It’s Monday night here in Brooklyn, New York. We’re sitting here after a day of recovery and a night out havin’ drinks with friends – who came all the way from Somerville, New Jersey to see us. We stayed in Jersey with Paul and Amy in February this year (midway through the US winter tour). The whole place was totally snowed in, it was amazing. Anyway, Paul came to Melbourne 10 years ago & we hung out at the Corner Hotel a few times, staggering home to collapse. He was our guest at a footy game or two and I think he genuinely liked our game (AFL).

In 3 months Paul and Amy will become parents for the first time (Paul and I did the drinking this fine evening).

Things are shaping up awesomely for September’s US east coast tour. Here’s a shot of the tour poster below. We have 13 dates & counting in Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Checkya tomorrow.
Fires out.
PS: Hit us up on Facebook.

Was about to post something about the election. Got busted posting drunk.

Need to log out.

M.
Fires out.

Yesterday, I don’t even remember.

Ok, so today/tonight. Spent the day at Tiny Cup (the only cafe in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn). Been drinkin watching Ellis Ashbrooke do their thing in another bar.

Too drunk, will report in when I’m more able…

Catchya tomorrow.
Fires out.
PS: we have a band rule – no Marty posting when Marty is drunk (OK so I posted but I didn’t say anything really stodpid yet)

We just got back from a show at the Brooklyn Bowl – a kinda classy venue, a bowling alley by a 1000 capacity band area. Open plan – so you watch em bowl & they watch you gettin down to who’s playing. Again, another night taking in New York City’s bands. It’s so pro here, it’s insane.

(shot above: Headliners tonight at Brooklyn Bowl)

Gotta say, I was blown away… and at the same time, I wanted to see more of the guts of the guys up there playing. The guts, the bones, the heart. Not the surface.

That said, the bands were great. They were apparently presented, at this show, by some local record lables.

We had a good one. Few beers, rode the bikes back home to Bed Stuy. And now we relax.

(shot above; more of the headliners at Brooklyn Bowl)

See you on Facebook.

Cheers big ears, til tomorrow.
Fires out.

(shot above taken on tour in Poland; an after-show interview January this year – we were underground in a cellar venue)

Another hot one in Brooklyn, New York today. Didn’t get up til midday because sleep did not come til 4am. Heat = insomnia. That said, today we got stuck into organising the tour for September. We’re also working on all the websites at the moment, there’s some new branding on the way.

Just got back from a great jam session with Joey, a drummer from Long Island. We had more fun hangin out & talking afterwards than we did playing… and the playing was good. (Great little rehearsal studio in Brooklyn).

And now I think I’ll call Kevin (drummer in Houston, Texas) to say hello & see what the crazy man’s been up to. You might remember, Kev came to Poland with us – and indeed, so did his partner in crime Chris. They were outstanding.

Above: Goup hug just before taking the stage at Seven Festival in Poland last month. (shot taken by an Ania Korcz) That’s Kevin & Chris right there.

Anyhoo, checkya tomorrow,
Fires out.

Been working down at the Tiny Cup cafe today. They’ve got WiFi happening, so it makes for a break from our room here in Brooklyn. Way too much coffee consumption. Just a little wired now…

We spent the day booking more shows on the September east coast tour & doing general on-line band stuff (a never-ending story).

Checkya later,
Fires out.

Went down to the local mini-supermarket this morning. We’d run out of coffee here. Had a minor altercation with a black guy who didn’t like the way I walked past him with a shopping basket. He followed me round to the next isle “Hey white man, you don’t go over the top of me. You say excuse me – and then I let you pass”. I figured he must have taken exception to me lifting the basket while passing him. I don’t know for sure. Anyhoo, he was a big, mean lookin’ guy so, with the strongest Aussie accent I could muster, I said, “Jeeeeze, sorry mate. Didn’t mean to upset ya!” – to which he seemed momentarily stuck for words. I took the opportunity to walk away.

It’s the first uncomfortable incident I’ve had since being here. We’re staying in a very working-class, black neighbourhood notoriously known as ‘Bed Sty’ in Brooklyn. When you’re out on the street, the ratio of black people to white people is about 100 to 1. While it often looks rough & lawless, people stop and say hello. They talk with their neighbours, stoop to stoop, and sometimes with us when we’re passing by (the stoop is the set of front steps to an apartment). It’s a world apart from Manhattan island, a 20 minute train-ride away, which feels like the complete opposite; wealthier people, designer stores, slick and enourmous high rise buildings, gigantic bill-boards, fountains, Central Park and limousines.

I guess that small episode in the store this morning was a reminder that, when you scratch the surface, not everything’s OK here. Probably a good thing to stay on your toes. I was starting to get pretty relaxed.

Hit us up on Facebook.
Checkya tomorrow,

Fires out.

PS: Shot above taken last month by Ania Korcz at Seven Festival, Poland.