Even better, we got to play a new venue, and it's one we've been wanting to play for a while now - the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier:
It was a gig that came close to not happening, thanks to the weather. When we left Austin on Monday, this is what we saw out the windshield:
Not promising. We pressed on, though, and when we got to Galveston it was dry, though the skies looked threatening. We offered to shift our performance window back by an hour, just to make sure the venue got their money's worth, but they didn't seem worried about it, so we stuck to our allotted time of 6-10pm, and set up on this awesome stage (possibly my favorite stage we've played so far):
It's a stage in front of a Ferris Wheel! It looks like the Ferris Wheel is sprouting out of the stage, kind of like permanent fireworks - for us. Yeah...for us.
As a result of this super sweet feature, though, there wasn't a "backstage" per se. This was the backstage:
It was okay, though. We didn't really need a backstage for this show, and getting to listen to the guy running the Ferris Wheel was worth the lack of a dressing room. He was a guy who knows how to entertain himself (and us) and make what could be a boring job fun.
Here's another cool thing about being in a band. This sign doesn't mean you:
We got to sashay past this gate like bigwigs, because that's how you got to the stage.
By the time we got started at 6:00, it was getting drizzly. I was surprised to find that people didn't let that deter them from enjoying all the rides and such at the pier. I guess they'd paid to get in, and they were going to get their money's worth. Whatever their reasons, I was glad to find that we had people to play to all night.
We even got in a little on the ride action ourselves. This ride proved to be the most divisive:
I think it was called the Texas Star. Those lights that seem to be flying around in the air are actually swings. That's how high people are as they are flying around on the ends of CHAINS!
Without thinking, I agreed to ride this ride with Johnny during one of our breaks. Have I mentioned I have a healthy fear of heights? I realized about halfway up (maybe sooner) that I'd made a horrible mistake. I had to close my eyes and clutch Johnny's arm through most of it. It was *terrifying.* I truly do not understand why I heard screaming routinely from the roller coast but not this contraption of certain death.
It was Johnny's favorite ride. He rode it again with Joe. Joe was so not scared of it, he licked it:
Don't think about how many hands have touched that chain, Joe. Just let that thought slip right past you without taking root.
It rained for a few minutes here and there, but overall it was dry and cool without being uncomfortable. We were even able to load out smoothly. Load in and out was interesting, though. You can't pull up to the pier to load. You have to park a few blocks away, and they bring you a cart, like an airport luggage cart:
You load the cart with your gear, and then they use a little tractor to haul it to the pier. You can't ride on the tractor, though. So, they take off with your gear and you walk. Then when you load out, you do the process in reverse.
We got 'er done, though. We stayed the night and rang in the new year in Galveston, then awoke to this scene the next morning out of our hotel window:
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| You can see the pier off to right, extending into the Gulf. |
Apparently, quite the storm blew in after we finished the show and buttoned down for the night. The lower level of the parking garage where we parked even flooded, though luckily we had parked on an upper level.
We were glad to get home to sunnier skies, though we have nothing but love for Galveston and the Pleasure Pier. Hopefully, we can get back to that lovely stage this summer during the high season.
Oh, and happy new year, everyone! Let's make 2013 a great one!
What an awesome way to bring in the new year ~ a gig on the beach! Although we missed you in Austin, so glad ya'll had fun. Well, minus the chain swing of potential death. ;-)
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