7/23/21

Harvey band was up in north SA last night at a place called Fitzgerald’s. It’s a “Rock” club with a big ass stage, barriers between the audience and the stage, smoke machines and lasers.  Yes, you read that right, lasers. 

Not our typical place to play but we were up for being the first of three. We are doing a little live recording the next day and we were doing little on the spot rehearsal to tighten things up. 

We killed it and put on a hell of a show for the two other bands, five employees and six other folks who happened to make it up there. Thankfully there was no need for the barriers to stop hoodlums from storming the stage. 

A third in to the last song the power went out. As in it was 100% dark in the place. No amps, no PA, nothing. Joseph, who was about to play the solo walked up to me and said “thankfully it died before I had to do that solo!”  Funny ass shit right there

12/21/18

Hickoids were in Houston last night. 

Fitzgerald’s is closing?!!!!  Zeldas too... talk about the end of an era. I played both back when I was only a solo act. Twenty plus years ago...  first place they ever miced the stage to make my stomp extra loud.  It’s gonna be gone....

There were bands upstairs and down. I showed up when Texicali was on. The Beaumont’s were after and Dash Rip Rock after them. Hicks last. 

 I dug all the sets I saw. Ours was not so hot...  it’s how it goes. We haven’t rehearsed much with all of us in the same room over last few weeks.  

Oh well. We gave them what we could and they seemed to like it.  

Gonna miss that joint.  

7/14/17

Hickoids went to Houston for the Poor Dumb Bastards anniversary show at Fitzgerald's. You seen those words before... this show has happened more than once.



But not really. In the past it's been a big blowout with a bunch of bands and the Bastards had a lot of special stuff going on. But this year it was on the small stage downstairs and there were only three bands and we were the Headliners. Keeping it small made it really cool.


I drove solo and got there twenty minutes before PDB went on. They had a rocking set, no real surprise there. Then we went up.


I'd only had one rehearsal with the boys since they got back from Alaska. It was a little shaky, I was a little nervous. No need. We killed it.


At the end of the set during "Truck" Smitty started in on his rap while we held down the groove. We went to some pretty sweet musical places we've never even seen before that night. It felt SO good!!


The drive home was a quick as it could be, I was in bed by 5AM and at work by 10 the "next" day. So whipped when I got off I slept for 14 hours!!


Worth it.

4/9/16

Hickoids played the PDB anniversary at Fitzgerald's again. It was basically the same concept as the last time they did it (before this blog existed!) but it was expanded to Zelda's downstairs. Extra big and dumb!!

I had just gotten off an extremely relaxing seven day cruse at 8AM that morning. We pulled in to the Houston port and drove like hell back to Austin. Five hours later I was in my truck driving to Lance's to make the round trip for the show. At least I wasn't driving, it's a lot easier to ride/nap.

We played upstairs between the Beaumonts and PDB (so preheadliners? ) and I played like shit. I was told I played fine, but I felt like I was using all of my brain to just barely hold on... And I was listing... Jesus, what a mind fuck that was. I'd turn a little and my whole body felt like it was flying in that same direction, felt like I could puke. The lights weren't helping either. They'd move and my stomach would follow, my brain wanted out! I never heard of seasickness after the cruise, but now I've felt it. Yea for me...

Anyway our set was thankfully short and PDB got up with the same set-up as last time. A "tour through the ages" as it were. We caught a decent portion of the set and slunk off in to the night. I was in bed around 6AM and I slept for twelve hours.

Worth it.

11/23/12

Hickoids at Fitzgeralds in Houston. This was a reunion show for the Axiom, a Houston club that was way before my time. There were a ton of people out for it. When I pulled up around 10 PM there were a few hundred folks waiting to get in and it was already packed inside. Nice.

This is the first of three nights of a little tour, Houston, New Orleans, and Lafayette. I had to work on Saturday (today) so I made the round trip drive by myself while the other fellas were packed up in the Freak. I was on the road by midnight and in the house and showering by 2:30. I didn't even speed all that much... I'm flying out to NO for the show tonight. I'm fancy.

I went to Houston early to hit Southpaw Guitars, the happiest place in the world, if your a lefty. I was/am looking for a lefty P bass, but they didn't have what I wanted (picky). I did see a really cool Gibson 336 if you have a spare $3200 you want to give me!

Breakdown

There was a backline but the bass amp sounded like crap. It was some fancy tube amp, but it couldn't keep up with the SPL level needed for the Hickoids. A backline is nice, but I wished I was using mine.

In the expansive backstage area there was a cooler of beer, pizza and cookies. I almost felt spoiled.

More tomorrow.