Posted on Sat Aug 2, 11:38 PM in Music
Red Roof Inn, Bob Evans, turnpikes, and performing in DC.
Around 3am local time, we found the Toledo Red Roof Inn (not without first passing by it for a good mile before the next turnpike turnoff). We loaded all the equipment in the room (the only ground floor room was a smoking double) and prepared to sleep, with van call at 9am.
Then things got decidedly weird. Luke opened up his bass case, dragged the bass out, and started to play in the room. In his defense, he did sleep most of the way, so to him it was probably time to wake up and get moving. After Dan told him to stop, Luke then took his bass outside and was out there for probably a good hour. It made me feel weird; I trusted him not to put us at risk, but I was worried something would happen to him. But he did come back and slept some before we woke up, showered, loaded out, and went for breakfast. Myself, I got some sleep, better than I expected but lighter than I needed. However, when I woke up, it felt like I smoked a pack of cigs in my sleep. Blech.
I was taken to the area Bob Evans, which is like Perkins. Apparently, this is the same Bob Evans where Dave, on a previous trip, fell in love with a cute waitress who helped him order pretty much everything on the menu. She was working today, and all the guys were a-titter. While we were looking over the menu, it was noted for Dave’s benefit that Bob Evans had something called Banana Creme Pancakes. Both Dave and Luke ordered this (with various sides). It was essentially three pancakes with something akin to banana creme pie filling between them, covered in whipped cream and syrup, if you wanted it, which they both did. I tried some and it was actually too sweet for me. It kicked Dave’s ass, which is funny, since he carries on about his love for pancakes at any given opportunity. Dan had a typical eggs/sausage/toast plate, and I had “stuffed” french toast, which by “stuffed” they really meant “layered.” It was fine, really.
We left the restaurant on time, too, and I took the next leg of the trip through Ohio into central PA. Dave sat up front with me for that stretch and we had a lot of fun shuffling through my iPod and listening to all kinds of stuff. Dan had a much needed nap after all the driving he did yesterday. Luke was in the “hole” (backmost seat with all the luggage around it), probably listening to bands that begin with Tegan & Sara on his Nano.
At some point in the afternoon we stopped along the PA turnpike. While Ohio seems to be a long straight drive, PA is actually quite nice on the eyes. I like all the farmlands on the rolling hills, with mountains thrown in here and there. Luke took over for a time through the more mountainous part of the PA turnpike, before we turned southward towards DC. There was another switch before DC, so Dan could drive us to the club.
Once we found the club, Dave and Brian (XuberX) met with us, along with the some personnel, to help us load in. We were at a club called The Meeting Place, which is a nice bar/stage setup that holds a Saturday theme night called Midnight (which is what we were billed on). The “stage” was just a part of the floor, same level as the dance area, really. The nice part was being the only band, so we could set up, sound check, and leave everything where it was.
At 9pm, we could order off the menu. All of us ordered something; when the plates started arriving, Luke was nowhere to be seen. So, his steak, potatoes, and beans platter was getting cold as the rest of us wolfed down our burgers. Dave and I were going to split Luke’s food just when he showed up. Turned out he found another club in the area where TDC has played before and was saying hello to the promoter there (Dan and Luke ended up going there after the show for a longer visit).
It was a few hours before we had to go on, so I took the opportunity to change before the woman’s room got any busier. Over the next two hours, I think I went to the bathroom 7 times. It’s funny—I wasn’t worried about screwing up or remembering my parts, nor was I running through bad scenarios, I just had nervous stomach something awful. But eventually we went on, and had a pretty good show. While the tempos were off from what we normally do, the audience (which we found out later was a much better turnout than normal) really enjoyed it and we sold a ton of merch.
Go ahead, have your say!