Grey's Graze

Every time we have a show on a college campus it seems to be a significantly unique experience, this last weekend in Berkeley was certainly no exception. Seeing as how we are all on an indefinite hiatus from our academic studies, it always feels incredibly refreshing to be surrounded by people and friends who are so motivated by learning....and having a great time. I've been wanting to share this journey up north with the keyboard for the entire weekend and sitting here in bed after finally taking off my "72-hour socks" I feel the best way to represent the trip is through a good old fashioned itemized hour by hour list. Enjoy....

Thursday February 18

3:00 PM-decide to pack the van and hit the road-debate about traffic for about an hour

4:00-5:00-debate some more about which freeway to take-decide to head to the market and buy bread

5:00-5:45-somehow spend forty-five minutes at the market buying bread and meat

6:15-finally on the 405.....traffic sucks

8ish-start listening to the Beatles somewhere on the 5 freeway(arguably the straightest road man ever built)-Let It Be-Magical Mystery Tour-White Album-spend most of this time cutting out some new Neustadt bookmarks.....

9:45-tricked by a very bright sign advertising cheap gas....find out it was for diesel-Listen to "Yellow House".....twice

11:00-12:45-restlessness sets in-evangelical radio station turned off-smell of manure-strange silence in the van

1:00 AM or so-arrive in Berkeley-even in the middle of the night its beautiful

2ish-fall asleep on the floor of Sarah and Camilas room-they are awesome hosts

Friday February 19

10:00 AM-wake up to find out the show has been moved inside due to the rain that never rained

11:00-find cheap coffee and bagels-mmmmmm!

11:30-park the van and are greeted by incredibly friendly people offering to help us unload our gear-we feel very weird about this-they insist-they are very nice

Noon?-finish setting up on the floor in the new makeshift venue "Naia Lounge"-earliest show we have ever played-the small group of people there are one the nicest most respectful audiences-meet lots more friendly people

Setlist-2/19/10-Naia Lounge-Berkeley, CA

secret mirror

2:00 PM-lunch/rendezvous time at Cafe Mattina-very large and delicious salads-mmmmm

4:00PM-3:00 AM?-forties-friends-new friends-top dog-premature sleep-sleep

Saturday February 20

10:00-11:00 AM-watch our men's curling team take on sweden-curling rules

11:30?-treated to brunch-question why are our hosts so nice and hospitable????

2:00-3:00 PM-drew, nick and i get the oil changed in the van at "Oil Changers"-feels like a nice visit to the doctor

3:00-3:30 PM-go to a music store-play lots of old pianos-wish i had twelve thousand dollars to buy one

???-debate going to san francisco-decide to stay

7:00 PM-4:30 AM-van becomes makeshift taxi-"Pet Sounds"-sushi-friends-thumper-party-walking-winter feels crispy-realize that we have fallen in love with Berkeley-debate moving-sleep

Sunday February 21

11:00 AM-walk to top dog for a healthy breakfast

rest of day-somehow delay our departure until nearly four in the afternoon-drop our friend atticus off at stanford-listen to the new spoon record-talk about how brilliant the new spoon record is-resume travel on the 5 freeway-buy chips and sodas-might be the first time we all gave in to gas station fare-don't regret it-

Midnight-unload the van in Venice

........the dramatized version of our weekend, a really amazing couple of days spent with really great people that we thank very much for helping us with a very enjoyable show and certainly an enjoyable time.

Val in Tines

ZOMBIE PROM

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13 8:30 PM

THE ROXY

Links, Chasing Kings, Young The Giant & Saint Motel

If you plan on coming to the show it may be a good idea to click HERE to purchase tickets and save a couple of doll hairs.

Many thanks to Kat at KROQ for playing Empathy last week we really appreciate it.

1400

Over the course of the last week we have had the pleasure of playing two amazing shows with two of the most generous and talented bands around. Saturday night was spent in Provo, Utah on a seemingly perfectly chilled evening nearly a mile above sea-level. The locals were some of the friendliest music-lovers we had ever met and Corey at Club Velour had really put together an impressive and homey room(kinda reminded us of The Smell!!!). Sunday was spent waking early....1PM at the home of Andrew from Imagine Dragons to a most magnificent breakfast/lunch. As we hit the road we were encountered by some very intense snowfall....then watched the Super Bowl at the only truck stop in Utah that served chips and salsa, sitting on the floor surrounded by enthusiastic truckers and anti-freeze boxes. We finally crawled into bed here in Los Angeles on Monday morning as the sun was rising....Utah....Surreal.

Set List-2/6/10-Club Velour-Provo, Utah

The Current State Of Our Future

This Town

I Was Told

Sleep

We All Fall

Dark Sunglasses

Empathy

Maybe It's The Distance

Last night, Thursday marked our first trip to Lake Forest in support of Regrets and Brunettes in their month-long residency at The Gypsy Lounge. The evening was great and we had the pleasure of meeting both Arrows and The Monthlies who played amazing sets.

Below are some photos from the 1400 miles crossed.

Utah-Super Bowl Sunday-searching for television

Arizona/Utah border-The most beautiful rest stop

Mike-nuff said

this is our friend Alex-our weekend tour manager-also likes to read-he is working on a short story about the trip-i will post it as soon as it is done

early morning-Andrew and Brittany from Imagine Dragons

Andrew's mom made us literally the best homemade pancakes and syrup we have ever had

!!!!!!!

We will be heading to Provo, Utah this Saturday February 6 to play a show with our good friends Imagine Dragons. We have never had the pleasure of spending anytime in Utah and to celebrate we have put together a very unique set with a couple of new arrangements that we are thrilled to be playing.

The rain here in Los Angeles seems to never end on days like this....it reminds us of the other coast, very strange. This winter has certainly proven itself worthy.

More blog blog soon- including a very special burrito recipe from Mike.