Dallas, El Paso and everything that wasn't in between

Step One: Yes, I meant “Sean and Jon” the tour makes me tired, what can I say? You all are clearly on top of it, so I’ll have to watch my words I guess ☺ (disclaimer: that does not mean i am responsible for forthcoming typo's and other grammatical errors, but I still love you)

So are you ready for some random? Today was random. Today, actually starts yesterday, in Dallas. House of Blues Dallas. Sold out House Of Blues Dallas. First, my man Nick from Rockstar sends me a text at noon, simultaneous to me a) waking up and b) realizing our bus is backing into the loading dock at the majestic HoB Dallas. Nick is asking what the deets for the evening’s show happened to be, which I kindly oblige to giving him. So after Erica from Keep A Brest and I rampage the venue with AP Tour posters (ahem, they’re totally free on the tour) we find out that Nick and his Texas Rockstar crew were bring about a truckfull of Rockstar to hand out. This happened to come in handy because the amazing sold out Dallas AP Tour-goers were lined up that sweltering day the scale of 2 city blocks before doors opened. Want to know what Nick did? Want to know what I did? Well, come to the tour to find out, but it involves a lot of free Rockstar and a lot of Bret Michaels-style FACE TIME with AP cameras.

I’m actually going to refer you to my last blog to understand how the actual show went, but for you lazy folk that don’t get that “reading” thing: the show killed it. Start to finish, Sonny, to FTSK, to Rocket Summer and everything in between (that’s the Matches and All Time Low for those just tuning in) just simply killed it. Such an amazing show, thank you all!

OK, resume the random: What you should understand about touring is this, things rarely go “as planned.” Case in point: the “plan” was that the AP Tour bus containing the Matches and myself was to stop in Mingus, Texas for an off day. Let me tell you a little about Mingus, Texas. Well, the only reason I can’t tell you a lot about Mingus, Texas is that the only thing in Mingus, Texas is a Flying J (or equivalent trucker stop) and a port-o-potty. Luckily for this AP Tour crew (and you, for storytelling sake) we have an awesome bus driver named John who decided to spare us the hellish landscape of Mingus and drive us straight into El Paso for our lovely St. Patricks off-day.

So, the bus wakes up and casual conversation commences and in-side jokes are perpetuated. Meanwhile I take a phone call with (AP Cover Stars to be named later) to work up some A++ points for all of you. I suggest sometime around April 10 you look out for a limited edition merchandise deal for a band I’m sure you’ll love. Meanwhile my would be brunch crew takes a stroll down to a f’reals down home Mexican restaurant (look up El Paso on a map, you’ll get it) without yours truly, who was promised a spot at the Matches table. After drying my tears our amazing tour manager, Indy, and amazing (as previously outlined) bus driver, John, invited me to join them for brunch. Well just so happens our B-to-the-rizzunch crew hit up the exact same down home Mexi-ness as the uber-cool “artist” bunch did.

(Insert boring detail of buying tour supplies at Office Depot and food at Target here, except that it seemed impossible for Matt from the Matches and I do shop anywhere without passing in an aisle)

After all this boring randomness, more interesting randomness peaks its head.

Ah?

Well, at the very same Quality Suites as the AP Tour bus is parked we find the charming gentlemen of the RX Bandits are also located for the day. Our buses exchange pleasantries and go about our business showering and relaxing and the like. The lovely Miss Erica, as previously mentioned, brings to my attention that not only is Foxy Shazam playing a show across town, but also Portugal. The Man is playing the same show. Two quick calls the two good friends later Miss Erica and I and set up primo guest list style and are off to a show that we started the day not knowing about in a city we weren’t even supposed to be in. As amazing as both Portugal and Foxy were, there was this local band called Gideon (gideonrocks.com) that blew my mind. I rarely get taken away from seeing a band live, but these guys have something rad going on and the randomness of seeing them was perfect for these 2 days. Check them out, tell them Chris from AP said to check them out. Highly recommended.

A short, but feeling of hijacked inducing, cab ride back to the bus later Erica and I find not 1, but 2 members of the RX Bandits hanging out swigging wine, with bus AP Tour. After partaking in the wine swigging, Matt from the RX Bandits not only picks up John from the Matches guitar and begins creating music as such, but also begins an in-depth discussion on the overall state of music. What I haven’t told you to this point this that the frequent AP contributing writer Emily Zemler has been hanging out with us and interjected her thoughts on the state of music journalism into the conversation. I wish you could have been there. Frankly this was the single most intriguing conversation I’ve been a part of in the longest time. Three sides of the same business setting it all out on the table and the only common ground was AP. The evening started to trickle off as Matt had to return to his bus to drive off into the nightfall, but the other member of the RX Bandits that was hanging out, Joe, began a story trade with Monica, the Matches ever-so-lovely “Merchandise Facilitation Expert” who’s ending is yet to be seen and may end up in this very blog . . .

Let me leave you with this, and feel free to comment and discuss (this if for you Matt, if you’re reading): what’s most important, the art, critique or business of music?

XOXO
ChrisAtAP