Chicago

Hi, PJW had to cancel last night due to illness. So we played for an hour, which on paper seemed like a good thing but in retrospect, too much. i don't think an audience that is not familiar with a band can handle that much music without texting or going to the bathroom for more meth (dude, yes I'm talking about you). But we played fine, but had to pace ourselves. Partied it up at the Secret Squirrel afterwards, where the bartender was awesome and the tunes ,courtesy of Jesse and Mahmood, were sick. A sentiment felt only by the three of us I'm sure. Alrighty then off to Ann Arbor for some college babes. Who wants to bet I end up sleeping next to a dude on a floor instead..huh? huuuuuuuh????? yep.


Oh Yea Game 6! We're takin whats ours Houston!

Madison

Crowd surfing is alive and well in the midwest. We have reached the one week mark, and still have a daunting 5 or so left. My back is killing from sleeping on the floor w/out my neckpillow. Yesterday driving out of Minnesota this lady was lingering in my blindspot for at least 2 miles with my signal on, so i eyed it and changed lanes in front of her. I knew a confrontation was coming so when she exited left along side us i rolled down the window and bent an ear." That was dangerous (or something like that) back there." "Not as dangerous as ignoring my signal and staying in my blindspot for miles" I retorted with a smile.She was STILL on her phone through all of this I might add. "Oh baloney, You don't know where you're going!" An assumption based on our Oregon plates. "OH I know EXACTLY where we are going" as I point to Gertrude our GPS,"have a good one!' and drive away.

Chicago tonight, gonna see some old friends and party down. For reals this time no more half assin it.

WOOOOOH Hoooo

F' yea! Blazers win. It's not over! And there was serious crowd surfing tonight in Madison! Coincidence I THINK NOT!!!!!!
Video forthcoming...................................

Day 6? MINNEAPOLIZZZZZZZ

Day off, so lets catchup. I'd like to start with Denver girls. First, right after we finish our set, I haven't even gotten my gear broken down when the fella running the show grabs me to move the van, so a car can be towed. Now it's a friday night downtown, all the bars are jammin and the Rockies Dodgers game is letting out. It takes a good 15-20 minutes just to circle the block. When I get back to return to our saved spot in front of the club, the car is being TAKEN OFF the flatbed towtruck. What?? Of course the car belonged to two 'cute girls'. Now I am pissed. As someone who has had their car towed twice in one week and pleaded with a tow driver to no avail, I'm enraged. Not to mention I'm still all sweaty from JUST finishing a show. So after a significant calm down period and a moshpit inducing Thermals set, we all load up and are waiting to get paid. I'm in the passenger seat of the van when two ACTUALLY cute girls knock at the window. I open the door and they say: "Hey do you guys wanna..." and then after getting a good look ,"oh, nevermind" and walk away. Thanks Denver girls, I hate you.

So things have been going pretty well. The shows have been great, especially Denver onward. Things really kicked into gear today when we reunited with Gertrude (GPS) and acquired a basketball. It is sooooo on! Currently running errands AT WILL! It's hard to imagine we haven't even been at it a week yet with 5 and a 1/2 to go. It's difficult to get in to the whole Blazers situation. We aren't out of it yet, but it doesn't look good. I can say that I'm not gonna wear my Sabonis jersey gamedays anymore as its turning out to be bad luck. We almost single handedly willed the team to victory the last two games by taking the stage in the fourth quarter and summoning everything we could to project the vibes towards Rip City Victory. Let's just say we have held up our end of the bargain. C'mon DUDES! It's really hard being away at this amazing time in Blazer history, regardless of the outcome, considering how far the journey has evolved since my Blazer baptism in the Sabonis, Sheed, and Pippen days of 99-03, AKA the end of the consecutive playoff run. I'm doing the best I can with what I've got, and that's still a heck of a lot. I'm proud to be in Pryzbilla land right now, this place breeds toughness. I mean come on Dylan, Prince and the Thrilla Vanilla Gorilla!! And, godwilling, Al Fanken finally taking office. Minnesota, you got the goods.

Thermals and PJW are great tourmates, too great in fact that we have resorted to making up things about them just to make it seem more interesting. We will expose their darksides!!! We have resorted to leaving things behind at the club 'accidentally' just to keep them on their toes. I mean we are total professionals. We wouldn't leave behind, say oh I don't know, a GUITAR, or phone chargers or things of that nature ON PURPOSE. C'mon we aint like that.
Thanks to all the generous souls who've put us up thus far, we've been lucky and admit it, so have you!
Ok off to the glamorous tour reality that is...the oil change! Here's some video evidence, smell ya later.

Shirts turned out nice! Thanks Jaclyn (and me)

'WALT' invades the Thermals:

More TOUR Diary Action!

Hello, from Omaha! Groovy times. Video forthcomin but a brief recap. Boise, SLC, and Denver all fine but I've been there SO DAMN MUCH in the last few months that I consider last nights Omaha show the unofficial kickoff to this here Spring 09 Thermals, Shaky Hands, Point Juncture WA Tour, or as Hutch declared from the stage last night, The Portland Love Tour, dunno if that'll stick. Everyone is so nice, too nice actually but that'll all change soon if I have anything to say about it! Time to get REAL! Hit the Minneapolis or as I like to call it, PRINCETOWN tonight! Will try and get some incriminating video up later today toodles, and stay tuned!

JM

Open Letter to Phil Selway

Off for a lil jaunt w/ Rafter tonight in Salem, and this weekend in Seattle and Tacoma Kinda crept up on me to be honest. I'm questioning my drum teacher abilities after catching this:


Still have some tour video to catch up on when time permits, whoa when will that be?....
To those in Portland one last chance to catch Shaky Hands, Saturday April 18th 2pm Jackpot Records downtown.
It's Record Store Day Y'all! AND TANNING making a rare re appearance at Valentines on Tues April 21, last night in town til June.


WHoop There IT Is!