...18 years ago...

The humid South is really sticky but I guess Philly is as well. We get up at 9:30 or so and pack up (I finish the Hardy Boys book!). We leave 11:30 for Pensacola Florida - 6 hour trip.

We arrive 5:30 and call mike from 'Maggot Sandwich'. We go to club - nice joint - big echo-y room though. We play pool - no PA. Mike pulled a fast one and wanted to charge $50 bucks. Guys at club - no way. We unload. Mobile Alabama's 'Ivan and the Terribles' unload -cover band - young. PA eventually arrives. Club owners take us to a great BBQ place. I had a quarter chicken, slaw, potato salad and beans - great dinner.

Back to club - good crowd - 50 people. After much fiddling with the PA 'Ivan' plays. Energetic but boring - I hate cover bands. They did one original - they have good potential. Played 40 minutes. We set up and readjusted PA. Dave R. squeezed the best sound out of it - 2 vocal mikes and no drum mikes needed - loud room. We play weird set - good but weird. Lots of people left back to Mobile. The people who stayed liked us. Paid $90 dollars - 'Ivan' played for free. Mike never showed up.

It seems in this case that the club was nicer to us than the show's promoter.

We stay with Mark - a guy who works at the bar (Handlebar). We go to his house - just moved in - no furniture. Hang out and talk more. People show up - beer - 2:30. We drink and talk til 5AM. I fall asleep. Dave R. and Rod talk until 8AM. Eventually we all sack out (Dave B. and Joe went to bed at 3AM).

Searching the web, I see the Handlebar is still around. Can't find a link for it directly, but bands are still listing it on their tour schedules.