“You must spray that shit for da bitches, sir.”~ Dr. Froth
I know that back in October I mentioned that I would not be continuing my trips to Houston.
However, this time around the premise and purpose was no different but there circumstances were.
Back in December, Mrs. Froth put out a message for those who were going to be involved in the January 2014 show to help me out, financially. Members from both SIX MINUTE CENTURY and ECHO TEMPLE were kind enough and gracious to have donated all of the money needed to make sure that I had a successful journey to the show.
I cannot say thank you enough to the people who did donate!!!!!!!!!!!!
And as a matter of fact, I ended up with a little MORE than what was originally designated based on their generosity. So I came home with MORE money than what I had coming. So humbled.
Off I went again on the bus to the great wonders of Houston, Texas.
It probably wouldn’t have been nothing but just another show, but Mrs. Froth had given birth to a son a few days later and this was going to be my chance to see the baby first hand. There was nothing that was going to get in my way.
Its weird that with the bus, that I can delay the bus driver to get me properly secure inside and that will take ten minutes out of his time from handling other passengers. End up anywhere between fifteen and twenty minutes late departing, and still some how make up time.
Going TO Houston, fifteen minutes behind. Arrive ten minutes early.
Leaving FROM Houston, twenty minutes behind. Arrive only ten minutes behind.
Thankfully for this blog post, I don’t have anything CRAZY to report. No staring strangers, no dead cats in luggage, no bratty children…. nothing at all. Just a peaceful to and from in which somehow I fell asleep and screwed up the back of my neck. Yipppppppppeeeeee!!!
Dr. Froth and his newborn son, Merlin. At the hospital.
When I arrived though, I got swept up by Dr. Froth, got fed, and then off to the House of Froth to meet the newest addition.
I was there for a few diaper changes. I was there for a few feedings, a few belches.. which surprised me a little bit. They were bigger than I expected.
“Baby Froth” is a sight to behold. That is for sure.
I got to hang out for a while and listen to Dr. Froth play around on his bass as he got ready for the show.
Then he realized that this was about to be his son’s first ever experience listening to music, and listening to his father play music.
A few jokes about him not sucking were passed around and Dr. Froth took that NSStick and TORE-IT-UP!!!
One thing that I will never forget was Mrs. Froth singing “Under The Moonlight” to her son as her husband dwindled away at the NSStick to an album recording of the song.
It was one of the most precious parent/child moments I had ever witnessed.
Also…. did anyone else know that Dr. Froth was a man of many huge talents?? He cooked up some walnut chicken and we all had a good time with it. Dr. Froth really is an extraordinary cook as well as a well-talented musician.
I’m blown away!!
But all good things had to come to an end, before the next good thing was allowed to happen. It was upsetting for me internally as Mrs. Froth would not be joining us at the show.
My first SIX MINUTE CENTURY show without my +1 of many, many years! Very strange!!
I was greeted by members of ECHO TEMPLE who were already there. It was like a meeting of the brotherhood. At least that is what I personally call the members of ECHO TEMPLE… my brotherhood, my brothers. And bountiful and moist conversations took place before the music got started.
It was there that I would actually be greeted by and then introduced to the original bass player of SIX MINUTE CENTURY, John Sample, aka Sampy. I had never met him. By the time I got to see the band in person, he had already left and Dr. Froth was in his place.
A really nice and gentle guy. He’s the kind of bass player that plays with a unique style that he bends over at the waist and lets his bass guitar drop to around his ankles and sits there and plays. He was part of MYSTIC CROSS, the headlining band.
Then I saw the succubus. If you go back to about August 2013 with Dr. Froth’s last birthday extravaganza post… there’s a little something there to it. But again, its not worth complaining about.
But with all the women that I have ever had trouble with, that I had met in Houston during a show…. she was not someone that I thought I would ever see last night.
I was kind of hanging out near the bar where the restrooms were and she had to get by to go to the ladies’ room. But coming out was a different story as the crowd shifted around and she couldn’t go back the way she came. She had no other choice but to walk right by me.
Let me just say that my peripheral vision kicks ass. I knew the moment she walked out of the bathroom and I knew the moment that she found that she could not “avoid” me on her way back from the bathroom.
So she touched my shoulder, said something while VICIOUS CYCLE was playing, but I can’t hear crap in there. So she asked another question that I understood.
She asked if I had gotten into town yesterday and I acknowledged that was fact. Then she said that it was great to see me again and she walked away. I never bothered with her again. Even though I had thoughts of trying to take a photograph with her. But why bother? ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!
VICIOUS CYCLE got up there and played first. And it sounded really good. I didn’t know them from before. I’ll have to keep a closer eye on them.
Don LaFon
SIX MINUTE CENTURY took on second and so many people were having a great time. But again, I was entirely disappointed with the numbers that were in attendance. There had to be less than 60 people at the peak. What the hell has happened in Houston and what is going on with music fans? I understand most of them got sick, and even Mrs. Froth was honestly in no condition with a new baby… but what are the excuses for the rest of them? I don’t freakin’ get it!!
Those who were there, were celebrating guitarist Don LaFon’s birthday. I too, have a birthday this month but SIX MINUTE CENTURY removed my favorite song of theirs of all time from their rotation. So no more birthday dedications at the January show. Damn….
At least now I know who was responsible for that. Ironically enough, I’m not mad…?
Lead Singer Chuck Williams didn’t even mess with LaFon as much as he usually does about how OLD of a man LaFon really is. And I keep forgetting the cantaloupe to hurl at the request of Frothtonomy and its followers. I think though that was a 2012 request. It may be void and no good any more.
I’ll have to check with Dr. Froth.
MYSTIC CROSS got on stage and it was sooooooooo fucking loud that it even pushed me outside into the back, out on to the patio… where it was a nasty 42°F/5°C at that time of night. Well, even though it is winter, this is still TEXAS! That’s not supposed to happen until next month some time where it will get nasty and bitter cold.
Dr. Froth then came running out and decided that he was going to pass out cigars like the old tradition after having a baby. He gave me one of his very select collection of very few. I was honored. A group of us stood there outside puffing away like dragons and even fewer of us knew what the hell we were doing.
I think for many of them, it was their first cigar. And others their first tobacco experience EVER. I kept the tube in which it came in and put it away, this will be a souvenir to keep until the end of days. My first ever “Baby Cigar.”
And still since the music was so loud we could enjoy the sounds of MYSTIC CROSS, which is another band that Don LaFon plays in.
Then when the cigar silliness was over, ECHO TEMPLE took the stage and I hugged the stage like a mad man. The same as I would always do for SIX MINUTE CENTURY. A monitor in my face and a filler at my chest… beating away.
And I’m not deaf yet?
As I was enjoying ECHO TEMPLE, Chuck Williams came by and hugged me. He slurred his “I love you man.” for whatever reason. I guess he was thinking about it too hard and he panicked. Oh well. The poor guy had teeth pulled less than a week before and he admitted this afternoon that he was in pain at the end.
I then was told that Mrs. Froth was having a difficult time at home with the baby, and Dr. Froth handed off the duty of getting me safely back to the hotel to Don LaFon… but I freaked out because — its his birthday show– hadn’t he been drinking?
A few minutes later I realized that my luggage bag was in Dr. Froth’s vehicle so I sent a text message to him expressing my concern. No response came.
It worked out though because Dr. Froth had forgotten some equipment that was still on stage and so he waited to get it all at the end of the night and THEN he brought me back to the hotel.
The biggest surprise (for me) was that the drummer of MYSTIC CROSS would come up to me during the ECHO TEMPLE set and try to talk to me while music was going on. I couldn’t hear. So he left and a few minutes later, he gave me the printed out set list of MYSTIC CROSS.
Drummer Austin Gartman was totally adoring me and I couldn’t figure out why. It was then that I found out that Don LaFon was at it again, adulating me to anyone who would listen to explain that “the guy in the wheelchair is SIX MINUTE CENTURY’S #1 FAN EVER!” and that he takes the bus every time to come to a show.
Yep, he had done it again and this time it caught the attention of Austin Gartman. It blew his mind! So then he swiped the set list away from my hands and grabbed a Sharpie and made everyone in MYSTIC CROSS autograph it.
Now keep in mind, Don LaFon has autographed many things for me personally as many things. Mainly SIX MINUTE CENTURY, but he is probably getting used to it all by now.
Austin Gartman gave me many bro hugs and nearly he cried. I saw this with my own eyes. And he thanked me profusely for my dedication.
Now with Mrs. Froth gone, there was an option of going out to eat without her OR Dr. Froth would just drop me off. But since things were getting a little hairy at home with the newborn… I was dropped off at the hotel.
But its a trade-off and I understand it. I can either stay out a few more hours and then have to stay awake long enough to go get on the bus to come back OR I can leave and go back to the hotel earlier and attempt a few hours of sleep before having to get up and get on the bus to come back.
I didn’t mind taking sleep. Trust me on that!
I laid there in bed with my eyes probably sore from being red and I thought about all the wonderful things that everyone had done to get me to that show. All the love, all the financial assistance, all the support. I literally wept in the darkness until I fell asleep.
I took in four hours of sleep. Not bad, considering that the last couple of times I’ve had less than an hour while still in Houston. Its a little easier to get motivated to go when you have a little sleep.
It is abundantly clear though. I still will not be using my own money to make these kinds of trips to Houston. If anyone wants me there, they can pitch in. They’ve done it before. Last night was not the first time this has happened this way.
However, if there is any hope or idea or belief that there will be “more” after the show, then I am simply going to have to take in two nights in Houston. That first night will be the night of the show, and then take that night to sleep. The following morning I can do whatever. Watch television in HD or anything else and then go to bed early that second evening and then get up in the morning the second morning and return.
When I returned, my brain just wasn’t working well. So I’m going to need more sleep.
All in all, I totally enjoyed the trip. Glad that I didn’t have to deal with any stupids with the bus too! Meeting with old and making new friends. And enjoying music. How can you beat that???
Dambreaker 