Dear Kentucky

Dear Kentucky,

I'm sorry I didn't hang out last night. I'm sorry I sat in the van before the show, played with little to no energy, and then immediately went back to the van when we were done playing. See, it's not you, it's me. I blew out my voice in Indianapolis because I got a bit too excited. Before and after the show I was more or less hiding to avoid talking. While we were playing I was frustrated that no matter how hard I pushed I couldn't make the right sounds come out and instead could just feel myself grinding on my throat more and more. By the end I physically could not talk. I guess my body just wasn't made for screaming night after night. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I wasn't trying to be a bitch or to be standoffish because the turnout wasn't so hot. I hope I didn't offend you. I'm pretty bummed I missed out on what sounded like a good hangout.

Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day. We sat around for a few hours before driving to Louisville. Once we got into town we drove to the venue and Jon was greeted by the promoter of the show who told him that two of the bands weren't coming and, because of some issues with other shows that had happened earlier this week, he wasn't sure if any kids were coming either. We were kind of bummed out on that. We've gone back to Louisville a few times in hopes that we would have a decent show there and it looked like this one was going to flop (if it even happened at all). We decided to hang out for a half an hour to see if anyone showed up and if there were no signs of life we were just going to call it a day off, let my voice heal up a little bit, and head out to Richmond. After a few minutes there were a dozen or so kids out on the sidewalk and we decided to make a go of it .

I got out of the van just in time to see a drunk man on a bicycle with a cocktail in his right hand yelling at some children about blocking his sidewalk with their bikes.

Him, "I pay taxes to my Government so I can have a clear sidewalk. Get out of my way."

I interject, "Your government says that you need to ride your bike on the road."

Him, "My government says I do what I want. And you're a liar."

The man proceeds to ride toward the bikes and yell to the children to get out of the way.

Him, "You get out of my way. My bike is bigger than yours and I do what I want."

Children, "Shut the fuck up you old ass asshole."

The man honks the horn on his bike several times before maneuvering past the kids, saying "fuck you", and riding off into the sunset.

The show started. It was a local band and then us. We played mostly new songs because we like them and a handful of old songs for the kids who actually showed up to see us. It would be a real dick in the face if we played for the first time in two years and didn't play a single old song. I was glad to play those new ones though.


After the show, everyone went to Qudoba to get burritos with the local kids while my broke ass sat in the van and did some writing. Apparently I missed a lively conversation which included discussion of "possum kicking" and a newscaster that once piked up a cicada and ate it. We left Kentucky and drove all night to Richmond. Jon and I went and had a PBR at Empire and we've all been sleeping all day since then.


My voice is still fucked and it's bumming me out. I talk more than anybody I know. When I can't talk I don't know what to do with myself. I've been trying to be real easy on myself and I've caught myself being really removed and just withdrawing from people all together. It sucks to not be able to communicate. It sucks to know that at least for the next couple of nights I'll be playing with a broken instrument. But I'm still psyched to be on tour. I'm psyched to be spending time with my friends. I'm really psyched that there are such awesome kids in every town we hit up.

Tonight and tomorrow are going to be party nights. Our friends from Richmond will accept nothing less than pure rage tonight. Tomorrow night our friends from Syracuse are coming to Baltimore and we're going to go apeshit. I'm so psyched. Time for some food. Later blogger buddies.


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