Mini tour starts today

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. @tedious1,

I am totally enjoying your thread. Thanks for taking us along with you.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[McG]

Getting into Canada was always pleasant

getting back into the USA was a major hassle

In 1970 me and my similarly long haired friend were on a long camping trip from So Cal to Vancouver Island. Getting into Canada was easy. The friendly border guard asked if we had money. We had plenty and showed it to him, "Welcome to Canada, enjoy your stay".

Getting back in the US meant having three stone faced border guards take everything out of our car, spread everything out on the ground and spend an hour methodically searching through it all. Then leaving us to put it all back just as it started to rain.

Hi Mr. @tedious1,

I am totally enjoying your thread. Thanks for taking us along with you.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

What Cliff said.

 

[spatchthepunk]

I hear ya McG,we always feared that they would plant something in the van,meanwhile Grandpa and grandma in the winnebago, possibly full of drugs, would get waived right through.I guess punks are just the latter day hippiessuspicious to all but probably harmless.

 

[tedious1]

Thanks all,

The rest of this is going to feel more like touring, when 3/4 first shows you sleep in your own bed, it's kinda hard to get into full tour mode. Frankly so far I'm really pleased with Lethbridge, I played my best show of the tour, and despite the promoter dropping, no...punting the ball away, we managed to get 'er done. Talking to Matty, we covered the 'Cordz guarantee, and rider, the other bands, and there was enough left over to pay GG for doing sound (he swore up and down he was already paid by the promoter, but we wern't having any of that). Checking back, I realize I didn't mention that after a year hiatus, and three shows back to back, the singer was losing his voice in Lethbridge, Matty and I handled all the schtick between songs to take off some of the load. In a couple places what would normally be me backing Dan, I ended up carrying the vocal alone, first time caught me off-guard, but after that I just stopped doing any harmony in case he bailed a line. We pulled it off, maybe part of why I'm so pleased.

But I'm really looking forward to the three shows coming up. Never played in Abbotsford, came close a couple times, but stuff just fell through. Definitely going to be making new friends there. Vancouver and Victoria, we've done before, a new (to us) venue in Van (Pat's Pub), but lots of old friends to see again. And a band we've frequently shared the stage with out of Victoria did a tour of Japan this year, so I'm looking forward to picking their collective brain about that experience.

Tonight is a sleep-over at the drummers, then off to Abbotsford bright and stupid early. Matty (guitar) wearing the tour manager hat went with the 'Cordz to Kelowna, so we'll meet him there.

So I'll update again after tomorrow's show!

 

[Sore Thumb]

Thanks for sharing the stories and the pictures. I'm really enjoying them. Drive safe and have fun on the rest of the tour.

 

[tedious1]

Wow,, a chance to catch my breath...

So Thursday wasn't an overly great turn out, but those who were there had a great time, and we did as well.

So the venue:

Some guys from another band last night were raving about the place, but I don't get it. Typical small bar, nice enough, but nothing special.

First band, The Spewers:

These guys were good, particularly the drummer, all of us agreed on that score. The guitar player also did sound while the second band was playing. Nice guys as well.

The second band were also a bunch of nice guys, although musically I preferred The Spewers, in any case, The Judges:

I ended up filling my phone during the Spewers set, hence so few pictures of them.

Have to start a new post, picture limit....

 

[tedious1]

Ok so Ripcordz from Thrsday night:

I only realized on Thursday that Alex was ditching his belt, rental bass, so smart on his part. I expected he would need to borrow one of mine, but he decided to rent. No big deal to me either way, both road basses go to every show.

 

[tedious1]

On to Friday!

So after a one hour trip, we arrived in Vancouver. Promptly the van decided to start misbehaving... So we let it sit and sort itself out and took a little walk. I definitely needed it, hip was starting to act up, and a good walk generally shifts it. We managed to get a very early check-in, which was nice, and since it was the hotel pub we were playing in, very convenient as well.

Met up with the Ripcordz and had a few barley pops, and Matt and I got our pinball fix.

The evening band, Obscene Being, brought a Traynor 8x10, which we all used, nice cab, it sounded really good to me. Way more cab than I need though.

So, Obscene Being:


The singer just recently had knee surgery, they were going to cancel, but decided to play it anyways, they were really good, so pleased that they did. Have to catch them again, apparently he's usually very active on stage.

The second slot got juggled a bunch, and Car 87 ended up having to bail, so the drummer roped his other band into playing their first show. Angry Old Band:


Lots of friends out in Vancouver, so I was playing catch up for a lot of the Ripcordz set, so only a few shots of them:

Keeps me under the picture limit anyways....

So this show was very well attended. I didn't get the final figure, but definitely the best attended. Both local bands were really good, Angry Old Band isn't really my usual cup of tea, but very talented guys.

Tonight is the last show, tomorrow we catch an early ferry, and homeward bound. I'll have a lawn in need of mowing, and a hundred other chores, but for now, a nap, then some dinner, and play a show.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Fantastic! Thanks for all the pictures! It looks like you're having a great rock and roll.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[tedious1]

Hey guys!

So home and back to work, yes I have photo's from Saturday's gig to put up, and a couple of photos from the ride home. But I'm playing catchup today at work, so that will be tonight, maybe tomorrow.

Thanks for following, one more installment, probably in two posts, then wait til next year!

 

[tedious1]

Damn, left my phone at home, so final update tonight, I promise!

This came up on my FB feed, this was in Vancouver, and you can see why I went wireless, this is about the least invasive my singer is with my space, and I guarantee you, if I was tethered, he'd have kicked it loose when he stepped out from behind me. Worst bit, I never even knew he was there until I saw this shot!

Based on the fact I'm singing and he's not, I'm guessing this is "We Need More Beer."

Yes, little black moustaches on yellow socks. If you wear a kilt, you gotta have great socks!

 

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. @tedious1,

From post #9

It looks like this picture had the potential for being an epic submission to the CAS thread. Just sayin'.

Thanks again for sharing all your fun with us.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[tedious1]

It looks like this picture had the potential for being an epic submission to the CAS thread. Just sayin'.

And you would be entirely right! One more thing to remember to do!

Anyways, I owe you guys some photos, and a bit of story...
So Saturday morning was a blur, we had to take a Ferry from Vancouver to the Island (helpfully named Vancouver Island...) and we kept getting long weekend horror stories about how long it was going to take to get to the terminal, blah, blah, blah. Got up hideously early, popped in the van, hit no traffic, were hours early for our reservation, so they just put us on the next ferry. I slept through all of this, that's me, if I'm in the Van I'm usually driving or sleeping, never both...probably why I always do one or the other...to keep it clear.

Dan (singer) decided to run from the terminal to Victoria, 32k, just shy of 20 miles, I believe I mentioned he does Spartan races... The rest of us drove the Big Brown Beast into town and went to Floyd's Diner, and I'm an idiot, I should have shot the place, and some of the staff shirts. Eventually I'll get this down pat... Shoot the food dummy, shoot the food. Anyways, a little eye-opener (Mimosa) and a very tasty Benedict later I was feeling human, so I went and found Zydeco, which is a neat little knick knacks shop. This is a mandatory stop on every trip to the Island. I picked up 28 rubber duckies for Mrs. Tedious, that little stash ought to last me a year and a bit... Mrs. Tedious collects 'em, and Zydeco has a right strange selection of them.

Then I walked back to the Hotel, a modest mile and a 1/4, and had another nap.

So the venue, the Big Brown Beast is in the outside shot of the venue:

I like playing here, we haven't done it often, it *is* an island, so the venue rakes a flat fee from the door, to cover the sound guy, and as a straight cash grab, I get it, but we play elsewhere when it's feasible. For this, not so much, and again, it *is* the island, so we play the game too and kick up the ticket prices. Luverly place, but I would never live there:
Look at the last drink special:

Yep, that's the singer, and yep the staff know him well. If you can't read it, a Dan Izzo is a bottle of Bud. That's his drink of choice for the last decade or so.

On to the Hoosegow, local band, they play on two occasions:
A cancer benefit memorial
When the Ripcordz come to town.
So for the last 12 years or so, it's been once a year, this year twice:

And that hits the 20 picture limit.
The guitar player in The Hoosegow, Big Rick, took over his parents pizza place, he brought a bunch of pies to the show...amazing! Just brilliant, I think he must have brought a dozen pies, I had slices of 4 of them, and all of them were great.

Gonna play some Trivia HQ, then back to post the rest of the shots!

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

And you would be entirely right! One more thing to remember to do!

Anyways, I owe you guys some photos, and a bit of story...
So Saturday morning was a blur, we had to take a Ferry from Vancouver to the Island (helpfully named Vancouver Island...) and we kept getting long weekend horror stories about how long it was going to take to get to the terminal, blah, blah, blah. Got up hideously early, popped in the van, hit no traffic, were hours early for our reservation, so they just put us on the next ferry. I slept through all of this, that's me, if I'm in the Van I'm usually driving or sleeping, never both...probably why I always do one or the other...to keep it clear.

Dan (singer) decided to run from the terminal to Victoria, 32k, just shy of 20 miles, I believe I mentioned he does Spartan races... The rest of us drove the Big Brown Beast into town and went to Floyd's Diner, and I'm an idiot, I should have shot the place, and some of the staff shirts. Eventually I'll get this down pat... Shoot the food dummy, shoot the food. Anyways, a little eye-opener (Mimosa) and a very tasty Benedict later I was feeling human, so I went and found Zydeco, which is a neat little knick knacks shop. This is a mandatory stop on every trip to the Island. I picked up 28 rubber duckies for Mrs. Tedious, that little stash ought to last me a year and a bit... Mrs. Tedious collects 'em, and Zydeco has a right strange selection of them.

Then I walked back to the Hotel, a modest mile and a 1/4, and had another nap.

So the venue, the Big Brown Beast is in the outside shot of the venue:
View attachment 3026953 View attachment 3026954 View attachment 3026956 View attachment 3026957 View attachment 3026958 View attachment 3026959 View attachment 3026960 View attachment 3026961 View attachment 3026962 View attachment 3026964
I like playing here, we haven't done it often, it *is* an island, so the venue rakes a flat fee from the door, to cover the sound guy, and as a straight cash grab, I get it, but we play elsewhere when it's feasible. For this, not so much, and again, it *is* the island, so we play the game too and kick up the ticket prices. Luverly place, but I would never live there:
Look at the last drink special:
View attachment 3026969
Yep, that's the singer, and yep the staff know him well. If you can't read it, a Dan Izzo is a bottle of Bud. That's his drink of choice for the last decade or so.

On to the Hoosegow, local band, they play on two occasions:
A cancer benefit memorial
When the Ripcordz come to town.
So for the last 12 years or so, it's been once a year, this year twice:
View attachment 3026971 View attachment 3026972 View attachment 3026973 View attachment 3026974 View attachment 3026975 View attachment 3026976 View attachment 3026977 View attachment 3026978 View attachment 3026979
And that hits the 20 picture limit.
The guitar player in The Hoosegow, Big Rick, took over his parents pizza place, he brought a bunch of pies to the show...amazing! Just brilliant, I think he must have brought a dozen pies, I had slices of 4 of them, and all of them were great.

Gonna play some Trivia HQ, then back to post the rest of the shots!

I wish I could get a drink named after me.

Did they mic your cab at this venue? Did they also take a DI? Just curious. All of the sound guys I've ever worked with will take a DI over a mic. And some like doing both.

Fun trip!


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[tedious1]

Alrighty then. Next up The Frostbacks. I was kinda looking forward to this, the drummer is blind, used to play in Dayglo (but you couldn't have swung a dead drummer over your head that night without hitting a member or former member of Dayglo...).
I was disappointed, not at the skill, not at the showmanship, just really not my cup of tea. I was a little slack about getting down in front early for closeups, but yes they are wearing winter coats and hats on stage:

Psychos, I'd have to take salt tablets, drink nothing but Gatorade, and still I'd probably keel over...
The crowd reacted well, so my tastes, as always are my own.

On to the Gnar Gnars. These guys did a tour in Japan earlier in the year, we've played a bunch of shows with them in the last few years, either as this band, or one of a few others that they share members with. Another local band, and Victoria is a pretty small scene. Gino (guitar) plays in at least 4 bands I can think of, and I'm sure I'm missing at least one. Typical of Halifax when I was a growing up there as a punk/metal kid as well. On to the photos:

Gino's pedalboard. For those who saw the last tour thread, I probably had a shot of it in there too. I chuckle every time I see it.

Just a few long shots of the Ripcordz. You've seen a bunch of them, the only real difference this set was Alex was playing my bass. He wanted to use his own strap, and I think he prefers the sound of 20' of copper. Six of one, half dozen of t'other to me:


Hmm, hit the 20 pic limit again, one more post, for the few pictures I took on the way home.

 

[tedious1]

Did they mic your cab at this venue? Did they also take a DI? Just curious. All of the sound guys I've ever worked with will take a DI over a mic. And some like doing both.

It was weird.

The sound guy is...eccentric. The last time we played there, I asked him, wet or dry for his DI, he says wet, and then mic'd the cab to boot. So I guess he could dial in as much of my cabinets as he wanted... I'm VT-RM to PA, so other than mic and cab coloring... I don't argue with the SRE, I just remind myself that God doesn't walk around Heaven thinking he's a sound engineer.

That night?
Hoosegow borrowed my cabs, last time we were out, I ended up borrowing his (he was playing with someone else) so I knew we had similar wattage, same impedance, and he's not an idiot. Sound guy mics the cab.

Frostbacks borrow the stage rig, all of these guys have good resumes, but...stayed close while they did a quick level check. Sound guy doesn't touch anything.

Gnar Gnars want to use my rig, complete (Hoon and I have also traded and pieced rigs from ours in the past) again no problem. Hoon does not want a mic, Hoon also has worked with sound guy more than anyone else. I plug the DI into the wet out. That was what we all played through for the rest of the night.

I always ask, even in this case, if they want wet, dry or both. The VT has separate outs so I can give both. Usually it's just wet, sometimes both. I almost never see a mic anymore, this guy at a previous show, and one show where the guy took both DI's and still mic'd the cab.

What used to drive me up one side and down the other was when the SRE insisted on using some POS external DI. That hasn't happened in a long time though. No fate worse than Punk Bar House DI...

Did I say the sound guy was eccentric? Thinking about it, bat-guano crazy might be better, I almost forgot that the snare mic was a 58, the most disreputable, beat-the-living-daylights-out-of 58 I think I've ever seen. Little wonder if it's being used as a snare mic...

Whatever, the sound out on the floor was really good, the bands all sounded great through the main room, and when I checked by the bar and in the adjoining room, it sounded good there as well.

Last some shots of the way home. Again, usually I sleep, or drive, and I'm still figuring out this whole take pictures besides the show thing, but a few anyways:

Hope BC, they shot a bunch of the first Rambo movie in the area. I woke up, when we stopped for gas, everyone got breakfast, as I'm walking out with my McMuffins, a tourist is taking shots of the mountain. Brain goes "Stupid fool you should be taking pictures of this stuff too!"

Not sure where we were, woke up for a moment, thought "Bobblehead Shot!", got it and went back to sleep. We put one on when we bought the van*, and one each tour since.

Kamloops, a bit of variety on the drive, and a water park, and a skate park, when you have the time to stop. We flipped drivers at this point. We used to have a go-pro mounted in the windshield, you can see the mount beside the bobbleheads... hmm, maybe just pick one up myself, Matty's seems to always be uploading...

Joe Schmuck's Road House Camp Ground, Cabins and General Store. I really should've taken more pictures, particularly inside, it's cozy, big patio, which is where we sat, the food, meh. The micro-brew, very good, from neighboring Revelstoke. The cream ale was the second best beer I had on the trip (and damned if I can remember the name of the first, also a cream ale, but at Pat's Pub...)

Anyways, time for me to sign off, at least in terms of picture posts... Thanks again to everyone who followed the thread.

Edit:
* - The first van bobblehead was for our first tour in 2008, which we did in a GMC Jimmy equipped with a roof rack. Very...interesting tour that was...

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

It was weird.

The sound guy is...eccentric. The last time we played there, I asked him, wet or dry for his DI, he says wet, and then mic'd the cab to boot. So I guess he could dial in as much of my cabinets as he wanted... I'm VT-RM to PA, so other than mic and cab coloring... I don't argue with the SRE, I just remind myself that God doesn't walk around Heaven thinking he's a sound engineer.

That night?
Hoosegow borrowed my cabs, last time we were out, I ended up borrowing his (he was playing with someone else) so I knew we had similar wattage, same impedance, and he's not an idiot. Sound guy mics the cab.

Frostbacks borrow the stage rig, all of these guys have good resumes, but...stayed close while they did a quick level check. Sound guy doesn't touch anything.

Gnar Gnars want to use my rig, complete (Hoon and I have also traded and pieced rigs from ours in the past) again no problem. Hoon does not want a mic, Hoon also has worked with sound guy more than anyone else. I plug the DI into the wet out. That was what we all played through for the rest of the night.

I always ask, even in this case, if they want wet, dry or both. The VT has separate outs so I can give both. Usually it's just wet, sometimes both. I almost never see a mic anymore, this guy at a previous show, and one show where the guy took both DI's and still mic'd the cab.

What used to drive me up one side and down the other was when the SRE insisted on using some POS external DI. That hasn't happened in a long time though. No fate worse than Punk Bar House DI...

Did I say the sound guy was eccentric? Thinking about it, bat-guano crazy might be better, I almost forgot that the snare mic was a 58, the most disreputable, beat-the-living-daylights-out-of 58 I think I've ever seen. Little wonder if it's being used as a snare mic...

Whatever, the sound out on the floor was really good, the bands all sounded great through the main room, and when I checked by the bar and in the adjoining room, it sounded good there as well.

Last some shots of the way home. Again, usually I sleep, or drive, and I'm still figuring out this whole take pictures besides the show thing, but a few anyways:
View attachment 3027048 View attachment 3027049
Hope BC, they shot a bunch of the first Rambo movie in the area. I woke up, when we stopped for gas, everyone got breakfast, as I'm walking out with my McMuffins, a tourist is taking shots of the mountain. Brain goes "Stupid fool you should be taking pictures of this stuff too!"
View attachment 3027050
Not sure where we were, woke up for a moment, thought "Bobblehead Shot!", got it and went back to sleep. We put one on when we bought the van*, and one each tour since.
View attachment 3027051 View attachment 3027052 View attachment 3027053 View attachment 3027054
Kamloops, a bit of variety on the drive, and a water park, and a skate park, when you have the time to stop. We flipped drivers at this point. We used to have a go-pro mounted in the windshield, you can see the mount beside the bobbleheads... hmm, maybe just pick one up myself, Matty's seems to always be uploading...
View attachment 3027055 View attachment 3027056
Joe Schmuck's Road House Camp Ground, Cabins and General Store. I really should've taken more pictures, particularly inside, it's cozy, big patio, which is where we sat, the food, meh. The micro-brew, very good, from neighboring Revelstoke. The cream ale was the second best beer I had on the trip (and damned if I can remember the name of the first, also a cream ale, but at Pat's Pub...)

Anyways, time for me to sign off, at least in terms of picture posts... Thanks again to everyone who followed the thread.

Edit:
* - The first van bobblehead was for our first tour in 2008, which we did in a GMC Jimmy equipped with a roof rack. Very...interesting tour that was...

This is a really fun trip! I love the green of the Northwest. Our rainy season is over and everything is starting to take on its desert appearance, everything is dry and brown. Joe Schmuck's looks like a great place. I love face-in-the-hole pictures. I try to take a picture in every face-in-the-hole I come across. Fun stuff!

Oh, OK. "Pedal board", I get it.

I'll be sad to see this trip end. It's such a hoot! Thanks for sharing.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[McG]

Thanks again to everyone who followed the thread.

I really enjoy reading your Canadian punk tour reports. So different from my world. Love the diversity among all of us.

Speaking of Canada, back in 1970 a buddy and I did a month long camping trip in southwest British Columbia, including time on Vancouver Island. I remember Kamloops well. It sure is beautiful country for a tour/road trip.

Thanks for taking us along again!

 

[spatchthepunk]

This is what punk bands have been doing since the 70's,hopping in the van and playing to small followers of original music.So glad to see the D.I.Y movement is still strong.Often we would work all day friday,play friday night,load the equipment into a 78 chev short box pickup with a topper(equipment on the floor,moving blankets on top,two guys on top of that,two in the front)and drive all night to Chicago(400 miles)hang out,play until 3 or 4 in the morning,sleep a little then head back to Mpls.We were lucky to make $125 bucks.You did it to have fun,make new friends and hopefully sell a few albums.I had a blast, keep doing it as long as you can because someday you will have to stop, then you just have the memories.I must say though times must be changing ,we would have never been able to play bars and clubs that nice just stopping for a beer looking like we did would get us the evil eye from the regulars.

 

[tedious1]

Oh, and I forgot, I decided on a lark a few weeks ago to try exposed core strings, the GHS variety, I play Squier's so standard bridges and spacings, I didn't figure I needed the fancy Roto system. The order got held up because of the earplugs I ordered for the drummer, but I got the strings in time for last weeks shows.

Wow! Wish I had done it sooner. They won't be everybody's cup of tea for sure, but I really like them.

But GAS is a tricky S.O.B. I love that sound, but now I'm wondering how much more I'll love it with a slightly more substantial bridge than the standard bent plate?

And I didn't manage to cross paths with the one guy I was really hoping to, he used to play guitar in a Vancouver band (Spree Killers) until they packed it in, now he's trying his hand as a luthier. His first build was a very SG-like neck-thru, the only bit he didn't do was the fingerboard, he left that to a more experienced luthier. So I was hoping to corner him about a build. It's about time to have a nice bass around the house to play instead of one of my two road/show basses.

But with the wedding coming up this summer, Mrs. Tedious is probably just as happy I didn't.

Thanks again guys, I'm hoping we can put together a short weekend shot to Winnipeg, missing people there, if it does happen, well, I need the practice at doing these threads right!