Day Off Chicago - Tour Day 5 (posted esp. for Chris Harne)

DAY OFF CHICAGO

TODAY WE WERE ABLE TO SLEEP IN. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN WOKEN UP BY MY PHONE, I CAN’T REMEMBER. OH YEAH, WAIT, IT’S COMING BACK TO ME. I HAD TO WAKE UP EARLY TO RETURN OUR RENTAL VAN TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER THIS I WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL, MET UP WITH FRANCOIS TO DO LAUNDRY, DID SOME MORE ADVANCING, AND LATER HAD BREAKFAST WITH ALEX AND FRANCOIS AT DENNY’S. THE FOOD WASN’T THAT BAD, BUT THE PORTIONS TO THE GUYS SEEMED REALLY LARGE.

AFTERWARDS I WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL ROOM AND ISABELLE WAS JUST GETTING UP. I MAINLY JUST STAYED ON MY COMPUTER MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS READY FOR CHICAGO AND SXSW. STILL BUGGIN PEOPLE ABOUT AMPS AND CYMBALS ETC.

EVENTUALLY, IT WAS TIME TO GO TO THE AIRPORT SO WE ALL LOADED IN THE HOTEL SHUTTLE AND I CHECKED EVERYONE IN. WE HAD ANOTHER SMOOTH FLIGHT WHICH ROCKED. I THINK THOUGH THE BAND WAS A LITTLE WORRIED BECAUSE I WAS SITTING UP FURTHER IN THE PLANE THEN THEM AND THEY DIDN’T’ SEE ME. I THINK THEY THOUGHT I DITCHED THEM. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT THOUGH, THAT WOULD BE THE WORST.

UPON ARRIVAL I CALLED A CAB COMPANY THE LABEL RECOMMENDED WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE NO GOOD. THE CAB COMPANY WAS ONLY INTO HELPING PEOPLE GOING TO SUBURBAN AREAS, NOT THE CITY. SO WE ENDED UP WAITING IN LINE TO GET TWO CABS. THE FIRST CAB DRIVER WE HAD SPOKE FRENCH AND KNEW EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS GOING WHEN I GAVE HIM THE ADDRESS. THE SECOND CAB DRIVER EITHER COULDN’T UNDERSTAND ME, OR JUST WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT I WAS SAYING LIKE ‘PLEASE STAY WITH THE OTHER CAB, WE ARE A GROUP DRIVING TOGETHER’, OR ‘WE ARE GOING TO NEWPORT AVE’. THANK GOD THOUGH I WAS IN THE SQUIRRLY CAB, I THINK I WOULD HAVE BUSTED A GASKET IF THE BAND WAS LOST IN CHICAGO WITH A CAB DRIVER THAT DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS UP.

EVENTUALLY BOTH CABS MADE IT TO MINTY, AND WE ALL PILED INSIDE. THE LABEL’S OFFICE. IT WAS A REALLY CHILL SET UP BASED OUT OF A HOUSE. THERE WAS A LIVING ROOM AREA, A HUGE KITCHEN, NICE BATHROOM, AND EVEN A DOWNSTAIRS BASEMENT WITH A BATHROOM AND SLEEPING AREA FOR THE BOYS. EVERYONE WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL SO ANTHONY TOOK US ALL OUT FOR DINNER AT THE BURRITO HOUSE, WHICH KICKED ASS.

ALSO I FINALLY GOT TO MEET ANGIE, THE BAND’S PUBLICIST, WHO I’D BEEN DEALING WITH OVER THE PHONE. SHE WAS SUPER AWESOME AND HAS SUCH GREAT IDEAS FOR THE BAND AND THE COMPANY. SHE WAS TELLING ME HOW SHE USED TO WORK FOR SPIN AND I WAS TELLING HER HOW I WAS INTERESTED IN WRITING, SO HOPEFULLY I’LL BE ABLE TO GO WITH HER TO THE SXSW SPIN PARTY AND MEET SOME PEOPLE THERE. ALEX ALSO OVERHEARD ME TALKING ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER GIG AFTER THIS ONE AND GAVE MY NUMBER TO HIS FRIEND’S BAND LES BREASTFEEDERS, WHO WILL BE AT SXSW SO I’LL GET TO CHECK THEM OUT TOO.

AFTER EATING, WE ALL WENT TO BED. THE FIRST NIGHT SUCKED BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY COLD AND I WAS SLEEPING ON TWO SOFA CUSIONS ON THE FLOOR IN A SLEEPING BAG, SOMEHOW I THOUGHT THE FLOOR WOULD BE BETTER, MAYBE IF IT WAS CARPETED.