“Nobody clapped! I hope they get the clap!!” ~ Omar Ramirez
It feels like a blur. An achy, head-pounding blur. And I’m no good with that.
“Wasting Time” release party to the rescue!!!
And that’s exactly where I went. By way of Dr. & Mrs. Froth, and SIX MINUTE CENTURY.
I never thought that in a thousand years I would see so many people that I actually KNEW. People that I can say that have become great friends with me. And they were all in one spot, BFE Rock Club in Houston.
Some who have been around for a while, and others pretty new. But they were there.
I had been itching to go to this show so bad that I knew that if I had bugged Mrs. Froth with the “Are We There Yet?” over and over and over and over again for weeks, that she would greet me when I arrive and then KNOCK me into next year!
After starting about fifteen minutes late on the departure to Houston, the bus driver had obviously kicked some serious butt driving on the highway because for a trip that was supposed to last 2 hours and 45 minutes, we arrived just under ten minutes early………. I don’t know, you do the the math and then get back to me!!
The bus was such a blunder. I bought my tickets for the trip in early September. But then forgot to mention that I was in a wheelchair and needed a disability seat. A $4.00 expense that turned into an addition $41.00 because I bought another round trip ticket (the RIGHT way) the day before travel.
OUCH!!!!!!!!
I even sent a message to someone who lives along the travel path, and got to see them waving at the bus as it roared by their work place. I thought that was cool. Too bad I couldn’t get off the bus and go TALK to them.
I checked in to my hotel and then it was an afternoon of fun and overdue “Face Time” with Dr. & Mrs. Froth within their humble abode.
Come to find out that the band has been watching the Internet for album reviews. They found my last blog post. And frontman Chuck Williams saw it and thought that there were a lot of good and positive comments made about it. But he learned real quick that it was me.
After that, it was on to the show!! I had sent out several text messages in my excitement saying “For Those About To Rock, We Salute You.”
And then there is this:
I think it was very funny that SIX MINUTE CENTURY frontman Chuck Williams, replied with “LET FREEDOM RING!!!”
And then there is this ……..
Meet Danae Saree.
I did. And for the first time.
I’ve been in communication with her over the Internet for so long that I actually came into contact with her when MySpace was used like Facebook.
Yep, that long ago… and it was the first time ever seeing her in person.
Awesome! Can I get an AMEN?
I think its just too cool for school to be able to finally meet people like this. Its too bad I didn’t get an opportunity to take a photograph with her.
Then it was on with the show!!!!!
Silenced Within jumped on stage first, and just rocked it. And it set a good tone to what would be a great night.
It became unusual that the drummer for Stress Level Red (who is former drummer for SIX MINUTE CENTURY) came up to me and asked me to critique the band and their performance. But NOT in the critique that you might think.
So they jumped on stage next and did their thing.
About that time when Stress Level Red was playing, and I was surrounded by bodies of people… that stupid stomach bug hit me, and hit me hard. I don’t think I recovered from it. Let’s put it this way, I didn’t bother asking anyone.
SIX MINUTE CENTURY then hit the stage with what I am believing was their longest set ever. We all were there to do one thing, celebrate and promote the new album. And that’s exactly what they played on stage. One track after another after another. Some of them, had been played live before. Others were brand spanking new and nobody had heard them, either recorded or played live. “Last Days In Paradise” is just as spooky and creepy played live as it is listening to on a recording. That song gives me the creeps.
But I was glad and relieved to see that there was a huge crowd there for SIX MINUTE CENTURY. I am given to understand that the band thinks its one of the largest ever. And personally, I am most definitely proud to have been a part of that.
I was most impressed with the talents of Dr. Froth as he tried different things on stage and to have them work out in such a remarkable fashion. He truly is a bad ass on that NSStick.
However, whatever was rumbling in my stomach was beginning to win. My energy was fading away quickly. And to boot, I had been awake since 5:00 AM that day. And I had several more hours to go.
The crowd began to thin out by the end, and I just kinda shook my head.
ECHO TEMPLE was up next to finish off the night. And so with ECHO TEMPLE, SIX MINUTE CENTURY, and Silenced Within…. three bands that I adore were playing all at the same place on the same night? Of course it was a blast!!! But that huge crowd was gone. And I just thought that was really shitty of the people.
After it was all done, I received a copy of the new album. And even had everyone sign it.
What was incredible and still is today, is that in the “Thank You’s” is the fact that I am mentioned by name TWICE. Once as a band collectively thanking me, and the other as Dr. Froth added me to his list of personal thanks. The band also mentions “The CENTURIONS” and the fans, which is something that I had come up with. Frontman Chuck Williams thanked the CENTURIONS and the fans in his personal notes as well. So I’m mentioned at least by name, twice.
I’ve never been included like this before. And it just fills my heart. I know for sure now that I am “something” to this band. To have been able to go to as many shows as I have in the past two years, traveling all that way, spending so much money, and still giving 1,000% in support. SIX MINUTE CENTURY basically returned the favor by mentioning me in their list of thank you’s.
Wanna see what I’m talking about?!?!? Go buy the album!!!!!
So after all the music was played, a group of us took off. There was a crowd of at least 16 people hanging out. Some of them needing to sober up and eat something over at the IHOP.
The longer I could stay awake, the better it was for me. But all good things must come to an end. And after I don’t know how long of laughing, being gross and immature, and just enjoying the moment…. I was brought back to the hotel and departed ways.
It was after 4:30 AM. My plan was to leave the hotel at 7:00 AM. My bus returning home was supposed to leave at 7:55 AM.
Luckily, I caught some really old re-runs of “Married With Children” and with that, I began to doze off. At some point I think I probably dozed off for about 20-30 minutes. I did not miss the bus however.
There was some random guy fussing and picking on people and telling them what to do because he wanted to get on the bus and he was unable to find a way to purchase a ticket. He yelled at everyone he looked at. And I began to wonder WHY is it that there’s always someone that has to fart in the bowl of ice cream?? Its ALWAYS SOMEONE or SOMETHING. And always on the return trip.
So this guy went after the bus driver when it arrived. And they charged him $44.00 to get on. And he flipped his lid again, but paid.
I was so tired that I couldn’t even think straight any more, and as we went on down the road and reached Houston Outlets, tears formed in my eyes and they rolled down my face without a care. And I could not figure out whether it was because of sadness that I was about to leave Houston for a very long time, or it was because of my exhaustion and serious lack of sleep.
My head bowed down and rolled around and bounced the entire trip home. The back of my neck now hurts. Leaving twenty minutes late from Houston this time, and then we arrived ON TIME. I tell you… I don’t know what it is about these drivers.
I did have fun though. I didn’t bum myself out with a lot of negative thinking. Considering that this was to be my LAST trip to Houston to go to any shows. Its beginning to become very difficult to deal with. Based on the fact that the bus schedules are yet again moved around.
All that money and time spent, for me to be awake for a continuous 30 hour stretch, and not even be in the city of Houston for 24 hours is catching up to me. Plus with the desire of wanting to move, I need to save the money as much as possible.
Its not the end of the world. No, I didn’t get into a dispute with SIX MINUTE CENTURY or their fans. I just need to save the money so that I can move. That way, I’m “there” whenever a show comes up. After all, if it had not been for the House of Froth, I wouldn’t have been there for the CD release show. And that would’ve sucked. So I give all my thanks to them!!!
So I spent my last day in Paradise. Maybe things will change down the road that I can return.
Dambreaker 