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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Day 5
Day 5 at Plea For Peace Center in Stocktonor... An Evening With ubik.
Everyone crinkles their nose when we tell them we're playing Stockton. I've got to admit, there used to be a time when I passed through Stockton every time I headed to the bay area, and from the one stoplight and right hand turn, it seemed like an alright place. I'm not sure I ever realized it was so... um... unpleasant. There are wrought iron fences around everything, and it's all topped off with (your choice of!) razor wire or barbed wire. Not particularly inviting.
On top of that, it was just us... and no one in Stockton had ever heard of ubik. and we didn't have any local bands backing us up. You can imagine how that worked out... we tried to walk the streets and find people to build some support, but there weren't many people around. We talked a few girls from around the main theater/mall into coming, but no one else was around, and no place else was open.
Truth be told, there were more people at the show than I expected, not counting the two people smoking crack by the front door of the venue. (no kidding) We played a short set, sold a bit of merch (and we sold that amazingly spraypainted "u." shirt! someone saw it and said: That's the one), saw some old friends from the area, and headed out for a place to stay.
Lucky for us, Michelle and Joel both have family in the area (and we all lived in Sonora at one time)-- tonight, we're at Michelle's mom's place, with both the world's fluffiest cat and world's happiest dog. This place also comes with flat, non-van sleeping space, a stove, and-- best of all-- showers.
All in all, it was an easy day. The show was sparse, but it wasn't a disaster (like the Redding show), and we landed in a comfortable place, and can slow down for a second. Tomorrow, we hit Sacramento early and start papering the town with fliers for both tomorrow's show, and for our return trip next Monday, when we play an in-store at R5 Records.
Notes from the road:- Today was essentially Driving In California day, and though everyone who hasn't been here associates Cali with LA's palm treed beaches or San Fransisco's street culture, the California I lived in (and saw all day today) is a much browner, much less impressive kind of place.
- Californians are amazed that Washington sales tax is so high, but I'm amazed that California gas is so much more expensive than it is up north. Are they getting different gas than we are?
- Going from Redding to Sacramento to Stockton to Pine Grove really makes me happy we didn't book LA. That's a really long drive: I'm okay with circling back north after San Fransisco
- We've been going for seven days straight now (counting practice on thursday), and it's starting to make fingertips and throats sore. We play tomorrow, but after that there is a real day off. We're not messing with this one: that day off is some downtime. No more Redding-like impromptu shows.
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