We had a few days off at home to do some laundry and some quick catching up on home life and bills and then it was back to the bus for an overnight trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I’m not sure if we have ever played Grand Rapids, if so, it’s only been once or twice. Hopefully we will get back here more often because the venue tonight and the environment in which it is located (The Meijer Gardens) is one of the most impressive that we have come across. A spectacular place to spend a beautiful June day with a half mile walking loop that features some amazing pieces of sculpture (including a piece by Andy Goldsworthy and a replica (one of two in the world) of Da Vinci’s famous, and lost, Horse. There is also a huge children’s interactive/play area, a boardwalk that runs through a reclaimed wetlands and woodland forest and a re-creation of a typical early 20th century Michigan homestead. There is also the venue, which has a great stage and very well designed, tiered audience area.

The day was made that much better by Skippy’s arrival along with his ever expanding catering set-up. He had a bit of a battle gaining access to the grounds, especially when he ran in to the caterers that had been hired for the gig, but, in true Skippy fashion, he was able to talk his way out of the situation and provide us all with a extremely tasty much appreciated llama cooked meal.

We had a very large audience tonight, it might have even been a sellout, which really surprised (and delighted) us. We had a strange night on stage, the night was very good or just ok depending on what side of the stage you sat….

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We stayed overnight in Grand Rapids and traveled to Chicago in the morning. What should have been a two hour drive, turned into 3 ½ hours due to the traffic that never seems to abate once you get anywhere near Chicago. Our late arrival made me a little late for my date with The Cubs, but I headed up to Wrigley as soon as we got in to town and me and a friend were able to grab a couple of SRO tickets and watch the Cubs try and overcome an early 5 – 0 deficit (which they did, but which we didn’t see because I had to leave for soundcheck).

Wrigley Field should be on the top of anyone’s list when visiting Chicago. I don’t care if you like baseball or not. The building and the atmosphere that permeates it and its environs are something unique (and disappearing) on the American landscape: and uniqueness is something that should be witnessed and celebrated in this age of numbing homogeneity. I don’t even have to enter Wrigley to enjoy game-day. I could just sit outside and listen to the crowd as its voice grows in strength celebrating a base hit or the way it slowly rises with anticipation as a well hit fly ball makes it’s way towards the bleachers, reaching a crescendo as the ball leaves the park. I love that sound. It brings back many memories of my childhood.

Our house in Montreal was about a half mile from Jarry Park, which was where the Expo’s played for their first decade in the league. From our backyard, if the wind was blowing in the right direction, you could follow the game through the reactions of the crowd and you could hear the PA announcer introduce the various home town heroes (a hodgepodge of cast off major leaguers) as they made their way to the plate; “batting fourth, the right fileder, numero douze, LE GRANDE ORANGE, RUSTY (pause) SSSSSSTAUB”…and the crowd goes crazy. I, being a member of theYoung Expo fanclub, which got you in to the bleachers for 50 cents, would more often than not be part of that crowd going crazy. Now that’s the way to build a fan base.

The gig tonight was at The Park West which is probably our favourite club in the world. There is something about this place that is just right. Tonight we had one of those shows that happens every-now-and-then, once-in-a-blue-moon, as-often-as-a-leap-year-but-not- as-regular, where everyone on stage just connects, everyone is responding and reacting to every musical nuance. I have no idea how it sounded out front, but on stage it was magical. One comes off stage after one of these shows and you are riding on a high that can carry you for many, many, many miles.