LUNA ON TOUR - 2002
(September 17 - September 25)

September 17. We meet at 8 a.m. for a long van drive to Pittsburgh, stopping for lunch at a Denny’s faux diner, a simulated 50’s style place, complete with doctored photos of old restaurants with the Denny’s logo. I had a grilled cheese sandwich. Lee had a patty melt. I remember years ago we stopped at a Denny’s in Idaho, and Sean ordered a patty melt, but the waitress dropped it on the floor as she was bringing it to the table. It’s funny the things that stick with you over the years.

Pittsburgh is very pretty. We get a little bit lost coming into town, wind up driving up Mt. Washington, where we get a nice view of the city and its new football stadium.

Slumber Party, from Detroit, are doing the first few shows of this tour, and they do some very interesting things on stage. The club is a little strange, as it has a very shallow/wide stage, but I thought we played a good show. We peformed “Indian Summer” as an encore, because one of our nice fans was calling out for it.

September 18. A short drive to Columbus, Ohio. We stop for lunch at a Cracker Barrel Country Store. Last time we were in Columbus we were opening for Guster. Now is better than before, as someone once said. It’s more fun headlining small clubs than opening for other people. I hear that the Strokes are going to open for the Rolling Stones, which is an improvement on the two
times I saw the Stones in concert. Once they had Molly Hatchet opening (back in 1981 on the “Tattoo You” tour), and I also had the misfortune of seeing Vernon Reid’s Living Color open for them at Shea Stadium on the Steel Wheels Tour. I had an extra ticket that day, and sold it to an idiot named Lloyd, who then proceeded to sit next to me and holler all the lyrics at the top of
his voice... sometimes people tell me that they get stuck behind someone like that at Luna shows... Anyway I thought we played well tonight, and Slumber Party were excellent too. Some people went out dancing after the show, but not me, I went home and read the fan emails, including this one from an ex-fan in Pittsburgh, with the subject “We Son’t See That Band Anymore”. Here it is in its entirety:

Dear Luna:

Just a little FYI; can "The Attitude".

Last night (9-17-02) at Pittsburgh's Rosebud, Dean muttered into the microphone "We don't play that song anymore" (pertaining to the cocktail napkin request thrown on stage with the word IHOP scribbled in black felt tip).

Really?

Are you trying to be the second coming of Spinal Tap?

After we all paid $15 a pop to get in, you only played for an hour.

An hour?

The money I make from selling my Penthouse and Pup Tent CDs will be used to purchase Phish concert tickets (they're back together, did you hear?).

Do you know what Trey Anastasio would have said if HE didn't want to play IHOP?

"Sorry, we just played that number three shows ago in Columbus, maybe next time".

Actually, Trey would have played IHOP in addition to the other songs he wanted to play, because you know why, he doesn't have "The Attitude" (i.e., he still cares about his fans, even after enormous success).

I don't think Luna will ever have that kind of success.

Want to know why?

"WE Won't See That band Anymore".

<<<<<bob>>>>>

September 19. A long drive to Chicago, I’m not getting enough sleep on this tour. Tonight we’re playing a smallish club called the Empty Bottle. At soundcheck we practice IHOP, a song we haven’t played for about two years, and tonight we decide it will be our encore. It’s very hot on stage, by the end of the show I am soaking wet.

September 20. After another 9 hour drive we arrive quite late in Columbia, MO, where we’re playing at a little Roadhouse called MOJO’s. They give us some edible barbecue. The hotel we’re staying at is just around the corner, and has an Indian restuarant in the lobby. After the show some of us got a ride back to the hotel with the boys in Jennyanykind (our opening band). “This looks thuggish”, says Michael Holland as we pull up to our hotel to see some people screaming at each other and one guy holding his bleeding nose. We get into our rooms quickly -- there seems to be a wild party going on under the hotel... moments later I hear some screaming and look out the window to the street below, where a huge melee has errupted, dozens of people are punching each other, and then the cops arrived. Crazy.

September 21, Lawrence KS. I am exhausted again today, but manage to take an afternoon nap. The Bottleneck club in Lawrence is having an afternoon nu-metal show which goes late, so we can’t load in to the club till just before show time, which of course means no soundcheck, but time for a fancy dinner. I order the Strip Steak, medium rare, but it arrives well done. I tell the waiter about this and he gives it to me for free... for dessert, English trifle, one of my favorites.

The dressing room at the Bottleneck looks the same as it did six years ago, every inch of it is covered in graffiti. I supose that’s rock and roll or something. Is it rock and roll to have no stalls in the men’s toilet? Because you get this feature in rock clubs all around the world. Sometimes with the added bonus of no seat on the toilet. A nice lady has brought her 9 year old daughter “Luna” to the show, and she makes a special request that we play “Tiger Lily” for her, which of course we do.

September 22. Sunday night at the Music Box in Omaha, Nebraska. We have never been to Omaha, and the turnout is a little light, but some nice fans have been waiting a long time for us to come here. For dinner we go to a bar called “Billy Frogs”. I order a Strip Steak, medium rare, and it comes well done, but I don’t bother complaining this time.

September 23. A twelve-hour drive to Boulder, CO. I pass the time by reading a Patricia Highsmith novel.

September 24. At the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO, the club ask us to play an extra long set, so we are on stage for almost two hours. I notice that my Les Paul is kind of heavy. Across the street from the club is a new guitar store. Britta picks up a 1972 Fender Precision bass for a very nice price. Sean spends quite a bit of time looking at an early 60’s Gibson SG but decides it doesn’t sound as fantastic as it should. I bought a bunch of records today: new ones by Beck and Sondre Lerche, and the Rolling Stones’ “Let It Bleed”, since my vinyl copy is very worn. And a compilation of stuff by Michael Rother of Neu! I had a delicious breakfast burrito at a place called Rocky Mountain Joe’s. Delicious until I discover a 1 inch piece of curved wire in my mouth... I tell the waiter and they graciously don’t charge me for my meal.

September 25. Denver is only a 30 minute drive from Boulder, but it’s a very different place indeed. Boulder feels like it actually belongs in California. The Blue Note Theatre has a strict decibel level due to complaints from neighbors, so we are all required to turn our amps down.

Our Ramada motel features a lovely western decor, with lots of felt paintings of cowboy scenes. It’s very nice. We have dinner across the street at a place called DECISIONS. There’s not enough room for the whole band to sit at one table, so Lee has to sit at the kids table next to us. Sean and Britta order a nice drink called a Flirtini, which is made of champagne, pineapple juice and vodka.

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