When I was younger I used to street team for an American record label in this country… you know the type, handing out samplers and such like, getting email addresses and in return getting to go to shows for free… I must admit I wasn’t very good at the obtaining email address part, but I was very good at going to shows for free, and still am…
I had decided that I wanted to take the next step and go and intern somewhere, but my adventurous self had higher aspirations than going to London or whatever, I wanted to go to AMERICA! so I did. I worked really hard at Pizza Hut for ages, saved up some money, sorted some flights, a hostel to stay out for the five weeks or so I was there, and of course guaranteed a place at the same record label I was working for (I won’t say who, but if you’re smart its pretty easy to work out…) Though, there’s many a story to tell about those five weeks, and the one I want to share with you today goes a little like this…
There was a tour going through America, headlined by The Sleeping and a couple of unknown bands; A day to remember, and Envy On The Coast
The nearest show to Chicago however was in St. Louis though, which to an american probably isn’t that far, just in the next state Missouri… (whos capital is Springfield, which still excites me) but the fact of the matter is that it’s a 6 hour drive. each way. I took the megabus for about $10 return and listened to my ipod the entire journey. probably postal service, and the ADTR record, as well as the June record which I listened to alot that summer and Mutiny by Set Your Goals… I remember getting to SL and it being really, really quiet… like, really quiet… I walked around, went to the Mississippi, looked at the arch thing and then went and found a bus to the venue which was actually REALLY far away, but fortunately the bus had gotten into town at like 3 in the afternoon so I had plenty of time…
As I got to the venue the bands where loading in and I got chatting to one of the TM’s and ended up hauling gear in to the venue, I remember at this point I met a guy with loads of tattoos, called Tom Denney who was super nice, and we got chatting and even played a little haki sac with the guys from envy on the coast, they where telling me about a band called ‘battles’ who the whole tour where raving about (I later saw said band at reading, but again, that’s another story for another time)… I watched the bands soundcheck and hung out drinking beers in the parking lot around the back… (being an English kid working for a record label in the states gets you pretty far, knowing every little detail about drums gets you the rest…)
There’s YET another story here, that again is for another time, so we’ll skip over the hours between load in and doors… (it involves guns…)
So yeah, I was at this show, watching great bands, and at one point I got chatting to Jeremy who’s the front man for adtr and he was was writing notes in his blackberry, ideas for lyrics, gang vocals and hooks for their new record which they hadn’t even started writing yet (this would later be Homesick), and i’d like to note at this point, i’m not name dropping, or anything, i’m just trying to chronicle a day from my past…
I basically hung out all night with the bands, not knowing anyone, being in a city a few thousand miles away from home, they where all super nice and friendly to this kid that had gone so far to see them… (bearing in mind they hadnt played a UK show yet, and wouldn’t do so for at least 6months after), then I had to leave to get my bus back to Chicago… I managed to get majorly lost in St Louis trying to get back to where the bus would be, ended up running down a deserted road towards the bus and got there just in time, ended up sat next to a guy who worked for high school musical and was the most depressed person id ever met…
I think that’s most of that day… aside from the other anecdotes that fill out a few gaps, but like I said, they’re for another time…
A Day To Remembers new album is out today, go buy it from itunes or from records stores, I can’t wait to get home and listen to it properly. (loudly)
