The Sweet: Well, the Metro Cafe (a Black Cat Enterprises facility) show was great. The Kingdom of Leisure went on around 1:00 am, breaking our latest start time record. But, we really let loose and scraped a permanent scar deep into the DC underground music scene. We left no doubt that tKoL is among the premier acts from the mid-atlantic region, if anywhere. Tripgrass is here!
Fortunately, we had wonderful house and stage sound (and stage lighting). In fact, the stage monitoring was the best ever. Jake took us up on our offer to explore the sound and he really let loose on the soundboard; none of that 'set and leave' stuff. He really went above and beyond the call of duty. He didn't even accept a tip. If anyone sees him soon, relay our continued thanks.
Thanks definitely go to our very dedicated, hardcore, latenight fans for coming out and staying out so late. I saw Josh, Jamie, Sarah, Liz & Franklin, the BSUR crew, and so many others didn't get to speak with. In fact, so many trip grasshoppers were in the house, I didn't even see most (rumor is Chuck was in the house). We are humbled.
People may not have known this, but this was indeed a breakout show. This was the first big show of the season and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was a very natural show for us, we were really having fun. We sometimes play shows more out of utility (pay) and obligation (hype) than pure passion and art. Not that we've thrown shows, but sometimes it ain't just fun - it's work. Tripgrass indeed, this will be a great season.
The Bitter: But. Why is it that these club hacks want to always screw around with the money? I mean, they ask us out (THEY AS US), we settle on a decent price, we commit, we advertise, we drag all our gear out, we have people show up and buy their overpriced watered-down booze, we blow doors and then some cheesy idiot tries to stiff us out of A HUNDRED DOLLARS of our pay; a hundred short on an amount previously agreed. Do we really need to pull a contract for a Metro Cafe? It's not like this is Madison Square Garden or anything. It's a very typical, smoky, dank, completely unremarkable DC club. And, this doorman/bartender/whatever tries to short us...BY A HUNDRED DOLLARS. This wasn't the owner, this is a rep trying to scrape a Benjamin for himself. Did this guy really want to risk $500 in dental bills by coming short? The way he played it, I bet he shorted the opening bands (At the Drive-in & Knapsack). We do not need this shit. We will never take this shit. We are the Kingdom of Leisure, not some hobby band. Metro just doubled their fee for tKoL (Black Cat just doubled their fee for tKoL). We pull contacts with these jokers next time. It's bad for business, folks.
Oh, they paid it all, by the way.
This is AMONG the reasons we don't play too many shows, too much hassle. But, we do love playing. And, we do love our fans.
tKoL is tripgrass - tripgrass doesn't fool around
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