TD, Great Dane, 2/3/2011

I've been sick for weeks and felt barely conscious for this gig. Opening act was louder than venue liked and that threw a pall on the evening. The acoustics in the pool hall are weird and it had the effect that I couldn't really hear the other guys. I did the best I could under the conditions and pulled out an accurate, though not particularly spirited performance. Seeing as the access to the back door was blocked by audience members and three bands worth of equipment, I loaded in from Gov East ramp using my cart and that went pretty well.

A guy came up to me 5 minutes before we played and said he heard us the last time we were at the Dane and that my cymbals had been too loud and my toms too quiet so I should "bash the hell out of those things." Yeah...bashing the hell out of my drums is #1 not something I can just pull out of my ass (hitting harder than you are used to fucks up your technique and causes premature fatigue) and #2 not even something that I WANT to do. My general feeling is that, if you can't hear the drums, everyone else is too loud...not that the drums are too quiet. But whatever. I went over this with the guys when I joined the band...I'm not a loud drummer (in stark contrast to their last drummer). I told them I could try to be louder (I even tried using heavier sticks for a few rehearsals) and they universally said that they liked the way I already played and that I need not try to play louder. Anyway...I'm sure the guy thought he was being helpful...but what a shitty thing to say to someone right before they go on stage. I did not ask for your feedback...and your advice was condecending and showed a lack of musical maturity. Fuck off.

Had a full dinner and decent sleep. Used my own kit. Was well practiced. I've not been drinking recently, but I ordered a Jagermeister on the rocks. I only drank about a third of it over a period of four hours and left the rest. I really only got it to help stave off my chronic cough. It DID help with that...but I don't plan to make it a habit. I was struck again by the obnoxiousness of the drunken crowd and even of my mildly intoxicated/stoned friends. I'm reminded how I never used to be able to hang out in drinking crowds. Boredom and sleepiness overtake me...and people seem to want me to be happy/friendly and are at a loss when I'm just me instead. People Suck. Drugs R Bad.

Set list:
At the Door
Gotta Tell You
Jack
Gun in Your Grave
HSUL
Going Down the Drain
Easy Life
New Song
Better N Better
Kiss U Kill U
One is For Man
Movin' On