Pepper's - 2/18/06 - Harrisburg, PA

This was our first time playing at Pepper's, so I had no idea what to expect. I had never even seen the place before. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. Pepper's had a good ambiance and everyone was extremely friendly. Jason, one of the bartenders, was one of the friendliest/personable/helpful bartenders I had ever met in my musical travels. And the guy worked his ass off.

Although the gig had a somewhat modest crowd, the fans were mighty and all very fun and kind. There were a few friends I hadn't seen in a while (thanks for the Jager shot) and some gorgeous women who danced like animals the entire night. One of them looked about 28, but we were told it was her 40th birthday. Astounding. I hope she had a good time. Judging by the half-flashes she gave us, I'd say she was having a happy birthday at the very least.

We busted out an impromptu version of "Sweet Emotion," with an emphasis on the "impromptu" aspect. Someone wanted to hear some Aerosmith, but we hadn't really played any Aerosmith tunes together yet. Then Chris started busting out the riff and we all just went with it. I didn't really know the words, so most of it was made up gibberish, but it honestly didn't sound half bad. We also took a stab at "Freebird" with no previous rehearsal. One of the best solos of all time. Whenever I hear that solo I always seem to imagine that I'm kicking ass somewhere in some street/bar fight.

A new FLB tradition was born tonight thanks to the fine people from the state of Kentucky. The band and I decided that our shows would go much smoother if we all just took turns drinking straight out of a bottle of Kentucky Gentleman during the gigs. Rock and whiskey are like lamb and tuna fish...or spaghetti and meatballs? So let it be written, so let it be done...

A good friend of mine in the music world, Sherri Mullen, came by with her husband and Tina Marie from Origivation magazine. It was great to see them all and talk with them for a while. I was actually Tina Marie's first interview at Origivation magazine and we all agreed, you never forget your first.

It was hard to believe, but it had almost been a year since I had seen Sherri last. I've played a few Harrisburg shows with Sherri over the past couple years during my senior year in college me and a couple of classmates recorded some demo stuff with her and her band as part of our senior music production class. Sherri is great--not only is she a very talented singer/songwriter, but she is an absolute sweetheart. You really should go see her perform if you get the chance. She hosts singer/songwriter showcases at Underdogs in Harrisburg every month, featuring performances by herself and some of the best singer/songwriters in the region (which sometimes makes me wonder what I'm doing there). These shows have really gained a lot of notoriety and good press over the past year. The FLB acoustic duo will be playing at her Underdogs showcase on April 20th.

During a break I also met Greg who plays in the SpoonDogs. Greg has played numerous Rock and Roll hall of famers including Al Green, so it was really cool to meet him and talk for a little while. It was either Greg or one of his friends who very succinctly put into words what I've been try to convey about the chemistry of the band. When I told Greg and company that we'd only been playing together for 5 and 1/2 months, someone said, "and it looks like you guys have known each other for years."

After the gig, the FLB decided to hit a local diner for some late night grub. It was 4 am by the time we were done trading tales and gorging ourselves. It was a really clear winter night and a nice drive back to MD. I got home around 5:45am. My weatherbug said it was 8 degrees.