One-Eyed Doll- “Witches” Album Review

Kimberly Freeman- Guitar, Banjo, Lead Vocals
Jason “Junior” Rufus Sewell- Drums, Bass, Synths, Organ, Mandolin Backing Vocals, “Ember” sermon

If you have recently read in a previous blog post, the album “Witches” by One-Eyed Doll was released on the 24th of March. One-Eyed Doll also currently supporting the album with a cross-country tour through May 2015.

I had the opportunity to catch them at the Heart of Texas Rockfest 2015 during the SXSW Music Festival as they swept through the state. I was fortunate enough to land my hands on the album days before the official release. So to bring home a physical copy of the album was quite the treat. And I’ve been deeply involved with it for the last week and more.

Most recently I took the album with me at an excursion to the grocery store. Plugged into my ears, I listened intently as I browsed up and down the aisles. Being there long enough for me to go through the album in its entirety, twice. Needless to say, it is the only thing I’ve listened to since then.

The complexity of the album grows with each track through the conceptual idea of telling the story of the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria that actually took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

I even love the fact that the tracks are listed on the back of the CD cover in Roman numerals. Eleven tracks in total. 43 minutes in length. Exactly 43 minutes.

I did read in another article/interview that Kimberly Freeman mentioned that the lyrics are based on historic research from what was saved in Salem, as well as her own point of view from each person that was involved in the hysteria.

The first track “Ember” begins with this somber feeling which transports you back into 17th Century Colonial-American period. A preacher’s voice can be heard victimizing its congregation that the Devil is in fact real.

As it builds and continues right into the second track “Prayer” which takes on a tone of its own. A chilling account of the different main characters of the story being told, with their so-called prayers as they suffer from the situation that has befallen them. The screaming and snarling heard vocally gets your blood pumping and it blows your mind to what it had to be like for the children of Salem to have “suffered” what they went through.

(Personally though, I would like to know if they did or did not sample a part of Walt Disney’s “Snow White” for a line or two behind the music. I could be way off.)

“Black In The Rye” brings One-Eyed Doll back to their usual metal sound. The interesting bit would be the theory of the rye being diseased by something called “Ergot” which has the same properties as the drug LSD. They lived off their land, and the theory could be that the crops were suffering this disease and it could give an explanation as to why the children of Salem were going through their fits of insanity and bewitching. An interesting theory indeed. This track is currently being played live on stage during their current tour.

“More Weight” taken from the actual words of one of the many who were executed for witchcraft. Giles Corey however was pressed to death, having stones laid upon his body until his body was crushed by the weight, rather than hanged like the others. Instead of confessing as his accusers were wanting, he insisted more weight of stones be pressed against him until he finally perished.

So far this is my favorite track on the album. As well as bits from “Prayer.” I find the lyrics to “Prayer” incorporating the different point of views to be totally haunted. Again with “Stillness” the lyrical content has successfully either caused tears to come forth or send shivers up my spine and literally cause me to fall to the floor… of which I am certain that if the 17th Century Puritan ministers would have seen it, would have thought that “I” was bewitched.

Other tracks give off this kind of Blues feeling with the prominent instrument being a banjo. Tracks such as “Remember” and “Stillness” show off the refulgent and undeniable talent of the duo. 

Kimberly Freeman’s vocals are spot on and both nostalgic and memorable. Captivating, strong, and very lethal in a sense to be able to tell the story of the entire album track by track. Knowing that “Junior” is basically the band’s “Jack of All Trades” when it comes to musical abilities. He includes his majestic music playing many instruments on the album.

The idea of having a concept album works! With each track like its own chapter of the story, you’re transported away with pleasing music and astonishing story telling by Kimberly Freeman. You spend all of those 43 minutes immersed in your own mind wondering what it would have been like to have been alive during all of the events that took place.

I personally believe that this album will be raising awareness to the story told. A story that is sadly and unfortunately no longer told in schools today, but was in fact discussed during my school days as a youth. Once a person listens to this album, it will cause Internet searches to rise in numbers so that they could earn more information of what honestly happened.

The album is a definite must have. I would score it an actual 103 out of 100, due to the chills and scares it gave me while listening to it sincerely the first time. The tears, the shivers, and the wondering.

Plus, there is no other feeling like getting chills up and down your spine when you listen to music, getting goosebumps, and having the strongest desire to weep while you’re in the bread aisle of the local grocery store.

So whether you are interested in the history of the Salem Witch Trials or just a fan of good music, then don’t hesitate and buy the album. It can be purchased by Standby Records.

http://standbyrecords.merchnow.com/

You simply cannot pass this album by.

SXSW 2015: Final Thoughts

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”~ Plato

Wow, a week almost blew by without my final thoughts. I must be busy or something.

Thankfully, I did not spend as much money as I thought I would this year. Definitely not as much as LAST year. Good grief!!! However the swag and merchandise was nearly plentiful as the year before.

As with other SXSW Festivals in the past, there’s always that factor of learning and discovering new music.

Last year was the discovery of FEAR CONTROL and Nancy Silva Project. This year was no different.

Sadly, this year there was no performance by Nancy Silva Project, due to a family emergency. My heart and prayers still go out to them as they are dealing with a difficult situation.

I got a reprisal performance by BLACK FERATU as well. The boys from Lafayette, Louisiana came back and thrashed the stage and even brought up some new material to share with the rest of the world.

Of course BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE is no longer together. Brenda and Auggie are out in Los Angeles doing their own thing, and was not at SXSW Festival this year. Neither was there the presence of Poc Nation.

What the hell is going on people? 

Nonetheless, there was plenty of music to be had. Rock, Blues, Punk, Metal…… it was all there.

The one band that has my attention, but still I sit on the fence is called “J and the 9s” which is a punk rock band from Brooklyn, New York.

I got to see them play twice during the week. I’ve talked to J, and actually had a couple of things personally in common. 

Whether or not that’s good enough for me to start following this band remains to be seen. Their sound is fantastic, I just need a little more to push me off of the fence and join the party.

And because it is SXSW Festival, there were bands from all over the world. I saw and heard bands from Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, and all over Texas.

Another new band was Andromeda Theory. These guys came from El Paso, Texas and was actually making their way through the state until they reached the eastern side before heading back home. SXSW Festival had to have been one intentional stop on their way through traveling the state.

I honestly did not know what to think of them at first, until they started playing. Andromeda Theory was a band that I had eased into and before I knew it, I moved forward towards the edge of the stage and fired away with my camera taking all sorts of photographs. All of this while in the rain!!! 

Not even inclement weather can stop that which is enjoyable!

With each song that they played, it got better and better and better to my listening pleasure.

So I am anticipating their return back to the area again…. and again and again and again.

And so at last but definitely not least, we had a long, long period of time in which good and wholesome heavy metal music was totally absent from the stages.

Band after band after band after band … there was no heavy metal act. 

The past couple of years, metal was in plentiful supply. Why 2015?…………. WHY?????

Avenue Rage was the savior of the day.

A band from Waco, Texas actually. I was told about them through the company of Fresh Baked Tees.

Their set started out with an air raid siren. And I hoped that this was not going to be a lousy friggin’ gimmick.

I was wrong. And then I was way wrong!!!

Lead singer Russell Feight turned on some major metal heat and then ignited the fuse.

This is a band that does not mess around. Their music is serious as it is hard and fast. It was just what the doctor had ordered.

And then there was the day of unintentional rest. A day that I had decided not to go because of the rain. A mistake I still regret almost a week later. I had been under the impression and the tricky cover of darkness that the rainfall was pretty heavy and it would not be comfortable to be sitting in it all night. Giving the threat of illness to arise. So I bailed, but returned the final day and stayed the entire day until One-Eyed Doll ended it all with a massive BANG!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/avenuerageband
https://www.facebook.com/andromedatheorymusic?fref=nf
https://www.facebook.com/jandthe9s
https://www.facebook.com/generationwastedband
https://www.facebook.com/oneeyeddollfans
https://www.facebook.com/FearControl

22 March 2015: One-Eyed Doll VIP Party

“If I go to a concert or sporting event I usually go in a VIP entrance. And leave the same way.”~ Fran Drescher

The after show meet and greets ran a bit too long with fans. The hour was getting late and “Junior” had to steal away Kimberly Freeman from the fans so that she could prepare for the VIP Party. Change clothes, get comfortable, etc.

The VIP Access on this tour has been limited to only ten people in each city during the tour.

I thought that for sure it would be sold out before I even had an opportunity to save up the money for it. But I would be proven wrong and then very wrong about it.

Weeks before the tour even began, One-Eyed Doll was holding this contest giveaway on their Facebook page. Take a photograph of yourself with your show ticket and win a chance to get a FREE t-shirt.

Well, there was a problem with that. Amusing and curious as it was. Heart of Texas Rockfest … is FREE!! There are no tickets.

So when I inquired, Junior said to show your VIP pass instead of your ticket. So I jumped on board, bought one, and waited. The thing damn near came too late as the contest would be over when the tour started. I took a photograph of me with the VIP pass. And that was about it.

Good one, Junior! You got me there!! Come back over here, I wanna show you this stick I found.

I digress, and I kid.

Kimberly Freeman sat on the back of the stage behind where all the action happened. She then turned around and leaned over the edge, telling me that she was going to crowd surf over to me. And she did.

She’s become very comfortable with me. And I am glad of that.

Also, she has maintained her quirky sense of humor. It is great.

I mentioned again that I was impressed that she remembered my name. I also mentioned that I had been a fan of One-Eyed Doll for only the past nine months, and this was my second show and second VIP in six months. I then rhetorically asked her “Where’s my One-Eyed Doll baby? It should be born by now.”

Kimberly mentioned that it was born in the shape of Mexican food and it had since umm… passed. I then leaned down and kissed her on the general waist and stomach area, as if a father was kissing his unborn child in the womb. And then I was reminded of the lyrics to their song “Brief Candle”

War story, thing of the past
Innocence was not made to last
All that remains of him 
Is a child inside of me 

Did I bring this up though jokingly? No……. what an idiot. I had an opening and didn’t take it.

Freeman took it all in stride even without the humorous reference to the “Brief Candle” song. I figured I’d be clobbered for giving her general lower belly area a smooch. Yet again, proven wrong was I.

However we kept getting chased all over the place. The VIP was not going to leave the parking lot in which Heart of Texas Rockfest was held all week. But we kept going from one side of the parking lot to the other, just trying to get away from usual traffic noises and the pestering sounds of other patrons walking around. 

I cannot say exactly what happened next. That’s is just something you are going to have to experience for yourself as One-Eyed Doll tours the rest of the country through May. If you get the VIP pass, you’ll find out for sure on just how it was that I came to be a part of their new and upcoming record. And if you get the VIP pass, you just might be on the new record too.

It reminded me of the time I went to Houston to record some parts for the GATHERED IN DARKNESS album, by Dr. Froth. So that makes two records in just under a year.

Then things were interrupted yet again and it pretty much broke the mood of the gathering. Personally, it irritated the hell out of me. We could have gone on and on for much longer until that last interruption. But what can you do?!??

So then One-Eyed Doll offered to take photographs with the attendees of the VIP in front of an artist mural that was painted on a wall for Heart of Texas Rockfest last year. It was a nice fit.

Then Kimberly asked if I was going to be okay getting home, and I attempted my best to reassure her that I would be more than fine.

I took a photograph with Junior. But when I got home, I realized that Kimberly and another fan totally photobombed the moment. The look on Kimberly’s face and the expression in her eyes however, is totally scary and creepy.

Then I took several photographs with Kimberly.

I said to her “Please have a seat.”

Kimberly then proceeded to gently sit down upon my lap and then grabbed a hold of me with all the tightness and love that she could give. And I held on to her so she didn’t fall on the ground and bust her ass. The last thing you need is a rock star with a busted ass on tour!!!

It was not as late in the hour of the day to return home as it had been the first time, but it was late enough.

After all of that I had been awake for 20 hours, been sitting in my wheelchair unmoved for 18 hours. I was hurting pretty bad.

I left to return home…. reluctantly.

21 March 2015: One-Eyed Doll Headlines Finale @ Heart of Texas Rockfest/SXSW 2015 – Austin, TX

“Kiss me, it’s over. Red River, Red Rover.”~ One-Eyed Doll- ‘Plumes of Death’

SXSW is officially over for 2015. More than a week and a half of celebrities, films, actors/actresses, and some darn good music.

Heart of Texas Rockfest ended with an appearance of One-Eyed Doll.

They currently are on tour, supporting “Witches” their brand new CD. A concept album that released on the 24th of March.

Luckily for us fans attending SXSW, a copy of the album was available for purchase.

One-Eyed Doll’s show was (in my own opinion) the best way to wrap things up for the entire Festival.

Sufficed to say, that things were looking up for me as I was able to obtain a better seating position than I had before back at the Dirty Dog Bar last September at the end of their 2014 Summer Tour. I was not right up against the stage, but I didn’t really have to be. It was quite the improvement on all levels. And it would end up having some perks.

The stage performance from Dharma Kings right before featured the HELL KATZ dancers. Some now I can call friends. But I soon realized that if I didn’t move to the other stage, that my spot in the crowd was going to be less than desire. So I felt bad for abandoning my friends, and yet I moved back over to the empty and waiting stage.

As the show began, I took one final look behind me and realized just how many people were there behind us all. I had never seen that before at Heart of Texas Rockfest.

The crowd let out a roar when Kimberly Freeman began to play the intro music. And sure enough after the introductions, the band played their standby tune “Committed.”

It appeared as if the party had started and the One-Eyed Doll train was blazing away from the station on no particular course of direction. Wherever it would go, it would go.

At the end of the song, Freeman usually jumps off the stage and mingles in with the crowd and resumes to move around and head bang. Since the stage was at least four feet up, I didn’t know if she was going to and if she did, how was she going to get back up?

But she did it. And landed right in front of me.

When she looked up, she saw me. A big smile drew across her face. She raised up her hand in between playing her guitar and caressed the left side of my face and cuddled it for a moment. Then she hit the next guitar chord and then moved beside me and did a back bend to the point where she was practically laying in my lap. Those back bends and how she does it, I’ll never know.

She then would go into the middle of the crowd and come closer to finishing the song. Then she had to get back ON stage. How was she going to manage?

It didn’t matter. She got up there just fine on her own. But before she did, she came back my way and once again acknowledge me. I reached out for her as she half way embraced me. Then she grabbed my One-Eyed Doll VIP pass that was hanging from around my neck, then let it go with an even bigger smile. I blew her a kiss and then she jumped up on stage and finished playing. The kiss was captured by a photojournalist from axs.com!! It is posted there. (Go ahead, I’ll wait so you can look it up. All done? Good… let’s keep going.)

The show went on with some classic tunes for those fans who were familiar with the band. Needless to say that it has not been very long for me to have joined this party. I would say about nine months. But the more fabulous thought is that it was my SECOND SHOW in SIX months, and my SECOND VIP.

I just don’t know how many more VIP passes I am going to be able to afford in the future. I may have to let some go, if not all because of financial reasons, not because I don’t want to.

I digress.

Freeman did ask the crowd if there was any one there who was experiencing their first show. I was surprised to see so many hands and fists and horns go up into the air. And that was just in my general location… who knows exactly how many people behind us raised their arms into the air.

Freeman began to address the crowd about their newest album, “Witches.” 

The entire album is based on the Hysteria and Witchcraft Trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. One-Eyed Doll performed “Black In The Rye” from the new album. They also introduced super very special guest bassist John Moyer from the band Disturbed.

Yes…. THAT band! (Down With The Sickness, Remember, etc. etc. etc. etc. They are currently on hiatus.)

The entire album and its history has a very interesting and intriguing story behind it. Some that explore one particular theory in how the witchcraft mania even began.

Nonetheless, “Black In The Rye” is extremely catchy. It gets into your head like the so-called demons and spirits of the children of 17th Century Salem.

Even more so, that John Moyer was more than happy, happy, happy to join in on the vocals during the chorus.

Moyer and Freeman are perfect together on stage. The energy climbed as Moyer and One-Eyed Doll told their tale. 

Thankfully, John Moyer did stick around for the rest of the show. I grabbed a photograph with him, thinking that it would be my one and only opportunity to do so. He didn’t say much but smiled and I thanked him for the opportunity and complimented him on his performance afterwards.

The rest of the show magically erased away time and space, it seemed. The show ended around midnight and it felt okay, it felt right to end SXSW in this way.

But all truth be told, I was very nervous about the whole VIP situation. I attempted to extract information from as many people as possible to figure out what was the plan for it all.

The first time, involved a bunch of going from one place to another, and I wasn’t able to do that since I was on my own this time without any help. My fears would subside when “Junior” gave me the quick and general idea of what was going to happen.

So I marched on over towards the merchandise table, since that is where Kimberly Freeman led the crowd over to, in similar fashion of the Pied Piper. Smart. I think that’s how all shows are ended. But the crowd does get some actually face time with Freeman to talk, share, laugh, buy merchandise, grab an autograph and even some photographs with Freeman. And Junior if he stood still long enough and you were able to grab his attention.

I had done all of my “One-Eyed Doll” shopping before the show started. I was there as the merch table was being set up.

I bought one t-shirt and then I wanted to get a CD, but couldn’t decide on which. I was asked how many I had already…. and the answer was NONE.

Melinda, the merch girl, was more than happy to help me in that decision process. Melinda worked a great deal for three albums. This is what I ended up with:

DIRTY
HOLE
WITCHES

Ummm… do you see it??

Yeah. So after all the laughing stopped, I requested Melinda for an autograph. But I had no paper, no book, nothing for her to really sign. She looked at me, puzzled and confused. She gasped nervously when I told her that I wanted her to sign my forehead. There was this collective sound from all of the surrounding fans who heard me voice my request. It was the sound of a collection of mandibles hitting the ground.

When Melinda realized I was serious, she began to shy away. But then she was able to have enough courage to sign along my temple. But in small letters. Complete with smiley face. Suddenly photographs of my head were being taken. It was then discussed about whether or not Freeman would do it. There was mixed opinions. Some said she would, some said they weren’t sure.

So I went in line to wait to get a meet and greet with Kimberly Freeman… just to find out.

I spoke with Kimberly and she called me by name. I didn’t think she’d remember it. She sees so many people while out on tour, why would she remember me of all people? But she does and she said she could never forget me. Naturally, I would be lying if I didn’t say that brought on a good feeling.

Kimberly noticed Melinda’s autograph on my head and then I presented to Kimberly the challenge.

The response I got was “We’ll see about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and Kimberly grabbed my head, tilted it back a little, rubbed my forehead, and began to do her tattoo work on my skin. Having no clue what she was writing. She could have written anything from “I’m retarded.” to “One-Eyed Doll rules!” 

I got extremely lucky. But again, the supporting fans who were around were laughing nervously while standing there in shock to what Freeman was doing.

I heard so many people commenting about how it was never going to come off, and that I would have to stay this way for the rest of my life.

But it was ink. Albeit, permanent marker. I knew that I would live with it for a while. But not the rest of my life. Ink on skin doesn’t work that way.

After that, “Junior” grabbed an even larger permanent marker as I requested for him to “pile on” to whatever I had going on. I saw him grab that really thick marker and I thought that I was going to be in a world of shit.

More photographs were taken. And you know what, it doesn’t matter what was on my face. It is the fact that I was standing right there next to Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll…. on purpose. And she was standing next to me.

Although I wanted to make a public apology to Kimberly Freeman for almost having her cry. I took too long in setting up a punch line to something funny.

I was talking about all the different activities that I will never be able to do in life: run a marathon, jogging, and even stage dive.

But I realized that if I go down a very, very, very steep hill… by the time I reach the bottom, I would have gained enough speed that when I crash at the bottom of the hill… my body will eject from the wheelchair and I will go flying ………. just like a stage dive.

So Kimberly, I’m sorry I nearly had you in tears. X’s and O’s..

I got out of the way of some other people who were waiting, even though I had more to express to her. I figured that I would have time to speak to her more during the VIP party.

Hoping that the VIP would worth the price that I actually paid for… being that the first VIP access was given to me by someone who had an extra pass.

But I do have my very own autographed, kissed, and bitten (all by personal request) copy of the new album. I’ve been listening to it as I have been writing this blog post. And there’s been plenty of times it has given me a serious case of goosebumps and the urge to cry my eyes out.. knowing the history from which the concept is coming from. I may do a review for it in a future post. So stick around.

14 September 2014- One-Eyed Doll VIP After Show Acoustic Party

Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll allows me to take this photograph of her before getting started.

“Inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It’s a constant struggle as to which one will win. And one cannot exist without the other.”~ Eric Burdon

This is my 700th post. THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO READS AND CONTINUES TO STAY CONNECTED TO THE SAGA.

It was well into the night and well into the AM hours before the VIP After Show party officially was put into gear.

We had arrived at the secret location after 2:00 AM, closer to 3:00 AM and nobody could find One-Eyed Doll or know where they were.

It had been a very long time before both Junior and Kimberly had even shown up, much less sat down to begin playing and singing. The pre-orders of the VIP show had their choice of which song they wanted to hear being played acoustically.

But when Kimberly walked through the front door, she was giving everybody hugs. Or as she put it “I gotta get me my huggins in from everyone. Collect them hugs! Mmm!”

For me though, when you’ve realized that you are at a party that should have cost you $100 and it was free and the company that was being kept was entertaining (because I was able to keep them laughing while we waited) and your musical hostess actually in real life has hair that has grown beyond her ass, beyond classic length, and you are out of the house in the middle of the night….. life is great.

Considering that the musical portion didn’t start until closer to 5:00 AM, everyone seemed to be very alert and receptive to the sounds of the acoustical instruments and anything else that was performed.

I found myself constantly and continuously in a hug with Kimberly or in the very least with my arm around her and hers around me. Time and time again with the sharing of affection. I kept thinking that I was the newbie, the stranger in the room, and still she was just as loving towards me as she was towards anyone else?? 

She had my colleague Robert and I towards the front which finally allowed me to see them perform. In fact, I had been placed right next to the  chair that Junior sat in as he played and accompanied Kimberly.

Again I was at the mercy of not knowing the songs that they sang with the exception of a couple…. that’s IF they played them at all!! Kimberly told the group that if they knew the words to sing along.

That would turn out to bite me in the ass later on.

I had one gentleman behind me stuck in the corner near the front door of the house.

You know the person in the crowd that always has something to say in between songs when they are not performing or singing and its always seeming like they are sucking up to the musician or artist or maybe just kissing ass? Or in the most harmless of ways … just adulating and they don’t know when to stop? Yeah, that was behind me. The whole night.

But One-Eyed Doll continued their musical journey with stories and tales of being on tour and how certain songs came along to be. It was like my very own personal band biography that nobody else got to hear if they didn’t buy VIP passes.

And that may or may not have been the point. One-Eyed Doll did mention that the VIP parties were the only true way that they could make money and have gas in the fuel tanks and food in their stomachs. Everything else, someone took some kind of cut or percentage. Even their merchandise table… someone was taking a cut from it. Made me not wanna buy any merchandise from anyone, but that’s not the answer. 

Slowly but surely the night slipped away from everyone in the house. And people were slipping out the door. There were even people there who were at the house when we arrived and had left before One-Eyed Doll even showed up. Such a loss. One person actually split after they got set up to play. It was so weird.

People were beginning to fade and fall one by one by one.

The windows began to show signs of life, signs of light, and most importantly signs of the sun coming up.

It was bizarre. I cannot honestly tell you when the last time was that I went out for the night and came home when it turned light again. But it seemed apparent that this was going to be the  case as the show went on.

Another gentleman mentioned that he had faith that one day One-Eyed Doll was going to play at Madison Square Garden. They had been all over the country this tour and it was his dream for them that they would do so and in quick and short order. 

I can only imagine what One-Eyed Doll was truly thinking when he said it. When I heard it, it sounded like it was full of hope and support.

How can you argue that???

It was nice emotional break for everyone I think. Everyone had been in almost a zombie-coma like state from listening to music and being so tired from being awake for so long.

Even One-Eyed Doll was showing signs of running out of gas at this point in time.

Everyone still remaining in the house had been going on for nearly 24 hours at this point and the acoustic show was far from over.

Kimberly did what she could to make things flow with entertainment throughout, knowing that everyone, including herself was so exhausted.

Nobody wanted to admit their fatigue though. In fact, people were surprised with themselves about how long they were able to last without showing physical signs of fatigue. Nobody appeared to be yawning profusely. Nobody was nodding off. Everyone was alert and still going.

Either the nostalgia took control or everyone was good at faking it.

Kimberly Freeman jumps into the group of people while singing “Committed.”

I suddenly was reminding myself of many things.

First of all, I wouldn’t have been there if it had not been the for the kindness of a guy by the name of Cory who gave me his second VIP pass that he bought and had nobody to go with him. I wouldn’t have made it to the house had it not been for the generous help of my brand new colleague Robert and his family. I wouldn’t have known about One-Eyed Doll had it not been for NANCY SILVA PROJECT to announce that they had a show in town finally and at last after six months of being away.

So I start at the top to thank Nancy Silva personally for being an important person in my life these last few months. I thank Junior of One-Eyed Doll for pointing Robert in my direction to connect with as another fan. And the willingness of him and his family to get me to the house of the party. And of course the sacrifice Cory gave as he handed me his other VIP pass for free.

Not having these people in place at the right time and I would not have stayed out all night long. I probably would have stayed long enough to watch NANCY SILVA PROJECT and then gone home and been back within the walls before the sun went down. Instead I was back within the walls as the sun had been up. It was like leaving the house and going out into the street just before high noon. Even though it was after 7:00 AM.

Robert and his family were interviewed and I stood back and watched. It was wonderful to watch them tell their stories. They almost came to tears telling it with great pride and joy. I hope that One-Eyed Doll appreciates their words.

And even though I was the newbie, I felt like I was surrounded by people who were like family. People who were caring. New people that crossed my path that one fateful night and remain in my thoughts and memories as they all traveled back to their homes across this great nation. To know that Dirty Dog Bar was packed with people like that and a huge percentage of them were not even from the state of Texas was mind blowing. Knowing that NANCY SILVA PROJECT got one hell of a crowd which meant exposure to them as well. I think I remember seeing ONE man who had a NSP t-shirt after the fact.

Throughout the whole night and into the VIP party, I still was wearing my NSP t-shirt. Representing during One-Eyed Doll. Come to find out that both bands are fond of one another in real life on a personal level and that’s great.

Hoping and believing that Kimberly got over her shock of receiving roses the evening before.

Due to the fact that my batteries were dead in my camera while waiting in line at the venue, I changed them before I got to the house party and I finally got my own photographs with Kimberly. Then we left the house.

The host of the party was outside with Junior talking and he asked if he could help in any way as I approached the ramp to go down. I said “Stand back and watch the magic.” Then I flew down that ramp and onto the walkway and all the way to the front gate where he met up with me and helped me to the vehicle.

I finally crawled through my front door after saying farewell to Robert and his family and looked at the clock. It said 7:40 AM.

Damn.

I posted all my photographs that I had on my camera from the evening onto Facebook and then got slapped with the article of Kanye West opening his mouth at a concert in Australia and shoving his foot down his throat farther than ever before. But that’s for another post. Depending on how mad I remain about the situation.

Kimberly Freeman Loves You

After posting photographs and ignoring Kanye West’s stupid ass, I finally went to sleep. But only got four hours of sleep. Then I suddenly had to be up and awake because I was babysitting my niece.

I hope that I get another shot at One-Eyed Doll. Kimberly finally put two and two together and realized who I was since we had some minor interactions on the Internet prior to the show. But almost too late. I found out later that Kimberly is just uber affectionate. She loves her hugs. Receiving and giving. It shows with as many as I had with her.

I think that I am going to go to her and tell her that I want to extend the hugs and call them “Kimberly Kuddles.” She’ll probably love the sound of it. But we’ll see.

13 September 2014: One-Eyed Doll At Dirty Dog Bar- TOUR HOMECOMING

“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.”~Paulo Coelho

Part II – One-Eyed Doll.

The first difficult lesson that I learned was never to move from your spot if you got a good place in front of the stage, if you are at a One-Eyed Doll show.

Being a local band, there’s plenty of people who were there for One-Eyed Doll specifically.  I’d like to think upwards towards 90% of the crowd was there for them.

And I had never seen Dirty Dog Bar that packed with people. I probably said that in the last post. I was the only person there wearing a NANCY SILVA PROJECT t-shirt. And I wore it with total pride, against the oceans of One-Eyed Doll shirts.

But this was my first time for One-Eyed Doll. And I have been watching videos on YouTube for the past two months or so just trying to familiarize myself with the band.

The only real connection I was able to make was listening to two songs called “You’re A Vampire” and “Committed.”

When the show started, I was so far deep in the back after trying to find Nancy Silva to hang out that when I attempted to reach the stage that nobody would move so I got pushed over to the side of the stage closer to the restrooms, watching the show from behind. Watching Kimberly Freeman’s back the entire time, unless she marched over towards the side of the stage before going back up front.

I missed the silly introductions and realized that the first song that they were going to perform was “Committed” and right from the start I found myself in a spot where I would know this first song, but nothing more… unless she performed “Vampire” and she did not. So everything else was new.

One-Eyed Doll. Photograph by M. Eagle (I was sitting directly behind and to the right of the guitar stand with limited visibility.)

I just didn’t know what to think about this entire show. Filled with silly props, silly banter, silly lyrics, and silly stage presence. But it worked. It turns out that Kimberly Freeman and Junior are actually incredibly talented musicians who makes silly turn into gold.

I kept wondering if she was the female rock and roll version of Weird Al Yankovic. I just couldn’t take a lot of the lyrical content seriously and come to find out, you aren’t supposed to.

During “Committed” she kept up with her high kicks. I had previously asked on her official Facebook page how many kicks she predicted to do during the entire tour. I received the answer of “One Million.” I’m tellin’ ya though, with as many kicks as she did during that first song, I am pretty sure she came close to hitting that mark.

There was quite a bit of audience participation, including allowing members of the crowd to join her on stage.

From my searches on YouTube, I noticed that there was a lot of gross stuff too. Spitting and screaming the demeaning of others by humiliation. Even one video a few years ago where she had one man on stage with her and she just up and slapped him then spit on him.

Freakin’ gross! Can you say “assault” charges?

Who in the world puts up with that? Who in the world thinks that’s great entertainment?? The members of the One-Eyed Doll nation. Although sufficed to say that there was no spitting. No slapping. But plenty of audience members on stage to dance and dress up in silly costumes. There was also plenty of audience participation to scream out phrases like “Yee-haw!” during songs such as “Be My Friend.”

One audience member was brought onto the stage and it was announced that it was his birthday weekend. Come to find out that it was the same person who gave me the VIP pass earlier as a gift. So he got to hang out during a song or two. The One-Eyed Doll nation is a very close and supportive group, whether they are from Texas or from Tasmania or Toledo. 

Poor Kimberly was met by one member of one of the earlier bands that was on stage before her. He was so drunk that he just made his way up the stairs and stood right next to her. Her sound technician played a dual role as he pulled the slobbering guy off the stage and away from Kimberly. All she had to do was stand there and keep her distance. And I wondered that with all the audience invitations of joining her how many times people who were drunk would misunderstand her and just show up as this guy did? How many times has that happened?

Towards the end of her 90 minute set, she sang “My Little Bus” which I am still conflicted by, lyrically. But musically its catchy as hell. I knew that one, but that was it as far as familiarity was concerned.

I still had a bouquet of roses that I had planned to give to Kimberly but I did not know how I was going to do that. I could throw them at her feet on stage but she could have used them as a stage prop and then in the end they would be destroyed. Or someone else might have taken credit, and that’s never good.

At the end of the show, Kimberly encouraged her fans to follow her to the back of the venue near her merchandise table, which was LOADED with goodies. I just was too damned poor to buy even a $3 sticker. But then again, the sticker is THREE dollars. But having the crowds follow her reminded me of the Pied Piper.

It just stinks that a majority of the items that are cool and can be used to wave the flag were $20 or more. And it sucked because I didn’t have any money for that.

Kimberly Freeman and Junior stood by their merchandise table and was available for photos, autographs, and simple conversation. But there were splintered lines coming towards Kimberly from at least six different directions. It just never seemed to move because you couldn’t tell where people were coming in from. 

Me with my camera which was beginning to run out of batteries and I just was not into any position to stop and search for the extra batteries that I had brought with me. If I had done that I would be distracted from the lines and lose my place whenever it decided to move.

Plus when people were done with meeting Kimberly they did an about face back into the crowd which I thought was stupid. I felt as if they should have made a path to go around the outside of the crowds who were waiting to talk to Kimberly rather than go back into the same crowds by going back the way you came.

People were expecting ME to move out of THEIR way- and that just wasn’t going to happen. Your dumb ass should’ve gone around the outside and now you are wedging me and my wheelchair between you, the merchandise table and a stripper pole which is located in the middle of the floor out of nowhere. This is not my problem nor my fault. You should have gone around.

Then I got closer and closer to where I could actually see Kimberly Freeman sitting there.

She had a very unique way of deciding who she would see next. Nevermind the rule of “next in line” especially since there were about six different lines coming in from different directions.

Kimberly would stare blankly ahead and stick her index finger into the air and whomever touched their index finger with hers, was next.

It was like some twisted, light-hearted game of E.T. Phone-Home. Minus the part where her fingertip was supposed to light up.

Me and my roses on my lap, playing around with my camera and realizing that the life of the batteries were extremely low was not a game. I had a surprise in store for the person ahead of me in the line that we both were in. They were short and I have long arms so I was going to reach around and touch fingers with Kimberly and take my turn. Besides, I was losing precious time wanting to do another one hundred and two things before leaving the venue and getting ready for the VIP party.

But my plan would not work. Instead, Kimberly saw me crushed against the side of the table with people looming over me from all sides, basically trapping me where I sat.

Kimberly looked and saw me and then I heard “I am going to come to you.” She got off her chair and moved to my side and hugged me. Even after being on stage for an hour and a half, moving around under those hot stage lights, her scent was still a bit intoxicating.

I gave her the roses and for the rest of the night was in shock and disbelief that someone gave her roses. Constantly asking if they truly were for her. Not even Kimberly Freeman would remember the old traditions.

Then I picked up my camera but nothing would happen. The batteries were just dead by the next time I turned it on. So I had to accept the substitute of someone taking their cell phone and taking a photograph of Kimberly and I together and then having that person text it to me, in which I had to text it to someone else who would e-mail to me so that I would be able to post it to the Internet.

I remember very clearly and vividly that Kimberly was so touched by the flowers that tears formed into the corners of her eyes, but the tears did not fall.

She touched my hand and thanked me. I then turned and lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her hand with reverence, chivalry, gallantness, affection, and respect. I was informed later by someone else that it won her over.

I mentioned to her that I would be attending the VIP party and told her that someone that I did not know was my hero for giving me his other VIP pass for nothing, otherwise I just wouldn’t have been able to afford. Kimberly stunned me with her answer of “We would have hooked you up so that you could come.”

Wow………..

More affection, more hugs, and more kind words and then I was finished. I shouted behind me that everyone needed to move the hell out of my way or suffer being ran over. Everyone parted like the Red Sea and I just kicked it backwards into high gear. I connected with my ride with the family from Richmond and then shortly after that the bar closed and the person on the PA system who was announcing the closure of the bar was being a colossal dickhead about it.

I said good night to Rai and he vowed once more to come by my place some time soon. And again I was not deterred and encouraged him to bring it. Just make sure that Nancy Silva was with him when he did stop by. I am hopeful that he had at least a little bit of seriousness within him. I said farewell and bolted for the doors, hoping to find Nancy Silva to say good night and farewell to her. Even though that I did not want to. I wished I could have kept her here in town forever.

I ran outside and found Nancy Silva just standing on the sidewalk having conversations with others. I sat nearby but didn’t interrupt. Then she said she was leaving to go back to San Antonio. We embraced, I kissed her on the cheek gave her my affections verbally and then BEGGED her to come back sooner than six months.

Then it was onward toward the hotel of my colleagues so that we could get into their vehicle to head to the VIP after party.

We were stopped by two girls who were drunk out of the skull, kissing on Robert. The first girl just pecking his lips but the second girl attempted to start a making out session with Robert but that was all stopped by Robert’s wife thankfully.

People on Sixth Street after 2:00 AM– annoying as hell.

We pilled in and set the GPS system up and took off for the house where the party was being held.

Next Post: One-Eyed Doll VIP After Show Acoustic Party.

 

Attack Of The Drama Llama

“The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed.”~ Eminem

Just about that time when you are about to put everything on cruise control for a few days… that stupid llama finds you in the bedroom window, staring at you while you sleep. And its wanting inside the house.

And then by no fault of anyone, it finds its way inside. Suddenly your everything slowly turns into a nightmare from which you just wished that you would awake.

That’s when you realize that any and all attempts to play the hero and be Superman are going to just fall apart in the process. So you let nature run its course and hold on tight, hoping that it ends soon and the rays of sunshine appear once more sooner than later.

HELP!!!

That’s the way things have been recently, but they seemed to have turned around.

Saturday, the 13th…. NANCY SILVA PROJECT is coming to town and will be playing a show at Dirty Dog Bar. They are playing a show that is a homecoming event for a band called ONE-EYED DOLL who has been touring these last few weeks. The 13th will be the last day of the tour for ONE-EYED DOLL and NANCY SILVA PROJECT is on the bill to help support.

I don’t think that I have to tell you how important this show is for me. I think that throughout previous blog posts where I have talked about Nancy Silva, one can get a sense of where I am coming from with what I am thinking and feeling.

In other words: It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure it out.

Six exact months I have waited for this opportunity. 185 days to today, and then add one more day because I will not see anyone until the 13th… so 186. More than 4,440 hours of waiting will pay off.

As of nearly a week ago though, the drama llama came for a visit and hasn’t left yet.

My sister hit me up to borrow money, which was basically ALL of my spending money for the evening of the show. Now there will be no merchandise bought if there is anything that I want.  No drinks. NOTHING.

Then I busted my only pair of eye glasses on Sunday afternoon. Went into a panic because of the fact that I my vision is horrible and only am near sighted. So unless these bands plan to play while sitting on my lap, this is going to be a disaster if I cannot see.

I had a temporary fix which involved tiny amounts of Super Glue and LARGE amounts of Scotch tape, rigging the frames together to make for one-sided foggy experiences.

I went to the vision center inside Wal-Mart as was suggested. They weren’t any help at all. They didn’t want to talk to me, they didn’t want to help me, they didn’t even want to refer me to a place where I could get a pair of broken glasses fixed. These people were terrible. Then I went go look for GODZILLA on DVD, but Wal-Mart didn’t have it. I was one week too early for them to have it in stock. So ridiculous! Nothing was going right.

Finally, all signs pointed to a frame fixer who claimed that to fix the glasses would be anywhere from $5 all the way up to $60. I was charged $40. Another forty bucks out of my pocket.

But at least I got the glasses fixed, and still taking away from any hope or chance of using that money to do a little self-shopping for band merchandise. I sure would love to add to my collection of NSP t-shirts or other pieces of memorabilia if there is anything to be had.

Am I going to have any money for this show at all?? Will I even have money to get a taxi ride home?

Will I have to skip out on seeing ONE-EYED DOLL for the first time in order to catch a bus home???? The possibilities are endless that its excruciating.

The only thing that I can say at this point is that I am stressed out. I’ve been counting this date for over three months. I remember when I told Nancy Silva that the show was ten weeks (70 days) away. Both of us kind of got a little excited.

Now its just a little more than 24 hours away. The only thing that is certain is that I got my eye glasses fixed. And that I will go to the show. The rest remains a damned mystery.

First world problems and the struggle becomes real. Hooray for me.