Day: 15
Location: Brooklyn, NY
State Count: 18

All is good in New York City. This is an amazing place with the powers to heal itself in ways I could never begin to imagine. So many people getting along and comforting each other. Went and had dinner at Union Square last night, saw all the vigils set up everywhere, the pictures, the candles, the flowers, and all the hundreds of flags everywhere. Walked around SoHo and St. Marks Place, drank Tapioca Tea through big straws, had a couple drinks at Barmacy, and fell asleep on the couch at 3:30 AM, cat on my stomach, breeze coming through the window, scattered dreams, all feeling good and ready, knowing that only good things can come.

The show last night was cancelled, but the show tonight at the Continental is still happening. It's time to play some music.
8:20 AM

Day: 12
Location: Indianapolis, IN
State Count: 12

Woke up in the "crack motel" in Lansing, MI this morning and hit downtown for horrible coffee and a walk around to loosen up the legs. Hit the van and blasted The Pixies on the drive down route 69 to Indianapolis, I drove for the first time since we hit Duluth, so it felt good to be in control and behind the wheel again.

9/12 @ Fireside Bowl, Chicago, IL: Thankfully, the second show in Chicago was much better than the first. The Fireside is an old/famous in the indie/punk scene venue directly across the street from the house we were staying in. We loaded in and played some more Golden Tee the unofficial sponsor of the Amscray tour and milled around for awhile. The room is an old bowling alley, but the lanes were roped off and the crowd (a pretty sizeable one) was kept to the hallway in front. We went on second and played a pretty inspired set, although I don't think many people there liked the show. The other band were alot noisier and somewhat sceney, three bands played on the floor in front of the stage as some sort of "I'm no rock-star" statement, and their sound suffered because of it. Oxes headlined and played last, and were really disappointing. Their schtick is this: two guys with wireless guitar sets, a drummer with a sampler, and two crates up on stage. The guys run around the room with their guitars, down the bowling lanes, in the bathroom, stand on top of the video games, all while playing thier mediocre indie/metal songs. Pretty blah, and altogether disappointing, but the night just got better.

After I helped load up the van I was offered a ride downtown to The Signature Room a fancy-schmancy bar on the 96th floor of The Hancock Building. We cruised down and picked up a couple of my ride's friends, found some hard-to-get downtown Chicago parking, and road up to the top of the building. I drank a manhattan and checked out the city from high up, it looked bigger than it does on the ground. Chatted about the suburbs and friends of friends and headed back down the building, satisfied that I had done at least something like a tourist. Finished up the night at Club Foot, talking rapidly and listening to the DJ spin The Smiths and Weezer back to back. Out the door at 2:00, back at the house and quickly asleep.

I spent the first part of yesterday checking out Chicago from the "El" train, cruising to Belmont and walking around for a bit, got some great pizza and had a quite solo lunch, a much needed break from all the people who were around all the time. The pizza actually *was* great, it's not this weird rumor. Watched the people walk by, the cars, the buses, looked in a couple record stores, took in the city. Stood on the corner and waited for the van to pick me up, and we headed towards Indiana.

I had a dinner last night in Mattawan, MI that consisted of a 20 ounce cold glass of Molson's Canadien, and a basket of fried pickles. Yes, they were good, mostly with the tangy barbecue sauce. Fell asleep and woke up outside the venue in Lansing.

9/13 @ Mac's Bar, Lansing, MI: We were the first band there, and each band member got three drink tickets for a huge glass of Miller High Life, or Budweiser. Drink tickets always make a show turn out well. Played some pool with Mike and Ted, lost every single game, put some songs on the juke (Including Elvis Costello's Radio Radio for Miss Rodeo America). Sat down to watch some music. The opening bands were both very good, but neither stayed around to catch any of our set. Therefore, I won't mention their names, I won't ask them for their CDs, and I won't help them out if they tour. I'm just slightly bitter. We played a spirited set, mostly fast stuff last night, and Mike had so much room that he kept running out into the audience, or more correctly the space where the audience would be in there had indeed been more than 7 people there. After the show I met a couple kids who loved the set, and although they were quite intoxicated, did tell me that "they keyboards were the best part." I took their picture to post here at a later date, climbed in the van, drove around looking for a motel room, fell asleep right when my head hit the pillow.
3:20 PM

Day: 10
Location: Chicago, IL
State Count: 10

Cruised on over to Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, all curled up in the back of the van, finished reading White Jazz and then got bored, nothing else really to do except look out the window at Wisconsin wisking by. Got into Chicago a bit after 7:00, got dropped off somewhere, and then boom! We're on the L train heading towards Wrigley Field to catch a Cubs game. Two stops and them boom! We're buying tickets from some kids in the station, get inside, Old Style and a couple hot dogs in hand, in our seats, sitting there watching the game. It seemed like 5 minutes before we were cruising through Milwaukee trying to find something on the radio, everything just happened to quickly. After the game we hit the cool kid spot: Diversey Bowl to drink some High Life and bowl a few frames, alot of fun with the Chicago kids. Later we went to Colin's brother's place and chatted, I looked out the window at Chicago and got a little homesick, pushed myself to enjoy the time.

Woke up in the morning to the phone ringing over and over again, TV on, carnage in NYC and Washington, stared horrified at the TV for hours. I needed to get out, so I walked down and got some breakfast, everyone was fixed on the TV, a reporter girl came in and took a picture of me drinking coffee and watching a tiny black and white TV in the corner, I didn't know what to think. She scrawled down in a notebook in fancy girl lettering "Today the world changed." A bit overwrought and emotioinal, but nothing else to do. Got Mike and walked around a big, everything was closed, the city was dead and silent and eerie. Got an Oatmeal milkshake and headed back to the apartment, nothing else to do but watch the TV and crash and sleep until the show.

9/11 @ Phyllis' Musical Inn, Chicago, IL: Probably the worst show we've ever played. It was hard to perform and sound earnest and meaningful, hard to play the fast upbeat cheerful songs, hard to sound good on a tiny stage, impossible to impress an audience of stunned observers with anything *but* checking out a band on their minds. Pissed, Mike and I walked around the block and tried to forget the show, went back inside and took a spot at the bar. Check Engine played last, and were completely awesome, perfect Chi-town math rock stuff, a veritable supergroups of band members from Sweep The Leg Johnny and Lustre King among others. Chatted out back with a guy from 90 Day Men and found out that we had a common friend in Oakland, which was good conversation. Loaded up the van and drove around the city, dead quiet and empty. Cruised up the shores of Lake Michigan at 1:00 AM with my hand out the window, feeling the breeze from the water, looking at the lit up and empty beaches, got a late style burrito, went back to the apartment, put my headphones on and a live Low Minidisc, and had a full nights sleep.

Feeling better about things this morning, looking forward to the show tonight, not sure if the New York shows are still happening, but not caring either. Nothing left to do but keep driving.
11:39 AM

Day: 8
Location: Minneapolis, MN
State Count: 10

Got into Minneapolis yesterday afternoon, hit our hosts house near Uptown and went down to Nicollet Ave. and had some great Vietnamese food. It felt good to see ethnic people again, the whole area is so white-bred, but here in the city we could get some decent food that wasn't greasy or a burger. I did get daring on the drive down here from Duluth and ate a truck stop hot dog, and I'm ashamed to say that, it was fucking good.

Went out last night to the Loring Bar and sat in huge couches and drank coctails and talked about old San Francisco stories, took off at 1:00 AM and got some pizza, wolfed it down and crawled into a big bed with two cats who purr and meow everywhere, feels good to be comfortable and out of the van.

Taking off for Chicago in a few, hitting the city and going straight to Wrigley Field to catch a Cubs game. Excited and well rested, ready to play some music again, ready for Lake Michigan.
9:29 AM

Day: 7
Location: Duluth, MN
State Count: 10

9/8 @ The NorShor Theater, Duluth, MN: Duluth kids rule. We played last night to an empty room, but we were playing by ourselves so we did two sets, every song we knew, the place started to fill up, people dug the songs. It made me happy. Al Sparhawk from Low played the same stage the night before, it was a great vibe in there that gave me a bit of inspiration. All in all, it just felt good. After the show we did the local thing and took off to Superior, Wisc. across the bridge where the bars close at 2:30 AM instead of 1:00 AM in Duluth. Took down some shots, some bottels of Pabst, hopped in someone's car and cruised. Ended up at some trashy diner in the lobby of a hotel where everyone funnels in after the bars close, everyone in the room drunk, the wait staff used to it and cool with it all, they get bigger tips that way. I bought the band dinner and hung out for awhile longer, hitched a ride across the bridge with the bar manager at the theater, window down, 3:30 AM, loud drum & bass in the car, talking excitedly to these Minnesotta kids. That's what road trips are about.

Woke up scared of a hangover, but it's not here and the coffee is taking away its chances of getting me. The cold air off Lake Superior feels great, boats off in the distance, blue water, the clouds have disappeared, gonna find some breakfast and then take off for Minneapolis, we might get a last minute show, but all the band kids except me have friends down there, so we're gonna hit the Twin Cities on our day off instead of Chicago early. Rock.
7:26 AM

Day: 6
Location: Duluth, MN
State Count: 10

Phew. This country has a mighty big lack of Internet cafes handy. This is going to confuse things. Ok. So, I'm in Duluth, and it's all dark and cold, but full of hip kids and older-than-God brick buildings. It gets so cold here in the winter that all the buildings downtown are connected by these sealed hallways that go over the main road, so that you don't have to go outside to get around.

9/7 @ Rock N' Roll High School, Green Bay, WI: We showed up on time to load in, but the soundguy got there an hour late, so the show started late. This complicated things. The City of Green Bay decided that the club could no longer sell alcohol, and that shows had to be over by 10:45 each night. There were 6 bands booked to play, and the show didn't start until almost 8:00. Oxford High School played first, a pretty straightforward emo band with some great choruses and an amazing drummer. They were all under twenty years old, but sounded older and more musically mature that most bands I see in San Francisco. Fall Back Plan played next, more of the same, but not as good. All the openers were very inspired by the popular sounds of Alkaline Trio and The Get-Up Kids. Rhodora played third, and after the soundguy told them that they were out of time, the singer proceeded to get into a screaming match with the guy onstage. All his friends were chanting for them to play one more song, but we were next and already our set had been cut down to 15 minutes, so the soundguy said no. Words were exchanged, and the guy from Rhodora threw a punch at the soundguy. He almost fell on my keyboards, so I ran over there and tried to break up the scuffle. Luckily, nothing else bad happened, but we were now nervous *and* afriad we'd get booed and harrased.

The exact opposite happened, we played all our fast songs in a row, a six song, 15 minute set altogther with kids air guitaring and jumping up and down right in our faces. After the show we talked to a bunch of kids who bought some CDs and shirts about life in Wisconsin. Before and after the show we hung out at an awesome bar next door called Speakeasy. $1.00 Pabst drafts. I swear, this is not a lie, and it was not happy hour. I say that again in bold, $1.00 Pabst Blue Ribbon drafts. I switched PBR with the local brand, Point, and listened to punk rock on the jukebox. After the show Mike and I went to find food and ended up eating at this sports bar down the street, talking and watching some guys play Golden Tee 2002, the official video game of the Amscray tour. I swear, some version of Golden Tee has been either in or nearby all the venues we've played so far. I will come back a certified pro-geek golfer.

Drove up today to Duluth, where we're playing at the beautiful downtown Norshor Theater. Our name is even on the marquee.

I'll post info from the first two shows later. I'm off to explore.
2:59 PM

Day: 3
Location: Denver, CO
State Count: 5

Quick typing on a borrowed computer while we all shower after the amazing amazing show we had in Denver tonight. Drove for a couple days straight, slept cramped up in the van, all five of us fitt in like sardines in a truck stop in Laramie, Wyoming as the sun came up over the prarie. Spent the day in Denver at a park, milling around, walking around the lakes, eating great vegetarian food. Van is leaving now. I have to catch it.
12:42 AM

(listening to: Swervedriver: Mezcal Head)

Those are the tour dates up there on top. There is a chance we're going to play in the Chapel Hill area, but nothing has come through yet. I'll change the dates if anything new comes up.

Coming home from dinner on Friday night, a kitten followed us up the stairs, and has been in the house ever since (except when he jumped out the window yesterday). He likes to play and sleep, and is currently doing the latter on my lap as I type. We have named him Bunny because, well, it's a good name for a cat.

Site News: I took the MP3 of the week and all the other left hand clutter down while I'm gone. If you're looking for MP3s, listen to the Amscray stuff and then come see us on tour. Show your support for independent music by buying a CD or a shirt, or both if you're really nice. Buy me a beer, I like Pabst, so I'm cheap. I'll be constantly publishing from the road, thanks to our bass player's fast laptop, and the good folks at Earthlink and Blogger, technology I will use to make state borders pointless.

I'm going to miss Bunny and Miss Rodeo America while I'm gone. Alot.
7:47 PM

(listening to: M. Doughty: Skittish)

Thanks to Jon at the wonderful slatch.com world headquarters, Amscray are playing a wonderful show at the University of Rhode Island on my birthday. That's right, I'll turn 25 as I'm banging on the keys.

Everything is set. Daniel from the "can't keep em down" Rocket-Fuel will provide festivities in Chi-town. He's promised his attendance at a couple shows. Lacy K is handling Austin operations.

I've got to get out of work now. It's the start of a brand new vacation.
3:52 PM

Ah, in Sonoma county again, being geeky at Kinko's and checking my email. The good news is in, we finally got a show booked on my birthday at URI in Providence. This is an exciting development. Five days until liftoff.
2:45 PM

(listening to: Bjork: Vespertine)

Good morning. Yes, it's me again.

We played every song we know last night at practice, a good hour and a half straight of sweaty rock. We're almost ready to leave, one week from this moment I'll be hunched up in a van somewhere near the Nevada border. Things have been a blur for the past couple of weeks, alot of watching bad Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler movies for sheer camp value, alot of emailing venues trying to get shows, and alot of trying to sleep but waking up to a loud train whistle that goes on all night. Due to a couple cancellations (Iowa would rather have karaoke than live music) we've moved early operations up to the Wisconsin/Minnesota/Central Illinois area to start the tour. I'm planning on leaving a present for Low in Duluth, Minnesota.

I had forgotten how much I like The Night Cabbie column. A couple years ago I stayed up late into the night reading the entire back archive, as well as reader email he gets. Perhaps because I know San Francisco so well the stories of the neighborhoods interest me more than most. I like the story about the guy at the top of Nob Hill who sits in a booth and works the stoplights all day. Being that guy is my new dream job.
9:17 AM

(listening to: For Stars: Windows For Stars)

MP3 of the week: Black In The Eye has always been my favorite Aspera Ad Astra song. It seems so, well, epic and layered and beautiful. Although it was released as a single, it is a far better song than anything on their Peace album. The first few lines give me the chills everytime, no matter where I am.
9:17 AM

Oh Hallelujah! It's the return of Undersized.

Off to pack envelopes with CDs to send out to radio stations. Start calling in now to request Almost by Amscray so I can talk some sense into those boys and get them to play that song live.
5:52 PM

(listening to: Bjork: Post)

MP3 of the week: I always liked Creeper Lagoon, even though they were a bit overproduced on their last album, people thought they were assholes, and some of the band members were known to buy crack in my neighborhood. Still, I think the song quality stands out, and they always showed me a good time. Too bad they're gone.

Unlike most people, I had a soft spot in my heart for Sharky's songs compared to Ian's. They're a bit more, oh, I don't know, softer, smoother, laid back. Dare I say smooooooooove? Chain Smoker is one such song that I like quit a bit, while my brother skips over it constantly with a little harrumph.

Spent the weekend working on the van for tour, cutting wood, buying bolts, returning bolts, and buying more bolts. It's get-down-to-business time for tour, we're leaving in two weeks. It's all about Duluth, Minnesota.
3:46 PM

(listening to: Creeper Lagoon: Take Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday)

Did you know that Creeper Lagoon broke up? Neither did I, and I'm in a band in San Francisco. Strange.

I know I've missed the boat here by a couple of years, but it needs to be said: Yo La Tengo's And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out is a fucking amazing record. It never ceases to amaze me how this record would appeal to everyone. I even liked the generally hated by fans Cherry Chapstick song. Wowzers. I'm speechless.
11:57 PM