Tuesday March 23rd from Kansas City, Missouri to Witchita, KS.
While driving across Kansas you sort of wonder, "What do people do out here?" Other then the couple big cities, Kansas City, Witchita, ect. there is a lot of open space. I saw some cows. I guess maybe it's too early for crops to start peaking out of the ground but..... One of the things I did this trip was buy postcards and send them out to friends as a way to pass the time. One of those Kansas postcards said Kansas is known for wheat and sunflowers.
VANessa, that's what we call our van, pulled up in front of Kirby's Beer Store about 5pmish. The "club" is right next to a laundromat and about the size of maybe a studio apartment. Looking around the room you see posters for old shows, beer signs, book shelves up high filled with old books, a jukebox filled with old 45's that people are still pumping money into, lots of locals, regulars, musicians. I believe one of the only things holding this place together maybe all of the stickers on the walls. Smoking in bars is still legal in Kansas so the room has the fresh scent of smoke as well as the stale smoke smell that you get in most clubs.
After hanging with the locals for awhile they start moving the tables off the stage so we can set up. People start filing into the small space as we begin to play. The room sounds great and feels great. The "tip" bucket starts filling up. By the sets end when we are playing Siouxsie Please Come Home the crowd is singing along.
Immediately after we stop I jump off the stage to man the merch. Tonight is good, we sell CDs and we've started this thing called the name your own price for a t-shirt. Our merch box exploded during load out one night and the one we bought before leaving Missouri is too small. In other words, we gotta move some tees. After things die down a little bit a man approaches the merch table. He's shorter, stocky, wearing a hat like mine and Buddy Holly glasses. He says, "You guys were great, I REALLY like your band."
I probably say something dumb like, "Cool man, thanks. "
He says, "My name is Bob.......Bobcat Goldthwait."
I take a closer look and through the glasses and the hat I start to see who he really is! Shakes the Clown, One Crazy Summer, Police Academy. What is he doing here! He doesn't really talk in his crazy voice.
I play it cool, "Cool, it's nice to meet you."
He turns around and I start freaking out. Pull out my phone and start texting everyone. I grab Pat and I am like, "Do you know who that is!?"
Bobcat ends up introducing himself to Pat as well and they begin to start talking about powerpop from the 70's and 80's, records he is looking for and music in general. Super nice cool guy. He says he's coming to Portland for something soon but can't remember. The next band starts up and Bob's ready to leave. I make sure he has a way to get hold of us because he wants guides to go record shopping or have drinks in a rock bar when he comes. Here's to hoping he e-mails us.
Witichita, KS, Bobcat Goththwait, a small hole in the wall dive bar. Crazy.
To Be Continued......?
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