From Willits to Novato Hopmonk - a world away. I pulled into the Novato shopping center where the Hopmonk is located and was bedazzled by commerce! It's quite amazing. Yes, I popped into the Petco and the Marshalls - yes I spent a few bucks, felt guilty and a little stupid - but it had to happen.
The Thugz converged on the Hopmonk around 5 pm for a sound check. This time, Boris Garcia checked first, so we had some waiting around to do - that's when the evil shopping bug got me. It felt great to set up the stage this time, much easier than it was initially in Willits. We have such a wonderful working relationship with the BG bunch that it goes smoothly. Hopmonk's sound system is familiar to Drew, so we did our job well. The levels were excellent, and I could actually hear myself well - a rarity since my monitor is under the keyboard set-up. I think we all played well, and I had so much fun. The best part is that several Thugz fans showed up to cheer us on - yippee! Our original songs were well-received, and it looks like Mike's "Master of the Highway" is a big favorite. Mike's quasi-political statement tunes, "Good Guys" and "Where Do We Go From Here", hit the spot with the fans. We all share a sense of frustration with the status quo, and it feels good to rant musically. I was happy we could do Andre's "Last Man Standing" again - it has a good message and is so danceable. My introspective tune about my Mom, "Landmark," did well too. Ending with "One More Saturday Night" was a treat - especially since BG guitar guy, Bob, could join us. BG mandolin/keys guy, Bud, played "Silvio" with us too! The Thugz and Boris Garcia members will probably do plenty more sharing as this tour cycle continues - it's a bi-coastal phenomenon. In the green room, we chatted about California stuff while the BG guys told stories about Drive-In movies in Scranton. Pennsylvania doesn't seem so far away any more. So on we go to Cotati tonight - the Redwood Cafe. Take care. Love, Sylvia