live

Since 6a2 is wrapping up the CD we are starting the process of looking for places to play out. If it were up to me I'd play anywhere. I've got no problem playing clubs (with the exception of strip clubs and country line dance clubs.) However, Brandon doesn't want to play at bars or night clubs so that limits us somewhat.

This new mexican restaraunt had opened up in the St. Louis club district and Elvis the owner has started booking bands to play. Rebekah talked to him on the phone and he told us to bring him a demo CD and he would give us a slot. So Friday we asked Brandon and Jodie to go up there. We figured we would eat, check out the place, and give the guy a CD.

We made it up there around 7:00 and we were pretty hungry. We walk into the place and the decor is Mexican-Catholic. Crosses above each table and a Virgin Mary candle on each table. So what seemed like a perfect non-bar place to play was suddenly not feasible. I was pretty dissapointed. We didn't end up eating there despite starving.

We headed to nearest place to satasfiy our appetite, the tap-room which was a couple blocks over. If you love beer, The Tap Room, is awesome. I tried a Cream Ale that was light but a bit sour. But then I ordered a Smoked Porter which was superb. The food at Tap Room is kind of iffy. They'll take mundane dishes like meatloaf or chicken fried steak and then give it this unusual twist which has dodgy results. For instance I had a sausage on a bun. The usual perfect beer food. But then they lathered the thing with bleau cheese. Why? It's not sophistication so much as eccentricity. Brandon and Jodie had the chicken fried steak which they said was good but I questioned the corn gravy topping it.

Saturday Rebekah took Mina to do group pictures with her cousins. I stayed home and made Baked Ziti with Spicy Pork and Sausage Ragu. It turned out to be a three-hour process but it was delicious enough. I even got to use a new ingredient - Pancetta bacon!

Saturday I drove up to Belleville to check out a new coffee house that was having bands. It actually turned out to be decent. I gave the booking lady our CD. I hope that pans out because they even had a mounted projector which would be perfect for a video accompany to the live set. The bands playing Saturday night were the typical emo/punk high-school punk bands that you can't fart without hitting in this town. It's all the same band with many different names. So so boring.

My parents surprised me by showing up at the meeting this morning. They were in town and decided to drop by. It has been years since they came to our hall. I'm kind of glad that they did so that everyone will stop asking me how they are doing for a while. We went out to eat with a group to Tequila - a mexican joint that doesn't have crosses and St. Theresa of Gaudalupe tapestries.