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To Live And Die In L.A. Lounge

29th May 2007 – See the Photos

So here we are. A week or thereabouts into a month of shows in the U.S. of America. I’ll try to be brief. We began at The Casbah in San Diego, a great little bar we did back in March. Just as good second time round. We’re supporting an ace Merge Records band called The Clientele who are sweet both on and off stage and we play to about 80-100 or so people. All good. I must especially thank Jason, the drummist for a band called Divided By Zero and an enthusiastic ESP-head, whose hospitality was second to none. From there we came back up to LA for a show at Club Moscow. Lush, semi-outdoor venue out the back of a bar in Hollywood, but we only got four songs in and it did my head in bad. Shi-bli-de-bo. My memory becomes vague at this point (please bear in mind that throughout all this we’re all battling pretty severe J.Lag)

...but basically we get up at 6 in the morning and go to a radio station (KCRW) for an 11 o’clock session Listen & Watch which goes better than anything ever. It’s a blur, a mixture of nerves and full-on buzz, but it’s all good and the job’s done by 1 in the afternoon. Afterwards we make the 7 hour journey to San Jose and arrive just in time for a crazy, all-ages punk show in a Christian Community Centre in the suburbs. The promoter and sound guy are sweet though and the audience seem intrigued. I tell them ‘We’re The Electric Soft Parade from Brighton, England, and we’re going to play you some good old English pop music’. It’s also our first show with a dude called Eric, who we’ll play all the rest of these dates with. At the San Jose show he plays with his ‘rock’ band Facing New York For us it’s the beginning of the tour proper – a fucking special gig. For America it seems like just another band. Anyway, we do the gig and get the fuck out of San Jose.

We stay in San Francisco that night, and before hitting the hay in the motel, we scope out a fresh karaoke dive-bar and duly take turns (I can recall ‘I can see clearly now…’ and ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’), until we’re simply too pissed on Patron Tequila to do anything other than sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. The next show is the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, a great venue – perfect for watching Eric do his electro/r’n‘b thing as Wallpaper, his side project of sorts. It’s a fucking ridiculous band, but check it out on myspace Very funny indeed. I defy you not to dance.

We were in Sacramento last night, and I have to say we were treated SO well again. It just so happened that Mr. Mathew Priest was in the liquor store across the road from the venue and got talking to a guy… and the guy only ends up feeding us (in his own words he’s a ‘Bomb-Ass Cook’, and he is!!) and watering us and, like, everything!!! Seriously, the best hospitality we’ve had so far, and frankly from someone who didn’t have a clue who we were. Brian, you’re a star. We owe you one. Good gig too – if you’re ever in Sac, hit the Press Club. Sweet place, and according to some folk who’ve been at a few of the shows, one of the best we’ve had in States so far. Big shout to Aaron again for being a legend and rocking a second guitar in Everybody Wants at 5 second’s notice.

That pretty much does it for now, other than that we just did a lush acoustic instore at Fingerprints in Long Beach this evening. Eamon and Marc turned up very lagged just before we started. Everyone’s here in one piece. Feels good to know the gang’s together and fucking ready. Heads up. More when it comes.

TW
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