ON THE ROAD AGAIN - Boise and Salt Lake City 2010
Posted by Jeff on Friday 05th of February 2010 02:07:38 PM.
On the morning of JAN 22, the eight of us (4 band and 4 crew travel on fly dates) met at Delta Airlines at DEN airport at 7AM. It was to be a routine Fly Date for us -- fly, rent ground transportation, go to venue and have a regular show day, eat, play, back to hotel, leave the next morning. Well, in KINDA went that way, but with just enough added stress to kill my phone battery by 7PM.
We stood around the DEN gate awaiting the arrival of our flight. An hour later, as we peered through the thick fog.... there it WASN'T. The gal came on the PA to announce that because of the fog, our flight had been diverted to Grand Junction (town in western Colorado).
TWO hours later, the plane showed. We were supposed to fly to Boise through Salt Lake City. By the time our flight got to SLC, we had missed two connections, and the next two were overbooked. This is about when my phone usage skyrocketed. After sweet talking the Delta Manager for a while, it became clear our predicament was nothing she could assist me with . In the end, we were able to get 2 of us on the 4th connection, the one that was overbooked for the 8 of us, so that helped in that we were able to leave our 14 pieces of gear on the plane since those guys would be WITH THE GEAR. In the mean time, I scrambled on the phone with Southwest to secure the remaining six of us a one way flight from SLC to BOI. This took several phone calls and 45 minutes dealing with the Delta luggage manager to be sure our stuff would end up in BOI at or near the same time as we would land in BOI on the Southwest flight. At this point, round about 3:30pm, I had my first meal of the day, an exquisitely toasted Quiznos sub. I have no recollection of washing it down with a beverage but at that point, I would have preferred a 22 ounce Boddington's. Though, not wanting to risk being denied the right to board due to minor intoxication, I refrained. So off we went to Southwest checkin, where we got our boarding passes, then had some more time to kill, which lead me -- against all my coffee chain scruples -- to a Starbucks (I admit it, I am a staunch member of "Ihatestarbucks.com") where I purchased a monster sized Chai Tea (hate coffee). This buzz kept my motor running more dependably than the Delta plain that couldn't handle a little Rocky Mountain Fog in Denver.
FINALLY, we (and when I say we, I mean 7 of the eight of us, more later) landed at the BOI airport on two different flights and gathered up all of our gear and hauled ass for the venue. We arrived at around 7:30PM, which is THIRTY minutes AFTER doors had opened. Cool to see Brian set up a drum kit in front of hundreds of people who did not expect to see him until show time, but he rolled with it very well.
To put the timing in to perspective, we usually load in for a show FIVE hours BEFORE doors open, to be sure we and the other band(s) get sound checked. In the end, we only had to delay the beginning of the opener's set by 15 minutes. I was very proud that we pulled this one off.
The eighth member of our team , remaining nameless here, missed the Southwest flight! Got confused by the boarding pass, assuming that his "seating by section number" was his GATE number, got separated from us and arrived at our gate just a minute too late after realizing his mistake. They called his name on the plane and I knew we were in trouble. Well, we got him on the NEXT flight on Delta (what would have been our 5th connection had Southwest not taken care of us) and he was in place just as we were to take the stage.
Now THAT is a "behind the scenes" story.
Heck, I don't even remember what happened after that. I was so happy to have made it and pulled that one off that I almost forgot to settle the show.
The next day was relatively uneventful. We went to the airport, caught our flight on time to SLC, arrived at the venue 5 hours before doors and did our normal routine. Seemed like we had a lot of extra time compared to the day before.
Great crowd in both towns, and we were back home the next day be mid third quarter of the NFC Conference Championship game.
Headed to San Fran this weekend to join some of the Grateful Dead guys at the Fillmore for a Haiti Benefit. We hope that if you are in the area, you will attend. It will be a preview to our full blown tour visit later in the year, and I think tickets are actually very moderately priced.
Nor'easter update -- FEB 5th -- at 3PM in Philly, the snow started falling. Expecting anywhere from 10 to 16 inches. Just like home in Colorado.....
Jeff
UPDATE: Red Rocks tickets on sale to general public 2/5
Posted by Stacey on Wednesday 13th of January 2010 05:04:30 PM.
ticketmaster.com
Just like last year, the first 50 rows are RESERVED seating:
Sec.1 Rows 02 - 15 Reserved $59.50
Sec.2 Rows 16 - 50 Reserved $45.50
Sec.3 Rows 51 - 70 GA $37.50
ON THE ROAD AGAIN - Rocking in to 2010
Posted by Jeff on Saturday 09th of January 2010 10:23:10 PM.
Where was I.... Oh yeah, the 3 day Christmas break.
Todd volunteered to come over to my house to help me lift and move a few large items. He brought Suzi along, and she, in turn, brought along a lovely home made meal. So we had a couple of Guinnesses? Guinness's? Guinness'es? .. OK, beers, ate a meal, and moved some stuff. Good times.
Then, two days later we were back at it. On Sunday (missed another day of NFL) we loaded up again, but this time we were loading up a BUS and a trailer. This is our normal mode of touring transportation, and we were all glad to be back on board where we would not have to do the driving! We had a midnight bus call. We rolled half way to Minneapolis, and stopped in Omaha so our driver could get some solid sleep time while we all busied ourselves with a day off on the road. Most of us took in a movie, and we all had a great dinner at the Omaha PF Chang's. They have a 22 ounce can of Sapporo there that is just the coolest looking thing.
Anyway, buy midnight we were rolling again, hoping to escape the bitter cold thrown at us by eastern Nebraska. But since we were headed NORTH to freaking Minneapolis, let's just say we kept our gloves and hats handy. Pulled in to the Twin Cities early morning on DEC 29, and did our normal show day. For a Tuesday, we had a phenomenal crowd.
After a sub 0 degree load out, we rolled overnight to Milwaukee, where the temperature did not change noticeably from the night before. I woke up early, as I do each morning, to retrieve the room keys so that we all have a chance to "hit the showers" before rolling to the venue each afternoon. I sometimes will work for a few hours on the computer until 8 or 9AM, then climb back in to my bunk (I have slept in the same top bunk for just about 20 years now) and try to get a few more hours sleep. I know I'll be up until at least 2AM, so every bit of sleep helps. Ultimately, if I get 7 hours total, I'm loving life.
The Milwaukee show was tough because the band has a significantly smaller fan base here than in other markets. Also, it was a WED night, which can be a tough night for folks to come out -- kids, babysitters, lost jumper cables, black ice... But one thing I have always liked about this band is that they will put on a killer show if there are 90 people or 9,000 in the crowd. And it didn't turn out TOO bad. The Eagles Auditorium was not full, but those in attendance were very gracious. And we were all in pretty good spirits because of the plan I had devised for after the show.
Instead of spending the night on the bus, we rolled to Chicago and checked right in to our hotel. I was able to get us a super rate, so I got us all rooms for 3 nights, including New Years' Eve. A big hotel room is better than my top bunk any time, but as you can imagine, we can't budget hotel rooms every night! The bus parked in the basement below the House of Blues, and we all slept in.....
We walked across the Chicago River and met at 2PM to begin the load in for our second ever Chicago NYE show. For those keeping score, since 1990 (when I joined this hay ride), the band has played every New Year's Eve in Denver but for two Chicago shows. And on the Millennium New Year, we all stayed at Todd's Cabin in Yampa, CO. It was a memorable time. The crowd in the House of Blues was in great spirits, and the place was virtually packed. Wayne, Rob and Jim from the Freddy Jones Band started off the evening with nearly an hour of great songs with an acoustical vibe. Our keyboard player, Jeremy, joined them for a handful as well.
Then it was our turn. The band plowed through quite a long set, stopping long enough to bring in the New Year. The balloons dropped, the confetti cannons fired, people kissed and cheered, and I somehow managed to pop two champagne corks just before the band got right back in to the music. I think I may have reached the second balcony with those corks!
The night had to come to an end, and for me, it was around 3:30PM. It was at this time that all of the gear was back in the trailer, and the merchandise sales were settled, and the dressing rooms were all cleared out. Happy New Year....
So, we were able to stay at the Chicago hotel across the river for the next night as well, and I set up a bus call for 7AM on the morning of SAT, JAN 2. We had to load up and roll to St. Louis for the last show of our mini tour. As always, we enjoyed the visit to STL. We are always treated very well by the crowd and the staff at the Pageant Theater. What a beautiful place. We would rank this venue among our top ten favorite indoor venues in the country. Those of you in STL can be thankful you get to see live music there. Trust me.
One personal note: On New Year's Eve, we lost a member of our extended family, as we learned that Bud's (merch guy) father had passed on. This is why you missed him at the merch stand in STL. Our thoughts and prayers have been with Bud and his Mom and sisters. We hope he will be back on the road with us soon.
After the STL show, we climbed aboard the bus and did a monster ride back home to Golden, CO. Thankfully, it was a bit warmer than the last week on the road.
We will see you this coming year. Check the web site for tour updates and stay warm.
Jeff
ON THE ROAD AGAIN - Colorado Winter 2009
Posted by Jeff on Wednesday 06th of January 2010 05:04:44 PM.
Happy New Year Everyone....
Long time, no blog, I know.
Sit back and enjoy the read.
December was an interesting month for me personally, but I'll keep the focus on our BHTM TEAM. A week before Christmas, we loaded up a 24 foot budget truck with all of our backline ( band gear) and headed out for a Colorado Mini Tour. We got an early start on Saturday Morning, DEC 19 and traversed the western half of Colorado to make a 2PM load in. We didn't have a bus, so Bud (merch guru) and I were in the truck, and the rest of band and crew did some carpooling, including some significant others. ROAD TRIP. The weather was great for a long drive. There had been a seriously significant statewide snowfall (ooh, good alliteration) the week before, so we were thankful to follow the sun west bound on I-70 for 4 hours. Our first stop was Grand Junction, and we knew the show would be sold out, which had everyone in good spirits despite the long drive. No bus on this trip, as I couldn't crunch the numbers to make it happen.
Indeed, the GJ show was a sellout, and we had a good ole time, knowing that no one would have to drive more than 2 blocks after the show to the hotel. I was presented with the big show poster for the show by the promoter, and thought that instead of offering it up to a band or crew member, I might just keep this one for myself. Alas, it is still currently missing, but I think it may have ended up in Todd's car. The investigation continues...
It was a treat to affix my sunglasses the next morning after a complimentary breakfast at the GJ Hampton Inn. It was cold, but it was bright. Warmed up the Budget for 30 minutes, as the mercury was struggling to creep above 10 Degrees. Off we went, Bud and I, loaded up with Gatorade, water, and full stomachs towards our next stop, Aspen CO. Here is where things got interesting. Two hours in to our drive, and about a half hour north of Aspen and descending quickly, the truck crapped out on us. We thought at first that we ran out of diesel, but 24 hours and one engine diagnostic later, a mechanic got me off the hook when he explained that the fuel pump failed. 3 hours after breaking down, we had 4 cars/pickups/SUV's loaded up with as much as we could carry and enough to do our show, while the large white box truck sat dormant in a pullout along highway 82. We ended up getting another truck (only 16 feet long -- would everything fit?), backing it up to the first truck. cross loading all the gear, and abandoning the first truck. It DID fit.
The two nights in Aspen went pretty well but for the vehicular fiasco described above.
Onwards to Steamboat, CO on TUE morning, and sure enough.... where was the sun? We made it in to Steamboat just as the heavy stuff started to fall, and we felt fortunate to avoid it on the majority of the drive. We had the evening off. Laid pretty low. Beautiful hotel overlooking the Gondola Plaza, where the band would perform the next afternoon after the Olympic Ski Trials had concluded. I could see the stage from my 8th floor perch above the square. Great view.
The snow fell all morning and throughout our work day. It was cold, and this was an outdoor show. Tough going. Snow was falling under the stage roof on to our gear. The lights were melting the snow, creating a tenuous "electricity-water" kind of environment, but we did not burn the lips off of any of our band or crew.
One somewhat surprising occurrence was cause for celebration on this day. After sound check and before our late afternoon set, Todd and Suzi tied the knot at the Steamboat courthouse. (Hope Todd doesn't mind me announcing....) So we made time for a toast before the set and trudged out in to the snow and on to the stage and froze our way through a good 90 minute set. They had heaters for us, but we had to turn most of them off to keep the guitars in tune. This band (and crew) truly suffers for their art!
I had to drive home that night back to Boulder, and once we got over the western side of Rabbit Ears Pass, the snow cleared quite a bit. White knuckles at first, but thankfully we made it home safely. I heard I missed a late night nuptially driven celebration.
Thus ended our Colorado Run. I returned the substituted truck after unloading back in to the warehouse, and everyone did their Christmas thing. But we would be out again super soon.
Stay tuned......
ON THE ROAD AGAIN - End of 09, start of 2010
Posted by Jeff on Wednesday 11th of November 2009 12:06:21 PM.
Hello to all of you.
Think of me
You know that I'd be with you if I could
I'll come around to see you once in a while
Or if I ever need a reason to smile
And spend the night if you think I should
A few lyrics from one of my favorite songs by Todd Rundgren seemed appropriate to accompany this "Hello" ahead of what we hope to be a very busy and successful 2010.
You are probably curious about the band by now. What have we been doing? What are we doing next? Will you see us soon? Has Jeff caught any fish?
Well, first of all, the BHTM band IS STILL A BAND. Secondly, the main reason the band has been laying low and off the road is because they are MAKING MUSIC. Thirdly, we have confirmed TOUR DATES between now and the new year. They will be followed by a healthy dose of tour dates throughout the WINTER OF 2010, culminating with our triumphant return to RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER this summer -- June maybe? I suspect the date will be confirmed within the next 10 days, so if you have our website bookmarked, you will be the first to know. You can make your plans to be with us, and purchase your tickets, as always, at the coolest band web site going. I STILL have not seen a more user friendly band site on the internet.
Oh, and in addition to playing golf now and again this summer and autumn, I have really gotten, well... "hooked" on fly fishing this year. Todd and I have caught fish and enjoyed some amazing Colorado weather this year.
I will do my best to post reports from the road as I have tried to do for the last couple years, so just let me know if there is any cool behind the scenes information that you would like posted that I have not covered in the past.
Thanks to everyone who has brought us cookies, brownies and jawbreakers for so long. They really help make the bus a more fun place to hang out and EAT.
Contracts have started going out for show dates for 2010, so we look forward to seeing you. Speaking of 2010, we are ringing it in in CHICAGO at the HOUSE OF BLUES. This will be a fun night and we have a screaming deal on hotels rooms that you can get in on. The info is located here:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3702
We'd love to see you all there. Perhaps someone who reads this might set up a meet and greet at the bar downstairs before the show? (I'd go!)
We are preparing for a COLORADO RUN before Christmas, which we hope will include some skiing (and fly fishing of course), and then a mini midwest trip to get us to Chicago in time for the balloon drop on NYE.
And there you have it. THE SCOOP. Again, let me know if you need any behind the scenes information, as I do have an ALL ACCESS LAMINATE and will do my best to get the scoop for you.
See you out there. Should we spend the night, like Rundgren suggested?
Jeff the Tour Manager
Happy Veterans Day
Posted by Trevor on Wednesday 11th of November 2009 11:43:32 AM.
A special thanks to all Veterans and people serving in our armed forces. Thanks for all that you do to protect our freedom and way of life. Happy Veterans Day!
Discounted New Years Eve Hotel 1 block from HOB Chicago
Posted by Stacey on Thursday 01st of October 2009 01:09:09 PM.
DISCOUNT HOTEL GROUP RATES
The Renaissance Hotel
1 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
More info:
http://bigheadtodd.com/tour/event_details.php?id=627
Limited Time Special on Vail Jam tickets
Posted by Stacey on Tuesday 11th of August 2009 01:39:55 PM.
Coors Light is offering $20 off of a limited number of Vail Jam tickets while supplies last. Just $59.50 (Currently they are listed at $79). Vail Jam line-up:
DJ Logic
Freddy Jones Band
Big Head Todd (2 hour set)
http://www.vailjam.com/Tickets/Special.htm
Brian update
Posted by Stacey on Friday 31st of July 2009 04:25:38 PM.
I just wanted to let everyone know that Brian is out of surgery and in recovery. The surgery was a success, and he will be out of the hospital in a few days if all continues to go well. Thanks to everyone for their well wishes!
8/08, 8/09 shows Cancelled.
Posted by Jeremy on Friday 24th of July 2009 11:00:47 PM.
As you might have seen on the tour page, we have had to cancel our appearance at the 8/08 Arnolds Park, IA shows and the 8/09 Watertown, WI shows. Brian has to have some minor surgery done, and these shows fall in his recovery time, and he will not be able to play the drums. Wish him well and we'll see you on 8/15 in Vail, and lots this fall!
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