Judges

As far as health is concerned, some of us are better, and others are worse than before. The past two nights we slept in cold buildings. Last night we were on the cement floor without heat. The venues were both awesome, though, so don't hold it against them.

The 11th Hour Venue puts on shows inside a rented building space operated by a church. Multiple shows occur each week. They treat touring bands very well, and work together as a church to have such events for local youth.

Casey from The Warehouse runs the venue basically out of his pocket as a ministry in which he invests so much of his time. If you can support the place somehow, do so. Also, some other guys who are involved recently got a hand on an old church building that they are bringing to life again.

Today, we were at the Ultimate Basement in a rural, lower-middle-class community of southern North Carolina. The guy who runs it, David, has invested two years and tons of money into doing what he does. He has never made profit and wonders how it is still "alive." Every band coming through can grasp his vision and support it, but the local scene is very weak, and turn-outs are always low. He (like Casey) had saved up money for some time in order to pay us to come. He even bought us pizza, saying "ask anyone, I've never bought a band pizza before. Don't think I don't appreciate you guys cuz I do." If you can, support David as well. David is left in the dust by his own community in many ways, and bands giving all that they have (which is very little) have managed to help the Ultimate Basement survive. On our way out, he told me, "Even if this place isn't here when you're in the area again, you have a place to stay, even if it's at my house." He's still in the process of giving away to needy families the clothes I left with him from my I Sea Monsters days.

This is what touring should be, a partnership of bands and venues. Truly valued relationships have emerged from our travels. I don't know how, but at the end of each day, we've managed to scrape by with just enough gas money, encouraging our desires to support our friends' various venues with financial aid.

Now we're at my Aunt's house. It's big, because Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bret retired very early from the President's band and they are good with money and stuff. It's interesting, their music career and ours, and how the two are now meeting together as one. I like the Kingdom of God because the rich, relaxed, talented, wise elder can prepare food and beds for the tired, sick, cold, passionate, determined, traveling youth. Once my generation understands classical music and my Uncle's generation understands the genres and sub-genres of hardcore music, I believe venues run by people like Casey and David won't have to fear eviction from their landlords.