18 April 2015: Storming Houston Over Six Minute Century

“We’re trippin’ them Satan’s balls tonight!”~Dr. Froth

My apologies to my subscribers. I nearly forgot to write on this.

After a six month absence in Houston, I was able to make yet another trip to see SIX MINUTE CENTURY. For the birthday celebration of lead singer, Chuck Williams.

After failing miserably in January, being fooled by what Texas appears to call winter weather …. things just seemed odd. Probably because of the fact that it HAD been six months.

I found myself attempting to make it there on my own. No neighbors could help give me a ride to the bus stop, so I didn’t feel like there was much of a choice.

But that hill that found me, nearly killed me. And there were a ton of people around who were just walking by. Nobody offered to help. I started to get angry, but then again, I could see that uncertain area in between being helpful and being presumptuous about the situation. And then when I got on the bus, we ended up getting into a rather unusual fender bender. A Taurus ran through a red light and clipped the corner of a double decker bus. If this vehicle was playing chicken, then they didn’t realize what they were up against.

All but one passenger was okay. That one passenger elected to get off the bus (by his own power) and seek medical attention. The rest of us apparently wanted to carry on towards Houston. The remainder of the trip was fine though.

Once arriving in the afternoon for a change, I didn’t have to wait very long to get picked up to go to the show. There was a number of people there that I hadn’t seen at a Houston show in probably a year or more. And it was great to see my friends again. Once again, making me feel like I have a new home there if I wanted it.

Dr. Froth however, needed to take a side trip to someone’s home to gather up some music gear. And as he was loading it, I looked down at the driver’s seat and saw a paper sitting there. It was the set list for SIX MINUTE CENTURY.

I tried so very hard not to look at it, but I had already seen a few songs. Songs that I would have already figured that they were going to play at the beginning of the show. But deep down I did wonder whether they were going to play “Zero Hour” or not. With great restraint, I was able to resist.

The opening band was Infidel Rising, from Dallas. I was blown away at their talent. From their amazing drummer all the way up to their lead singer’s vocal abilities. I mean… I was just floored!!!

Their drummer had an amazing style of how he played. And I think that everyone there noticed it.

They proclaimed themselves to be prog metal, but I could see them fitting into all sorts of sub-categories. I really do want to give them another chance to make sure. They return to Houston in June, playing with Masqued. How I would love to go!!! 

SIX MINUTE CENTURY took the stage for what was going to be about two hours in length. Something I had never experienced before. The moment that they began to play, something went far back into the wrinkles of my brain and found the pleasure centers as well as memory factors and just bombed the hell out of it. The hair on my arms stood up and my spine went through one hell of a shiver.

This was the band that I remembered. This was the band that I led the charge for. And I was there for it all.

The crowd as well as the band began a silent countdown in their minds to midnight. And at that point, it would be officially Chuck’s birthday. As he kept saying. “I’m 22. Twice (or again)”

Surprisingly enough, the alcohol did not flow as much as it has in Aprils past.

This was a genius idea!

There were a few chants and shouts and a couple of drinks brought to the stage.

They played both of their April 19th tunes. Also noting that the Oklahoma City bombing was already 20 years ago. Time is certainly flying at a speed that nobody really believed possible!

And the party continued on and on and on.

I was actually anticipating someone to start singing the Birthday Song, but nobody attempted it. It was disappointing, actually.

I sure as hell was not going to sing. Had I started that up, people would have insisted I get on stage. And that just wasn’t going to happen.

But I don’t think that Chuck Williams can complain. Or SIX MINUTE CENTURY for that matter.

Towards the end of their set,  I heard the sounds of the helicopter and I knew exactly what that meant.

Chuck Williams stepped up again to the microphone and dedicated the song “Zero Hour” to me.

The band nailed it. They nailed most of the night. “Zero Hour” however, it was just as perfect as one could get it. From an audience point of view.

After that eargasm, Chuck walked closed to the edge of the stage where I was sitting and I shouted “Love you brother!”

Chuck Williams response was reciprocation as he spoke softly but directly into the microphone.

The show was one of their best successes in years. At least since I had started to arrive at shows in Houston back in 2011.

Rob Lowe (right) joins Chuck Williams and the rest of SIX MINUTE CENTURY

Then the big finish was NOT their usual performance of “Perfect Picture” but rather a cover. And this had Robert Lowe joining them all on stage for double vocals on the microphone.

I had never actually heard nor seen Robert Lowe perform live. I had heard some of his other recorded work with bands such as Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus. But never thought about hearing him sing live.

 

SIX MINUTE CENTURY may be returning to Vintage Pub on Independence Day this year. I have my doubts to make that show. But the Dr. Froth Birthday Extravaganza will be the 29th of August. And that’s the one show that comes with a heavy price to pay upon my head if I miss it. Put there by the House of Froth.

Vintage Pub however seemed to turn on its customers when the music was all said and done.

“Last Call” was announced and they just simply changed the genre of music over from rock and roll and heavy metal to hip hop and R&B……. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over?

A late spring thunderstorm hit with plenty of thunder and the pouring of rain, and Vintage Pub is screaming at everyone to get the hell out.

There was one waitress that I kept staring at the whole night. I never got close during any time. But at the end of the night, she walked right by and got a close up to see who I was dealing with. The “cool idea” of getting a photograph with her was abandoned. Chances are that I will never see her again.

By the time I had left with Dr. Froth, the rain had stopped. A fresh coat of simple wet was applied to everything.

The following morning, I got ready to check out of the hotel and get on with my travel back home. I left a little early to catch something to eat at the Smokehouse place directly next door. I had failed to notice a few signs though.

It was closed. They had moved to another location. And now instead of my plan of just waiting for under an hour for the bus to arrive. I had to kill over two hours.

Then the bus was late. By almost a full hour.  Other passengers who were waiting were talking about some bicycle ride that was happening from Houston to Austin. It was their theory as to why the bus was late.

It wasn’t a theory, it was fact. With road closures and detours, we simply had a late bus.

By then, my arms and hands began to hurt. Probably from bracing myself from the bus impact the day before. My right hand and wrist blew up like a balloon and pain was radiating all the way up to the elbow. Others who were also there to experience that were talking about being sore in general terms.

By the time the bus had reached the destination, it was able to shave off several minutes of being late. Not many though.

I took off again on my own to try and get home. But that bicycle race was right there. I mean literally the next block over.  Delays and cancellations. It took me an hour and a half to find a functioning city bus stop to climb on board in order to get home. I had been in town for well over TWO hours before I even got home.

Bookmarked by misery, the enjoyment of the show was something to behold. Cannot wait to see what August brings. But some changes on my behalf will have to be made.

17 October 2014: 10th Anniversary For Six Minute Century At Vintage Pub

“We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.”~ W. Somerset Maugham

I’m pretty sure that I have mentioned this before, but when I am going to Houston for the weekend or a day or whatever, I never seem to wanna come back home. I’ve probably mentioned it so many times that others are getting annoyed by just hearing it.

Yet it was just time for me to take a break. I needed one so badly. Thankfully SIX MINUTE CENTURY had a show and it gave me that break that I needed.

But as time goes by, things change. The atmosphere and environment around me has changed. And I find myself quickly in a hole trying to get out of it while attempting to adapt to all of the changes that are thrust upon me.

Megabus now has “reserved seating” and honestly I cannot tell the difference. Other than those seats that are marked for reserved seating are leather. Apparently if you purchase a ticket and you want reserve seating, you just pay a little more. Then you are one of the first people allowed on the bus before the rest of the passengers. This seemed a bit ridiculous. On the lower part of the bus there were only FOUR leather seats. But hey… I guess that they are making money. Its still stupid in my opinion!

However with dealing with a passenger with a disability, I was first to get on board.

It was a full bus. And the employees working, including the bus driver, once they got me up the ramp, they grabbed me from underneath my arms and practically threw me out of my wheelchair and into one of the bus seats in the back. NO warning. NO words spoken. NOTHING. They just up and grabbed me and threw me.

I’ve put a call into the supervisor and currently awaiting their return phone call.

Normally its the bus scenario that gets me to complain and bitch. Outside of being tossed like a sack of potatoes without warning or say-so, there was not a lot to complain about. I’m actually pleased to be able to write to you that the eye candy on the trip TO Houston was incredibly wonderful. But that’s all I will say before someone starts picketing my blog.

I was happy to see that the hotel when I arrived had things all ready to go, even though I was arriving HOURS before their official check-in time. But when you become a repeat customer so much… things start to get done.

I crashed on purpose during the afternoon as much as I could then it was off to the show at a place I hadn’t been to before, The Vintage Pub.

I told Dr. Froth that I had not eaten much but snack crackers until my mouth got bored from eating them. It just so happened that a McDonald’s was in the same parking lot area as the venue.

I asked for one thing: double cheeseburger, NO pickle, add bacon. That’s it! Very easy! Quite simple!! 

Dr. Froth rolled on up to the drive thru window and without failure, gave the order in what is known as The Voice Of The Old Man. If you haven’t heard this…. you are missing out. It is one of the funniest things on the planet.

So we drove off to the first window but nobody was there. We moved on in line to the second window but then we heard a voice to come back to the first window. Dr. Froth remained in character with the unsuspecting woman. He mentioned that one of the burgers should NOT have pickles.

Dr. Froth said to the woman: He can’t have pickles. Otherwise he will break out in hives all over his face and genitals.

And said it in character and a straight face. The poor woman asked who and Dr. Froth pointed right at me. So I ended up playing along.

We paid then went to the second window and did it all over again as we received our food. When we drove away from the restaurant, that’s when we just started laughing so hard at ourselves, shaking our heads.

We even turned it into a game of whether or not I will get hives because they messed up the order and gave me pickles when I said NO pickles.

They did. So for all intents, construction, and purposes… I doth have hives on my face and genitals.

Clearly I took off the pickles. But then I found a complete PILED UP mess of onions too! And that was unnecessary. AND no bacon.

A complete fuck up that led me to scrap everything from the burger and my fingers in a mess with barely anything to eat now because even the good stuff went off the burger along with the bad stuff. I remained hungry the rest of the night. But the hives story was still the highlight of that adventure. 

That surely is a McDonald’s that I should call and complain. But what good is it going to do me if they offer free food in exchange because I do not live there?

We arrived at the Vintage Pub and I saw some very familiar faces. It was a big relief. Seeing so many people that I knew and loved again after having the last couple weeks that I’ve gone through. My cares melted away.

Vintage Pub is really nice. Far better and easier for me to get around in. Including their bathroom situation. Their bar is like an island in the middle of the building. One side is the stage the other side are pool tables and what not.

Hear N’ Ade was first on stage. I’d seen them before when Chuck set up his birthday show some time in April ago. They had Chuck Williams on stage with them doing several cover songs.

Then SIX MINUTE CENTURY took to the stage. Being that it was their 10th anniversary show, this was something that I could NOT miss. They even brought back former members of the band, John Sample on bass and Darren Davis on drums as they played a few songs during the set.

All I can really say about it is that if you weren’t there, then you missed out. What can I say about the show that hasn’t been already said???

But I was absolutely glad to be there.

I was also able to meet some new people and make new friends. That’s always a bonus! 

“Zero Hour” was played live and I’ve not heard that in a while. Being that band dedicates that song to me, saying that is my song.. along with the members of our nation’s military.

Mystic Cross jumped on stage and finished the night off with a fiery bang. I’ve gotta pay more attention to them, I think.

The following day I spent in Houston on purpose. I’m so tired of getting up early to come to Houston only to go right back the next day just as early, so I spent Saturday there. After spending the day watching random cable channels and a butt load of college football, Dr. Froth grabbed me from the hotel and I got to hang out with him and his wife and family.

I told Dr. Froth that the depressing emotion that I feel when I know that the trip is coming to an end, that I wished it would not but since I know that it will … that I often get the attitude of if I have to leave then let’s just do it already.

So I returned home. Again, NO drama with other bus passengers… which is highly unusual. I got back into town but I had no ride home, so I rolled downhill a few blocks and grabbed a city bus. So off of one bus to get onto another. Then by the time I actually was home… I started to wish that I DID have hives on my face and genitals over not being in Houston any more.

That was definitely a memorable trip. If you did not see the show, well sorry for you!

I wait for the next one. I am guessing would probably be back at BFE in January of next year. But since my birthday is in January and its a BIG BIG deal that I make it to that birthday after being told by doctors that I would never make it to that age… I hope to be able to celebrate it there in Houston as well as on the actual date of my birthday. What better thing than to celebrate this monumental birthday but with SIX MINUTE CENTURY. That would be the birthday wish of all wishes!! That and a few other things that don’t belong written on this blog.

Megabus, I am waiting for your phone call, by the way….

Come on, January!!

Let Freedom Ring!!!!!!