Hamelin

The Bluegill date started as an acoustic show with Ross and Garrett.  The Friday before, Bacon called Ross and asked if the whole band would like to play, so of course we said yes.  If you haven’t heard, The Bluegill has new ownership.  The Cooper family bought it and have Bacon running it.  Congrats Bacon!  Jonny and I were talking to him for a while and he has some ideas in the works, so when you get a chance, head down to the causeway and see what’s happening.  The night started out slow, but really picked up around 4:30-5pm.  We played from 3 to 8 that night.  I couldn’t hardly walk by the end of the night, but it was worth it.  It was good to see John, Chris and Nicole Phillips.  A group of ladies came out that night by bus and vans.  We hope you had a great time and let us know about the party.  I wanted to say thanks to Dr. Rachel Moe for the discount card.  If anyone has a pet that needs a vet, take them to Rehm Animal Clinic at TimberRun, P.C.  12481 County Road 64,  Loxley, AL 36551, (251)964-7501 or (877)269-2512.  We ended off the night listening to oldies, while packing up and talking about the tv show “Lost”.  Haha!

Grand Central this past Saturday was a blast.  The show started at 11 and we ended at 3:15-3:30.  It’s been over 2 years since we have played at Grand Central, I can’t believe it.  Do you know that in May, we will be together for 7 years.  A lot has happend, and it’s gone by to quick.  Lots of fun though!  We were set up by 8:30- 9, so Ross and I went down and hung out with our friends at Boo Radleys.  The Rez were setting up and getting ready to play for the night.  We went back to Grand Central and sound checked for the show around 10.  Starting off the first set with a great group of people will always make you feel good about the rest of night and throw down.  My friend Matt Avary came all the way from P’cola to hang out.  Hope to see you on the 26th at the Oarhouse in Pensacola.  It was great to see everyone again.  Hope you all had a great night.  We did!

Thanks again to everyone that come to our shows.  If it wasn’t for you guys, we would not be here!  Thanks huge!

Adam

Hamelin

www.hamelinlive.com

Set 1: God put a smile on my face (Coldplay), Rain King (Counting Crows), Lay here, Counting Blue Cars (Dishwalla), Life on a chain (Pete Yorn), How it ends, New York, Hard to handle (Black Crowes), Come pick me up (Ryan Adams), Ladders, Blue eyes

Set 2: Warning (Incubus), Cold Roses (Ryan Adams), Red dress lady, Mr, Jones (Counting Crows), Yellow (Coldplay), I don’t wanna know (new original), High stakes seniorita, Home (Marc Broussard), Two (Ryan Adams), June (new original), Get right (new original)

Set 3: Last dance with mary jane (Tom Petty), Good (Better Than Ezra), Whispers, How we operate (Gomez), She talks to angels (Black Crowes), Come home soon, Just like you, Follow you down (Gin Blossoms), Round Here (Counting Crows), Mystic country girl (new original), Oh Suzanna

Adam

www.hamelinlive.com

The day started out a little late.  We were supposed to leave at 2:30, but Ross and Garrett were a little late, and we ended up getting on the interstate at 3:00pm.  I believe Ross and Garrett posted something on facebook saying, “I was pissed at them for being late”.  If you don’t know me, I take things a little to serious, OK, way to serious.  Anyway, on the way to Baton Rouge, we listened to the Saints game.  Who Dat!  The rain held off for a while.  We were on I12 when we ran into some showers, but that only lasted for about 15-20 minutes.  We arrived at Boudreaux’s at 6pm.  We set everything up and had to wait for the sound guy to get there at 9, so we walked down the street to a pizza joint to grab a beer and some food.

While we were standing in front of the pizza joint, smoking a cigarette, a bum came up and asked a cig.  We stood around and talked to him for a minute and then he asked for some money.  No one gave him any money, but the guy didn’t seem too upset.  He was nice and walked away, after a few last words about his ex-wife.   After he left, Paul gave us a speech about why not to give bums any money.  (You can see the speech in our Baton Rouge video we are going to post.)  We walked inside the pizza joint called Schlittz and Giggles.  They took us in for the next hour and a half and didn’t seem to mind.  I guess we made up with the tip.  We meet our waitress Lexi, which you will also meet in the video.  She was wearing a Saints shirt that day, but the truth is, she’s a COWBOY’s fan.  She was hoping it would give her extra tips, but she said, “it didn’t work out as well as I hoped”.  Garrett and I drank a couple PBR’s and Ross had a house draft, which he said was ok.  Jonny and Paul stuck with the coke products, until we made it back to the venue.

We said by to everyone and headed back to Boudreaux’s.  This venue is a 3 story building with apartments on the top floor and bars on the 2nd and 1st floors.  When we made it back, we went to the 2nd floor and wrote out the setlist for the night.  I’ll try to post the setlist in the next couple days.

Nine o’clock came and we went downstairs to meet the sound guy and finish setting up.  Our sound guys name was Warren.  At first sight I thought he was on something, or just really tired.  When I had a chance I went to Paul and told him to keep an eye on him, and if he hears something while we are playing, ask him to fix it.  After the night was done, he was a great sound guy.  Never had any problems that we could hear.  We went to bar and hung out until time to start, where we met Alex and the other 2 bartenders.  I can’t remember there names right now.

The show started at 10pm.  We started out with Coldplays, “God put a smile on my face”.  The crowd was small at the beginning, but toward the mid, and end of the second set, there was a good crowd.  At the first set break we met Kelly and her husband.  She purchased all of the merchandise that we sold that night.   We hope you enjoy it and it we were glad to meet you, thanks again for listening.  Earlier that night we found out that the McClain sisters could not make it.  You girls better be there next time.  Haha!  Hope you feel better soon.  During the 2nd set we played the Beatles song, “Come together”, and had a great responce.  We always have to wing that song.  One of these days we are going to learn it.  The last song of the night was our new original, “Mystic Country Girl”.  I don’t know if Ross is going to call it that, but that’s what it’s called on the set list.

We loaded everything up, grabbed a bite to eat from Schlittz and Giggles and hit the road.  I passed out as soon as we got on the interstate and when I woke up Jonny was asking me which hotel to stop at.  We ended up stopping at a Best Western.  It’s a little more exspensive, but it was perfect for 5 people.  There were 2 tvs and a living room with a couch at the front of the room.  The next morning we went down and had a great free breakfast full of waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon, oj, milk, coffee and a lot of other stuff.  I had to be carried back to the room.  I know this is going to go in a different direction, but every time we have stayed in LA, the hotel always has a mexican restraunt right beside it.  I don’t know why.  If anyone does, please let me know.

We were on the road at 11am the next morning and drove straight back to Mobile.  It was a great trip and I just found out that we are going to be back at B and T Live on April 24th.   If you are in town or up for a road trip, you are more than welcome.  I am hoping the van is going to be ready by then.  Cross your fingers.

Adam

I want to thank Scott at Green Frog Music for setting us up with our Baton Rouge gigs.

Here’s the scoop.  We all had Jan. 1st off and I thought it would be a good day to work on the van.  Here lately we have only been able to work on the van at night, but with as cold as it’s been, we needed a day to finish it up and not get sick, so Jan. 1st it was.

Paul and I arrived at Ross parents house around 1pm that day.  Ross mom ended up cooking, so there was no way we could say no to  free food, so we finally got started on the van around 1:30/2:00.  Ross had to go pick up Garrett at the end of the road, because Ross parents road was to muddy for Garrett to drive down, but I think he didn’t want to get his newly washed car dirty.  Pansy, haha!

We finally started working on the van, it could not have went any better.  Everything lined up great where the trans. mounted up to the engine, we had all the bolts, and the van even cranked on the first try after being sit up for almost 2 months.  We filled the trans. with fluid and let it run on the jack stands for a while.  No leaks and everything looked and sounded great, so we decided to take it for a spin.  Ross and I were going to get inside the van and put the cover on while Paul and Garrett let the van off the jack stands.  Right now I am glad Ross and I waited.  Garrett jacked up the back end and Ross and Paul moved the jack stands.  Garrett said, “move your fingers and toes”, and he let the jack loose and down came the back of the van.  It was so loud that I thought we broke something.  (We have video that I’m going to be posting soon, and we have the drop on camera.) After the drop, Garrett made the front come down nice and easy.  We put in the cover and we were on our way.  We drove the van up to Ross parents house and had to drop off some jumper cables that we ended up not using, and of course there was even more food than the first time.  SO, we couldn’t say no.  Haha!  (If you ever get a chance to try Ross mom cooking, you are very, very lucky. Jump on it as fast as you can and ask for a bag to take home with you.) After we were all stuffed, we hoped in the van and drove back to our vehicles.  Ross and I drove, so we got in our vehicles and followed the van.  Paul ended up driving the van with Garrett in the pass. seat.  At the end of the road Garrett got out and drove his car to Ross house. 

The van made it to Ross house, which was about a 3 or 4 mile drive.  On the way Paul said the check engine light came on.  We got to Ross house and checked the fluid.  It was low, which was not suprising.  It needed to get hot to give us  a better reading anyway.  We filled the fluid and disconnected the battery to turn off the light.  After letting it sit, we hooked the battery back up and drove it for another 3 or 4 miles.  The light never came back on and the fluid looked great with no leaks.  When we were leaving Ross said he was going to drive it as much as possible, so we can make sure everything is ok.

WELL, he gave me a call last night and said that it’s leaking from the same place again.  What a way to start out a new year!  We have practice tomorrow night and I’m going to get under it and see what’s going on.  Keep us in mind and hopefully we will be able to take the van to a show one day.

Read about Round 1!

Van 2 / Hamelin 0

Adam