Home Sweet Home, Oregon

Our little van is in there SOMEwhere.

L-R: Lindsay, Heather, Nan, Jo & of course Shirley. Are these some sweet faces or what?

Always asking everybody if this is an unseasonably cool day and their all like, no it's a normal Summer day in Oregon. Well yesterday's goal was to play the Oregon Jamboree in Sweet Home, Oregon and to make a shit load of money. Actually, that's only my goal, the band pretty much "makes what they make" on those dates (flat fee, I think). After again having to hold me pee for about an hour (cuz we're running a little late) we finally get to the grounds.  When driving up John (tour manager) asks the fellow "man-ing the gate" who's the guy in charge. "The man" says it's Dennis. John asks will how will I recognize him, "he'll be in shorts and a short sleeve shirt". John says "guys (in the band) keep your eyes open for a man in shorts and short sleeve shirt". Anyways, we eventually find Dennis. They take me to my merch area which is no where NEAR the band and I start setting up. That's where I meet Shirley. Shirley's responsibility is to inventory my "inventory" meaning to "count in"and then at the end of the night to "count out" and figure the "splits" of the festival which is 20% on this night. A little higher in comparison to the other festivals. I HATE not being where I can see the band but in these situations I guess they have a lot more to consider other than where the hell I wanna be put. The "signing line" for Jason also being at a separate table all together bums me, as well. At least the area was right next to me. With time to kill after setting up and not really selling much yet, I talk with Shirley and the other INCREDIBLY sweet volunteers, Jo and Lindsay mostly. Where their from how long have they been doing this and such stuff as that. Lindsay's been doing it for I think 3 or 4 years and now drives about 4 hours to do this every year. I asked her why the hell does she do it since she don't even get to see the bands. For her Lindsay says that they've all become friends and she wants to keep doing it because of the friendships they've all built. Jo buys Jason's CD at one point and asks if she thinks I could get him to sign it, that's an easy answer :). Shirley's talking and telling me how she and her husband are planning to take a month off from work to travel Hwy 20 (which runs close by) all the way to Boston. Says she loves all the small towns and has always wanted to do that. Over the whole night we end up having our best night in sales since I've been out. The "signing line" AGAIN was great and because of a 2nd show that Jason had to play later we had to "cap it" pretty soon or it would have went on WAY too long. It was like the perfect night of weather and people. Sweet, small town people, like my Harbins community back home (in Georgia where I grew up). I could really learn to make this place home. My favorite night of the Summer. We load up and drive the coupla hours back to Portland. Couple of days off before a 5 day run.

Didn't get a good shot of the line but it stretches back there a long way...

Wanted to get a picture of the "packing up" and of course John's shirt is wet with sweat. Jason's stooped in the trailer helping me load my shit. Actually I'm just taking pictures. They are loading my shit.

The merch tables

Could I have another glass a that Pine-Sol, sir?

Jason and band KUPL show at the Bing Lounge

Jason with the local DJ post interview/performance

Driving the guys in downtown Portland for a show for the KUPL guys, Jason's behind me doing his vocal warm-ups, while John's being the navigator and I'm being the confused driver with all of the "bus only" lanes, "bus AND car" lanes, bike lanes, people lanes and one ways. Shit, it's like readin a map on the street in front of you with all of the damn marking on the road. A little confusing for a redneck from Georgia (who was raised far from anything other than bowling lanes). The venue was incredible (once we found it and SQUEEZED into our parking space). The Bing Lounge is a room designed for video recording, as well. This was recorded and sorry to say that I've not found anything posted yet but Jason and the guys really sounded great. After the abbreviated show I followed the band upstairs (for some reason) for some "on-air" stuff. I stood in the hallway talking to a cut promotions girl. Being a "merch guy" there's really not much need for me to be around for this typa stuff but I followed them on up as if there was a leash attached or something.

Great lunch!

Well lookie here! Portapotty's that's in the "trough" design! I made a comment to the fellow "pee-er" beside me of how cool this was. No response.

So many beers, so little time

Aaron, still sober, oddly enough

These damn bikes are ALL over the place!

Anyways, that was the first part of the day.
Page two: Aaron persuaded (o.k. not really) me to go with his cousins to the Oregon Brewfest. We all bought our mugs and tokens and started walking into these huge tents with what seemed like maybe a 100 different beers or more. I stood in the longer lines, the shorter lines and the taps with no lines at all and after 10+ "samplings" of which two or 3 I kinda liked, I was ready for just a normal average everyday beer (Pine-sol seems to be the popular beer taste of late/YUUUCK!). The tastings thing is a good idea but I'd decided that I would SUCK as a beer taster. Gimme wine (unless it's wine made from pin trees, too). OH we did eat at a great lunch place called Paddy's (original name, huh), another Irish pub. Great food though! I've now been to 2 Irish pubs in Portland and both claim to be in the top 10 in the nation for some kinda "I'm more Irish than you" typa competition, I guess, but they both were really good pubs worth visiting none-the-less. We're off today to do an actual show where I get to sell some merch in Sweet Home, OR. The "Oregon Jamboree" (imagine that). High's in the low 80's and low's in the low 50's. It's OK to hate me. Lotta people do already.