So, Florida, she has festivals, yes?

Florida Music Fest 2006:

So, here we are, finally at the FMF.  We arrive in downtown Orlando and actually have to check in to get passes to get into the venues.  But we have to check in at this hotel like a mile or 3 from the venue.  So, I check in while Jake (fill in Evan) drives in circles waiting for me.  I get the passes at the table where fame and fortune are waiting in the form of shwag bags (basically a bunch of crap that other bands paid for to get put in the bags).  Off to the AKA lounge.  NOw, this place isn't usually a venue, it's upstairs and looks very fancy and trendy.  Regardless, the stage was huge and very cool.  It honestly felt like we were playing some loft party from an early 90's movie with and alternative music soundtrack.

There was some prissy hispanic guy who was having a poorly planned art show in the room where all the bands were supposed to be storing their gear and he kept getting pissed at us while loading in.  They moved a bunch of stuff on top of our keyboard and for some reason, I just started arguing with him.  I didn't feel like being cool, I was just like "do you see how you just made more work for us?"

So, they actually did a great job with planning and we had more than ample time to load on and set up.  We only got 6 songs, so it was a whammy bammy set.  It went over very well and the crowd roared like a lion. There were actually about 100 people there for a 9:30 set at a non major venue for the fest.  IT was quite impressive. 

REgardless, there were about 230894u230482304 guys in dress shirts walking around downtown and up in the venue who were either industry dudes or just losers posing as industry dudes.  Either way, we sold 1 CD and went on our way.  We actually had a whole lot of friends come out and see us, which was nice. 

Travis had to pull the hit and run because it was Camille (his girlfriend's) 21st birthday.  It was a solid good time. 

Fast Forward to Saturday May 20th at the WMNF Tropical Heatwave!

We pull into Ybor around 5:30 to grab some grub with the fam and our common law cousin, J-5.  Keith from New Granada records described Tropical Heatwave pefectly.  IT's a bunch of old hippies with big straw hats who want to get trashed and pull up lawn chairs and listen to music.  YOu know, because they love live music, Period!  It don't matter, they love it.  If it's live, it's great.

So, some band played before us at the orpheum who I called Uncle Nutsy and his wacky bunch of aging hipsters.  That's kinda mean, but seriously, they played like an hour and 15 minute set and took their sweet ass time breaking down, thus delaying the night by 30 minutes.  They also demanded that the sound man go find their drummer sticks because he forgot his.  Once the sound guy brought some, they were mad that he didn't bring brushes too.

So, we went on around 12:00 and played to a solid crowd of about 150 and they were totally into it.  IT was nice b/c all the drunk hipsters who were watching Uncle Nutsy all took off and a bunch of younger people came in.  They were very supportive and we actually sold every single CD we brought and had a list going of people who wanted us to mail them one. 

We cut one song, but it actually made the set tighter.  When we were setting up, I plugged my pedal board in and sparks came out of my strobe light switch box.  Everything shut down after that point, my pedals...dead.  the spotlights...dead.  Everything....dead.  So, after a few minutes of near panic, I realized that I just blew the venue's surge protector.  Thankfully, the problem was fixed and the show was able to go on.

Travis got the whole crowd to sing along to the ending of I FOund Jesus without instructing them before hand.  It was f'in cool.  They were actually singing really loud.

Montage and Tomorrow Never Knows closed the set and brought great cheer.  It was good times!

Some guy who was drunk and a coworker of STeve Hiraga's old roomate's brother was in the crowd and offered to buy us drinks in the middle of our second to last song.  In THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG! 

We got to catch Candy Bars and and Dear and Glorious's sets at New World and had an all around great time. 

Great weekend of festivals to follow our great weekend in Georgia.

Now, 2 weeks of well deserved rest. 

Currently listening: Off the Wall By Michael Jackson Release date: By 25 October, 1990