the Earl (Atlanta, GA)
w/ Nillah, What The?!
This weekend brought an all new musically experience into my life.
I locked myself out of the van before the show.
Which serves as a fine microcosm for the show. I had actually been offered a show on this night at 10 High (where we’re playing next week, the show date I eventually took) but turned it down because immediately after holidays this town is dead. I suppose it has to do with Atlanta being such a city of non-natives, so they’re all out of town for the big days. At any rate, recently Lyle, my bass player who has his own band called What The?! asked if I could fill a slot on the bill at the Earl on the 5th. Being Lyle I agreed. All expectations about turnout proved to be true and we played to a crowd of about 20. Worse, the crowd actually diminished during the set, which (I feel lucky to say) hasn’t happened in a while. I played a spectacularly sloppy show, fueled by the lack of a crowd and the lack of an open van.
Anyway, it could have been worse, there could have still been equipment in the van when I locked myself out. Frankly, this story is the most interesting thing about the show. Someone at the club pulled aside one of the two guys watching the parking lot, who also happened to have recently been released from prison for stealing a car, to see if he could get in. But apparently Penny is impervious to even the skilled and retained her secrets. I tipped him anyway, though, needless to say. Eventually AAA came while I was playing the show, and Sarah dangled the keys at me from the crowd to let me know all was once again well.