Mine is a story of a week in the life....
This story is inspired by the current events of the time, and my love for the Ducks
Back in 2004, I drove 800 miles to see the band in Las Cruces , New Mexico. A small community center where the band played. A small room with maybe 100 people at most. I remember driving through a heavy snow on Interstate 40 to get there. Someone with a good camera had the setup, but still have not ever seen that video. First place where I was priveledged to meet Moonpaths and Bluewave. Great people, but just maybe a little too cautious as she would never let me buy them a dwink.
But I could understand their point of view. Gotta be careful with who you meet, especially for the first time. 
Anyway, helped the band unload at the venue during a snowstorm, with slippery ice on the path into the venue. Had a great time and a great show. Next morning was maybe a 400 mile drive from Las Cruces to Phoenix. Got into Phoenix at about 4pm that day, checked into a hotel, and quickly showered. Figured we would get to the Rhythm Room an hour before the show and party in the parking lot. After me and bro showered, we stopped at a Circle K convenience store to pick up a couple 12 packs and ice for the party in the parking lot. Brother is in the car while I go in to get the beer and the ice. As I am just about to check out with my stuff, Ray Weston walks in to the store and asks if anyone in the place knows where the Rhythm Room is. I say " HEY Ray, just follow me" . I figured maybe he might of recognized me from the night before, but he did not. As I got outside the store with my brewskis and ice, I was putting it all in my ice chest in my trunk, and there is Andy at the wheel of the van. I tell him to follow me, as I had been there before. I drive down the main drag with my mascot on the roof of my car in order to make it easy for them to spot me
hint hint, nudge nudge We get to the venue, and instead of partying in the parking lot, me and bro once again help the band unload into the venue. During this excellent concert, I met several, including Quadling and wife Cindy, whereas the band played Happy Birthday to her. Then, it was time for Ted Turner to join in as a special guest for a few songs, and as Andy had asked for a round of beers for the band, I decided to buy them myself and deliver them.Hey, I was dwunk and caught up in the moment. The bartender told me he would give me a special price on the beers, and he asked me if I wanted the waitress to deliver them, and I said No, I would do it myself. So he filled 7 beers to the very top of each glass( 5 for the band and two for me and bro) and I carried the tray from the bar to the stage and to bro, dwunk as I was, but never spilling a single drop.
Got that whole concert on cd, wish I had my video camera at the time, but that was the time of Shoulda Woulda Coulda From that night, the very next morning was on to my hometown, a 400 mile drive, where the band would play the next night, and I would film them for the first time, and with a new camera I had just purchased a couple of months ago. Since I had been close to the band for the past couple of days, the past night in Phoenix, I told Andy what was expected of him the next night. Concerts at this certain venue were free concerts. This venue made their money on alcohol sales, and therefore they required the band to play from 8PM-11PM, with a 30 minute break in the middle. So, two 1 hour and 15 minute sets with a 30 minute break in between. The band filled the slot so-so, and I got a good filming of that concert.
Next 2 days was the Coach House and Humphreys, Orange County and San Diego, venues where I have been many times before. But, I was publically threatened by a person on these forums, and not knowing the severity of that threat, I decided to stay away from those two venues.
So, now it is 4 days later, and I decide to fly to Portland to see the band play in Eugene, home of Oregon University and the Ducks. Since I had met FUBB a year before in Phoenix, having come from the Coach House in Orange County and following the band, and meeting him in Phoenix and then taking him to Tucson and meeting his parents there and us all spending time at the Nimbus Brewery before a WA concert, he was there for me at the Portland airport. We travelled through the Oregon rain to Eugene and saw the band at a little club called The Jungle. We were there maybe an hour or two before the band was to show at 8pm. At 8pm, there was no sign of the band, and we kept telling the bartender that the band would show. Finally, around 10pm, the band showed up, and once again, I was helping the band unload, as I rounded up others to help as well since the band was so late. Had to be on of the quickest unloads ever. Me and FUBB sat to the left of the stage in a VIP section, which was elevated maybe a few feet from the normal section. Maybe 30 minutes into the show, I went outside to smoke a smoke, and a left handed as well.
Came back and noticed that all copies of previous shows I had recorded( cd's of Phoenix show and dvd of Vegas show) all had been stolen from our table. Pissed me off that someone would do that, but in reality, they were only copies, and I still had all masters at home, so it really didnt bother me much. At the end of the Eugene show, I was pretty messed up. I lost my way for a bit, deciding to walk out of the venue and walk home. My partner FUBB, he helped the band unload and he travelled back to the hotel in the van with the band, since we were staying at the same hotel. ME, I was messed up and having a great time. I stumbled my way back to the hotel where we were, in a driving rainstorm. I stopped at the IHOP across the street from the hotel at maybe 2AM and had myself a feast of bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs and whatever else. Cost wasnt a matter, and I just sat there soaking wet pigging out on food. Got back to the hotel across the street at maybe 3-4AM and there was FUBB. He was like " Where you been" ? Anyway, got a couple of hours sleep and then it was on to Portland, about a hundred miles north.
Next day, we are in Portland, secured our room, had a good rest, then it was the Aladdin Theater. Raining again that night, met many fine people. Sat outside while having a smoke with Bob Skeat. Inside met the fine Dr. John, what a great guy he is. Then in the lobby met Steve from Montana, rest in peace dude
. The whole night was magical. The band was on time, actually early, which was a great surprise, and instead of me being busy helping the band unload, I was able to meet many fans there. And the Aladdin Theater is a great place. Anyway, after the Aladdin, it was my turn to go home. FUBB continued on North as I returned home. We would meet again a year later in Scranton, but that's another story
