Tea Leaf Green 2002: Touring with the Band

TEA LEAF GREEN TOUR JANUARY 2002

Thursday January 3- Mr. T’s Bowl, Highland Park, Ca

This was a bit of a warm up gig for the band after taking a month off for the
holidays. Trevor went to Mexico, Ben to Europe, Alan to New York, Todd drove
across the country and Scott and Josh relaxed in LA. All were rested and ready
to begin the arduous lifestyle of the road.
Mr. T’s is a decent place with a good sized dance floor and stage. The
band played for about an hour and a half opening with “Ride Together,” an
appropriate song to begin the tour with. Most of the crowd, including myself,
sat in the darkness of the round tables that ringed the dance floor. Many of
them were experiencing Tea Leaf Green for the first time so they were content to
sit and get to know the boys. The band played most of their known numbers
including “Baseball Jam,” “Hot Dog,, “Panspermic Devolution,” and “Planet of
Green Love.”
All things considered it was an excellent way to literally get the show on the
road and proved to be a much-needed rehearsal for the following night at
Tailgators bar in Sierra Madre. The band finished off Mr. T’s at about 1am. A
small contingent stood near the stage to display their loyalty and appreciation
when the final song of the night, “Sex in the 70’s,” was announced.

Friday January 4- Tailgator’s Sierra Madre, CA

Tealeafgreen.com advertised this show as being a private party for an someone’s birthday party. Instead it became a private party for friends and
family of Josh and Scott, many of who had never had the pleasure of seeing the
hometown boys play before.
A sub-par cover band began the night’s festivities inauspiciously while the
crowd waited restlessly for the TeaLeaf to play. Soon the bar began to fill up
and spill out the side door into the parking lot. Let the truth be told that
from start to finish this was an all out party. The crowd was juiced up and
jubilant from the beginning and their anticipation wound to borderline hysteria
by the end of the night.
The band finally graced the stage at 11pm and opened the first set with
“Midnight on the Reservoir.” The mysteriously beautiful track that kicks off the
album of the same name. Trevor’s voice sounded crisp and smooth as the song’s
tale unfolded. The opening set was tailored for the masses. Therefore the guys
focused on their crafted songs instead of the jam (which would be unleashed
second set). “Papa’s in the Backroom” and “Jubilee.” both country inspired
tunes, followed the opening number. Other album songs like “Panspermic
Devolution” and “Hot Dog” were unveiled to an unaccustomed audience.
Though the sound in this particular club was less than spectacular the band did
its best to fill the sonic void. Trevor smoothly guided the band through the
first hour and a half of tunes. He flowed from one lead part to another causing
fans to stare at each other and smile. Whereas the second set was balls out
jamming, the first set contrasted by displaying the songwriting ability that the
entire band is known for. The opening set was for family and first timers; the
second set was for the fans.
The crowd was rowdy to say the least. The atmosphere whirled with excitement
and the sweet smell of chronic as an unknown patron sparked a spliff near the
front of the stage. After a break of about twenty minutes the band returned to a
sparser but more dedicated crowd of die hards and old friends. Beer splashed
onto the concrete floor, dancers whirled and wobbled, shirt came off, heads
shook, and smiles shimmered. The band began with a personal favorite,
“Gasaholic,” a jam that features Trevor on guitar and vocals. Next the band slid
into “Baseball Jam,” a song that increased the crowd’s intensity to a fever
pitch. The boys brought out the muddy, sloppy funk and laid it on so thick one
forgot it was four young white dudes pounding it out on stage.
While the crowd was reeling from the opening burst TLG effortlessly segued into
“Sea Monkeys,” a lighthearted fan favorite featured on the Midnight album. The
fans hollered with such enthusiasm that it was difficult to distinguish the band
over the roar of the audience. It was a small club but packed tight.
Another highlight of the second set was “Planet of Green Love,” a concert
staple that features Ben C on the mic. His love affair with the green herb
unfolds in his unique rap styling. PofGL is an unabashed ode to the stinky
green. It is a celebration of the potion. A song that features the refrain of
“grow it, pick it, pack a bowl, and hit it. If you ain’t with the herb than you
just ain’t with it.” This particular version featured a drum solo by the ice man
Scott Rager. With his high school buddies in the audience he let his sticks fly,
swiftly rolling from snare to toms. His solid backbeat was enhanced by the
rapidity of his wrists. At the end of the song, after the band reentered from
the solo, Scott received a heartfelt ovation as the crowd chanted his name. He
arose from the drum throne and tipped his bottle of beer to display his
appreciation.
Tea Leaf Green played until 2am. A good sized mob still clamored for more as
the last lines of the funk flavored “Insidious Worm” floated out of the
amplifiers. As the band stepped away from their instruments there was a mutual
respect between the musicians and their fans. The band retired to the RV but the
audience scattered about the premises smoking cigarettes, laughing and chatting,
drenched in the sweat of a rock n’ roll experience.

Saturday January 5- Molly Malone’s West Los Angeles, CA

The after party in the RV behind the bar lasted three time longer than the
band’s short and somewhat rushed 45 minute set at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub in
Los Angeles. At one point the RV was swaying precariously as a dance party
developed inside.
Molly Malone’s is a tight fitting venue. Ben and Trevor were nearly touching
positioned next to each other on the tiny stage. There was little space on the
floor as well, as dancers jockeyed for position. The LA crowd appeared to enjoy
the compact set in which the crew played most of the favorites including “Zoom
Zoom,” “Baseball Jam,” and “Papa’s in the Backroom.” The set allowed the gang to
display their ability to cram a throatful of jams down yer neck.
The show was not without a hitch however. Josh broke the high E-string on his
guitar and was forced to scamper backstage to retrieve his Strat. The mishap
gave Trevor the opportunity to indulge in an extended solo. There was hardly
time for one beer before the set wore down and the equipment relocated to the
backstage area.
The real story of the evening, I suppose, is the RV post-party. At one point
there were twenty bodies piled into our roving home. Beer was consumed in
quantities beyond count. It was the third successful gig in the LA area and it
was time to head into unconquered territory, the next stop being San Diego.

01/09/02

The last two nights both brought unexpected success. Surprising because the
band and crew were unaware of the influence and outreach of jambase.com. Monday
night in San Diego was one of unparalleled debauchery. Old friends contributed
to a wild after party at some fan’s apartment. Winston’s, the club in San Diego,
was by far the finest venue, with the best sound system, on the tour thus far. It
is situated in Ocean Beach, an area combed by beach bums and hippies. This show
also featured Josh’s mom in attendance, which gave the guitarist the extra
incentive to show off his stuff.
The boys played three separate sets to an eager audience of approximately 50
people. The briny air hung heavy in this beach town. The RV featured a select
group of Captain Morgan’s drinkers who got started early and didn’t quit until
long past the TLG was finished and packed up.
Some of the numerous highlights included the song “Freedom,” which in this
case, Trevor played guitar. He performed a sweet and simple solo that slowly
melted into Josh’s solo. Also, during the song “Tequila,” all four members took
an individual shot of the aforementioned juice while Scott kept time on the
high-hat for the duration of the shot session. Among the other songs in the set
the band played a rousing rendition of “Baseball Jam” and slick versions of
“Zoom Zoom” and “Beehive.”
The after-party included more alcohol and insanity. Jo Jo, a friend of the band
who always shows up in the most random of locales, was his usual out of control,
fun loving self. He and Todd W serenaded the party with raps, beat-boxes and
general scream of joy. The two were joined by a few others of us for a drunken
acappela jam session. It was long past 4am when I piled my tired bones into the
RV for some shuteye before heading out across the desolate desert landscape on
the long road to Phoenix, Arizona.
We arrived at the Emerald Lounge in the shadow of city skyscrapers, nearing
dusk. About 40 people packed into the lounge to check out the band that jambase
has so enthusiastically supported. One fan set up his taping equipment to
capture the band’s live sound. Another fan set up his video camera. As a part of
the jam scene, Tea Leaf Green is just one of the many bands that encourages the
bootlegging of their shows.
The first set the audience was greeted with some of the standard numbers like
“Sea Monkeys,” “Panspermic Devolution,” “Hot Dog,” and a long overdue version of
“The Garden.” The second set, as usual, had extended stretches of supreme
psychedelia featured prominently in the night’s version of Jubilee. The band
threw in a few songs not featured on the album such as “Mosquito,” “Beehive,”
“Insidious Worm” and the crowd favorite “Wetspot.”
The fans were appreciative of the performance most of them being entertained by
the band for the first time. The crowd soon dispersed though and before long we
were sleeping soundly in the RV that was parked in the lot.

01/11/02

We’re here in Las Vegas now after a successful three-day run through Arizona.
Last night in Flagstaff and the night before in Tempe were filled due in part to
the word of mouth buzz that TLG has slowly been generating over the last six
months.
Wednesday at the Sail Inn in Tempe set a weeknight record for attendance. An
estimated 150 people settled in for two sets highlighted by the first hour
medley of “zoom Zoom- Asphalt Funk- Insidious Worm.” A collection of tapers was
there to document the performance. Tempe is a college town the band would be
wise to revisit.
The chill breezes of Flagstaff quickly transitioned us from the desert to the
cool snowcapped peaks of this northern Arizona city. The Mogion Pub is located
just off the main street of brick hotels and barrooms. From our hotel room we
had a clear view of the mountains that spread shadows across the town. An old
steam engine train sat stationed at the depot across Route 66. The cold hamlet
was desolate yet refreshing. Another of the sleepy hometowns dotted along the
great American expanse.
The show itself turned into one of the better of the tour. The first set was so
mellow as to border on sluggishness. The group took the skeptical audience
through an hour-long mind bending journey. By the second set the crowd was
warmed and ready to dance. Hippies with dreadlocks, young girls, and old bearded
men spun upon the dance floor to the band’s trance.
Each of the three sets had a personal highlight. The opening number of “The
Garden Parts I and II.” The second set included a version of Bob Dylan’s “Just
Like Tom Thumb Blues” and the third set featured the Beatles “I Gotta Feeling”
as the closing number.
Following the show and fan mingling, we loaded up the equipment and headed for
a party at the house of a Flagstaff fan. The entire party was happy to see the
band and the guys were pleased to find such a following in a far from home
locale.
Now we wait for tonight’s show, the first of two at the Legend’s Lounge opening
for Mood Food and Vince Welnick. Our plush celebrity suite awaits us at the MGM
Grand. Needless to say the night and weekend are destined for indulgence. Hot
tub in the hotel room, slot machines and card tables, scantily clad women and
lots of booze. Sounds like rock n’ roll to me.

01/15/02

We find ourselves stationed in Tahoe City on the California side of the lake.
We climbed steadily upward from the desert plains on highway 95 in Nevada. Last
night we stayed in a RV park in a tiny strip of town named Mina. We patronized
the only open bar in town. The bartended gazed piercingly at the out-of-owners.
He looked at each of our ID’s and proclaimed “what are yaw doing out here all
the way from California?” Good question.
Back in Cali now, my maiden voyage to this grandiose lake situated like a bowl
of soup ringed in by the snow peaked mountains. It’s cold here but not nearly as
frigid as I expected. Nice and comfy inside the Coachmen. No show tonight. This
is the third day off after nine straight gigs culminating with two shows in
Vegas last Friday and Saturday.
Vegas is, of course, unlike any other city on the planet. It is an oasis of
bright lights and debauchery in a barren and lonely area of desert. We had the
pleasure of residing in one of MGM’s celebrity suites thanks to Alan’s players
club card. The TLG and Mood Food/Welnick were like a sidelight to the grander
mission that is a weekend in LV. The concept of time was eradicated from our
logical thought process. A party was underway at all hours of the day and night.
At one point I sat in Starbucks with a Budweiser in my hand and realized that as
my evening was drawing to a close, those situated around me had just awoken to a
new day and were sipping coffee to clear the cobwebs.
As far as gambling goes I broke even but others weren’t nearly as fortunate.
Ben and Scott lost $150 apiece, Todd $300, unsubstantial amounts to some but
certainly not to a greasy rock band. Vegas was Vegas. We all drank excessively
and spent far too much loot of slots and overpriced food. Our one solace from
the hecticness of the casino floor was our deluxe hotel room on the 16th floor.
It overlooked the strip with views of New York, New York set against the
background of the light brown Nevada hills.
Las Vegas is the type of place that one can only spend so much time in. The
strip is a glitz and glamour money-pit where hotel cameras watch your every
move. I am certain they had their eye on Todd. Not only was he visibly drunk,
his attire gave him a bizarrely humorous, disheveled look. He wore white and blue
striped painter’s pants and a vintage buttoned down shirt that jutted out the
base of his triangle patterned cardigan sweater. He carried in his right hand an
ice container complete with ice and 32oz. Red Dog beer cozied inside. His hair
was mangy and shocked on the ends.
The gigs themselves were successful. The band played the role of opening act
for their friends from Mood Food, featuring Vice Welnick on Keyboards, formerly
of the Tubes and the Grateful Dead. The first night the band played a short one
hour set of mostly b-sides like “Zoom Zoom,” “Jubilee,” “The Hands of Invisible
Organic Forces.” Trevor sounded especially smooth, his sweet voice resonating
above the roar of the other musicians. Josh, as usual, wowed the first time
audience with his guitar prowess.
The Legend’s Lounge is not much to look at. It’s located in a drab strip mall
northeast of the main Vegas drag. The inside has a roomy stage with a tie-dyed
background. It seems a strange place to feature such highly regarded bands but
it really is the only venue of its kind in the Las Vegas area. The crowd was
reticent at first but as the show unwound the audience warmed up to TLG as they
waited for Welnick.
The following evening a larger contingent occupied the floor space, packing the
club for free food, open bar, and the same two bands. There was little room to
move so, like it or not, the crowd was forced to watch the TLG performance.
Believe me, they enjoyed it. Songs like “Tequila,” “Baseball Jam,” and “Sex in
the 70s” got the dance floor moving and convinced the music lovers of the band’s
legitimacy.
TLG continues to blow away audiences with their powerful form of jam music.
Each and every night along the tour the band has been forced to win over those
in attendance and each night the mission has been successful. We now start our
next little run with a show tomorrow, Thursday in Redway, and Saturday in
Eugene, Oregon.
As I write Ben slaps his bass and Trevor chops vegetables for tonight’s meal.
The view from our position is breathtaking. The lake sits placidly, stoically
dark blue and a wind chill whips off the hillsides surrounding us.

01/20/02

Cruising in the Coachmen through Oregon to Arcata. The 199 is road-soaked and
moist with mysteriousness as we head southbound. The windshield wipers dance the
rain off the windshield. The fences mark the boundary of highway and pine
forest. Smoke swirls incessantly leaving misty marks on the vehicle’s interior.
A blue covered wagon stripped to its metal beams sits in the front yard of a
barn red house. Small towns break up the rainy stretches of hills and small
plots. Coffee shop and tire store, roadside inn. Between points. Here in America
spitting through the confines of sleepy cities.
We were in Humboldt yesterday. We made an all day run up to Eugene, played a
show, partied a bit, and awoke to the thump of rain on the roof of the car. The
last few gigs have been real mellow. The time slot in Eugene was too early,
opening for The People. The set featured songs like “Freedom,” “The Garden,” and
“Gasaholic.” The town seems cool enough, home of the Oregon Ducks. The club
stands across the street from the campus.
The gig in Redway was the first pothole of the road tour thus far. Redway is
another quiet one strip town along the 101 in southern Humboldt County. The
stars shone strong in the coolness of the northern California night.
Unfortunately the band had no stage, dead sound, and a sparse gathering. I felt
it was a well played show however. Scott, Trevor, Josh, and Ben performed like
it was a sold out audience.
Before Redway we made another lengthy jaunt across the heartland of California,
from Lake Tahoe. The show in Tahoe was perhaps the best yet on a tour that has
seen a successful run of audience attendance and approval. The band played 25
songs over three hours split into two sets. The dance floor was full of groovers
from early in the show until the group closed with “You Guessed It” at nearly
2am. The music was another sweat drencher of stomping rock in which Josh broke
four strings during the course of the day.
The first day in Tahoe was icy cold and snow covered the ground. Brent, the
show’s promoter, was kind enough to let us stay in his snowed in cabin. Tuesday
night, upon arrival, we went to a local karaoke bar and “The Hurricane” rolled
through in high style. Trevor delighted the crowd with an animated and heartfelt
renditions of “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Daydream Believer.” Josh and I pleased the
patrons with a double falsetto version “Staying Alive.”
Wednesday we awoke to the aroma of pot roast wafting thought Brent’s cabin.
Within minutes we were all gathered in the living room, mouths salivating in
anticipation. The best and only home cooked meal of the tour thus far included
the roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, eggs and English muffins.
This was my first visit to Tahoe, one of the most breathtaking spots I’ve been.
The air and water are so clean. The lake itself, situated atop the mountain, is
large enough to appear as a sea. The snow lay in thick blankets on the hills
rimming the lake. On Thursday we awoke to a steady snowfall that began in the
early morning. Alan got behind the wheel and negotiated the descent into the
California plains.
Here we are once again, rolling down an endless highway. Redwoods line the
peaks on one side of the road. The Smith River flows on the opposite side. It is
a quiet and damp Sunday all of us a little on edge from the cramped confines of
the road. But time eternally passes. So do our thoughts, emotions, the scenery.
Todd and Scott man the cab. Trevor sits reading a 1000 page book. Josh smokes a
cigarette in the swivel seat. Alan sorts papers on the rear couch. Ben sits in
solitary in the bathroom plucking his bass. I sit and stare at the moving trees
and mist grey skies.

01/22/02

The highlight of the Arcata gig, besides the unexpected snowfall, was the
surprise appearance by the legendary Jimmy Foot, Ben’s mentor and producer of
the first Tea Leaf Green album. The show was cramped enough for the Monday night
before the start of the school semester. Those in attendance caught a rare
glimpse of the band jamming with the Foot.
The last song of the first set was Jimmy’s turn. He joined the band for “Ride
Together” before breaking, and rejoined them for the second set to play
“Panspermic Devolution” and “Planet of Green Love.” Jimmy Foot played guitar on
and produced the original recording of this song written by Ben five years ago.
The set also included a version of “Precious Stone” and the pleasing closer
“Sex in the 70s.”

01/23/02

The hills spread green fingers slowly sloping to valley. Snow tops the
mountains in the blue sky haze many miles across the plain. Barren oaks shout
with crooked winter voices, stationed indiscriminately through the meadow strew
with volcanic rock, spewed by the gurgling gut of Lassen.
This is another region of California I have not seen before. A quiet stretch of
nature in the great spread of the state. Yesterday we drove from Arcata and
arrived in downtown Chico at 7pm before settling into a room at the Vagabond
Inn. Trevor, Ben, and Alan went out drinking and cavorting. The rest of stayed
indoors and watched the babble tube.
The tour is rapidly drawing to a close, though the band has a nice stretch of
gigs over the next few days starting with a show tonight at La Salle’s. Tomorrow
we head up to Tahoe again for an opening slot with Leftover Salmon.

… The road is bittersweet. The obvious perks come to mind. Freedom from the
constraints of a normal schedule is one. There is a definite thrill of unknown
when moving from gig to gig. Each stop holds a degree of mystery. The negative
aspects are also quite obvious; strange hours, a cramped car whose mood is bound
to fluctuate. Though I can do without most unnecessary things it really is the
small conveniences we take for granted that are most missed. Things like regular
showers, one’s own bed, home cooked meals.
That being said, life on tour with a rock band has been all I expected. I get
to see a great show every night. I get to see portions of the west coast never
trodden by my own feet, continually amazed at the grandeur of California.
Touring is a path that TLG is committed to and geared towards. Each member
realizes the difficulties ahead. Like AC/DC said “it’s along way to the top if
you wanna rock n roll.” TLG is dedicated to making a living out of music,
something most dream of but few attain. In my opinion the band is in the midst
of accomplishing this goal. Each show has added to the already resonant buzz
that surrounds the quartet. I believe it’s simply a matter of time before the
band is a national touring act. They will never be a top 40 pop machine,
although they probably could be quite easily. Thus the climb to the prize is a
much steeper ascent, but in the long run more fruitful and satisfying.

01/28/02

The soundman at La Salle’s gave us a shortcut up to Tahoe through the back
routes of the valley. The crew was ragged as usual but looked forward to
opening for Leftover Salmon at Alpine Meadows Ski resort. The snow still clung
to the ground and trees as we wound our way up the precipitous hillside, through
Donner Pass and into Trukee, where we stopped for a quick lunch and a bathroom
break. We were a bunch of stragglers near the end of the tour- dirty faces and
dirty clothes, dazed but certainly not confused. Yes, there was no uncertainty
about the mission, and there never is, Tea Leaf Green came to rock.
Tea Leaf Green was scheduled to play on the smaller side stage in the adjacent
bar which gave them the opportunity for exposure without the pressure of filling
the large hall required for the Leftover Salmon portion of the show. TLG started
at about 7:30 playing a blistering hour-long set that featured album tracks
“Panspermic Devolution,” “Hot Dog,” and Papa’s in the Backroom.”
Like any audience seeing a band for the first time, the crowd wore a mask of
skepticism for most of the set before gathering, clamoring, and dancing during
the last few songs of the set that featured the ode, Tequila. Being a High
Sierra show the band experienced the obligatory pre-show butterflies but soon
found their stride. Scott and Ben, with driving beats, propelled the melodious
noodlings of Josh and Trevor.
Leftover Salmon started soon after the boys set and a packed bar headed into
the main hall still reeling from the opening act. Salmon played an hour and a
half first set. They pumped their impeccable mix of country, bluegrass, rock and
blues, with a tinge of reggae to a crowd of over 500. During the set we filtered
backstage and took advantage of the spread provided for bands and crew, that
included vegetable lasagna, rolls, salad, with coffee for desert.
LS broke from their first set and agreed to allow the ensemble to play a quick
half hour set in between the Salmon appearance. TLG didn’t waste anytime, nor
could they afford to, playing the following four numbers; “Ride Together,” “I
Believe,” “Freedom,” and “Baseball Jam.” The bar was stifling once again.
After a cigarette break we all ventured back inside to catch the second half of
LS that had the audience enthralled. Jam bands don’t get much tighter than these
guys. After the show and subsequent audience dispersal we loaded up the
equipment, drove to the main parking lot, and shacked up in the RV. The seven of
us braved the snowy cold from the relative warmth of our portable home.
The next destination was Davis, followed by another show in Tahoe on Saturday
night, this time at Squaw Valley. The forecast had us worried. Rain in the
valley, heavy snow in the mountains. In the early afternoon we arrived in Davis
for a show at the G-street Pub. Davis has always been kind to the band thanks
to the UC students.
Ben expressed his concern about the potential turnout for the evening. Most of
the original Davis contingent has graduated, the down side of building a
following in a college town. By the end of the performance, however, it was safe
to say that TLG has outgrown the G-street. The crowd packed the tiny club from
the band’s opening number, “Just Like Tom Thumb Blues” through “Beehive,” “The
Hands of Invisible Organic Forces,” “Mosquito,” “I Believe,” to the closing
number of Bill Wither’s “Lean on Me.”
The RV after party was rocking again filled to capacity with band, crew, and
fans. As the night stretched into pre-dawn chill the band members settled in for
slumber at miscellaneous locations only to meet up again for the 9pm departure
time for Tahoe.
The rain continued unceasingly through the morning as it had for most of the
previous night. The rain swiftly shifted to snow flurries as we climbed the
Sierras. The snow fell in thick sheets, pelting vehicles and ruining the asphalt
road. The white shone brilliantly. The storm coated the trees with thick clumps
of ice. The snow fell from tree top, to limb to limb, plopping and akwardly
dancing to the forest floor. Icicles dangled from the roof of the RV. The peaks
were coolly blanketed in majestic stillness and silence. And still we drove
onward determined to make our 1pm load in time at the Bar One on the premises of
the Squaw Valley Ski Resort.
This is when the first bite of bad luck on the tour was fed to us. We arrived
in Trukee right on schedule and stopped at the Shell station to refuel. The snow
banks continued to pile high on either side of the road. The storm progressed
unabated. It was time to start it up again. Alan attempted to turn the car’s
engine over. Nothing. Just the slight muffle of the radio. We tried to jump the
car without success. We attempted numerous times to turn it over and restart the
RV. Finally we called AAA to get us out of the mess. Unfortunately, because of
the weather condition the tow truck was called to assist with an accident on the
highway.
We had another dilemma on our hands as well. The show was to start at 3pm. By
this point we were past our 1pm load in time. A long day was just getting
longer. Alan called Brent who was as befuddled as we were to determine a
solution. Finally a caravan of automobiles was deployed; a fan’s SUV, a
girlfriend’s car, and a Squaw Valley utility truck. Soon enough the RV was
unloaded, the alternate cars loaded, and we were off. Ten miles took us a good
30 minutes, slowly skating through the slush. The lodge was crammed with skiers
sipping cocktails while a blizzard raged outside and the band began to set up.
As it turns out the RV was fine. The gearshift had frozen in the drive
position. Therefore, when we thought it to be in park, in reality it remained in
drive. Time lost and frustration were the only side effects.
Once again TLG successful completed their performance. The band played two sets
between 4-7pm and another two sets from 9 to midnight. Amazingly, there was not
one repeat song. It was a special event for any Tea Leaf Green fan to hear the
group play some lesser known or rarely played tunes like “Saw Yer Mama” and
“California.” The gathering thinned as the afternoon gave way to night. But
full room or half full, the audience was enthralled once again. The lengthy time
period also allowed the band to experiment with some of the jams, a glimpse into
a rehearsal. Some of the highlights of the show were “You Guessed It,” “Precious
Stone.” “Warm Up Jam,” and “Asphalt Funk.”
When the show was completed the band and entourage, totaling 13 people, slowly
made the slippery drive from Squaw Valley to Brent’s cabin where we all crashed
for the night.
The morning was spent collecting thoughts, eating and watching football before
braving the weather and heading down the hill. We stopped at one of the more
scenic spots to snap photos of the band and then we were onto Mill Valley for
the final show of the tour. A dedicated group of friends came out to welcome the
band back to the Bay Area at the Sweetwater. Todd and I listened to most of the
show from the RV parked out in front of the club. We chatted about the tour and
what the future holds for TLG.
Another snow flurry accompanied us as we left Mill Valley and traipsed back
into the city across the Golden Gate Bridge.

01/23/02

The tour is officially over. The morning after the Sweetwater show in Mill
Valley. Now that it is all finished I feel as though I did an inadequate job of
my journalistic duties. I suppose I got too caught up in the shows, the parties,
the camaraderie to really capture the essence of the tour. And that is four
young souls spreading their vision, discovering the world grants endless
opportunities but it doesn’t hand them out. Though it may sound absurdly cliche,
this is what the band is undertaking, staking a flag into the soil of American
rock, making a name for themselves, and most importantly having fun.
The cities spin surreal when they flash by at a breakneck speed. A stop, a show
setup, and onto the next town. Touring is an endless barrage of lengthy drives,
strange sleep schedules, a suspect dining routine, endless bottles of beer and
swirl of smoke. One never gets bearings on the road. Faces seen and
conversations carried out blur into incoherency from one club to the next. It is
perpetual impermanence. There is an undeniable romanticism involved with the
squealing of tires as one town is left for another unknown. There are few
aspects commonplace.
Upon waking in the morning, a thick coat of sleep settled on face and in eyes,
the world offers endless possibility. Open and unseen road. Not knowing when or
where the next meal comes. More importantly the highs and lows experienced while
traveling are incomparable. And that’s precisely the dilemma of the path. If one
makes the choice to settle into normalcy there is a comfort, an understanding,
safety, but with it blandness, lethargy, and a general boredom perpetuated by
television and routine.
One the other hand, life on the road is a mixture of extremes. Glorious highs
brought on by the music and the substances that accompany it. As well as lows, a
melancholy, a loneliness, when passing through other people’s towns and lives.
At the moment I’m not at all certain how I feel. Suffice to say touring with a
rock band has been one of the most interesting ventures of my young life.