Hi Tim! and everyone too.
"My pleasure meeting you Tim, we'll do it again."
(Tim, A fellow Stick player came to the concert and we
hung out afterwards.)
So glad you enjoyed the show, it was a darn fine one
if I say so myself. Baja Progressive Rock Festival was
a blast as well, I'll write more later as I've hardly
been home.
----Tim wrote into the "Stickwire news group and penned:----
> Don graciously spent time talking with me after the
> show, in between posing
> for photos and packing up.
---------------------
And the beauty of that is it never interferes with my
Donut eating. As a matter of fact, the promoter of the
event, well she was of Greek decent baked a BOAT LOAD
of pastries for us. I had them before I left the
hotel, in the limo and shortly after the gig... AND
there was a party in her hotel room after the gig and
yet MORE pastries! So many cannoli's and pastries with
names I never hear of.... This time with Wine and
Ouzo!
Apparantly Pastries and Ouzo don't mix. This gentleman
at the party next to me asked, "Well Don, how do you
like Cleveland?". And so I said, "Ya know, I really
love it except for the cold (Lake Erie looked 80%
covered in Ice from my hotel room view).
And so a minute later he turns to me and says, "Well
Don, how do you like Cleveland?" I figure the Ouzo had
kicked in... and being quite satisfied with the way I
answered it the first time, I thought, heck he doesn't
remember I'll just say it again.... maybe gesture more
as not to be to redundant. He seemed quite
satisfied... and then keeled over into the wall, table
and glasses. Very smooth, to bad I wasn't fast enough
to catch him.
I did however pick him up, dust 'em off a little and
suggest that "When the hotel spins that fast ya gotta
sit in a chair and HANG ON!' Then found him a good
solid chair with solid arm rests to steady himself in.
So I left him there and went to the other side of the
room where a very talented artist who was at our show
as well, and a new fan, showed up at the party and
sketched people. He sketched the band as we played and
was now sketching people as they partied. It reminded
me of the 60's where eclectic people would gather
and.... be eclectic and in this case with lots of Wine
and Ouzo.
All that wine and ouzo worked in my favor as it kept
them away from the Pastries where I stood guard
mostly... (I didn't want anyone 'keeling' over on the
pastry cart if ya know what I mean).
As I turned around my new buddy who moments ago was
gripping the chair got up and moseyed over to the
bathroom... Suddenly a very loud THUD was heard.
Well... I had to look, and sure enough he 'keeled
over' into the bath tub. I got him a pillow and put it
in the tub figuring "It's the safest place for him
since he's lying down now anyway... he can't fall any
further..." and promised not to run the water.
However, he explained how embarrassed he was and
insisted on standing. I explained "That's the problem,
the hotel hasn't landed yet... still spinning as we
speak."
And so... we made him a "Crash Pad" in front of the
door, and he landed there and stayed.
I didn't see him (or hear any falling noises) for the
next couple hours and had a blast socializing and
eating some Baklava... oh Very good stuff (If only it
was in a circle shape).
The artist was doing a great job of Sketching Lana
Lane and Michelle Moog, music was playing, lot's of
great conversations to join in on and listen to... But
it was getting late, like 4:am late. (I like to be in
my room before the Sun comes up... just a personal
goal).
Since I hardly drink, I watch the pastries mostly and
a dent was made in them (I do my best)... and upon
thanking the hostess for a lovely party... (She had
taken her lovely Italian leather boots off in the
corner hours ago) - we again notice these lovely
Italian boots in the corner.. as someone had gotten
sick all over them.
"Hey, where did that guy go?..." Ah, he apparently
didn't feel well and was now in the bathroom again....
( He should of just stayed in the tub).
I told the hostess, look on the bright side, he
obviously liked your 'cannoli's' (and obviously got by
me unnoticed and ate some) there's bits all over your
shoes.. So, lesson learned, Cannoli's and Ouzo don't
mix.
And so, long way of sayin' "Tim, that's why I didn't
hear the alarm go off or answer the phone in the
morning. (We we're all going to meet for breakfast in the
lobby but.... I slept right through the alarm clock and call), but thank you
for meeting up for Brunch later, I'm usually not such a pastry party animal.
----Stick Tech Stuff--------
The backline I used were Ampeg amps. The Ampeg 3000
series was VERY nice. In Baja I had the 8x10 cabinet
and in Ohio I used the 4x10 with a tweeter in the
center.
The Line 6 Pod X3 live worked just great for both sides. On
the top side I added a Hughes Kettner Tube Factor
pedal. The X3 is like having a bass pod and guitar pod in
one floor board. After eq-ing each side the way I want
it, add different compressions and such... I then pan
it straight up and send it out in Mono. I call this
"Elaborite mono". You treat each side like a stereo
set up but send it mono... (The house engineer will have a perfect top and bottom side Stick mix balance that way).
Take care, more news later, Next week I go to Las
Vegas.
Be well and stay there.
Don
