2003-05-13 - 1:03 p.m.
March 20
By the time we got to Atlanta 7 hours after we left the beach my ass was killing me. The trip featured 2 detours around construction traffic that tested my map reading skills and gave us the opportunity to see some of the beautiful Southern Georgia countryside. We passed through an orchard of ancient pecan trees. Row after row of immense old trees going back as far as the eye could see on either side of the two lane highway. Looking out over the orchard was a huge, old, spooky, tin roofed manor house. The clinging moss on the old trees surrounding the house made it seem as if they were mourning for the aging orchard; it’s days of prime harvest a distant memory.
They had one of the roads going to the venue blocked by police cars.Some 20 minutes and 200 yards later I told the cop at the intersection we needed to go right, to which he respond, “Too Bad!”, and walked away. Nice guy.
When we arrive at the Brandy House Mike had a notary there to witness our signing the release from the insurance company (from the accident that took our van and trailer and half our equipment). That chapter is finally closed and my long, nightmarish fight with the big bad insurance company at last comes to an end.
It’s homecoming for Mike and Ally and especially for our new bass player Johnny Grubb. All his homey’s are out to cheer on his first hometown performance with RRE. My new friend, Jack Lawrence, shows up with a mason jar of some fine Alabama moonshine. He’s a great guy that I’m proud to call a friend. My nephew Matt and his wife Terry come down from Chattanooga, Tenn. It’s always great seeing those guys! We play a good show but the band is tired from the long, hot drive.. My neck has been giving me trouble and I can’t figure out if it’s the long drives or my shoulder rest has somehow changed. By the end of the show my neck and left shoulder are killing me.
Our friend Dennis is there to help with sound. He’s a nut originally from NY and is a sicko Yankee fan like myself. At the end of the night we hang out for a while and have a couple of cocktails. Tanya from the band “Mountains Of Venus” stops in after the show. Those guys were across town at Jake’s. She’s such a sweet person with a gentle soul. We haven’t seen those guys since last summer when played with them out in the desert in Utah.
It’s time to go so we say our goodbyes and I’m off to spend the night at Ally’s
