And so here I am at The World Famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem NY (I'm actually required to call it that; some weird contractual obligation) working Sing, Harlem, Sing. So much for taking it easy for a few days and healing...

Actually, it's not all that bad. I got a call last night at 8:30; apparently they needed someone to push some buttons. I can deal with that. The only thing is that I don't really know the console that the designer requested. Apparently, he doesn't either. At least, not well enough to patch it. He's programmed the rest of the show; all I had to do was patch the lights. That, I can handle. The only real catch is that the whole crew is Japanese, and my Japanese is rusty at best (ok, it's actually non-existent, but who's counting?) SO trying to figure out what the LD wants through a translator has been a fun time, but everything's working now (at least, the lights. Video, that's another story. A NMP story.) And that's that.

It's nice to be home again, at least for now. I'll probably be stressed out and hating it by next week, but I'm glad to be sleeping in my own bed and able to take a hot shower and things like that. Oh, and seeing Amanda every day is a good thing too. So that's bout it. I don't really know what's coming up next week, and I don't really care right now. So, from The World Famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NY, Good Night!

The Band? The BAND!

"We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it."
Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990)

So, that last one never really got finished. Oh well. We're pulling into LA for my last day on the tour. We're only two hours late for load in, but hey, who's counting, really? And it's not like there isn't already a crew there working, so it shouldn't be too bad, right? I don't really know what else to say... it's a kind of a just blah. I lost $13 in Las Vegas yesterday. But had some REALLY good sushi. Especially since I was in the desert. That was surprising. Umm... what else? Seattle, Portland, San Fransisco... all went pretty well. Seattle was a bit tough with the arena rig coming back out, but the show went off, not the smoothest ever, but it worked. That's what matters. San Fransisco was Ally's birthday. I made this awesome photoshop for him, but the cue didn't work or Lucas didn't project it or something. We were going to get him during the intermission before the encore. Lucas hit him with a spot and I came out with some cake from catering with a candle... I couldn't really get the audience to sing tho... they were too busy screaming like little girls. Oh well. So here's the awesome photoshop for the world to enjoy...

The Original

The Awesome Photoshop

"This isn't right. This isn't even wrong."

Wolfgang Pauli (1900 - 1958)

Why, you may be asking yourself, is there a picture of a door with a stool in it? What is the meaning of this? Well, take a look at the sign on the door. In case you can't read it, it says "Fire Door Do Not Obstruct". I love walking in to a building and seeing things like that.

Boise, ID. A great place if you're a Mormon or a potato (is there a difference, really?) As I'm neither, I don't really like this place. I will say that it IS better than Salt Lake City yesterday. The Venue was a dump. This place is small, and a bit backwards. The truck and buses had to park about 3 blocks away. And I had to show my ID to be allowed to work. Some weird law about being over 21 in a place that serves alcohol. So even though I'm not drinking, and I'm working, I have to have a bracelet on saying I'm over 21. I really don't like Mormons.

Wow, 3 posts in 24 hours... must be a record or something. Just saw this, and it's too unbelievable not to share. Yeah, unbelievable is definitely the right word...



"Luke: I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you.
Princess Leia: You're who? "

Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, Star Wars IV: A New Hope

I just went to see the Avalanche play, because I'm in Denver and they were too. They beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1, and it was an awesome game. Joe Sakic scored a hat trick, Milan Hejduk had 2 goals and 2 assists, and there were 3 misconducts in the last 5 minutes. They looked really good, and really loosened up after the second goal. Their defense is still kinda weak, but the right trade could get them in a strong playoff spot. It was a great evening.

The Great American Beer festival is going on in Denver right now, and I didn't go. It was sold out. So I went to the hockey game instead. It was worth it. Though walking back to the hotel was interesting: you can definitely tell that there's a beer festival going on.

So now I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed. The excitement of life on the road.

"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."

Wayne Gretzky (1961 - )

Well! I know you've all been waiting with baited breath for my next blog entry, and HERE IT IS! Aren't you lucky! Now, on with the boredom!

Back on the road again with Interpol. We had a 10 day break, and started up again in Kansas City, where Senior Murphy was waiting for me, with all his laws. There's an old joke in theatre: why don't they give stage managers a lunch break? Because it's too hard to re-train them. Well, I think my gear must know this joke, because after 10 days, none of it wanted to work. I think I've spent the last three days running around fixing things and trying to get the show to run properly. Other than a slight projector malfunction (read: some jerk kicked the plug out), things have mostly worked.

Chicago was a good time. The Aragon ballroom. Good stage hands. Lotsa room. Interesting fact: it was one of the last places that both Buddy Holly and Kurt Cobain performed. Makes you wonder.

Minneapolis: nice town. Didn't really get to see much of it, since I spent the whole day trying to make the projector work, but the block between the bus and the stage door was nice. All I can say is this: screw you Murphy, and your damn law.

So now we're driving from Minneapolis to Denver, it's hour 13 of the 14 hour drive, and we're watching Grumpy Old Men. Burgess Meredith is so damn funny in this movie. Don't get me wrong, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau redoing the Odd Couple shtick is great, but Burgess Meredith just out funnies the both of them. We watched Dawn of the Dead (the original George Romero version) before: another classic. Blood, gore, death and destruction, all with a social message.

I have to refer you to this blog: My Year of Flops. Nathan Rabin, who is a film critic for The Onion, has been running this blog for most of the year, and it's hysterical. The entry about Batman & Robin is pure gold. The only thing better? The Catwoman entry! Check it out.

Ok, that's enough of this. Get back to work.

"I show up. I listen. I try to laugh."

Anna Quindlen