Sunday June 12 2022

Waking up bright and early at 8:20 a.m. West Coast time. Lobby call is 9 a.m.

 

Danish. Tea.

 

Piling into all the rentals. We maintain our soccer mom van status with Mike, Rebecca, Nancy, and I. Mike and Nancy take the wheel while Rebecca and I attempt to nap in the back.

 

After about 3. 5 hours arriving at The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theatre. This downtown area reminds me of an old downtown in Bartow, Florida except its hot and dry and we’re surrounded by desert mountains.

 

 

Chowing down on a leftover Egg Burrito and Ice Coffee.

 

Setting up the stage – so many things go awry in the beginning. Our snake and a few gear of ours got taken by yesterday’s venue so we have to ask the venue for spares – then Nigel’s power supply for his keyboard is frayed and needs soldering – all these little things go wrong but we get through it every time.

 

Down the street is The Padre hotel – there’s a grill inside with decent food – ordering to go.

Pizza and a Salad.

 

We hop on the stage and do our show – this time with a much needed intermission – enough time to change some batteries and snap a group shot outside the theater’s marquee. Even though it was not a sold out show the energy from the crowd is magnetic. Security has to keep directing people away from the orchestra pit.

 

 

After meet & greet we start breaking down the stage and clearing out of the venue. It takes some extra time for some reason to get everything loaded out to the trailer. At some point Kevin turns on us and explains in a matter of fact fashion he is quitting the band and would walk home. It’s been apparent how stressed and overwhelmed he’s been lately. A lot has happened on this tour though. Also, the plans to drive through the night received some pushback so we decide to rent hotel rooms for the night and take our time leaving in the morning. The word “fluid” doesn’t even begin to be the perfect adjective to this band.

 

Somehow Phil manages to collect Kevin off the street somewhere and we all end up safely in rooms at a Best Western. A nice Indian man named Raj at the front desk takes care of us.

 

Rebecca, Mike, and I enjoy some leftover pizza and a dessert.