The trip home is almost uneventful. Thorgrimm starts us off in the wee hours of the morning right after the San Francisco show and takes us on this weird, back road journey. We are following Hellfiend’s directions and I guess he wants to take us on a scenic route. Scenic routes in the dark really don’t work out too well but I imagine that the terrain is really pretty and I fade off into a weird dream. William Shatner was in it. I can’t remember that much, but fuckin’ Captain Kirk had no patience for people being late to his Social Studies class so we fought each other like in a Star Trek episode; all cheesily choreographed with the stupid music playing in the background. Ironically, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an entire episode of Star Trek all the way through.
I awake as the sun starts to rise and Thorgrimm pulls over to get gas. I take over driving duties but decide to grab some donuts before we take off. My acid reflux has been hell over the past couple of days plus my appetite is returning so I’m pretty hungry. If you have acid reflux or GERD, you shouldn’t eat quickly or bad stuff will happen. Well, I am so hungry that I just start choking down donuts and I forget all about my malady. I get in the driver’s seat, drive about 20 feet and suddenly feel the donuts start to come back up along with some tasty stomach acid. I hop out and puke for a couple of minutes while Thorgrimm, Abominator, and Hellfiend make fun of me and talk shit, “Oh, so that’s how Corpsie keeps his trim figure!” Haha. With friends like these...
I drive for a couple of hours and then Abominator takes the wheel. We pull up to Thorgrimm’s pad, I leap out, grab my stuff, get the keys to my friend’s car, and speed off to my pad for a shower, shit, and sleep. I don’t sleep for long though as I still have to wash a few clothes and get ready for the show in L.A.
Eventually I head back to Thorgrimm’s place and we all chill for a few before leaving for The Blvd.
We arrive at The Blvd apparently late (around 7-ish). There is another tour package in town so this show is a merging of the two in one location. Insidious Discrepancy, Disfigured, and another band are playing as well. Somehow and for some odd reason, Fatalist is put on the bill second (instead of in the regular tour line up that we’ve been doing) and since they are using most of our backline, it delays the show! What the hell? I just don’t get why Fatalist is going on now. So right off the bat we start hauling shit in fast so they can get set up to play.
Another disappointment of the night is the fact that locals Imminent Death had played already and it was barely after seven o’clock! I wanted to check them out but it looks like I’ll be delayed in completing that goal yet again.
By the way, East L.A. on July 4th is quite an experience. You don’t know if people are setting off fireworks or firing guns. All you hear is “pop pop pop”. Also, are those screams of people having fun or getting shot?
I hang out for Fatalist, some of Disfigured, and a little of the one man act Insidious Discrepancy. The one man acts are cool I guess. It takes some talent to put all that shit together but the music is so chaotic and artificial that it’s hard to get into. I decide to vacate the area and hang outside.
I meet with friends and talk to a number of people. Tom from Cardiac and I head next door to this hole in the wall Mexican place and have some of the best tacos in L.A. for only a buck each. Cheap, good food rules the schools!
I should mention that Cosmo Lee of invisibleoranges.com and a freelancer for other metal zine outlets is at the show. Always beside him is this brooding, large guy with a camera. Honestly, the camera looks like a prop. I bet he’d be more comfortable with some brass knuckles and a steel pipe than an expensive piece of equipment like the camera he holds. (Note: Cosmo’s review of the show can be found here: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/07/death-metal-purity-tour-the-blvd/ It’s an amusing piece on hair in heavy metal...)
So this entire time I’ve been texting and calling my friend. “I need you to pick me up from the show. You’re my ride home. It’s important that you come to the show tonight. You’re on the guest list.” Oh, did I mention I lent him my car? Well, he replies early on, “Yeah, no problem.” Showtime for Gravehill creeps up and still my friend hasn’t arrived. I try to call several times and get no answer. I leave a couple of voice mails and send a few texts. We’re about to hit the stage when I finally get a text response, “Dude, I fell asleep. It’s too late now to head to the venue. Sorry!” I am furious! I want to punch something real bad. I feel my jaw muscles clench and I see shades of red flash in front of my eyes (literally). My smooth laid out plan to get home early for some rest falls apart. I try to use that negative energy and focus it in my performance but it hinders me. My mind isn’t really there and I go through the motions but I’m not into it. I’m a pretty laid back guy and slow to anger and this is the first time in a long time that I am enraged. I don’t like that feeling. I’m a happy go-lucky corpse fondler. Not an angry one!
After we play, we hang around and drink for a bit. Someone asks if I’ve seen the merch table and I remember seeing one in the back. When I come out with the table, I get a scolding from the promoter that I had his table. Turns out ours was already in the vehicle. The Corpse just can’t get a break!
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