San Fransisco, CA- 01/27/08

We made it to San Fran! I can't believe Lydia or I haven't died yet. (JUST KIDDING). Alcatraz!

Although Lydia is still really sick. She is a trooper and is pulling through pretty well. I still have a tough cough but, other than that and the fact that I realllly need a shower, I'm doing dandy. We drove the few hours it was from Sacramento to San Fransisco and go to Slims, the venue, a little early. Sadly, they didn't have a shower room or anything like that for the bands touring through so, instead of a full shower, I washed my hair in one of the band's private bathrooms sink style. The chill rooms for the bands at Slims were actually pretty nice. All of the bands got their own rooms far away from the crazy crowd. Most venues have rooms like this. These types of band-only chill-out rooms are commonly referred to as the "Green Room" or Green Rooms. When a venue has a nice Green Room then the venue is a nice venue.
To the left is a pic of Lydia at Slims feeling a tad bit better. Better enough to come in, sit down, and use the computer for a bit. While she was online I decided to walk around a little bit. I went by a few of your typical city blocks only to find out that I was a little out of the way from where I would rather be DOWNTOWN. It's chill though and I had a nice 30 min walk.


Yes, I agree, SanFransisco is weird.

So I'm all walking around SanFran and am finally getting a chance to talk on the phone with Tyler without tons of people around... FINALLY... when lo and behold. You would not believe what I walked by. Right there, on this off-broadway and out of the way street and block is, probably, the only thing that I know of San Fransisco: The Chrome Bag store and factory. Yes, folks and fellow cyclists, of all the places I get dumped out onto in San Fransisco I just happen to get dumped right down the street from the Chrome shop and walk right by it. haha. I don't even have a Chrome bag but I just thought it was hilarious that this was the only place I was at and the only thing I really saw of SanFran. Fixed Gear kids, eat your hearts out.

For those of you who don't know what Chrome is... A Chrome bag is like the trendiest bag of choice for cyclists around the United States and often the bag of choice for those most privileged cyclists who ride as bike messengers and bike couriers for a living. Nike is to basketball as Chrome is to cycling. Urban Outfitters is to indie-pop kids as Chrome is to fixed gear culture. It was hilarious. I'm so glad to have walked by that place.

The show was pretty cool. Again, I really liked this venue and had a good time at it. Although I wasn't technically allowed to film, I got away with it anyway and got some awesome shots of the AGAGAG show.

An old friend of AGAGAG named Frank who used to be in a band called Showbread (from Savannah just like AGAGAG) for a short while lives in SanFran and came out to hang out with us for a little. He offered us his house to stay in and we greatfully took him up on it. After the show, and Chris's(AGAGAG's bass player) 21st birthday celebration, we headed over to Frank's house. Frank lives like right smack dab in the middle of SanFran and, after looking for a safe place to park the van and the trailer we all decided that no such safe place exists at ALL anywhere near where Frank lives.

Our most logical option at that point was to try to get a few hours of driving in toward Portland where we would be staying for the next few days. Portland is a bit of a hike from SanFran so I decided to take the wheel and let everybody rest up for a long night's haul. We figured we could take it slow since we had the next night off before having to play in Seattle which is only a few hours from Portland. We had a few contacts in Portland to stay with so without further adoo, we took off.

All I have to say is that we absolutly should have just risked parking the van on the crime-ridden streets and stayed with Frank that night. I'll explain why in my next post.

We could be closer than you know,
Chelsea