Day the Tenth, May 2nd, Hamtramck

This was a tough morning. Leaving the van Ausdal clan is always difficult because they make their home feel so much like our home. So it's always with a tear in our eyes and a tug at our hearts that we leave the everybody-has-their-own-bed-and-lots-of-food security of Cheryl and Mark and head off into the share-a-bed-with-the-member-of-the-band-you've-decided-showered-most-recently reality of life as a touring outfit.

Anyway, we tore ourselves away and headed for Hamtramck (ham-tram-ick for you pronunciation buffs), a part of Detroit. It was a short trip and as we were driving into Detroit we all wondered aloud why people are always bashing this place. I mean, there were some nice buildings, parks etc. It was nice and then.....well, then we hit Hamtramck. Dag. Everyone had said "it's a great little Polish town, with great food and nice people." Hold on one minute. The neighborhood we were playing in was dangerous looking, rundown and the people were not nice at all. It was the kind of place where my question about a bathroom's availability was met with hostility in three consecutive establishments. I mean, what the hell? The people all acted like I was asking to pee on them which, I assure you, I was not. Finally I just got fed up and peed in a parking lot (in broad daylight). It sucked.

Finally we actually got into the club and we were very reassured. The bartenders and sound guy were very cool and actually seemed to care that we were treated with respect. It was novel.

Anyway, this guy Cole Guerra opened the show and had a pretty nice draw. So we were thinking that this might just work out and be a good gig. That seemes to always be our first mistake. Once we took the stage, every single person in the room left. I kid you not. Every single person. I felt like I was watching a dramatic re-enactment of the Book of Exodus.

So, we played for no one and got the hell out of there. Oh well.