CLEVERGIRL ON TOUR!!

Oct 9th, 2003 - Conan's Pub - Portland, OR

We got up at the ass crack of dawn. It was still dark as Rosie and Amie and the huge yellow van chugged their way noisily up the huge hill toward Karen's house. We had loaded all our gear into the van the night before, and it all fit snug as a bug with room to sleep and sit. But as each one of us added our sleeping bags, sacks of trail mix, fruit snacks, onion bagels and our clothes, we suddenly had cramped quarters to deal with. But this is a D.I.Y. tour, and there is no label sporting the cash for a tour bus. So we bucked up and dealt. It's 6:00 A.M. and we we're on our way to Portland for a show that evening.

The trip up was beautiful but long. About 13 hours. And pee breaks were a-plenty. Bladders need a few days to get conditioned to holding it. And the trail mix and fruit snacks lost their charm around 3 in the afternoon. But we had music to help us along:

Diana Ross (the millennium collection)
Mogwai
Elton John (mix)
U2 (War)
Iggy Pop (TV eye live 1977)
Space Age Pop Vol II (Mallets in Wonderland)
DJ Z-trip (at dub lab)
Raymond Scott (reckless nights and Turkish twilights)
Pink Floyd (hyper at the gates of dawn)
Duran Duran Live Don's Guns (Bil with one L)
Beach Boys (Pet Sounds)
Roy Henry Gover

Now there are advantages one gains from having a bit of previous tour experience. You learn how to sleep. Anytime, anywhere, on top, or next to just about anything. Sleep is a precious thing on tour, and you need it if you plan to get up at 6am and stay up 'til 4am. Those of us who could do it, definitely felt a bit more chipper and happy to play a show after the long drive than those that didn't. But once we hit the stage, you couldn't tell the sleepers from the non. And that's rock and roll. You also learn that a beverage at the bar can sometimes count as dinner if you haven't been able to eat much on the way up.

Conan's was cool. It was a huge brick building with store fronts on one side, and a small door amidst huge towering columns on the other. This was the entrance to the club. Well almost. You walk in and are met with several more not-very-well-marked doors. Pick one, and hope that it leads you somewhere.

Once we found the room, it was huge. Somewhere between a gymnasium, a pool hall and an auditorium. Slightly run down. Curtains in back of the stage that didn't totally cover up the stuff they were hung to conceal. A comfortalby squishy, yet ratty couch in the corner. Some peeling paint, and a comfortable vibe you wouldn't have expected from such a cavernous venue. Sweet bartenders. And a booking agent that actually was AT the venue, and saw the show! His name was Geoff. And together with Karen's friend Chris, put us on the bill that night. Thank you Geoff, it was great to meet you. And thanks to Chris for making it all happen!

The Bands:
Clevergirl
The Satellite Kings
Scotty Loco and The Spoonbenders

The weather:
raining like a bitch

The crowd:
Probably small for this place, but it would've looked like quite a party in any other venue.
Very supportive with lots of friends of friends!

We played well. We got to meet and share the stage with Chris and his new band Scotty Loco and the spoonbenders. Totally sweet guys! We met up with Devin, who also brought some folks. Overall, it was a really sweet reception for our first out of town gig. And afterwards some of us were ready so sleep where we fell. We split off. Karen and Jodi went to Devin's with the cats and the hot tub!! And Rosie and Amie went to Amie's friend's house. (who was that Amie?) Thanks for letting us crash!

We've got two shows the next day, so rest up ladies.