The Thumbs

The Thumbs 2nd U.S. Tour- Sept. 4-Oct. 15, 1997
Tom from Perestroika joined the band for this tour, which was planned as a 6 week tour. We had a lot of shows fall through, so we were trying to book a lot of this tour from the road, which is a very difficult task. We were pretty much begging people to let us play (i.e.- "what are you doing tomorrow? can we come play at your house for you and your friends? we don't need any money.") It was drastic. But we played some really good shows on this tour also...

date city venue bands

tues. sep. 9 columbia, sc jimmy chen's basement jackleg

th. sept. 11 orlando, fl suburbia community service

After playing great two nights before we play really bad. We are wondering if this is a sign of things to come but get a chance to redeem ourselves the next night and the same place.
-bobby

fri. sept. 12 orlando, fl suburbia blackhead

sat. sept 13 atlanta, ga c-11 warehouse 12 oz.

As usual Brian and Paul and all their roomates are the best punk rock hosts anywhere. We arrive and are escorted off to EATS (the best food I've eaten in Atlanta) for amazing chicken and other soul food. We go back to the warehouse just as they are putting the finishing touches on their 7ft vert ramp and prepare for the skate party later that night. All the local skaters and bettys show up-we have been drinking all day and play sloshed while everyone skates. The bettys drank all our beer. Mark finds a jug of wine and calls his girlfriend. Brian borrows equipment and plays Pogues songs.
The time is around 3am and we head out to the old steel mill where Robocop was filmed. The trick is we have to get past the security guards and the crackheads who inhabit the place. After feeling our way through the dark we find ourselves (aprox. 10 of us) on a ledge with no hand rail a good sixty feet above the cement mill floor. No one dies and we follow a series of catwalks and end up out on the roof. You can see all of Atlanta. There are some huge pipes which we climb inside for photo opprtunities. Mark sees some clothes out on the roof so he jumbs the rail of the walkway and runs out there-He doesn't realize the whole thing is rusted out completely and he could go through at any second. That's what wine does to you. We talk him back over and he doesn't fall through and down two hundred feet onto the remaining machinery. We retreat to White Castle and then back to the warehouse and sleep on the trampoline.
-bobby

sun. sep. 14 gainsville, fl full circle keith welsh, peterbilt

tue. sep. 16 tampa, fl 403 chaos, t-tauri, tomorrow

wed. sep. 24 austin, tx hole in the wall garnet

th. sep. 25 el paso, tx @the Debut

This is our second time playing El Paso and the last time was amazing. We can't stop telling Tom about how much fun it is to play there. We get there and can't wait to meet up with Eric Frescas, the promoter of the last show we played there at the Rugburn. We find out that he doesn't remember us because he's put on so many shows for touring bands. Admittedly we are a little disappointed but the bartender is very generous and we begin to drink waiting for the show to start. Mark is at this point very ill and even throws up in the back courtyard.
The place fills up and we start to realize that this isn't going to be a punk show but we'll instead be playing with a bunch of alternative bands with big heads. There are bands being added to the bill and of course they are all trying to jockey for position. They are trying to make us play last so they can get home early and take all the people who came to see them with them. Mike almost kills a few of them. Eventually we do play last, but luckily the kids we met the last time we played El Paso show up with lots of others and have been waiting in the parking lot to see us. We are surprised, but thankful, and we rock out.
Afterwards we are once again invited to go across the border into Juarez and hang out. We have been telling Tom about how much fun it was so we don't hesitate. On route our guide begins to tell us how Juarez isn't the wild hang-out for college kids anymore due to the fact that the head drug kingpin died getting cosmetic surgery and his lieutenants have been fighting it out amongst themselves to take over. The result has been a rash of murders and random violence which has all but stopped the tourism and kids coming across the border to drink etc. The guy continues to tell us that the lack of tourism dollars have has crushed the economy over there and to watch ourselves because the people are desparate. We were thinking we were going to go over and have lots of fun, and now we are beginning to wish we had went to bed. He says that if there is a problem -- just run for the bridge. But don't stop until you get to the other side. He had stopped one time thinking he had escaped and ended up being stabbed. Of course now we are all thinking -- what the fuck are we doing here?
We have just crossed over the bridge and can see into the town for the first time. It's like an old western movie with someone whistling in the background. There are groups of young men standing on the corners and in the streets. They do look desperate. We decide against trying to find the bar we are supposed to meet everyone. I remember from last time that it's down the side streets through a maze of alleys. This time those streets are pitch black and someone warns us not to go that way. We end up in a bar on the main drag and for three dollars we get 10 shots of tequilla. We talk until the place closes and head back without any trouble. Everytime we've been to El Paso it has always been eventful.
-bobby

fri. sept. 26 El Paso,TX under a car port The Chiggers

sat. sept 27 tucson, az skrappy's

sun. sept. 28 L.A., ca the garage

We get on this show and we are told it will be after "Sucker Night" and don't really know anything more about it. We get there very early and end up sitting around. After they open up the bar we notice that almost everyone coming in is female. We don't pay it any mind and start to drink (I'm noticing that every notable story contains the part where we "start to drink." We are usually just bored and find that it helps to pass out in the van than to be sober and realize you got to sleep crammed in with three other guys).
Our friend Virgil shows up and we reminiss. Sucker begins and we find out that it is a gay/lesbian mixer of sorts and the Murmurs are headlining. I met them before when they were loading equipment in and then lent them my amp when theirs blew out. I must admit I was smitten by one of the singers. Vaginal Cream Davis is the MC and is hillarious. "She" is a 7ft tall drag queen that is quite the social butterfly (see the Thumbs page for the picture of her and Mark).
The club is divided in two- with the women in the front and the guys in the back and there is no mixing the two. Mark trys to go to the bathroom and is almost jumped because he bumped into a girl and rubbed his man scent on her. Jesus! Well despite the tension the Murmurs are amazing I'm probably biased though. Ellen Degeneres and Ann Heche are there as well as K.D. Lang who was/is seeing the other singer from the Murmurs at the time. Meanwhile the After show is looking less and less promising. The promoter dissappeared after he brought us two beers and we had three pitchers on the table and we laughed at him. After Sucker we scramble to help the Murmurs get their stuff off the stage and our stuff on. Some of their fans take offense and think we have some other motive other than wanting to play before everyone leaves. I talk to the singer and tell her they were really good. I'm an idiot. We aren't fast enough and the place clears out except for a few guys trying to get Mark's phone number. We play to a few people but have a great time. What a surprise.
-bobby

mon. sept. 29 san francisco the paradise decal

th. oct. 2 denver, co lion's lair electric summer

We are in our home away from home now that we have a record out on Soda Jerk at this point. The place is a dive very close to the bars in Baltimore we play so often. This is the first show we play with Electric Summer. We rock out then they rock out and then we all drink lots of beer. The headliner plays for almost two hours and every time they try and stop I lead the whole place in screaming and stomping for another encore. They don't see the sarcasm and keep playing. Mike is learning Japanese. We go back to Mark's cousins and Mike wants to kill me for some reason. I get him to calm down after telling him Mark's cousin Sarah is going to kick both our asses if he doesn't be quiet stating that "she is small but quick." He and Mark go outside and puke.
-bobby

fr. oct. 3 boulder, co club 156 electric summer, pinhead circus, the ginders

sat. oct. 4 minneapolis the hole the smugglers

sun. oct. 5 moorhead, mn ralph's corner los infernos

tue. oct. 7 milwaukee, wi quarters anna$50

th. oct. 9 chicago, il fireside bowl adhesive

sun. oct. 12 hoboken, nj the cretins

th. oct. 16 east orange, nj wfmu

sat. oct. 18 baltimore, md laff n spit roads to space travel

date	city	venue	bands
tues. sep. 9	columbia, sc	jimmy chen's basement	jackleg
th. sept. 11	orlando, fl	suburbia	community service
After playing great two nights before we play really bad. We are wondering if this is a sign of things to come but get a chance to redeem ourselves the next night and the same place. -bobby
fri. sept. 12	orlando, fl	suburbia	blackhead
sat. sept 13	atlanta, ga	c-11 warehouse	12 oz.
As usual Brian and Paul and all their roomates are the best punk rock hosts anywhere. We arrive and are escorted off to EATS (the best food I've eaten in Atlanta) for amazing chicken and other soul food. We go back to the warehouse just as they are putting the finishing touches on their 7ft vert ramp and prepare for the skate party later that night. All the local skaters and bettys show up-we have been drinking all day and play sloshed while everyone skates. The bettys drank all our beer. Mark finds a jug of wine and calls his girlfriend. Brian borrows equipment and plays Pogues songs. The time is around 3am and we head out to the old steel mill where Robocop was filmed. The trick is we have to get past the security guards and the crackheads who inhabit the place. After feeling our way through the dark we find ourselves (aprox. 10 of us) on a ledge with no hand rail a good sixty feet above the cement mill floor. No one dies and we follow a series of catwalks and end up out on the roof. You can see all of Atlanta. There are some huge pipes which we climb inside for photo opprtunities. Mark sees some clothes out on the roof so he jumbs the rail of the walkway and runs out there-He doesn't realize the whole thing is rusted out completely and he could go through at any second. That's what wine does to you. We talk him back over and he doesn't fall through and down two hundred feet onto the remaining machinery. We retreat to White Castle and then back to the warehouse and sleep on the trampoline. -bobby
sun. sep. 14	gainsville, fl	full circle	keith welsh, peterbilt
tue. sep. 16	tampa, fl	403 chaos, t-tauri, tomorrow
wed. sep. 24	austin, tx	hole in the wall	garnet
th. sep. 25	el paso, tx	@the Debut
This is our second time playing El Paso and the last time was amazing. We can't stop telling Tom about how much fun it is to play there. We get there and can't wait to meet up with Eric Frescas, the promoter of the last show we played there at the Rugburn. We find out that he doesn't remember us because he's put on so many shows for touring bands. Admittedly we are a little disappointed but the bartender is very generous and we begin to drink waiting for the show to start. Mark is at this point very ill and even throws up in the back courtyard. The place fills up and we start to realize that this isn't going to be a punk show but we'll instead be playing with a bunch of alternative bands with big heads. There are bands being added to the bill and of course they are all trying to jockey for position. They are trying to make us play last so they can get home early and take all the people who came to see them with them. Mike almost kills a few of them. Eventually we do play last, but luckily the kids we met the last time we played El Paso show up with lots of others and have been waiting in the parking lot to see us. We are surprised, but thankful, and we rock out. Afterwards we are once again invited to go across the border into Juarez and hang out. We have been telling Tom about how much fun it was so we don't hesitate. On route our guide begins to tell us how Juarez isn't the wild hang-out for college kids anymore due to the fact that the head drug kingpin died getting cosmetic surgery and his lieutenants have been fighting it out amongst themselves to take over. The result has been a rash of murders and random violence which has all but stopped the tourism and kids coming across the border to drink etc. The guy continues to tell us that the lack of tourism dollars have has crushed the economy over there and to watch ourselves because the people are desparate. We were thinking we were going to go over and have lots of fun, and now we are beginning to wish we had went to bed. He says that if there is a problem -- just run for the bridge. But don't stop until you get to the other side. He had stopped one time thinking he had escaped and ended up being stabbed. Of course now we are all thinking -- what the fuck are we doing here? We have just crossed over the bridge and can see into the town for the first time. It's like an old western movie with someone whistling in the background. There are groups of young men standing on the corners and in the streets. They do look desperate. We decide against trying to find the bar we are supposed to meet everyone. I remember from last time that it's down the side streets through a maze of alleys. This time those streets are pitch black and someone warns us not to go that way. We end up in a bar on the main drag and for three dollars we get 10 shots of tequilla. We talk until the place closes and head back without any trouble. Everytime we've been to El Paso it has always been eventful. -bobby
fri. sept. 26	El Paso,TX	under a car port	The Chiggers
sat. sept 27	tucson, az	skrappy's
sun. sept. 28	L.A., ca	the garage
We get on this show and we are told it will be after "Sucker Night" and don't really know anything more about it. We get there very early and end up sitting around. After they open up the bar we notice that almost everyone coming in is female. We don't pay it any mind and start to drink (I'm noticing that every notable story contains the part where we "start to drink." We are usually just bored and find that it helps to pass out in the van than to be sober and realize you got to sleep crammed in with three other guys). Our friend Virgil shows up and we reminiss. Sucker begins and we find out that it is a gay/lesbian mixer of sorts and the Murmurs are headlining. I met them before when they were loading equipment in and then lent them my amp when theirs blew out. I must admit I was smitten by one of the singers. Vaginal Cream Davis is the MC and is hillarious. "She" is a 7ft tall drag queen that is quite the social butterfly (see the Thumbs page for the picture of her and Mark). The club is divided in two- with the women in the front and the guys in the back and there is no mixing the two. Mark trys to go to the bathroom and is almost jumped because he bumped into a girl and rubbed his man scent on her. Jesus! Well despite the tension the Murmurs are amazing I'm probably biased though. Ellen Degeneres and Ann Heche are there as well as K.D. Lang who was/is seeing the other singer from the Murmurs at the time. Meanwhile the After show is looking less and less promising. The promoter dissappeared after he brought us two beers and we had three pitchers on the table and we laughed at him. After Sucker we scramble to help the Murmurs get their stuff off the stage and our stuff on. Some of their fans take offense and think we have some other motive other than wanting to play before everyone leaves. I talk to the singer and tell her they were really good. I'm an idiot. We aren't fast enough and the place clears out except for a few guys trying to get Mark's phone number. We play to a few people but have a great time. What a surprise. -bobby
mon. sept. 29	san francisco	the paradise	decal
th. oct. 2	denver, co	lion's lair	electric summer
We are in our home away from home now that we have a record out on Soda Jerk at this point. The place is a dive very close to the bars in Baltimore we play so often. This is the first show we play with Electric Summer. We rock out then they rock out and then we all drink lots of beer. The headliner plays for almost two hours and every time they try and stop I lead the whole place in screaming and stomping for another encore. They don't see the sarcasm and keep playing. Mike is learning Japanese. We go back to Mark's cousins and Mike wants to kill me for some reason. I get him to calm down after telling him Mark's cousin Sarah is going to kick both our asses if he doesn't be quiet stating that "she is small but quick." He and Mark go outside and puke. -bobby
fr. oct. 3	boulder, co	club 156	electric summer, pinhead circus, the ginders
sat. oct. 4	minneapolis	the hole	the smugglers
sun. oct. 5	moorhead, mn	ralph's corner	los infernos
tue. oct. 7	milwaukee, wi	quarters	anna$50
th. oct. 9	chicago, il	fireside bowl	adhesive
sun. oct. 12	hoboken, nj		the cretins
th. oct. 16	east orange, nj	wfmu
sat. oct. 18	baltimore, md	laff n spit	roads to space travel