a hug hound in a pig pound

So, Chicago. Chi-town. The Windy City. The Big Bratwurst. Let’s just say that our experience there was somewhat mixed. Chicago itself is a beautiful, bustling, diverse big city and the Rogers Park neighborhood where we holed up for our show was amazing—it wasn’t your usual hipster hangout. I only saw about three or four guys dressed like my grandpa wearing huge chunky glasses. While I did work on this very computer at the Heartland Cafe, the rest of the crew did laundry at a laundromat that showed Spongebob Squarepants in Spanish. I drank a few bottles of Point, a beer brewed in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, that was completely fine and anonymous. We ate two delicious meals at the Heartland Cafe and one of our waiters looked exactly like James Cameron. So far, so good.

And then came the show. We followed a guy named Mike who played a nice acoustic set to yapping restaurant patrons. Not a good sign. Thankfully, the restaurant patrons decided to shut up by the time we played. By leaving.

Yep. We played to six people (maybe) and a group of scurrying grumpy wait staff who seemed embarrassed to be in our presence. The Heartland Cafe is a fine establishment for eating and drinking but maybe not for playing an indie rock show. I had to play with brushes (sigh) which made our cover of “You Belong To The City” a little strange. We soldiered on like the professionals we are (this is the part where you laugh uncontrollably). Many thanks to Evan, Katie, Ben, Sarah, Mike, and Jon for coming to the show. Merch sold? That’s a big negatory, little buddy.

But, hey, that Chicago skyline! It’s something else, no?



At least our run of hospitality keeps on a-trucking, as the lovely and talented Caroline offered up her apartment cum art gallery to us. I, of course, being the snorer I am, was once again relegated to the van and the promise of back spasms to come. I was awakened by a cell phone call at 6 in the morning from a frantic Karolyn, who made us get up an hour to early because she has yet to grasp the subtleties of the time zone system. She was properly excoriated for her folly, but we did make good time to Pittsburgh, so I guess it was okay.

Lucas