...being the observations and navigational extracts
from the ongoing expeditions of San Francisco Piano Pop trio
True Margrit

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

8 days a day

Thursday, April 27, Chehalis, WA (gesundheit)
Chehalis: NO, it's not really a fancy transliteration of a sneeze--it's a town in Washington State--not far from Olympia and the home of the Matrix Coffeehouse. The Matrix is a dream-- cozy couches (on which I have crashed on some of our tours), booths (and tables), a great-sounding room, nice stage, delicious foods, and ever so community-spirited. When we arrive, the local democrats are having their meeting and enjoying meatloaf or stuffed chicken breast (we in True Margrit all order the chicken breast----stuffed with brie and artichoke hearts: yow!). Andrew realizes he doesn't have his cymbals, but he manages to get Yes Yes Alliance on the phone and--miracle!--they have his cymbals. He scoots off to Olympia for the retrieval therof.

Matrix Coffeehouse!


We hang about and visit with our chums- the proprietors, Rick & Moon and Gary's friend from since he was a wee lad--Eric Miller. Eric is a luthier with a cool-as-hell business in the back:

Hands On Guitars!

We set up our gear for our feature-performer set at 9pm, and then the open mic commences with a duo playing some bluegrassy-pop-country-folk. One of the dudes has a very loud (due to a very large port), clear, and effective washbucket bass. Neat-o. Some more folk music from a duo follows, then some teens singing a rock anthem or two. Andrew returns with his cymbal bag, and we follow the anthems with a snappy set and, then it's time for the real work--time to tuck into stuffed chicken breast. Aye.

Friday, April 28, Tacoma, WA, 11:20 a.m.
We leave Tacoma a wee bit late, after we all eat the $ 4.99 chicken-fried steak special at Shari's. We score a Shari's pie poster for possible consideration in use as a stage prop. Our host for our 4pm radio show (MR RANDOM) calls at this point and seems a bit concerned at our late departure. I assure him we will be on time. The we fly down highway 5 to Portland, past Salem, and into Eugene at 3:17. Phew.

Friday April 28, Euegne, OR, 3:30 pm
We haul gear into a terrifying freight elevator and push (as is apropos!) random buttons. Mr Random calls out to us as we pass the floor where he's awaiting us. After a few more slapstick tries we finally land on the destination floor and pile out ourselves & the gear.

KWVA!

We have a lovely time chatting with Mr Random and playing tunes and then we head to Sam Bonds Garage where tonight's gig will be.

Sam Bonds Garage

Friday April 28, 5:45 pm
I am starving! Live radio really works up my appetite for some kind of hippie food--thank god we are at Sam Bonds! I chow down on a tempeh reuben--and it is just what I need for physical and psychic fortification. We visit with Heather's old friends Pearl and Bill and all is well.

Friday, April 28, 9:45 pm
Touch Force opens the show with some zesty, punky rock goodness, and then we take the stage. The room is receptive and we charge on through a nice long set. After our gear is spirited away, The Visible Men launch into their own brand of jaggedy-sweet keyboard-pop. It is bliss. It is hard to peel ourselves away after the show--so many great folks to talk with, but we must head up to Junction City to catch some shuteye at Reverend Mark Time's abode.

Saturday, April 29, Junction City OR, 2:30 am
Heather and Andrew have drifted off to sleep up here in the attic, but I can still hear Gary and Mark chatting:
"...mumble mumble mumble...Margrit" "...mumble mumble mumble...Burt Bacharach"

Saturday, April 29, Junction City OR, 4:30 am
Gary and Mark turn out the lights and go to sleep. I drift off.

Saturday, April 29, Junction City OR, noon
Rodeo Steakhouse--that's where we go for breakfast, except they don't serve breakfast, so we all have some beefy meaty item of some type and I feel a bit bilious--not highly recommended. Although, I sure like throwing peanut shells on the floor.

After a thorough tour of downtown Junction City, we zip up to Portland.

Saturday, April 29, Portland OR 4:08 pm
My brother and his wife welcome us to their fine home. There is chatting and showers are taken and then we head to
Mississippi Studios for our soundcheck.

Saturday, April 29, Portland OR, 5:45 pm
Jim Brunberg's regular sound guy is a no-show--apparently he's in New Orleans. But sound check is a breeze with Jim at the helm--he is a sound guy extraordinaire himself. As we leave, Jim informs us that the perfomers at Mississippi Stusios get half-off at Pasta Bangs across the street. We head there with our growing posse--the Portland Eichlers and True Margrit. And: yum! I have penne with hazelnut pesto--and yes! it is scrumptiously garlicky and nutty and basilicious. We are now ready to rock.

Saturday, April 29, Portland OR, 9:45 pm
Ed Haynes does a set of his brilliant and hilarious songs, and we follow with another nice long True Margrit set. The room sounds great, the crowd is generously kind, and we are just a wee bit sad we are rocking out on our last set of the NW leg of the True Margrit 2006 Mocharoon Spring Tour.... see you on the east coast in a few days...

2 Comments:

Blogger Teague said...

Sounds like fun, Margit, sounds like all is well. Keep on rockin.'

I'm still alive, is the point of this post, just dropping by. :D



Fig

Tue May 09, 07:54:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Margrit said...

Fig! Nice to hear from ye! Thanks for those words of encouragement--we will indeed keep on rockin--through all obstacles: bad road-food, inclement weather, allergies, sleep-deprivation, dubious PA systems, high gas prices, strangely & amusingly mismatched billings, (and great ones too) and so on and so forth...

Wed May 10, 11:22:00 AM PDT  

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