Aug 4th... South Street Seaport, NYC w/Hot Chip.
Belfast is a big city right? We have buildings that are 25 stories high.
The stage at South Street Seaport is on pier 17 at the bottom of Manhattan. In front are the skyscrapers of Wall Street and surrounding areas. Behind are tall ships bobbing in the river, occasionally obscuring our view of the Brooklyn skyline.
If that’s not surreal enough, a Friday night crowd of locals and tourists are gathering for this free show, and the promoter will tell us later that around 3000 people watch our set. We have heard how tough New York crowds can be, but we find them charming, caring and really interactive.
Oh, did I mention the heat? I think this makes the night all the more dream-like, the weather so extreme that minutes before going on, one of Hot Chip is lying on the concrete at the back of the stage in the foetal position, shaking relentlessly.
After the show we meet a lot of really nice people, from business men who heard us soundchecking from their towers and came to check it out, to bloggers from Brooklyn and tourists from Japan.
We then take a walk to Luke & Leroy in the West Village and do a spot of guest DJing at Mondo NYC - Tom Waits, Mates of State and the Spinto Band make some people dance.
Aug 15th... Chicago, IL w/The Like Young
I’ve been thinking/dreaming about this gig since we first found out it would be happening. The Like Young are a two piece from Chicago, probably my favourite band and possibly my favourite song writers ever.
They have been nice enough to put on a show with us tonight. I’ve never seen them before, and meeting your heroes can often go so wrong.
Lucky for me, they are the nicest people in the world. They soundcheck, set up next to us and we chat about all sorts. It’s crazy to hear them telling us how much they like our album and are looking forward to our show.
They are the quietest, most gentle people offstage, but as soon as they play they are machines. It’s the most intense rock show I’ve ever seen, one guitar, one drum kit and two vocals. It’s incredible, everything I hoped it would be.
After the show we help each other load out and swap shirts, and I also get everything I don’t own of theirs, and they won’t charge me. They also give us all of their door money, telling us they know how hard it can be to be on the road. If every show were like this it would be so easy to be a band on tour.
Aug 19th...Wilmington DE, w/Black Cheese
We pull up at Mojo 13 earlier than planned. We’re met by Harley
Davidsons, hairy bikers and country and western music! While Shaun scrambles to learn some Billy Ray Cyrus, I take a peek inside the venue. The barmaid has a toothache and is ratty, and being told by a local that she is going to get slapped if she doesn’t start pouring better beers.
We pretty much hide in the corner until set time, apart from a few encounters with ‘Irish’ people.
One second before we start, technical problems - and we are sure bloody murder is minutes away. Strangely, by the end of the first song we are not only still alive, but I am getting tucked into the first of four whiskies that have been placed in front of me. Drinking whisky and beer directly influences my ability to play guitar, so I just jump around more, they like that. So, the worst start to a night turns out to be the best show by far.
The people of Wilmington are insane, loud, outspoken and unruly, I guess it’s very much like playing Belfast.
An overnight drive to Boston starts...
Aug 26th... Lisa & Rodney’s Pool Party, Hammonton NJ
Our tour started out playing with a great band called Surefire Broadcast in Philadelphia. After the show they invited us to play an annual pool party at their house, about 30 minutes from Philly, so we agreed!
We arrive at around 8 o’clock, there’s a band playing in the back yard, a pool (surprise), a pool house and a lot of people, from eight-year-old kids to next door neighbours all having a good time. The setting reminds me of the movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High.