the last couple of shows have been teeth pulling, but we get them by
the end. i'm figure out how to make them "love me" at the head of each
show. then it's much, much, much, easier.

we've now gotten three 4star reviews. sales are great and everything
is coasting along nicely. we've also received a fairly firm offer to
play London next spring. This is so cool. especially as it just began
as a fucking joke with me fucking about on the internet. Go figure.

Having jessie here makes things so much better. she's such a sweet
person and is just sunlight. I'm a lucky man. Until she figures out
what a dick I am and splits. But, I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

We've seen a bunch of shows:

The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players. This is a family act (the
aristocrats!). The father writes songs to found slides. Then they play
the songs and talk about stuff. It's very sweet but the sound was off
and it was difficult to hear. I have a huge crush on the daughter.
She's 11 so I'm really fucked, aren't I? It's a really cool concept
but it needs to be heard. I loved the father's nonstop rambling.
Pretty awesome.

Steve Hughes - Saw him last year and I have a crush on him, too. He's
what everyone thinks Bill Hicks was. He actually is smart and funny.
His insights into politics and race are so beautiful. And he has one
of my favorite observations ever, which I'll ruin right now: Fucking
men is very macho, fucking women is gay. He expands on that and it
kills. His set is perfect and it just washes over you and spins around
inside. He reminds me of Justin Hawkins from The Darkness.

The Pajama Men - These are two Americans, I think. Or maybe they're
Canadian... This is one of those shows I watch and just think "how the
fuck do people do that?" It's deeply, deeply funny and they're sooooo
good and so slick and so confident in what they do. They either won or
were short-listed for the Perrier award last year, which doesn't mean
anything except they were noticed by a bunch of other people for being
fucking great. Really nice guys, too. They came to the show yesterday
and were very sweet.

After the show yesterday, which wasn't really after the show, as we
hang by the doors where the audience exits, gethering shit to send to
Nigeria, some woman started on about needing to talk to Bobby. Bobby
had the music stands or some shit. I was just finishing a show and
couldn't understand a fucking thing she was talking about. Finally I
figured out she meant "Becky", who is one of our producers. There is a
very quick turn-around after the shows and the people after us have a
lot of shit to get on stage. We have a huge screen to get rid of and
computers to dismantle. So she kept talking to me while I'm trying to
break shit down. Yammer Yammer Yammer and I'm trying to be nice then
she says that we owe her £72 for the music stands.

The fuck?

I say "If you don't want us using the music stands, then I'll just buy
some other stands."

"No, I've already made a deal with Bobby."

"Then you should talk to Becky. I don't have the £72. But we'll be
here for a month, so you'll get your money."

"We're here for a month, too."

"Yes, I know, so Becky will be here and you can work out the money
with her. How's that?"

On and on... Bottom line is I do not like this woman one bit and she's
cutting in to me breaking down and my joy after a performance. Plus,
the fucking news about the fucking music stands. Motherfuck. We have
access to music stands here. Everyone has their fucking hands in your
pockets for music stands. Music stands aren't £72 to rent. You can buy
music stands for that much. We did last year.

I put her on the phone with Becky and then give her the phone number.

To sum it up: Eat me. Eat me lady. Eat me and you can eat your music
stands, too. How about I get in your act's face after a show? Like,
right after a show? Actually, right before they finish and then for
the next 10 minutes? How would that be?

There. That's done.

Other than that, I'm having a killer time. Loving the festival this year.

It's really hot outside. So hot, I've left my sweater at home!!!
That's the kind of pollyanna confidence I have in the day!

Meow!

¶ 6:41 AM