Some things are meant to happen after the sun goes down. Convenience store robberies. Drug deals. Rock shows. The problem that you run up against when you put on a concert at 6 PM in Denver in the middle of July is … it feels like a 4 PM show in Hell. Take a ninety nine degree day… add stage lighting… stir In some stage wardrobe (usually black because it is slimming)… no, seriously. Take it. Get it out of here.

The promoter did not want a opening act tonight. He did us a favor. When we don’t open, then we come out during Kenny’s show and play three songs and leave. This gives us a very narrow window in which we can embarass ourselves. On a night when we play a nice air conditioned club, that is barely enough time to look shiny. On a stage under the hot Denver sun (Denver, it seems,  is extraordinarily CLOSE to the sun. The slogan on their license plate is “Come for the solar winds, stay for the nuclear reaction!”) we were soaking wet by the “FOUR” of the first count off.

More fun with summer weather:
They had left the basses out in the direct sun so when Shem played his fretless bass the neck was warped and it sounded like a Philip Glass outtake. (BOOM! Cultural avant grade jazz reference! Country boy my ass!)

Our drummer Tom had his hands cramp up like little crab claws because, apparently, sticks are harder to hold when your hands are sweaty and therefore you have to grip them tighter. I’m not sure you can win a bar bet with that information but feel free to try. (Here is a fun fact you CAN use to win a bar bet. Your stomach lining is brand new every three days. You’re welcome.)

Our guitar player, Scott, is from Louisiana. He wore a sweater on stage.

Those were the downsides. On the upside … we got to play with sunglasses on. We looked cool. And dangerous. please tell me we looked dangerous.

Tonight we drive all night back to Salt Lake City. We have a day off in a city we were in just two days ago. The panhandlers will still remember our names! I am looking forward to the nice hotel. I am looking forward to sea level. I am looking forward to being a few million miles farther away from Mr. Sun.

By the way….no boobs were presented for signing tonight. This was a family crowd. Get your mind out of the gutter.