Can I Live?

Well, it's been a little over a year since I've updated this blog. There really hasn't been much to keep track of. Or maybe there has but I've just been lazy? I'll let you make the call. Here's the quick year in review:

- Feb/March 2009: The Bronx/Fucked Up/Rollo Tomassi UK Tour
- March/April 2009: The Bronx/Trash Talk US Tour. Partyfest.
- Summer 2009: VNV Nation US Tour. Woof. I found out what it's like to be trapped in your own brain/enter the Matrix/be completely and utterly mind fucked. Fuck goth.
- August 2009: UFC 101 in Philadelphia.
- October 2009: Vacation to OBX
- October 2009 - March 2010: Grew hair, partied, grew beard very long, cut hair, started working at Sailor Jerry, partied, ate out at multiple great restaurants with Lauren Cooper, partied, cut beard very short, partied, flew to SXSW, started touring again.

And that brings us to where we are today. The Bronx/Mariachi El Bronx/Violent Soho/Dead Country US Tour. So far, so good. It's relieving to be back on the road again. Staying in one place for too long can surely drive a man insane. So, for the next month or so, you can find me in these cities, at these venues, on these dates:

March 22 – Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
March 24 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock
March 25 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
March 26 – Toledo, OH – Frankie’s
March 27 – Detroit, MI – Eagle Theater
March 29 – Toronto, ON – Mod Club
March 30 – Montreal, QC – Petit Campus
March 31 – Providence, RI – Jerky’s
April 1 – Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s
April 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg
April 3 – Philadelphia, PA – North Star
April 5 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
April 6 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
April 7 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar Lounge
April 8 – Washington, DC – Rock N Roll Hotel
April 9 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
April 10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Altar Bar
April 11 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
April 12 – St. Louis, MO – Pops
April 14 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
April 16 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
April 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
April 20 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey
April 21 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
April 22 – Anaheim, CA –House Of Blues

Please come out to one (or more) of these shows and support amazing music that doesn't sound like the rest of the garbage that is on the road this spring.

2.20.09 - Berlin, Germany

As you pull in to Berlin, you can still see some iron eagle symbols on certain military and government buildings. Kind of haunting.

We were all able to take a walk to the Berlin Wall. The graffiti there is absolutely amazing, and I am usually a hater of the graff. We also enjoyed a tasty German beer at a bar on the waterfront, right next to the wall.

Aside from the worst merch spot ever, Berlin isn't too bad.

"Alright AIDS patients. Wake the fuck up. Time to load in." - Bryan McClellan

2.19.09 - Copenhagen, Denmark

Today we were in Copenhagen, except...we weren't. The show was in a free-town called Christiania. Apparently it was an old military base and after it shut down, people stayed and created their own little city. They managed to separate themselves from the EU and don't have to pay taxes, and they govern themselves. Basically, it's an anarchist hippy commune. There's a part called "Pusher Lane" where you can buy hash and weed, and the venue showers were so cold that I almost passed out when I turned around to get my soap. It may be the sketchiest place I've been yet.

After the show, the bus wouldn't start. The power connection tripped halfway through the day. Luckily, Trevor got it up and running after a short stint out in the snow.

Trevor, by the way, is our bus driver. He's the greatest driver of any vehicle that I've ever encountered. Ever.

2.18.09 - Stockholm, Sweden

We took a ferry in to Sweden around 2 AM. Jorma, Matt and I ate French hot dogs and mashed potatoes. Talk about a great late-night snack.

Stockholm was absolutely gorgeous. It's a city composed of a group of islands. Buildings were trimmed in gold. The streets were cleaner than any city I've ever seen. I was able to walk down to the museum, and check out the docks. We played in what seemed to be a summer vacation/"boardwalk"-esque area. Not very booming in the winter, but I'd imagine that come summer time, that place is the jump-off.

2.16.09 - Cologne, Germany

Europe: Punk as fuck.

"...yah watcheh frens cleh..." - Ken Horne

2.15.09 - Strasbourg, France

Today we spent our day off in Strasbourg. It is a city that directly borders Germany. We cruised around the city exploring all day. After our long walk to the city-center, we had lunch at a German Pub & Restaurant. Got to eat some sausage and fancy some of the best spicy mustard ever. There was also an American couple from Oklahoma sitting next to us. It was nice to have a little familiar conversation while being thousands of miles from home. They told us a few places to check out as well.

Next we stopped in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg (the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg). It was very old, very cold, and very gothic. It's probably the most beautiful church I've ever seen. I've been told that it puts the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris to shame.

Afterwards we bought some wine, headed back to the bus, and started our marathon/addiction to 24.

FYI: Jack Bauer is more American than you.

2.14.09 - Besancon, France

Tonight's show was in a venue called Le Cylindre. It is a 19th century tunnel converted in to a venue. We're not quite sure what it was used for, or when it was built, but it was very cold and very crowded. A cute, drunk French girl also asked if she could give me the ol' double-cheek kiss. You knew.

"Wanna stay out late and make some bad decisions?" - Joby J. Ford