![FEBRUARY 11 – BOB’S UNDERGROUND CAFÉ @ GRINNELL COLLEGE, GRINNELL, IA [SHOW #144]
[DF] We’ve been a band for 10+ years, but for whatever reason have never played in Grinnell, a college town (home of the prestigious Grinnell College, whose list of alumni includes none other than Herbie Hancock) until now. Grinnell has always periodically had amazing shows – I recall seeing Yo La Tengo, the Aislers Set, Superchunk, Enon, and others perform there – but I didn’t know what to expect for a show without such bigger-name bands. There was hardly a soul around until minutes before we went on stage a little after 9pm, but at that point they flooded in, and from the very first chord we played the place burst into a huge dance party. Don and his wife Tara came over to the show from their home in the predominately-Amish town of Kalona, IA, which meant we were able to perform “Being Gone” in its proper fashion with Don singing lead, and he helped fill “Give It A Try” by playing bass. The show ended up being about as fun as they come, but the party must have moved elsewhere shortly after we played since the place thinned out gradually after our set.
After the show we drove to Kalona to hang out at the tiny town’s only bar – the Hard Luck Café. I had been there once before with Don and our friend Tanner on an ill-fated trip to [Flavor] Flav’s Fried Chicken, and it is incredible, bartended by the hilarious owner of the place. A few of us ate pickled turkey gizzards and chatted with the locals, two of whom bought cd’s despite never having heard us. I also had a lengthy conversation with a somewhat lunatic local who carves gravestones for a living and who kept using racist terms, after which he would cover his mouth with his hand, stare me in the eyes looking shocked, and act as if he didn’t know how such a term came out of his mouth. We have been imitating this motion frequently on tour (minus the racism, of course).
Dinner was a winner: Choung House
Sound Tech we respect: Elise
The fill of the bill: Motive
Camille Claudel / Collage of Impressions / Some Ordinary Vision / Monument / Pacific Sunrise / Torpedoes on Tuesday / Don’t Go / Magic Circle Symphony / Being Gone / Porcelain Brain / Give It A Try / When The World](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhaucjQLqx1qahyhxo1_1280.jpg)
FEBRUARY 11 – BOB’S UNDERGROUND CAFÉ @ GRINNELL COLLEGE, GRINNELL, IA [SHOW #144]
[DF] We’ve been a band for 10+ years, but for whatever reason have never played in Grinnell, a college town (home of the prestigious Grinnell College, whose list of alumni includes none other than Herbie Hancock) until now. Grinnell has always periodically had amazing shows – I recall seeing Yo La Tengo, the Aislers Set, Superchunk, Enon, and others perform there – but I didn’t know what to expect for a show without such bigger-name bands. There was hardly a soul around until minutes before we went on stage a little after 9pm, but at that point they flooded in, and from the very first chord we played the place burst into a huge dance party. Don and his wife Tara came over to the show from their home in the predominately-Amish town of Kalona, IA, which meant we were able to perform “Being Gone” in its proper fashion with Don singing lead, and he helped fill “Give It A Try” by playing bass. The show ended up being about as fun as they come, but the party must have moved elsewhere shortly after we played since the place thinned out gradually after our set.
After the show we drove to Kalona to hang out at the tiny town’s only bar – the Hard Luck Café. I had been there once before with Don and our friend Tanner on an ill-fated trip to [Flavor] Flav’s Fried Chicken, and it is incredible, bartended by the hilarious owner of the place. A few of us ate pickled turkey gizzards and chatted with the locals, two of whom bought cd’s despite never having heard us. I also had a lengthy conversation with a somewhat lunatic local who carves gravestones for a living and who kept using racist terms, after which he would cover his mouth with his hand, stare me in the eyes looking shocked, and act as if he didn’t know how such a term came out of his mouth. We have been imitating this motion frequently on tour (minus the racism, of course).
Dinner was a winner: Choung House
Sound Tech we respect: Elise
The fill of the bill: Motive
Camille Claudel / Collage of Impressions / Some Ordinary Vision / Monument / Pacific Sunrise / Torpedoes on Tuesday / Don’t Go / Magic Circle Symphony / Being Gone / Porcelain Brain / Give It A Try / When The World
