9.25.06-Henry Fonda Theater:Los Angeles

L.A. was steaming that afternoon as we loaded into the venue. The heat from the building could be seen for blocks and created a hazy view of the endless stream of people racing up and down Hollywood. The concrete melted my shoes as I toted gear across the street, down the alley, and onto the loading dock. I don't ever remember the city of angels being this caliente. The cool breeze from the pacific decided to run its course for the day, and I was stucked with sweat and more sweat. What? I thought Warped Tour was over . . . Thankfully, it is, but times like these creep up on me every now and again.

Los Angeles reminds me of my godmother, Tía Angeles (obviously, because of the name . . . but also she carries a similar vibe from the city with her; it's difficult to describe exactly what that vibe or feeling is but it is a kin to a starry quality - one that may be hard to find, but is definitely in the air here.)

After load-in, I grabbed my camera and looked around for something intersting to shoot. First priority is trying to get a photo of the marquee. It's always a nice feeling when they spell the band's name right; plus, it's a good thing to see it up there in black and white. I ventured further into the ticket box area, and saw our poster up along side some of my favorite bands (We Are Scientists, Mew, etc.). This was a beautiful thing.

During load-in, I noticed some people out along side the building forming a line around 11am! Some of them at least had an umbrella to protect themselves from the sun, but others didn't. I was awestruck by their fervor for the show. They were hardcore Shiny Toy Guns fans. I talked to them briefly and asked if I could take a picture. They agreed and told me they were looking forward to seeing Mute Math, too. I'm really happy that Shiny Toy Guns and Jonezetta are on this tour. They are both wonderful bands that know their sound and pull it off well live. Not to mention, everyone from those bands are great people . . . just look at Mikey down below . . . que buena onda . . .

This show was special: one, we were filming for a video (we had 9 cameras, one of which was attached to Paul's keytar); two, we are in L.A.; and three, our people from all over the country are here (labels, agents, friends, etc).

When it comes to filming shows, I automatically think of my father-in-law Don Edwin because he loves that kind of stuff since he is a videographer as well. I wish he could have been a part of this show . . . I would have loved to see the look on his face after seeing all the cameras and production that were happening, especially the crane and the little ones attached in special places. He would have flipped! Hopefully, he'll be at the Ft. Lauderdale show and maybe we'll film something again. Who knows?
Below is Sean. He is our stage manager, and he does an amazing job. I'm not sure how we would have been able to pull off these shows without him . . . We have been accustomed to doing everything ourselves, that when we have help from people, it takes some time to adjust; Sean goes over and beyond what we expect from him; we are blessed to have him out with us. Thanks, Sean!




The legendary Darren King is feeling better after his wrist slicing episode in San Diego . . . here is shaving off some unwanted pieces of wood from his sticks.