Houston, and Formula 1 weekend in Austin

Wow. Just wow.

Last night ETB played a 4 1/2 hour set at Friends on 6th Street to a packed house that stayed packed for the entirety of our set. Probably the longest set I've ever played and the best night we've ever had there. The crowd was great, enthusiastic and very well-behaved (as in free of the douchebaggery and entitlement that has unfortunately descended upon my fair city for F1 weekend).

Plenty of that going on right outside the bar tho. Towards the end the door staff had an altercation with a father and son whom they'd asked to leave. Which they weren't happy about. And quickly turned into a wrestling match outside.

Gotta hand it to Friends, their door staff is great. Take no shit but in a professional way. It devolved into a prolonged scuffle outside which drew quite a crowd before the cops finally intervened. The door staff brushed themselves off and went back to work and were soon laughing about it, rather than being worked up and waiting for someone else to step out of line.

As for said douchebaggery, there were plenty of dumbasses who for some reason always lean on or climb into the back of Eric's 1949 International pickup truck. Taking pics and admiring it is one thing. But using it like playground equipment is just flat out disrespectful.

Anyway. Yes, great show. Eric's parents were in town and he announced that many times, as well as admitted he was toning down his use of profanity as to not disappoint his mother. Awesome :) Amazing show and we all made rent+

Good times!

But yeah, Formula 1 weekend. Lotta people in town for that. Traffic is crazy. Been woken up by helicopters every morning, as the sky is buzzing with them like migrating birds. Whisking the big whigs to and from the Circuit of the Americas and for joyrides around town. At night I wonder if they congregate in the HEB parking lot with the grackles and poop on peoples cars.

Made for a lengthy drive to Houston on Friday as we had to drive towards the track. On an ETB road trip, you can always tell who is driving, as they are the one not updating FB and Twitter the whole time, heh!

Traffic was backed up almost all the way to Bastrop. So weird driving through the Lost Pines area now. Last year was the worst drought in Texas history and most of Bastrop County burned out of control for almost a week in the resulting wild fires. Driving at dusk through the burned remnants of a Ponderosa Pine forest is apocalyptic to say the least.

ETB at the Scout Bar in Houston was very good as well. Great venue they got. Been awhile since ETB ventured to H-town and we had lots of fans in attendance, and had the best crowd despite being second band on a 4-act bill. And a short blistering 45 minute set. Needless to say, we made a really good impression.

Spent much of the night catching up with our Houston fans. Good to be in a band that values its fans and gets validation from their appreciation for all our hard work, rather than playing with a bunch of people who constantly need their egos stroked.

Without fans, a band is nothing. Remember that, musicians. Even when they treat you like somebody when you are really nobody, do not let it go to your head. EVER.