So begins the saga of Save That Song Tour 2004, our first tour stretching beyond the Midwest. We set out eastward, our goal to play New York City and every town we could hit on the way there and back. We ended up with 11 gigs, including THE KNITTING FACTORY in NEW YORK CITY. Above is a photo of us in NYC, proudly holding the current copy of THE VILLAGE VOICE. They reviewed our CD and listed our gig. Article quotes are listed on our Press page.
We kicked off the tour at THE CORRAL ROOM in MADISON, WI on Saturday, August 7. We play Madison plenty and always have a great time. Pete from THE SKINTONES set up the gig and hooked us up with a place to crash. Thanks Pete. Also thanks to the dudes from BRAINERD for showing up and supporting us. RAGGEDY, a girl fronted emo band, opened. And thanks to Robb for showing up and then making and mailing us stickers, that was cool. It was a typical Madison wild, drunken crowd... great start to the tour.
From Madison we headed to BOWLING GREEN, OH, where we stayed at a little campsite, met some weird camping folk and grilled hot dogs over a wood fire. On Monday, August 8 we played HOWARDS H CLUB with DAWNALLURE and FOCAL DYSTONIA. Thanks to Dawnallure for playing last minute, you guys were awesome.
From Bowling Green we made the trek all the way to WASHINGTON DC where we played THE VELVET LOUNGE on Tuesday. We played with FOX from New Mexico and SO I HAD TO KILL HIM from New Jersey.
Then we headed to PHILADELPHIA, PA where we played DOCTOR WATSONS on Wednesday. Philly is a great, colorful town, lots of youth culture. And we had a warm reception at the gig. Thanks to Ted for booking us and for inviting us back.
Next was NEW YORK CITY. We got a quirky write up and gig mention in THE VILLAGE VOICE. Thanks Eddy. Local folk-star LINDA CHORNEY was our tour guide around the city, bringing us to see GROUND ZERO, helping us with parking and leading us to good pizza. Our gig at THE KNITTING FACTORY on Thursday, August 12 was great. My ex-bandmate from college, Scott Hampton, showed up, and so did Amy's brother JOEL SALADINO, of New York band NARKOTECT. We got a very warm reception from the audience and felt very glamorous. We played with THE BATTLE CATS and HEAP. Thanks to JC for booking us and sticking around to see our set. Thanks to Paul for doing sound and inviting us back. Thanks to the ticket guy and to the door guy... everyone at the "Knit" was very nice. Thanks again to Cuz Linda and thanks to Zack the Linebacker for letting us crash.
We played THE PITTSBURGH DELI COMPANY on Friday the 13th...our 4th gig of dragging gear up and down stairs. We had to set up and man the PA, and build a mic stand out of broken pool cues and duct tape--good sandwiches though.
Then on Saturday we played THE EMPTY GLASS in CHARLESTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA...our best gig. A great stage, a very warm crowd and everyone from the people on the patio to the bartender were so nice (thanks for sharing). We played with industrial hair band, DIMENSION-13. Thanks to Sam the Bartender for making us their original creation, the "Grassy Knoll", Bill the soundman for working the board with a grimace of pain, Chris the owner for letting us play, and also thanks to husband and wife team Di and Billy from THE ARMY ANTS for hanging with us and buying a t-shirt.
On Sunday, August 15 we played the famous RUBY TUESDAYS in COLUMBUS, OH. No, not the chain restaurant, but the original bar from where the chain takes its name. A wonderful old timey bar. Thanks to Scott the owner for booking us, being so nice and doing shots with me. Thanks to Scott's girlfriend for taking an interest and buying a t-shirt. Thanks to Sean for being the hardest working soundman I've ever seen. And thanks to Don and Kerry for a place to crash. We played with THE UNPOSSIBLES (Don's band), they were strange (good strange), and SIDEREAL CENSUS.
On Monday we headed to INDINAPOLIS, IN where we played ZANIES TOO. We were the first to be victimized by their new lighting system and smoke machine. PLAIN CRASHERS openend. Thanks to RADIO BOB for doing sound.
On Tuesday we played THE RUDYARD KIPLING in LOUISVILLE, KY with A LITTLE REVOLUTION and VIA. Amy's Dad showed up and we had an interesting time in this crazy town. Thanks to all the Rud people for being nice and giving me shots of real Kentucky bourbon whisky. Thanks to both the LOUISVILLE ECCENTRIC OBSERVER and LOUISVILLE MUSIC NEWS for writing us up (quotes on the Press page).
Our last gig was on Wednesday, August 18. We played THE WAY OUT CLUB in ST. LOUIS, MO. This was a great gig. Jeremy Struetman, formally of Minneapolis' SENIOR DROOL CUP, did sound on the fly and gave us a place to crash. Thanks to owners BOB and SHERRIE for keeping our pitcher full of foamy beer. Thanks to ENTROPY for warming up the stage. And thanks to radio WEW's BEATLE BOB for showing up to check us out.
Thanks again to everyone who booked us, did sound, made us drinks, gave us a place to crash, gave us money or fed me smokes.
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