The King And His Throne: The Waterfront Hotel
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Eric, our drummer, is the most organized and meticulous dude in the band. We needed microphones and stands for our gig at Baltimore's fantastic Waterfront Hotel on Saturday night, so I called Eric. When it came time to get out of there, I followed Eric because he knew the way.

Uncharacteristically, he totally airballed one vital thing Saturday night: the bottom part of his drum stool.

(I joked that's better than forgetting the top part.)

We borrowed a thick, wooden chair from an upstairs office for Eric to sit in while he played. Based on how he laid down a groove fatter than Elvis in decline, I think we may insist that he always sit in a chair while he plays.


Eric, sitting in THE chair, surrounded by New Heathens.

The only bummer part of the gig came when a dude grabbed my microphone mid song and shouted into it. I pushed him off the stage (note: I did not shove.) He walked with his middle finger in the air to the back of the bar, then marched all the way back to me to tell me (still mid song) that he'd kick my ass if I ever pushed him again.

Does this guy realize I'm doing a job? I mean, how would HE react if I staggered into his workplace drunk and grabbed his mop?

The rest of the set was nothing but highlights, par normal at the Waterfront Hotel. People were Saint Patty's partying and they danced and sang with us by the dozens. We got to visit with our great friend Jewels, plus my friends Heather and Rick. Butch and Domenick went back and forth trying to out-channel-Neil Young each other. It sounded amazing. Domenick would coax some tortured wail from his black telecaster only to have Butch cut him with shrieks from his black Gretch. Brandy nailed basslines on brand-new songs she's never even heard before. She sang a killer version of Bad Company's "Rock Steady" for our encore, and she actually did the Riverdance jig while playing her rave-up bassline to Butch's song "Pig Pen." Incredible.

We stopped at the Broadway Diner on our way out of town.

Butch ordered the awesomest looking stack of blueberry pancakes I've ever seen in my life.

It's 7:45 a.m. Time for bed.

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