Pitchfork

As the legendary Mission of Burma make their way down the West Coast on a week-long trek, guitarist Roger Miller shares his tour diary with Pitchfork. Stay tuned for daily entries ("Of course, it depends a bit on free WiFi," Miller says.)

Here's part two, in which Miller recounts the tour's first show.

Read part one here.

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Friday, September 15: "Seattle"

Got plenty of sleep-- who cares about three hour time differences anyways? Sometimes I go to sleep at 11 pm, sometimes 2 am. Wake up where you are, etc.

Babbled w/Jimmy and Sharon in front of the hotel. Surprise surprise-- Clint's flight was cancelled. Looks like I'll be checking the bass and his monitors for soundcheck. As long as I don't have to play bass and guitar at the same time during the show... Jimmy will pick Bob up at the airport at noon and they'll get the shipped amps and drums to the club, the Crocodile Café.

On to Starbucks: I prefer indie coffee shops with blackhaired gals w/tattoos, but this is Seattle after all, home of SB.

Went to the Experience Music Project by the Space Needle. Don't really like the place much-- it's designed for people who need to be "educated". Everyone walks around with headphones on, being told via a tour guide what the meaning of everything is. There was an art show, though, that sounded fairly interesting, pairing various artists. Felt a bit sick to my stomach, but like anything, if you look deep enough, there's something of interest. Pieces by Max Ernst, Rothko, and Paul Signac (static pointillistic stuff) were really quite interesting. But it was a Jan Brueghel the Younger, 1625, that took the cake. Over-flow of ideas. Made me queasy just looking at it. This guy deserves some research on my part.

Wandered through some gardens and landed back at the Virginia Inn. Some pints and lunch. Started my "scrawl/frottage" of Bob-- part of a series of the band members of this group I'm in. They were playing the new David Byrne CD. It sounds like he is "a mature adult trying to make mature adult music." Something Mission of Burma clearly is not guilty of.


Scrawl/Frottage of Pete. Moral: NEVER drink and draw...

For soundcheck Bernard of 50 Foot Wave learned the main riffs for "2wice" and "1001 Pleasant Dreams" so that we could soundcheck without Clint. It was quite hilarious in this new trio setting. Clint did finally land though, so I guess we'll keep him on bass.

The room made me feel a lot more comfortable after they removed the wall (a regular habit there) to allow the crowd to spill out into the other room. Good sized crowd. 50 Foot Wave was very intense-- we're playing with them every show down to San Diego, and it's a great pairing. Jimmy: "Even though Kristin (Hersch) barely moves at all on stage, you can't take your eyes off her." The other guys in 50 Foot laid it up hard and heavy while Kristen pulled thoughts and feelings out of another dimension. At times extremely raw.

Our first set was kind of weak: Clint hadn't made soundcheck, I botched the opening of two songs, and Pete couldn't "find that spot" to get into it. After moping about and feeling tired in the dressing room after the first set, something happened and the second set kicked right in. "2wice" was very on, and by the middle of "1001" I knew we were on a roll. So what if I knocked my "Mr. Science" guitar completely out of tune during the guitar break in "Wounded World"? A new one-two punch closed the set: "Donna Sumeria" into "Revolver". According to audience response, it worked pretty well. Encores, then water. More water, please.

The Crowd at the Croc

Had a nice talk w/the booker of the venue after everyone cleared out. He told me how happy he was that we played, and said we were in great form. I told him I thought our first set was actually pretty weak. He told me I was wrong I kept up my stance for a couple more tries, then gave up and just smiled. For the first show of a tour, not too bad.

Remaining Mission of Burma tour dates:

09-16 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *
09-17 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall *$
09-19 Sacramento, CA - Harlow's *
09-20 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
09-22 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour *
09-23 San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick *#

* with 50 Foot Wave
$ with the Tunnel Kings
# with Kill Me Tomorrow