Something like that...

Saturday, May 29. Chicago. Don't call it that.
Wake up with plenty of time to waste today as our base of operations is only forty-five minutes away from the venue. Rob needs new shoes so we head into the city for some shopping. Dre, our liaison, accompanies us.

If you've never shopped with Rob before, you really aught to give it a shot as it's rather entertaining. I find myself saying very motherly things like "how do they feel? Is there enough room at the toe? Walk around and see how you like them. We'll get ice-cream later if you behave."

Shoe shopping ends and I can't find the van, mostly because I was looking on the wrong street. The right street is eventually found and the van is right where I didn't remember leaving it. We head back to the venue and play the waiting game by Parker Bros (or was it Milton Bradley?).

Not a great turn-out at the venue (possibly due to the first game of the Stanley Cup play-offs happening in town that night) but people seemed to be having a nice time. Friendly folk Mike, Abby, and Simone also made for pleasant conversation throughout the night.

We go on late-ish and admirably perform Feel the Same followed by Exhibition. Those there seemed to enjoy it. I think we might have even gotten rid of some pre-recorded material that's all the rage.. with the youth... and what not. I was later fed a free Vegan Tuna-Fish sandwich. I'm not vegan nor into tuna-fish sandwiches (i do enjoy tuna, just not mayo) but since neither of those things would come into play, I gave it a shot. Ugh. Maybe what it's made of doesn't matter and I just don't like anything called tuna-fish sandwich.

We retire after after the last band plays and rest up for our show in Milwaukee.
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Sunday. May 30th. Milwaukee. 2 Grape 2 Drank.

Spend the early part of the day watching cable TV, Adult Swim "ON DEMAND" to be more specific, before heading north to Wisconsin. I hadn't been to Milwaukee in a few years. Looks/ smells pretty much the same.

Jason and Eric welcome us to the city with a hot grill and cold Hamm's. Sometime during the meal, fellow bill mates and all around swell New Brunswickians, Big Eyes showed up. Rob, John, and I head out in search of more beer shortly, thereafter.

Along with another case of Hamm's, I snag a bag of Kruncher's potato chips. Bummed that there was a lot of shelf space dedicated to Jay's Pork Skins and not Jay's BBQ chips. I guess I'll have to get some of those before leaving the mid-west. We return to the house and meet up with the good folks of Milwaukee's own Ifihadahifi.

Rob, in his recent travels to the Canadian continent, heard that the Ifihadahifi were "uptight" and "act like they're better than everyone else." I really cannot express how silly that seems after meeting them. They even took my accidentally left-handed sounding compliment of "adult punk-rock" as the genuine compliment that I intended it to be.

We play third. I mistakenly thought it was a good idea to change my strings right before the set. Opened with Communique and then finished off with Feel the Same, the extended, continuous-tuning version. I ended up breaking the sunglasses Rob found in Canada that I'd been wearing. 0% UV protection awaits my eyes. I drink a bit too much and duck out of the house after Big Eyes plays to collect my spinning head.

I can't stress how fun this show was; all great people, music, and times--Thanks Milwaukee.
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Monday May 31st. Does a day off get a clever title? no.

Woke up in Milwaukee at 6AM due to rather loud thunder (not the English hard rock band) but was able to fall back asleep for a few hours more. I got to play with the cats of the house before heading back to Chicago. We then lost another beer from Grand Rapids to Jason for being an all-around nice guy.

We get back to Chicago at a decent time and are able to get some supplies for the next stretch of tour--including a surprise that Rob picked up that will go unmentioned as to not ruin it for anyone reading this (ha) that will be at the future show the surprise makes its appearance (ha).

We visit my high-school friend Jon and his wife and baby before packing it in for the evening. Good night.
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Tuesday June 1st. DeKalb. 7th Street Space is the Place.

Good-byes are said and we make our way out to DeKalb, IL. First stop off in DeKalb is Burritoville followed by a trip to the liquor store where Rob picks up Canadian beer and three packages of expired candy--two things that I really wish to have no part off tonight.

We waste a bit time shopping, hoping we can pick up a cheap copy of the Metalica documentary, Some Kind of Monster. No such luck. We end up getting a headphone adaptor, a sociology book, and The Usual Suspects on DVD. Rob also snagged the latest issue of MaximumRocknRoll for their interview with Lotus Fucker's Kamikazi Dan. I can't say enough great things about Dan, who has helped us out tremendously as well as been just about the best friend any person could ask for. Best wishes for him, always.

We load into the Space and things start around 9:30. Mike and Sam were a great duo to watch followed by (names escape me) a one man drone act. Rob and I go decidedly short set in the interest of time and play for only 10 minutes. I thought it went over exceptionally well but once the show ended, people said they wished we had played longer. I like our short set. I'm a fan of quitting whilst ahead--and other kinds of quitting too. Also this gives us the opportunity to awkwardly push merch--which we failed at. Rob gets us on a bill tomorrow in Iowa City so that takes the pressure of trying to figure out where we're going tomorrow off our shoulders.

Overall fun show where we got to see friendly faces and meet new and interesting people. Thanks to Ryan, Mike, Mike, Sam, Lindsey for all the fun had.