Club Cafe, December 2, 2004

My return to the road brought an embarrassing and painful truth to light. I was rusty. Really rusty. In spite of my checklists and efforts to be prepared, I forgot some very important things. Namely, my merchandise. I didn’t realize this until I reached West Virginia. That hurt. I had no choice but to turn around and trek the 150 miles back to Greensboro. At 11:30 a.m. in the morning, this oversight couldn’t have been actualized at a better time.

After that mistake, the trip to Pittsburgh, PA on December 1, 2004 went rather smoothly. I was scheduled to perform at the Club Café the next evening. I went up early to insure being well rested. I also wanted to see Pittsburgh in a non-rushed manner. I enjoyed myself on this three day trip.

I arrived in Pittsburgh at 11:00 p.m., just as the Carolina game was wrapping up. Dr. Erik Ritcher was nice enough to let me crash on his floor for a couple days. We watched Carolina cruise to victory once again. It’s going to be a good season for Carolina fans. I’m not much of a sports fan. However, once you go to Carolina, there’s a good chance you’ll always be mildly entertained by the basketball program, for better or for worse.

It was an early morning on December 2nd. I’m training for a marathon, so I knocked out my 5 mile run at the YMCA. Parking was expensive ($8/hr) but the Y was free because I’m a member. After that, I headed over to the Shadyside Starbuck’s for a coffee and a lowfat coffee cake. Then, I went to the Carnegie Science Center for the rest of the day. Special thanks to Dan C for the info and courtesy tickets. I liked watching the Lionel Trains exhibit the best. The Titanic relics were a surprise, too. At around 12:30 I saw an IMAX presentation of the Robert Zemeckis film The Polar Express. I really enjoyed this in IMAX. It was a fun Christmas movie. I also enjoyed the café which overlooked the river junction. From where I ate lunch, I could see two places where Collapsis played outdoor shows back in 2000.

I had a 5:00 p.m. load-in at Club Café. I arrived just in time and sound checked. This was one of the nicest clubs I’ve ever played. The staff was courteous and positive. They were up front about the expenses, unlike most clubs. It was great to be treated like a professional.

After my sound check, the doors opened. I was happy to meet a few fans and street team members who helped promote the show. I was embarrassed that an underage fan couldn’t get into the show. He didn’t have the proper credentials. (Sorry, Sean…get that ID card and we’ll get you in next time). I ate a really nice sandwich at the Club Café, too. In addition to being a great venue, they have swell food.

My show began at 8:00 p.m. I was very relaxed and comfortable. I enjoyed the sound and the crowd. The set I played was

April Moon
October
Another Day in Paradise
Rusted Radio
She Alone
Sour Milk
Walk in Circles
Automatic
Throwaway, A Race Horse/Birthday Song
When I Was Five
So Strange
Falling in Love Too Fast
Jerk
Don’t Join the Army
Stephen Fell Asunder
Chartreuse
Run from Thunder
Wonderland
Gravity Affects Me
------------------------
Heaven
Don’t Fade Away

After the show, I sold quite a few t-shirts and CD’s. I was so glad that I went back to Greensboro to get my merch. Otherwise, this would have been an expensive trip. I ended up breaking even.

The next day was an early one, too. I’m sorry I didn’t hang out with a lot of the fans who asked me out after the show. I was far too tired and I had to get going by 7 a.m. the next morning. The trip home was all downhill. I arrived in Greensboro at 3:00 p.m. after only making two stops for fuel on the way home.

Thanks, Pittsburgh for the wonderful show! I’ll be back.