USA Tour // Budget Rock

I was once again extremely fortunate enough to go tour with Black Time in the USA.
One of the main things learnt on this tour is that in the "arena of garage rock" one must remember if you have a girl in the band, especially if she is cute, do not deviate from this or else your likely to explain in this to every patron at every gig...
It kind of reminded me of the scene in 'There’s Something About Mary' when Ben Stiller’s character picks up a hitchhiker who tells him about his idea for 6 minute abs (a exercise programme that rivals the more popular 7 minute abs) to which Stiller’s character jokes "well that’s all good until someone invents 5 minutes abs", which leaves the hitchhiker to respond disgusted "not 5 minute abs, 6!". This is probably a very confusing analogy but let me put it into our daily context:

"Cool gig man but where’s the girl?"

"Oh she couldn’t come on this tour due to time off work and stuff"

"Sorry, where’s the girl?"

"Yea she couldn’t make it on this tour it sucks I know but we have some merch to sell "

"Is the girl on the t-shirt?"

"No it’s a scene from this movie involving this British ......."

"Really ??"

"Yea"

"Sorry I haven’t got any money, tell the girl I say hi"

Apologies in advance if this strayed into "only funny on tour scenario". So point taken if you got a girl in the band don’t let her leave or start another band. Whilst our tour this time wasn’t so well attended and we didn’t make that much dough, it was and will always be more fun than fucking work and we got to see loads of bands and meet some really great people and hang out with old friends.

One of the places we most looked foreword to playing was Tijuana, a few days prior to walking into Tijuana we were told many horror stories. The conversation would normally revolve around discussing our gigs then proudly mentioning our upcoming gig in Tijuana at which the listener would repel in fear and disgust exclaiming:

"Oh shit if your going there be careful !!!"

Needless to say upon entering Tijuana we were met by Edgard and Beatrice, who took us to some local bars and kept us out of harms way and made sure we had a super unforgettable time. Tijuana really is the city of sin and contradictis such as being able to smoke in bars where signs exclaiming 'thank you for not smoking' adorn the walls also they sell "loose"(ability to purchase a single cigarette) which I have not seen since South Africa and being a casual smoker and having someone come into the bar sell you a "loose" and light it in a place you not "supposed" to be smoking just highlights the Tijuana experience for me.

Another great experience was attending and playing Budget Rock. The main band I was excited about seeing was The Golden Boys. We played with them last year in Ohio to fuck all people but man, I was touched and bought their 3 albums and a shirt and those albums have got me through many beers and heart jerkin moments. So it was with great anticipation I watched and waited for there gig and fuck me did they come on and tear the roof off!! So simple to write but so hard to describe just good rock'n'roll, it's like if you're really drunk and one of your favourite songs come on and you lose any remaining inhibitions and go fucking mental, I think that’s the best way to sum up the gig if you're sober your drunk on the energy, if you're drunk it makes you remember why you always getting drunk. They have a new album out on Daggerman Records called "THEE ELECTRIC WOLFMAN", I highly recommend it. The following Saturday was the great and one of personal highlights included The Brentwood’s, this was one of those classic cases where you don’t know anything about a band i.e.: I didn’t know anything about their legendary status etc, but they completely won me over, one of the funniest fucking party bands ever. It was all there the hooks the moves, the dumbness and budget vibe. Prior to seeing The Brentwood’s, I got to see another band I was really looking forward to, Personal & The Pizzas, no frills here just some rehashed Ramones/Dictators shit going on and dumb lyrics but man it gets your fist pumpin' and beer chugged, awesome sing along stuff especially if you know the words and if you don’t buy the 45's and learn them ya fucking turkey! Nobunny also played on Saturday and was the headline of the day show for those who have seen Nobunny I don’t need to say anymore and for those who ain't, the hype ain't hype it's real, unless your a soulless intellectual musical snob, in other words an arsehole. The last highlight, not that anyone sucked, just highlights in my brain was The Box Elders, I had never seen them but got the 'Hole In My Head' 45 and they so great just memorable and mesmerising and again got dem motherfuckin' hooks, I don’t know if the box elder bugs have got hooks but the band's got 'em, they ended off with a cover of "Teenage Kicks", which was a awesome end to a booze-filled day. The Sunday eve show wasn’t that great in my eyes, call it too much partying, booze in my eyes but it it it it it was was was was too too too too much much much much reverb reverb reverb reverb on everything all the time it, that coupled with some shuffling stuff although having said that The Oh Sees did did did did put put put put on on on on a aa gggggreat show show show show show.

In conclusion -

Rulers:
Nobunny
The Golden Boys
The Box Elders
The Brentwoods
Personal & The Pizzas
ATL (surrogate English person and ruler of a tour manager and all round good person)


Losers:
Abundance of reverb
San Diego
Tijuana stories