“The family ties between hundreds of thousands of German families and their American relatives led many to think that America would never join a second war against Germany.”~Julius Streicher
The past weekend is going to definitely be memorable. And memorable in the most wonderful of ways.
Because I have been doing much better with kicking some nasty habits, I came into more money than usual. So this past weekend, was extended to include Friday night, as well to be able to see ECHO TEMPLE play live at Acadia Bar & Grill.
It was an unusual show for me since I was not with my friends there. I was virtually by myself. That’s if you don’t count the band ECHO TEMPLE or their families, at all.
I digress.
Although I just could not feel it for SIGNAL RISING and RAZOR DOVES. The bands who happened to be first and last for the evening. ECHO TEMPLE went on second, WELLBORN ROAD third.
But it wasn’t for a lack of trying. I mean, I was there for most of the night.
I took my spot near the front of the stage when ECHO TEMPLE started to set up. I was being disrupted and distracted at that fact that there was a DOG inside the club. A dog… just walking around with a Corona bandana around its neck like it belonged there. I would see the dog throughout the entire night. I am guessing that it had to belong to one of the owners or something. It was still strange to see it.
One of the funniest moments of the evening was when the set lists were being passed out, guitarist John Wisser asked me if I wanted a program.
Usually those set lists are kept private or at the very least not talked about much. I just knew that my favorite song from ECHO TEMPLE “Witch” was going to be played at some point. But I still took the set list and then turned around and made the entire band autograph it. And that now makes the second item of band memorabilia that I have fully signed and autographed by the band.
Who’s Da Man???
I was also to secure a photograph of the entire band WITH me in it. I’m told that’s not been done too often. That its difficult to get everyone together. Especially since there’s FIVE of them in the band.
It was funny that guitarist John Wisser AND guitarist Sean Turcott had BOTH come up to me looking for a fist bump before they got started. So awesome!!!
Their set seemed to be shorter than what I remember. But nonetheless, I got “Witch” and as a matter of fact lead singer Tom Calandra dedicated the song to me, announced that came a long, long, long ways to get to the show and that the band knew I loved the song.
I reached up and gave thumbs up, but Tom grabbed me around the hand. I literally thought that he was going to pull me out of my wheelchair and drag me up on stage…. that would have been VERY BAD as I would only been able to lay there like a slug on stage. That’s just not attractive.
But I was thrilled that they would do that for me. It felt like I was fitting in with the band, or that they cared what their fans/listeners thought.
The band would hang out for the rest of the evening. And later it was stated that’s okay for me to hang out with the band. Even if I thought they were discussing band business. It was expressed that if whatever they were talking about was serious enough that they wouldn’t be talking about it in a club. But rather in private, so I shouldn’t have to be afraid to hang out with them and not join the conversation.
It was then that I realized I was not just a fan, but part of the ECHO TEMPLE family.
How much more awesome does this get???? First SIX MINUTE CENTURY. Now ECHO TEMPLE.
Wellborn Road got up on stage and practically melted my face off with their blinding style of lyrics and metal music. They are from College Station…. home of Texas A&M. What was interesting to note was that when the band started to play a group of people moved forward and stood there for the rest of the set. Looking like a wave of college students. Holy Crap!! Everyone has their following! 
But I was impressed. I missed them when they opened for none other than ECHO TEMPLE back in March at the House Of Blues. I got to see them from beginning to end.
I got to talking to the lead singer for a little bit after promoter Rusty Conner made the original introduction. Before the guy knew it, I was wanting merchandise and as much as he could give it and as much as I could afford it.
I ended up with a couple of their CD’s, a t-shirt, and a download code. I wanted two shirts, but they didn’t have the size. They didn’t actually have the size that I was looking for to begin with and it proved that truly I am a size XXL in t-shirts. I had the Wellborn Road t-shirt on earlier and my belly was showing at the bottom. Unattractive.
We’ll see if Wellborn Road comes to my area now.
He saw the military tags around my neck and assumed. And a drunk did as well. Ended up getting a FREE drink from the drunk’s assumptions.
Meanwhile the dog kept walking back and forth, in and out of the club all night.
Then Razor Doves got on stage. Constantly announcing that they were from San Antonio. But I just couldn’t get into their vibe. I mean, I was clawing at the walls to get out of there!!!!
Razor Doves just isn’t for me. Neither is Signal Rising. Although Signal Rising had a cool looking t-shirt that I wanted, but nobody came to help me out in that. Who the hell am I supposed to give the money to???
All in all a wonderful night of music. A Prelude if you will… an appetizer for a second night of music that was to come.
Dambreaker 