4/1/09: All things Rapid
So. Sitting in our hotel about three blocks from Mexico. Had many adventures since last we spoke. Engineered days off, great food, areas of the country not previously travelled, and a new love for the great whipping boy of American cities.
We left Grand Rapids MN and headed for the upper peninsula of Michigan and the (literally) cool little burg of Houghton. It was a beautiful drive (so I hear, I was sleeping) and our hotel was frozen lakeside. Very pretty. Played Michigan Tech who had great facilities and a great theater. Slept quickly.
The next dark morning, we headed to the second of our tour of all cities Rapid and headed to Big Rapids. On the way, our bus driver had arranged to stop at the company’s corporate headquarters for a pizza and beer shindig. Much fun ensued. It was nice to get to tell the owners what a great asset they have in our bus driver, George.
Important side note: George is the deal. He is the man. Many of us have had other experiences with other drivers on other tours and George is the greatest. He gets us there in shall I say a timely manner and I have never once feared for our safety. He is kind, courteous and constantly goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that we are taken care of. If he has any faults at all, it is that he cares for us too much. A bus driver can make or break a tour and he has made this one. And he provides endless entertainment in that he is an old sailor and has some salty things to say to bad drivers. Great guy all the way around.
Anywho, had the party. Great pizza good times. Some of our more enthusiastic partiers continued the quest after we got back on the bus. My lawyers have recommended that I don’t detail this could-be-slanderous tale of libation imbibement, but let me just say that, with great pride, the band was well represented, and oddly, not by the author. I was watching West Wing the whole time like a good boy. Clothes were shed, certain anatomy poured forth. A new bar was set and the gauntlet was thrown. Only 2 more months to beat this impressive event.
On to our third Rapids, again the Grand kind. This time in Michigan. Had a friend come to the show and got to hang out after the show. Another responsive audience. We’re getting spoiled. Thanks Byron Center!!
Clinton Township, Mi: This place is fantabulous. My wife and I had been here on a previous tour. There is a woman there that everyone calls Mom who is in charge of the catering. Always great food. Between the shows Saturday was our only chance to enjoy this delectable buffet of deliciousness. They had neglected to get a vegetarian entree, but fear not. Mom sent out for something for us. After waiting for a bit, a guy shows up with two enormous pans of ricotta-filled ravioli in an amazing mariana. Everyone was already done eating and the other Veg and myself had it to ourselves. Like a typical Italian mother, Mom kept insisting that I take more. I am, after all, a growing boy. More and more cylindrical and rotund by the day. It’s nice to feel taken care of out here. Some people take this catering for granted and complain about quality and quantity. They are the same that complain about everything else so I don’t find this all that shocking. Errrr.
Great venue as well. It was one of the most acoustically sound places we have played. It’s nice when a lot of thought goes in to these kinds of concerns. We played three shows there in two days. The first two were great with a lot of energy. The third was a crasher in that everyone was either going to “vacation” following it or had four long bus days as our next gig was here in beautiful, yet far from Detroit, El Paso, Texas. My wife and I fit into the vacation set, thankfully. Next stop, the MFD!!!
