July 11 - Circle A, Milwaukee WI

We woke up surrounded by first generation hippies swing dancing to zydeco at a Cajun festival. Egad!

Where are we?

Madison.

While Mike went book browsing, Alan, Justyna and I stumbled around looking for World Cup action, only to find it in a SRO sports bar.

A lot of the college kids rooted for the pot team.

A girl jumping for Spain got her college hair in my mouth.

It was 0-0 after all that standing so I went to heavy metal/punk record store and read new information about Danzig. I guess he has a few cats and doesn't vote. He has some conspiracy theories about the Bilderbergs and...

Then I realized I had outlasted the kid in the giant mohawk, and could read about Danzig anytime.

So I went back to the sports bar and watched Spain score a goal.

Then the satellite went out.

Alan and Justyna headed for Milwaukee while Mike and I walked through a rain storm.

A parade of five drunk wet people smeared in red and yellow sang Spanish victory slogans to White Stripes riffs.

World Cup fever.

Circle A is the best.

Tiny, fun, beer, jukebox, grouchy soundman, real people.

More folks from Chicago and as far as St. Louis travelled out for the show, including our keyboardist John!

Also on board was Liz from Bully Pulpit, who later audio taped us in the men's room getting into character. Wow, it's like she won a radio contest or something.

We were reunited with our friends The Itinerant Locals, who were winding down their US tour by train. Yes, starting from Hot Springs, Arkansas, the duo and their children have embarked on a 50-some day, 20-some city jaunt across Texas, the southwest, the northwest, and the midwest. They lead impossible lives!

Their accordion and a tuba combo resurrected scratchy gems from the past and the unknown.

"Squeezin' oil out of oliiiives!"

A grand time indeed. I hope to play with them again someday.

Our set, the last Bitter Tears set for a while, was described by Mike as wily. His upright bass poked patrons and Alan and got unplugged by dancers. I dropped sticks I wasn't supposed to and stunk up the slide whistle solo and drum fill pick up on "Inbred Kings".

Shit happens.

During "Moline" Mike's baritone guitar became unstrapped.

Then shouting people wanted to be a part of Alan's monologue.

"You guys are weird!" was ultimately observed out loud.

The soundman begrudgingly gave us an encore, and we played "Things The Boys Love" quietly sans microphones.

We arrived home around 3am.

I didn't get to bed until 5, ruining any chance of catching up on sleep until next weekend.

ROCK AND ROLL!!!

I mean, shitty day job!