In our continuing series from Donny Saraceno, drummer extraordinaire of the New Jersey band The Moms' we find things are getting hot- literally. Donny reports in via a Blackberry as the guys head South stopping along the way to make music and find rest.
It's interesting to see how truly hardcore bands can be. This isn't jetset entourage stuff..this is real life, this is what makes a rock and roll the last wild frontier.–hb
Day 5 –
Tour officially begins the first night you get stuck sleeping in the van. And last night, tour started.
Summer months in the south can produce some serious heat that will wake me up more than any alarm clock can. Needless to say it was a draining morning –
Time to refuel – and this isn't our first rodeo.
We gave ourselves a challenge to waltz into the Walmart ( our hotel for the time being) and feast on no more than a total of 20 dollars total to feed four people. And we found great success.
Eight burgers, two pounds of potato salad, ketchup mustard and mayo packets, free plastic forks, we asked for eight slices of cheese, bought eighteen foam cups a carton of minute maid cherry limeade (its summer after all ) and a spatula.
22.19
We failed our challenge but the afternoon was a complete success –
Set up a tent next to our van parked next to the finest tree in the lot, assembled our portable hibachi grill which Jon received for Christmas and tossed the football around while TM Scooter grilled away.
We are living the American dream.
Day 6 –
Holy mess I'm tired. Second night in a row spent sleeping in the van. Here at The Moms we do driving shifts of two and two. Two people sleeping while two people are awake, one driving, one co – pilot, and we try to make the driving as equal as possible. There are, however, many ways to travel on tour with so many hours to get to so many places. Do we sleep while its dark and day drive ? – but get caught in traffic and heat. Do we drive through the night and sleep during the day? – but it is so hot out that we can't sleep. Always a decision battle.
Last night Joe drove and I wish we had slept.
We are playing one of my favorite bars tonight – Alley Cat in Carrollton Georgia! I am so stoked and thankful that the weekend is coming. Ready to see some rowdy week-enders.
On another topic however I want to give you some more info on me and my band, so for today's B topic ;
Last night I asked Joe what five songs he had to hear on the long drive were –
1. "Distance" – Andrew Jackson jihad
2." Twin Falls" – Built to Spill
3." A Jack With One Eye" – Texas is the Reason
4." Mr Mastadon Farm" – Cake
5." Arms Against Atrophy" – Titus Andronicus
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Day 7
Tonight's show got canceled. Had a feeling it might cause it was a last minute show we got tossed onto. We are in Atlanta now checking out tomorrows venue and are comparing hotel prices for tonight. I slept in the van last night while Jon (bass) Joe (guitar) and Scooter (tour manager) cuddled up close on a strangers floor barely big enough for them. We haven't showered since Delaware and it is 104 degrees outside today. Since everything costs money and no one wants to be in the sun we are gonna go hide in the a/c of the Holiday Inn on our smart phones and computers like losers.
Day 8 –
Today was a record breaking high in Atlanta. 106 degrees. My head is going to explode. We played an awesome venue tonight called – "The Wonder Root," a teen community center with a few other bands. It was a good change of pace for the head as it was an all ages show versus a bar. Were gonna shack up with some friends at Georgia Tech. The van is getting a little messier and a lot smellier these days. Scooter is neglecting the fact that he is lactose intolerant and we are all paying the price. Next stop – Florida!
Day 9 –
Last night on my way to the crash spot at GA Tech for the evening I experienced my first flying cock roach. What. The . Fuck. So we got out of Georgia.
First of the Florida dates was at an awesome place called "Evolution Records" a mom and pop record shop; one of the very few remaining, with a live music venue built into the back.
I am from Jersey where we have a huge record shop called, "Vintage Vinyl," and tonight's venue reminded me a lot of it. The cool part is that the venue portion of where we played tonight was the primary focus of the building so the stage, lighting , sound etc. was phenomenal.
We are headed a little out of our way tonight to meet up with Jon and I's self proclaimed "cousin" Sean. We call him, "Cousin Sean." All you need to know about Sean is that he is really good at peer pressure. That is if it's a game.
Until tomorrow, I've been Donny.