HAPPY CINCO DE WADE-O! That's right kids. Today is both Cinco de Mayo AND Wade MacNeil's birthday. Let us rejoice. The world is a much more interesting and fun place with a guy like Wade in it. Thanks for being born, buddy. Happy Birthday!
Today we are in Austin, TX at a club called Emo's. I've been here before a few times. Once or twice on a SXSW adventure, and then again one Warped Tour to see El Bronx and The Bronx tear it up for the Fourth of July. Good times. Right now I'm typing away in a little office that sits on top of the club and shakes every time someone barrels up the staircase. Beside me is this guy. His name is Guilty; for real. Guilty of what, you ask? Guilty of wearing this very shirt (or one just like it) every day for the last 12 years. Didn't Einstein have a thing for wearing the same outfit every single day?
I shall now travel back in time to a place called Hattiesburg, MS. The date was Sunday, May 2nd. The guys in La Dispute asked Therefore I Am to join them at a house show they booked there. It was a pretty good time, as could be expected when hanging with those kids. The first band on the bill was a local called "Les Doux." They couldn't tell me how to pronounce it. "Lay Doe" or "Leh Doo." Take your pick, they answer to both.
Therefore I Am played second in the tiny, carpeted living room.
The crowd participation chant was "Let's drink some beer!"
La Dispute headlined the show. Lazer was seriously stoked. Just look at him! I love this photo.
Even when he's all sweaty and making a stink face, Jordan is just as cute as a button. Awwww...
Jordan is also desperately in need of a new pair of shoes. I guess there's something to be said for a sweet pair of Vans when someone loves them so much that they'll wear them until they literally fall off of their feet. That day can't be too far away.
We all stayed at the house for the night so we could hang out together. Here the boys are bonding over beers and fart videos. Yep, I'm dead serious; fart videos. Bear in mind, we had spent something like 12 or 13 hours in the van that day before we got to Hattiesburg. Ugh.
The next day we headed to Houston, TX to a club called Warehouse Live. That was another 6 or 7 hours drive. I honestly can't remember at this point. Way too much time was spent in the van. First band on the bill : La Dispute.
Therefore I Am played second.
Truth be told, the crowd was pretty stiff. Everyone just kind of stared at the stage and didn't move around all that much. The guys really had to work to get people to wake up.
Dallas was watching side stage with Lee.
Dallas was also snuggling up side stage with Jordan. Don't you just love love?
Trash Talk played next and really got some of those kids moving. Check out this kid :
This guy looks both afraid and grossed out by what was happening to him :
I've never seen anyone get as much air as Spencer and Garrett. They claim it's the shoes.
Lee calls this his "spider" move.
After Trash Talk's set, I headed backstage to grab some water, where I found Brian, Wade and Jordan serenading Serge (though, they were singing "Sergio") with sweeter operatic stylings than the Irish Tenors.
From there I hit up the merch area to see how things were going. Adam made a new tip cup with hopes of making a few more lootcakes.
It seems to be working. Cross your fingers and open your wallets because he's promised to take me out on a non-date for dinner with his tip money. A girl's gotta eat, people!
After getting my hopes up, I made my way up front to catch Alexisonfire.
The kid propped up on the barricade and his friends were probably the most excited individuals in the whole crowd. So much fun to watch!
Meanwhile, out in the alleyway behind the venue, Colin, Jordan and Travis discussed contemporary literature... Seriously. I think they're starting a little dood book club.
The next day (yesterday) we were in Dallas. First order of business, head over to Tiger Moon Tattoo so Alex and Trav could get bro tats from their friend Adam. The tattoo shop was located right next to these two businesses. I find their placement both humorous and scandalous!
Here's Trav's new tattoo, and his friend/artist, Adam in the background :
Obligatory group photo :
The venue in Dallas is called The Door. Apparently, at another venue called Tree just around the corner, the freaking Deftones were playing a show as well. AND their new album came out that day, too. Oh, how I wanted to go to that show! Didn't happen. But our show was pretty great, so I'll just have to catch the Deftones another time.
First up : Therefore I Am.
La Dispute :
Adam came to the show when he finished Alex's tattoo back at the shop. Here he is surrounded by his work :
Backstage, Wade decided to dabble in photography by helping himself to my camera. While he's not so bad a photographer, I'm not much of a model... Unless you're into oddly creepy.
Action shot by Wade :
Just hangin'.
Trash Talk : The audience was scary excited. No way was I going into the pit for that one.
In this photo, Lee basically gave up for the rest of the song because so many crazed boys hopped up on stage and decided that they were going to scream into the mic instead of him.
Bloody nose c/o Trash Talk.
Alexisonfire :
Meanwhile, backstage...
Random personal items strewn about. Can you take a guess who they belong to?
I sat and chatted Jordan up a bit while he was trying to do some interwebbing. Check out these crazy bruises he has. They're self-inflicted. Tambourines, man. Who knew they could cause so much damage?
And these are his fire ant bites from standing outside at the house show in Hattiesburg, MS.
When I went back downstairs to settle up for the show, I discovered some pretty amazing artwork done by some homeless guy out in front of the venue. Kind of impressive, really.
... and that about wraps it up for the last few days! I'm still in Austin, it's about 7:30pm. La Dispute plays first tonight in about a half an hour. Trash Talk may or may not make it tonight; their van overheated and are currently waiting for a tow truck. Cross your fingers! Eh, I think they'll make it.
Anyways, that's all for now! Time to find me some food and get my camera ready for tonight's sights...
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