CGT & Pat Mastelotto & T.L. Tour
August, 2001
Page 3

   Poor David's Pub, in Dallas. We had played here before, but without Pat. (a memorable show after which we sold our own cd's from stage!) But the turnout was much better this time - the enthusiastic crowd made us forget all the driving, and a good time was had by all.

   In Houston, it was back to a club called "the Mucky Duck." We'd also played a at this very hospitible pub last year. Again, we had a great, appreciative crowd, who came ready to sing along to Bohemian Rhapsody. (Dallas and Houston had, I would estimate, the best audience participation ever on that song. Later we found that the lyrics had been distributed to those in the Mucky Duck - hey that's fair!)
One attendee who had read my book's carrot cake recipe, brought along a carrot cake for the band - with some slight improvements on my recipe (yes, it was better.) So we were well sugared up for the show.

   Between the Houston and Austin shows, we had been booked in Rockford Illinois (how's that for out of the path booking!) at the very nice Riverfront Festival there. So we flew to Chicago, got a van and proceeded to the Rockford festival. Though we had to bring a cut-down amount of equipment (no Stick, no fretless...) the show was still fun.
These new songs are coming together well, and it'll be a pleasure to record them next week in Austin, after having worked them out on the road. That's what you always want to do with new material in a band, but often it's not possible. I know with my own new recording, we would have loved to tour a bit and get tight with the new pieces. But the cost, in time and money, of thouroughly rehearsing the new stuff, learning to play it live (which in my case is often a different job than recording it) and then doing a small tour with it... we just didn't have the time. So, regarding that Tony Levin release, ideally it will come out next February, and for most of January the band will be in a rehearsal space, learning to play live what we've already recorded, for touring in February or March. Much easier and more sensible to do it the way the CGT is.

Anyway, fireworks and all, the Rockford evening was good fun.