Are you sure it's cool?

As predicted, no daily update to the tour diary. I have been taking notes but internet access has been a bit more limited than I anticipated so I'm making use when I can. On with the anecdotes.
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Wednesday, May 26. Buffalo. Another drive, another sound-person.

Left late due to a misplaced iPod. Couldn't find it so CJ lent us his, thus earning a thank-you in our next batch of those liner-notes the kids can't seem to get enough of. I try not to stay in a bad mood for too long.

We get to the venue in time and are informed by Cam that he and his friends have already been booted from the club for not being born soon enough. Doesn't bother me--I only want to play to people who are there for drinking. Another highlight of this bar was that the night was triple booked! Hardcore, funk, and cover-band enthusiasts rejoice, you have found your home.

While other acts were performing, Rob and I ducked outside to mingle with the fine people of Buffalo. While names escape me at the moment (should have taken better notes), we met a lovely (and smart) lesbian couple who had just moved in together. My inching towards the U-Haul joke was quickly spotted when I asked how long they had been together--a year and a half. Astrology became the topic de jour so I kept my words to a minimum.

After a quick jaunt down to the liquor store to buy candy (seriously), we were approached by a gentleman in a straw cowboy hat attempting to distribute anti-immigration literature. Things took a turn when the esteemed salesman threatened to fight me after I disagreed with him about what color most rapists and murders are. Things settled quickly when the clubs security staff figured out that the inebriated cowboy distributing racist literature and claiming to have gotten in 3 gun fights might be the one causing trouble and NOT the guy talking about Zodiac signs and eating English toffee. My calm behavior was rewarded with a hug from a girl that didn't like Rob's sign.

The School Jerks played well and we then took the floor to perform. We only played one song --the sound guy seemed to enjoy it, though. We loaded out and hung out with Brandon and a few locals before hitting up a Wegman's--who won't sell beer past 3Am. Rob and I are attempting to sample local beers so a day one setback hurt a bit. We retire to Brandon's home, formally a funeral home, and get some rest. My transformation to Danzig is really taking shape.

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Thursday May 27, Cincinnati. More drive, more smell.

Woke up and found my iPod in my toiletries bag. Talk about starting the day off on high note--clean teeth and classic episodes of Car Talk await. Brandon sees us off and we make our way to Ohio.

A trip to a rest area for a quick break provides us Silent Waiers another opportunity to get some snacks from a vending machine. Rob goes with an ice-cream bar while I choose what I thought were M&M Crispies. Much to my surprise, they turned out to be some sort of pretzel M&M's. I'm try not to make a big deal out of the fact that these pretzel M&M's packaging is the exact same color as the M&M Crispies packaging. I was also surprised a day later when the familiar yellow package of what I thought were M&M Peanut turned out to be M&M Rye.

I wasn't going to bring it up now but I also bought M&M's from a vending machine on the way to Buffalo. After making my selection they got caught in the machine forcing me to purchase another package of them. I'm writing a strongly worded email to the M&M family once I'm back in New Brunswick.

After finding the Macabee we wait for other bands/ promoters/ patrons to show up/ let us in. Waiting proves to be too much for us so we end up driving around the neighborhood looking for anyone that knows anything about the venue. Luckily, the first person we ask for help points us 20 feet south to an ex-New Yorker, Jerome, the owner of the Macabee and the man running tonight's show.

I don't remember what time we wend on but it seemed pretty late. As a touring act, Jerome was able to provided us with two Milwaukee's Best. I'm not going to argue with a free beer but I don't know how Milwaukee feels about the situation. We opened with Feel the Same and transitioned into the second half of Everyone's a Photographer. I thought it worked but Rob disagrees. Pistols at dawn will settle the matter tomorrow.
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Friday May 29, Grand Rapids. (long drives are)Rapidly(becoming not so)Grand.

I don't sleep in. Load up the van and head out.

We stop for lunch after a few hours on the road at a local coffee shop. Leaving Cincinnati at a reasonable time allowed us to waste a good amount of time on the road and not worry so much about driving non-stop. We pulled up to Ryan's home around 5 where we were greeted with a case of beer.

Rob and I have avoided fast food thus far and opt to make dinner for ourselves in Ryan's kitchen. His band is playing tonight and various band mates show up to load gear into their station wagon. Rob plays video games while I make calls. We head over to the venue afterward.

One thing I've noticed the last few days was how light it is late in the evening. I guess it's not that surprising since NJ is on one side of a time-zone and MI is on the other. I like it since it gives me a good excuse to wear my sunglasses far past when I need them.

Kind of a small crowd tonight. Culo shows up during our set. We played kind of poorly but I guess that's expected. Rob called an audible half-way through the set and we never recovered from it. Part of me wants to play the exact same set every night since we only have four songs and we could lock into a set more quickly, but I also enjoy the process of putting together a setlist--and I fear sinking into a routine out of convenience.

We lose a beer due Stephanie's bicycle. This prompts two locals to try and get all tough guy at me. I don't understand how some people are so thick. Who goes around wearing suspenders and a shirt that says "Skin Head" and expects anyone to try and explain anything to them? I'm pretty sure that kind of behavior/ garb pretty much clearly identifies someone that just ain't into logic. Prove me wrong, folks... I shouldn't let a few insignificant, lame people bum me out but it gets to me sometimes.

We eat some Burger King and then leave for Chicago. Much tiredness ensues but we make it there somehow.