that we will never get out of this car. Oh wait, here we are. 95 to 4 to 16 to precious, horrible freedom.

2009-10-02T17:57:00.001-04:00

2152057855

2009-10-02T17:12:00.001-04:00

As an update to an earlier post: the road to New Hampshire is a long one, with lots of VERY BAD drivers. No leaf peeping is worth this.

2009-10-02T16:16:00.001-04:00

FINALLY. State 5: a backslide to Fear. 84 to 90 to 495 to 95. Startin' to have some nice leafs to peep, though.

2009-10-02T15:16:00.001-04:00

At long last, food stop. Whoo-hoo. Can Connecticut be over yet?

2009-10-02T14:37:00.001-04:00

Is it just me, or does every town in Connecticut consist of -bury, -port, -ford, or -haven and a direction?

2009-10-02T14:22:00.001-04:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand... Traffic. Again. No accident, no lane-closing construction. Just stop and go just because. *sigh*

2009-10-02T13:50:00.001-04:00

Aaaaaaaaaand... Traffic. No idea why. Just early afternoon in Stamford.

2009-10-02T13:36:00.001-04:00

State 4: Resignation, with a soup_on of cautious optimism. 95 to 91 to 84. O Conncticut... You are so large and white...

2009-10-02T12:58:00.001-04:00

State 3: Anger. The Cross-Bronx Expressway. This continues to ring true.

2009-10-02T12:35:00.001-04:00

Gonna pee on Vince Lombardi. Also maybe eat a burger.

2009-10-02T11:49:00.001-04:00

Aaaaaaaaaaand.. Traffic. Three lanes at a dead stop because TWELVE MILES AHEAD a car is on fire. Do we all have to look? Really?

2009-10-02T11:04:00.001-04:00

On to state 2 of our 6 state journey... From shock to bargaining... Or New Jersey... Now that I think about it, I'd do some bargaining to avoid New Jersey...

2009-10-02T10:20:00.001-04:00

We're off on the road to New Hampshire...

2009-08-14T18:10:00.001-04:00

Saw a sign that got me thinkin': Why would you go to a strip club for a bikini contest? Wouldn't you just be getting less for yer money?

2009-08-08T16:38:00.001-04:00

We're gonna catch [most of] a double-header of the South Bend Silverhawks, the Single A farm club of the Diamondbacks...

2009-08-08T16:36:00.001-04:00

Is sitting in Goshen, Indiana, in a lovely coffee shop that is one of the 3 businesses open past 4 PM on Saturday (!), getting ready to head back to South Bend.

2009-08-06T14:41:00.001-04:00

I find it fascinating that Wm Henry Harrison St A: exists at all, and B: is longer than FD Roosevelt St.

2009-08-06T14:40:00.001-04:00

The South Shore Line goes past a section on the outskirts of Gary, IN where all the (tiny) cross streets are named for the presidents. In chronological order.

2009-08-05T22:20:00.001-04:00

Marooned at Midway... it is disturbingly bright for this time of day... fortunately, I have Craig Finn here to sing to me until my sister shows...

2009-08-03T20:48:00.001-04:00

In the vein of "a murder of crows" and "a crash of rhinos," we give you: a kegger of dudes. As in, "South Street is over-run by a kegger of dudes tonight..."

2009-07-30T09:04:00.001-04:00

Dan has thrown down the first 5-Hour Energy bottle, and he and Nick have the first awake shift for the drive home... I shall likely nap in awhile for awhile...

2009-07-30T09:02:00.001-04:00

That said, I'm not one of the drivers on this trip... so when my shift comes up, I just have to be able to talk and change records...

2009-07-30T08:17:00.001-04:00

The positive side of leaving when we did is we made the Cross-Bronx at about 5 AM, and had no traffic. The minus: we are on 76 at 8 AM on... what day is it?

2009-07-30T08:11:00.001-04:00

6 hours into the drive: Josh behind the wheel, me in shotgun, "awake"... in our 5th state since midnight... one more to go...

2009-07-30T08:06:00.001-04:00

Refueling stop maybe half an hour out from New York State. Car gets gas, James gets McDonalds. I'll leave the obvious joke on the table for whoever wants it...

2009-07-30T04:15:00.001-04:00

3 hours in, we're just north of Hartford... the rain returns as we speak... I'd like to report that yr obd't servant has slept, but no dice.

2009-07-30T02:26:00.001-04:00

Loud quiet kinda show tonight... small, hobbit-hole kinda room... check out Driftwood if yer into great, high-spirited roots music...

2009-07-29T20:30:00.001-04:00

So, come on down to the Prancing Pony... I mean, the Langdon St Cafe... should be a fun evening.

2009-07-29T20:20:00.001-04:00

Also, the (regrettably closed) book store down the street is called Rivendell Books.

2009-07-29T20:19:00.001-04:00

2009-07-29T20:17:00.001-04:00

On the plus side, this cafe feels like a hobbit bar, and they have a fabulous oatmeal stout on tap, and they don't seem to want my money.

2009-07-29T20:16:00.001-04:00

Dan goes middle America after pants. Josh takes a constitutional. Nick... well, no one really knows what Nick's up to.

2009-07-29T20:15:00.001-04:00

Dan goes up to grab his backpack. Which also went to Tara. With his other pants. I buy a padlock which won't fit on the Xcargo.

2009-07-29T20:13:00.001-04:00

So, here's the story. We know the mic & cable bag went to Tara. Dan goes bushwacking after, gets pants soaked. We arrive in Montpelier.

2009-07-29T18:33:00.001-04:00

A nice couple who were near behind us brought it to our attention... Dan has taken a jog back to attempt to find the bag...

2009-07-29T18:31:00.001-04:00

A brief delay between Burlington and Montpelier: apparently the roof carrier snuck open a bit, and a bag containing some mics and cable blew out...

2009-07-29T17:19:00.001-04:00

Potato coma. Oh god. Need a nap on the way to Montpelier.

2009-07-29T17:08:00.001-04:00

As the rain pours down, the Sobriquets eat Irish food... this meal may have more starch than I've eaten in a week...

2009-07-29T15:08:00.001-04:00

My new measure for the dive-y-ness of a bar is now: do they feel the need to encase the workings of the urinal flush in a steel cage?

2009-07-29T15:07:00.001-04:00

Cheers to having a beer at 3 in the afternoon. Jeers to Nectar's for not being open at 3 to serve me a beer, sending me to the dive Yankees bar next door...

2009-07-29T15:04:00.003-04:00

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2009-07-29T15:04:00.001-04:00

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2009-07-29T14:01:00.001-04:00

Between the beauty of the scenery, the blaring Testament, and the fact that it's 2 PM, I fail to understand how Dan and Nick are asleep...

2009-07-29T13:52:00.001-04:00

Aaaand Live Album Day comes to a screeching halt with Testament. All things must pass...

2009-07-29T13:25:00.001-04:00

Gonna roll up to Burlington for the afternoon, should anyone in that area want to come say hey... we'll probably get there 3ish...

2009-07-29T12:58:00.001-04:00

Then again, jobs are kinda thin on the ground everywhere right now... which is sort of a sobering thought...

2009-07-29T12:57:00.001-04:00

I always forget how much I adore Vermont... even the interstate is scenic... If there were, ya know, jobs, I think I'd live here...

2009-07-29T12:17:00.001-04:00

Today thus far is live album day: The Tragically Hip Live Between Us, followed by Nine Inch Nails' And All That Could Have Been...

2009-07-29T11:42:00.001-04:00

Apparently, they ran out of good mountain names after a while... hence we pass Mount Tom... Or maybe that guy from Myspace bought it...

2009-07-29T11:36:00.001-04:00

See ya later, Mass Pike, with yer damn pilgrim hat! We're headed northwards to seek our fortunes among the corn, cows, and hippies!

2009-07-29T10:43:00.001-04:00

Out of the hotel, where, sadly, we returned too late to get blitzed at Pistols... goin back to the giant Stop'N'Shop for lunch, then off to Vermont...

2009-07-29T09:48:00.001-04:00

Up and Atom!

2009-07-29T01:58:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen a closed Dunkin Donuts? Me neither. Until now. Dammit. The bagel I've been craving desperately since I remembered they exist is not to be.

2009-07-29T00:26:00.001-04:00

Not as good a set as last night's... though apparently our would-be walk-in crowd was dented by AC/DC being in town...

2009-07-28T22:57:00.001-04:00

Almost showtime... not too many bodies in the house... guess we just get to rock em each personally...

2009-07-28T22:10:00.001-04:00

Ashpark is doin' their thing... and sounding way better than last night, when they sounded great... here's hoping we sound as good...

2009-07-28T21:36:00.001-04:00

Hanging out in the green room talking fall plans... this should be a good season for us...

2009-07-28T19:39:00.001-04:00

Seriously, New Englanders... this is a REALLY nice room... it ain't far from Boston... COME OUT! Call anyone you know around here! Little help here!

2009-07-28T19:19:00.001-04:00

The stage here at Tammany is deep enough for us to set up twice... I hope some people come out tonight...

2009-07-28T18:51:00.001-04:00

Central Mass is purty... trees and water and whatnot...

2009-07-28T18:42:00.001-04:00

I predict satirical political cartoons will prevail against craven corruption and power-mongering... Oh Nast, wherefore art thou when we need you again?

2009-07-28T18:40:00.001-04:00

Having solved a possible wardrobe faux pas, we are on the road for Tammany Hall, to witness the epic battle between Boss Tweed and Thomas Nast. Whoo.

2009-07-28T16:31:00.001-04:00

Havin' a lazy, dog-dangling afternoon... some swimming, email checking, napping... one of these days, maybe we'll make enough to do this all the time..

2009-07-28T15:58:00.001-04:00

My (very slight) apologies to the fucking cursed limey giant Walmart: they lack the new Phish album because it will not be released until September.

2009-07-28T14:37:00.001-04:00

Dan is out swimming, and if he doesn't come back for his dolmade soon, he may not have a dolmade to come back to...

2009-07-28T14:36:00.001-04:00

Holy crap was that huge salad the best idea I've had in weeks.

2009-07-28T13:43:00.001-04:00

The giant Stop-N-Shop, however... contains apples, sandwiches, and not evil.

2009-07-28T13:31:00.001-04:00

Fucking limey giant Walmart...

2009-07-28T13:30:00.001-04:00

Also, I'm pretty surprised that there's a retail location in Massachusetts that doesn't have the new Phish record today... it's MASSACHUSETTS, fercrissakes...

2009-07-28T13:26:00.001-04:00

Plus, giant Walmart: you have shitty cell phone reception. No bars, giant Walmart? Et tu?

2009-07-28T13:23:00.001-04:00

How I despise thee, giant Walmart: you get me excited with your giant sign for Books and Magazines, and offer me only Harry Potter and Nora Roberts..

2009-07-28T13:09:00.001-04:00

Also: does anyone know the name of the piece that is the Sorceror's Apprentice in Fantasia?

2009-07-28T13:07:00.001-04:00

So, the hotel we're likely staying in tonight has a hotel bar called, I shit you not, "Pistols". I may get snockered at Pistols tonight.

2009-07-28T12:12:00.001-04:00

Today's music trivia question that we should know but don't: is Boston actually from Boston?

2009-07-28T11:40:00.001-04:00

We would be on the road to Woodstock... I mean Worcester (old lyrics die hard), but we wait for a band member to find a place in Harvard Square to go number 2.

2009-07-28T10:59:00.001-04:00

People watching at Harvard Square. Also watching for Nick, who should arrive at any moment... In theory...

2009-07-28T10:30:00.001-04:00

A slow reader would NEVER make these exits..

2009-07-28T10:28:00.001-04:00

So, some of you are from Massachusetts: what is the aversion to posting signs for lanes, exits, etc more than 3 car lengths from where you need to be?

2009-07-28T10:15:00.001-04:00

Aaaaand... traffic. But not to worry: evidently, in Massachusetts, the breakdown lane is also a passing lane...