CJ, 5/5/2012, Mr Roberts

We were squeezed between a pro quality blues band and a Black Crowes tribute and when we arrived the crowd had a distinct "drunken white trash" feel. We were worried. But we worried for naught because a crowd gathered by the time we played that seemed like they were there for us...or at least liked us. They danced. People didn't leave. Success. It was a weird show for me. My amp was acting up during set up...cutting out. I think it was a bad cable. I switched out the Fender cable that Educational Davis left at my house in 2008 for another and all was well. But it threw me off and took time to diagnose and fix and then I was paranoid whether that was the real problem or not. Started Isla and could hear my own voice...so spent most of that song trying to figure out the PA while I played to up myself in the monitor. Got that fixed. In the middle of Bird I realized that we had not set up a mic for EH...so spent that song scheming how to get him one quickly. So then there was the "give my mic to him/take it back" thing before and after La La Love You...and so when RS hit the chord for Here Comes Your Man I was totally flustered and not ready. He hit it again and we started. 3/4 through the song I was thinking how that song always feels like I'm about to go off the rails...but that it was feeling really good at the moment...and you know it's KIND of a complicated bass part to sing against but I'm nailing it...and...and...I totally lost my place in the bass line and had to drop out and wait for the next time through the progression. Classic mind games. Drinking is bad, bad, bad...but that doesn't happen when you are buzzed...you just do it. And I'm still getting used to that freedom from thought. So then I felt shitty doing into Gigantic and I guess it went okay...but the vocals felt really dry (as RS commented later about the PA) so it wasn't my best sound. Where is My Mind has been freaking me out ever since xmas and RS told the audience this which I didn't appreciate (never tell the audience that you think you might mess up...because then they watch for it...arrrrgh). I made it all the way through and my voice gave out on the very last a-capella oooo. Fuck. I guess I really need to work it out and figure out why this is happening after two years of it coming off fine with no effort. I'm gonna also watch her live tapes...because she doesn't sing it live the way she did on the record anymore. And I'm starting to understand why. Gouge and Bone Machine went pretty well even though I've messed up Gouge twice in rehearsals lately. It was nice to have a request. We don't have another show on the books and won't have rehearsal for 3 weeks now. Plenty of time for me to work out the kinks...or ya know...forget all the songs. I gotta say...I LOVE being in this band and playing this music...but I DO NOT like performing. Setlist: Isla Debaser Tame Wave normal Bird La La Love Here Comes Gigantic Manta Ray River Monkey Hey Where Gouge Requested encore: Bone Machine