El Mocambo Club Toronto

Dateline: Toronto, Canada. The El Mocambo club. A classic gig. The home of the Stone’s “Love You Live” album among others.

Today’s been a good day. We started out at the Whole Foods in Ann Arbor this AM, sailed through the K-9 sniffing border, and had a painless sound-check to boot (see pic of Dan the soundman).

Yvonne recommends the Vietnamese place next door for dinner. I feel calm, I feel mellow, gentle even on this warm summer night. It’s not all dirty socks, wrinkled shirts and deep-fried nausea out here.

Stephie is sporting a Canadian Tux (yes, she’s gone double denim to commemorate the occasion).

I can’t believe we started touring behind this record nearly a year ago. I feel spoiled. The band is on their toes, and have my back like no other. I can’t complain.

I won’t complain.

Tonight the sidewalks are spilling over. It’s the 4th of July. I take a walk to the 7-11 for a beverage. Pay with greenbacks. “Fucking Americans” someone says. I smile back as if to say, “Yessir, fucking Americans”. You got that right. My mood lifts a little more.

Back at the El Mocambo, the opening band comes off stage having played for 50 bemused CP fans, and the guitarist is bleeding something awful. Blood is running down his face. Nothing is wrong, everything is right. This is gonna be a great night, I can feel it in my bones.