JP's Entry
April 23, 2004
95 South, outside of Richmond, VA
Well, here we are on the last stretch of the tour. Only
two more shows to go and we head back home. I think I
can speak for the whole band when I say that this tour
has tripped a wire or a switch somewhere in each of us;
we don't want the tour to end. We want to keep going and
going. We've had so much fun, and the gigs have been so
good, and we've met so many people and seen so much of
the country...we all wish there was another three weeks
worth of dates to play. We're gonna do this again as soon
as possible. Special thanks to Hank Williams Jr and David
Allan Coe for providing the soundtrack of our lives for
the past 3 weeks. If you're big star-bound, let me warn
ya it's a long-hard ride.
But anyway, back to the New York stint...We pulled into
Manhattan and were quickly reminded you cannot make a
right on red. Thanks for the tip, Mr. Angry Sanitation
Department Official.
After several hours of trying to figure out what to do
with our gear (we didn't want to leave it in the truck)
and where to stay, we eventually settled on a Ho Jo in
midtown. The room was plenty large enough for all the
equipment and all four of us, plus there was a reasonably-priced
garage with security right next door, where we could park
the truck. We had the night off, so we were going to meet
some friends in the East Village. I used to live in NYC
briefly, and it was really great to be back. I love that
place.
Ahh, the New York City subway system...that smell...We
stepped into that station and immediately I was transported
back in time to when I lived there. It was as if I could
go back to my old apartment and my key would work and
all my stuff would still be there. The subway smells bad,
but I gotta tell ya, I was glad to smell it again.
Eventually we made our way down to Hi Fi to meet my friend
Priscilla. She's from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and
we met through email when Twice as Gone was released
in Europe a few years ago. She had planned on visiting
her friend Monique who lives in Brooklyn, and booked her
trip to coincide with our gig at the Knitting Factory.
It was really great to meet her in person and to meet
Monique as well. We all had a great time hanging out.
We also got to hang out with our friend Nadeau from Knoxville
who is now living in NYC. She's da best.
Matt Pinfield from MTV was in the bar that night and was
under the cocktail-induced impression that he had met
Nikolaus & Thomas. Of course, he had never met any
of us or seen us play, but he seem to think he had, so
we played along anyway. It was pretty hilarious. Nice
to meet ya, Matt!
After we headed back up to midtown towards our room, we
walked through Times Square. It was very late on a Sunday
night, and Times Square was almost completely empty. We
felt like Tom Cruise in that movie about Vanilla Ice.
The next day we met back up with Priscilla and Nadeau
to go running around the city. We were going to do some
touristy-stuff like the Empire State Building, but we
were under some time constraints due to our early load-in
time at the Knitting Factory. So we ended-up just walking
around the city and I was very embarrassed when I got
us a little lost. It's been a couple of years since I
lived there, and I guess I forgot some things. Oh well!
New York's a fun town to get lost in.
Ahh, the New York City parking laws...got a ticket right
in front of the club after load-in, even though I ran
to the truck while the guy was writing the ticket and
explained to him the whole situation. Thanks Mr. Uncooperative
Meter Maid. I went back into the club to brood and change
strings, and got a little cheered-up when I heard the
Tammy Wynette record they were playing over the PA. Now
THAT'S my kind of music.
We played the middle room of the Knitting Factory that
night; there are 3 floors with different shows going on
in each of them. Luckily we were on the bill that night
with our good buddies The Love Scene, whom you should
check out. We love those guys and can't wait to play with
them some more. The set was a success and seem to go over
very well; we sold a lot of merch and made some friends.
I was very pleasantly surprised as well to finally meet
my English email-friend Fionna, who is now living in NYC.
Thanks Fionna!
Even in the Big Apple I ran into an old Volunteer from
Tennessee: my new pal Rob who came to the gig because
he'd been sort of following my tangents since I was 19
in the Viceroys back in Knoxpatch. Thanks for the kind
words and support, Rob! Go Vols!
After the gig we took the gear back to our room in midtown;
this time we convoyed-up there behind our buddy Glenn,
and with our booking agent Laurel behind us. Let's just
say Glenn never met a yellow light he wouldn't run. After
we dumped the gear and parked the truck, we piled in Glenn's
land-yacht and headed down to the East Village to hang
out some more with the boys from the Love Scene. A great
time was had by all. I met a bunch of Scots and we all
became friends when I explained to them my Scottish ancestry.
Go Scotland!
It's true that New York is the city that never sleeps,
and when we're there, we don't get much sleep either.
But we had to eventually (at like, 5 AM). Shout out to
to Nik the cab driver from Kosovo; thanks for the poli-sci
lesson.
Next day we headed to Boston. I'd never been there and
I think it was as far north as I'd ever been (unless London
is farther north). We were playing a club in Cambridge
called the Middle East, which also had several rooms with
multiple shows going on. I must say, after having people
in the Midwest and North find amusement in my Southern
accent, it was nice to get amused myself by the Boston
accent. Thanks Mr. Toll Booth Operator!
Right before we went on that night in Boston, Nikolaus
dropped his Les Paul and the headstock nearly snapped
completely-off. If that had been my guitar I think I would
have cried. But Niki was a total pro, and didn't let it
affect his performance at all. We had a great gig despite
the Les Paul disaster, and despite Greg's bass coming
unplugged in the middle of "Song in D", and
despite Thomas' kick drum moving all through the set.
Luckily we were on the bill again that night with the
Love Scene; thanks to Matt and Mike for all their help
with the technical difficulties.
Next day we headed back southward to Pennsylvania to stay
with our booking agent Laurel on our night off. Her hospitality
was above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks Laurel!
I'll get somebody else to write the next entry. I just
love New York so much that I wanted to tell you about
it myself. It was a whirlwind, and we all really can't
wait to do it again. Thanks to Priscilla, Monique, Nadeau,
Rob, Joe, Laurel, Glenn, all the dudes from the Love Scene,
and anybody else I forgot to mention. What a blast!
Laaaaaaaaaaaater,
J to tha P to the Kizay
SET LIST, KNITTING FACTORY, NYC, 04/19/04
Fool on a Wire
Time Time Time
Baby Goodbye
We Will Find a Way
Bringing You Back Alive
Song in D
Belle of the Ball
Phonograph
Light Years Away
SET LIST, MIDDLE EAST, BOSTON MA, 04/20/04
Same as above
