Texas Rrrrrroundup - Waltz Across Tejas Tour Ein Success!

Ja-hooo! I'm back from Tejas and finally able to write y'all ein little photo essay about mein travels. Vat ein trip! So many adventures...

It all began at SXSW, das impetus for me to get down to Texas und get hosin'. Here I am mit mein nerdlings Spencer und Shane. In a hotel elevator, in ein cab (with the meanest cabbie evah! before we got in he said "give me ein $2 cab tip or you can't get in!"), und finally rocking out at our SXSW showcase.




Highlights of das show included strange boy coming through window onto the stage und wanting to dance mit us and ein impromptu 'strike a pose' contest won by three sehr gut posers.

We couldn't stop laughing when we saw this sign for some special band at a hotel bar. Spencer actually looks strangely excited...

The night after the show mein original ego Krista was rocking out to tons of bands und stopped to get her picture taken with one of her favorite ultra cutie Japanese bands "The Titan Go Kings."

At an outdoor picnic venue freundlings "The Besnard Lakes" from mein home town of Montreal (ja, the 'hottest' spot in North America apparently) rocked under the sunlight. We all closed our eyes and soaked up their sounds.

I played another show at Factory People who were sehr kind to us in providing us with hydration supplies und expensive handbags und clothes. Danke Factory People for helping make us look so gut (und sound gut too!). Here I am playing for a few shoppers und our super host Thomas.

While waiting for the infamous Congress St. bridge bats to wake up and fly past tons of drooling animals und assorted tourists, some children started the old rolling down the hill game. It was quite funny und brought tears to our eyes. I tried to capture the moment here while Mikey laughs on.

This sign wins mein most bizarro photograph of the trip. Last year it was ein "Guns 'n' Stuff" sign. This year..."Whipin" takes das kuchen. This sign marks the departure of DJ Jester (Mikey) und I from Austin. It begins our long journey out west to the tiny, twisted and all around dreamy Marfa, Texas.

Marfa. Home of everything good packed into a town of 2100 people. Thank you James for bringing us out to your home town and giving us the deluxe fun treatment! You RULE! Marfa was amazing. The best motel I've ever stayed in (Thunderbird), the most punk rock radio station (Marfa Radio) housed in an old airstream trailer, awesome pizza (Pizza Foundation), lovely coffee and used books (Brown Recluse), and really uber ausgezeichnet art (Chinati Foundation). Here are a few pictures I took from the Chinati galleries - a special shout out for the interns there who came out to AmVets to rock mit us!

Here's ein photo of Krista and the gang at Marfa Radio. A good time was had as you can see, ja!

AmVets show! SPIC (Satanic Punk International Conspiracy) live. Post punk rock AmVets show I got to wear das muchos grande sombrero of my dreams. Here's part of the hosing gang in action. Oh, and for the record DJ Jester und I didn't see the famous Marfa lights but we had fun trying. We found that spinning around and then staring at passing 16-wheelers helped create a certain Marfa-light-je-le-sais-quoi. Ha ha!

After das Marfa adventure Jester und I hit das highway for San Antonio. We were in for the busiest day of the tour. First das 7-hour drive und then a show at 6pm mit Hyperbubble at the Flight Gallery, colouring contest winner dinner, und a Tacoland show immediately following. So...we begin!

This is a photo of das amazing silo Flight Gallery in sunlight. I played just outside of this structure under a street light. Sehr romantique. There were a row of mini-silos rented to artists for a nominal fee. If you're in San Antone you should check them aut - sehr cool. Aaron und Justin and the gallery crew RULED for putting on the show and then rocking out mit us.

Here's a sweet photo of Patrick's (I think...memory ist bad!) little brother. He dressed him up in his own wee lederhosen for the occasion. Here he is checking out the beautiful art that seemed to be everywhere.

Mein New Mexico freundling Joe Annabi showed up mit his freunding Nick Sedillos und attended all of the "Waltz Across Texas" tour dates starting in San Antonio. They drove long distances to hose, slept in their car, und took tons of amazing photos und wrote a travel journal. Check out Joe's site for a detailed account of their adventures und some sweet photos of the show at the Flight Gallery, colouring contest dinner (Korean BBQ catered by Go Hyang Jib - the best!) at Gordon's amazing (he's the one in the overalls - see Joe's site!) Bavarian Beerhouse Beethoven, und at TacoLand. For the goods: http://www.sparklingseahorse.com

The dinner at Beethoven's was amazing. I've never put Korean BBQ and Weissbier together in such a harmonious ensemble before. Danke Gordon fur giving me mein first bierstein ever. Du bist das best!

Tacoland was ein gut show alzo despite the fact that Nightrocker seemed to dominate the evening (und the money box apparently) und brought down the gut vibe mit his making off mit some of the money. Just a note to bands who want to rock Tacoland...either get ein contract or find another venue (or be surprised like us mit indecent behaviour!). The highlight was singing "Waltz Across Texas" mit Jester for the first time. Nice pipes Jester!

Houston war ein big blur of hosin' freundlings, a fancy hotel room, und a mysterious speakeasy that CeePlus took us to after the show. My alt ego Krista got to sit on a chair in the middle of a giant doughnut und sip beers mit ein New Orleans printing press worker.

The tour ended back in Austin with a strange late show at Emo's Jr. Big dankes go out to the freundlings who came so late und stayed to see me spiele. It sent me out with more a bang then ein whimper! I hope to see y'all down south next year. I may even have mein nerdlings mit me for the whole tour...Fingers crossed!