11/06/05 So Many Miles...

Well I’ve had another week of touring. (Chasing the dream…) My touring partner for this run is Mike Dambra. I’ve learned a lot from him on this trip. He’s been totally great to travel with. I enjoy his company, and we’ve been getting along really well. Although I’ve known him for years, this was the first time they put us on the road together. So far it seems to be a pretty good fit.

Regardless of having a chum on this trip, I have begun to understand one of the themes of the movie “Lost in Translation.” I have felt pretty lonely over the last few days, but more than that, I really feel out of sorts. Lately it seems that there have been too many miles in a very short time. In just 10 days, I’ve traveled nearly 3422 kilometers, been in 5 different cities, and performed in front of nearly 1300 people. It makes my head a little dizzy when I think about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying myself, but I feel a little out of place. I long for my bed, and more so for the lovely person that I share it with. Thank god I’ll be home for a while. I need to spend some time being husband, and not being funny disappearing guy.

The Saskatchewan shows were good. In fact Saskatoon was very good for the most part. Usually the people there get into the show, and this was no exception. Truthfully, if anything, they got a little too into the show.

Things were pretty much going according to plan until some drunken idiot stood up and got on the stage with Mike. He put his arm around him, and tried to squeeze him down to his knees.

People in the front testified that he was squeezing so hard you could see his knuckles blanche. Mike was eventually able to push him back and get him off the stage, but it took a few minutes, and a quick little jab to the solar plexus. I couldn’t believe it, but what was more unbelievable was that no one from the venue even bothered to try and help stop it.

It’s like they didn’t even understand that it wasn’t cool. They did just stood there. It was, as far as I’m concerned completely disrespectful, and totally careless. They looked at a serious security concern and dismissed it as if it was nothing, and for that I’m a little disappointed.

Sadly this wasn’t the first time this has happened there. A friend of mine had beer steins throw at him and he dealt with much the same ambivalence. It’s a great room, I just hope they deal with security better in the future.

The show in Regina was good too. There was actually a table that came from Saskatoon to see the show. Apparently there weren’t able to get tickets, so they drove out to come and see us. I thought that was very cool. After the show I chatted with them, and had my picture taken with a few people. The word was that the venue was very pleased with the show, and that people were talking about it over breakfast in the hotel.


Now it’s Sunday and I’m in Brandon. It’s a city that’s in the middle of a transformation. There’s a lot of new construction going on here and there’s a feeling of improving prosperity. The typical big box crap is moving in, and the chain restaurants are on just about every corner. It sure has changed a lot since the last time I was here. It’s still a little Spartan, but that’s not meant as a jab, it just tends to be the nature of smaller Canadian cities.

Mind you, I know very little about this city. (Or the entire province of Manitoba for that matter.) I know it has a hockey team called the Wheat Kings, and other than that, the only other notion that stuck me is that it seems a bit starved for entertainment.

Our hotel is nice enough, (Actually it’s a hefty leg above most places I’ve been put up…) but it’s also really out of the way. The gig is actually located on the other end of the city, not a big deal, but not normally what I’m used to.

Previous to tonight, I had come to understand that Canadian show business usually means traveling insane distances, to perform in front of a luke warm crowd in a bar and grill in the middle of fucking nowhereville. (Generally that statement is gospel… but it’s fun nonetheless…) My prejudices sometimes get the better of me, and my first impression tonight was misplaced. (Well at least the part about luke warm audiences anyway…)

I should start this off by letting you know that earlier today, I found out that the venue permits minors to attend the show. That creped me out a little. (A lot actually…) I was told that regardless of that, they did in fact have signs to warn people about content, but for some reason that really didn’t appease the knot building in my stomach. (Those of you that have seen me know that I’m not what you’d call a family act.)

Anyway… the show went very well. The owner of the restaurant wants to have us back. He was actually a little overbearing and adamant about, but he was a decent fellow anyway. (And the service was exceptional.)

I even did an interview for some T V people (But I think they were students…)

Anyway I need some sleep…