“THE TEXAS TOUR, PART I – Grapeland, TX”
Finally, I go out on a Rockapella tour that requires minimal travel to get from my hometown of Midland, TX to the city of the show. One 80-minute flight, and I’m in Houston early Thursday afternoon. Fred, Jeff, and I were picked up by a woman named Tina, and driven to the Crockett Inn, about two hours away from Houston. It was a little rough, but not dangerously so. And down the street, leering at us and taunting us, was a brand new Holiday Inn Express. They say beggars can’t be choosers, however I’d like to think we have a little input. In all fairness, the Holiday Inn was sold out, and the Crockett Inn was the only place left, except for a hunting lodge where we would have slept four to a room. I like the guys, but no way.
Oh yeah, much like Bushkill, PA…no cell phone reception in Grapeland/Crockett, even on my brand new cell phone.
Fred and I are off to the venue, which was the Grapeland High School auditorium. This place was just weird. The two dressing rooms were on either side of the stage, with no crossover hall between them. So any unseen crosses had to be made by going outside, where gigantic wasps buzzed and bats (yes, bats) brooded at night. The hospitality room (snack food) was actually not even in the same building, but in the band hall.
Showtime, and George decides to start the show by singing without his microphone up to his mouth. In reality, he only missed the first note, but it was an odd mistake.
We actually wrapped up fairly quickly after the show, and enjoyed some excellent barbeque. Then it was back to the Crockett Inn. I turned on “Cops,” and swore that one of the arrests took place a few feet from my hotel room door.
Tomorrow – riding to Dallas.
Justin
Back to the Road Journal Archive
Back to the News Page
