Roadie Blog: 2006-01-29

San Francisco -Third Day Off

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Head down to Borders bookstore this morning and spend a few hour looking at magazines and books. More walking around downtown, taking a few pics of old neon signs and whatnot. Wander through Chinatown and back down by Union Square. Run into Bruce and we decide to have lunch at a Mexican Bistro near the hotel. Good stuff, I had the Mole Poblano.

Back to the room for internet time and some reading. Eventually end up back at Borders to buy another book, as I left my other (unread) book on the bus. Mondays show is postponed also, so we don't have a show till Wednesday. Nothing like six days off in one of the most expensive cities in the world. We should get extra per diem for this...

Daily Photo

Marquard's Cigar Store, originally uploaded by guitartech.

Marquard's Cigar Store, corner of O'Farrell and Powell, San Francisco.

San Francisco -Another Day Off

Friday, February 03, 2006

We were supposed to play in San Jose today, but the show was postponed. Jerry and I try to eat at a killer Vietnamese place recommended by a friend, but it's too crowded so we end up at King of Thai Noodle House again, I get a bowl of noodles to approximate the Pho I could have had. Good stuff.

I'll try and skip the social commentary here, but I must say San Fran is an odd place. Around our hotel there are a lot of homeless people, as well as drug users and drug deals going on in broad daylight. I'm not so naive that I don't know that this happens in most cities, it's just very 'in your face' here.

Call up Micah and Kenny, a couple of roadie friends from my previous tour, who live in the East Bay and take the BART (train) out to meet them. They are working on the bands new studio, today is the last of the painting. Hang out there for a few hours, very cool place, see more friends as they come and go. Eventually take the BART back into the city.

My friend Roger comes by the hotel and picks me and Jerry up for dinner. Drives us to a sushi joint in his neighborhood. Has to be the oddest sushi place ever, it's a classic 'old man bar', looks straight out of 'Archie Bunker's Place'. There is a long (30 feet) wooden bar, tables, with pool tables in the back and a jukebox. Bobzilla (King of the Old Man Bars) would love this place. The sushi is great and we sit and talk until they crank up the karaoke and eventually drown us out.

San Francisco -Day Off

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Arrive in San Fan around 12:30pm. Out for lunch shortly after, head straight for King of Thai Noodle House, my standby for Thai in SF. Good as always... Jerry and I walk around downtown after lunch and eventually end up back at the hotel for some reading and internet time. Find out that tomorrow's show is postponed due to singers voice again.

Go out for dinner around 8pm, try the sushi place recommended by the hotel, too crowded. Find another place down the street, it's easily the worst sushi I've ever had. Guess we should have waited at the first place. Oh well. Fall asleep watching an old Cary Grant movie.

Phoenix -Show Day

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Finally, a show day!! Our good friend Bruce Zinky (amp builder) comes down to hang and let us check out his latest stuff. He brings down some of his Supro combos and guitars. I spend an hour or so checking them out, then the boss comes in and really digs them. Show starts soon after. Good set list tonight. During the set I notice Tommy Lee rocking out in monitor world, the way he was dancing it looked like he was having an epileptic fit. Well, at least he was having fun. Quick shower after load out and off to San Fran.

Daily Photo

, originally uploaded by guitartech.

Four Days

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Been here in Phoenix for four days now. Saw this list on a few other blogs while surfing around today, seemed appropriate and better than another post on what I ate.

Four jobs I've had:
1. Backline Tech -had this job for over 10 years now
2. Graphic Designer -my 'fuhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifn' job
3. Purchasing Agent for a music store chain -me a phone and a computer...
4. Business Card Typesetter -like watching paint dry

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Grosse Pointe Blank
2. Blazing Saddles
3. To Catch a Thief
4. Murder by Death

Four places I've lived:
1. Pensacola, FL
2. Hope Mills, NC
3. Raleigh, NC
4. There is no 4th place

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Law and Order (Original, SVU, CI, doesn't matter)
2. Scrubs
3. Seinfeld
4. Cold Case

Four places I've been on vacation:
1. Hawaii
2. Aruba
3. Cancun
4. Oak Island, NC

Four sites I visit daily:
1. TUAW
2. Engadget
3. eBay
4. The Gear Page

Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Home with Paige and dogs
2. Beachhouse with Paige and dogs
3. Vacation with Paige and dogs
4. All of the above (seriously)

Phoenix -Yet Another Day Off

Monday, January 30, 2006

Up early and bike down to the Walgreens to restock some mundane toiletries. Get a call from my buddy Robert (whose band I saw last night). He comes by and picks me up and we grab some great Indian for lunch. Then hang out at Starbucks talking old/new times, as we haven't seen each other in years. Back to the hotel late afternoon and chill till almost 9pm, then Jerry and I walk to a nearby Italian place for dinner. I'm stuffed and off to bed...

Phoenix -Another Day Off

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Second day off here in Phoenix (actually Goodyear, AZ). Ride my bike a couple of miles to where civilization is (Best Buy, Starbuck's, Barnes and Noble, etc.). Spend some quality time in the aforementioned stores. Bike back to meet Jerry halfway (he is walking) and we grab some lunch at El Paso BBQ Co., good Q!! More time spent shopping, then make our way back to the hotel. I've been gone for over 7 hrs at this point...

Call a friend and find out his band Metalhead is playing in Scottsdale tonight. Get Magee (who rented a car) to take Jerry and I out there. Band is great, playing all the classic 80's metal perfectly with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Back to the hotel around 2am... Late for me.