Right In My Face

I will say first and foremost. Molly's Rude Awakening is a gem. Key characteristics of a gem as given by Wikepedia: precious and rare.

I can't say how many times I've taken exit 115 to the Holiday gas station in Black River Falls, WI. So I've passed Molly's many a time. But I never even glanced at the place, never even cared to notice what was right in my face.

Well, you might understand why from the outside.

In the past year I've been booking shows site unseen, which proves to be really the only "adventure" for the traveling musician.  There is a reason why every bands story begins with, "Oh, we played this one place..." 

The venue is the adventure because it is the destination.

This is something I lost playing with the band. Not because of them personnaly but because with a band you have to find places that can pay or I paid. No risks, no let's take a chance, no adventure. Truth be told I hated that.  Again, it wasn't the guys but with no adventure it was just long boring hwy miles.

So I threw myself back into the old me, the only part of the old me worth going back into, and I booked a ton of shows at places I'd never been.  I saw some like-minded musicians playing certain places and I took a risk.

Molly's is one such place.  It has a coffee cart for the drive thru folks and a little storefront with hippie things for sale, odd in itself cause I didn't figure Blk River Falls, WI had that type...but I digress.

Molly purchased the adjoining auto garage from her uncle and turned it into a music venue/hang out. Open the garage doors, set up some tables and listen to some music...yup, makes sense to me!

I played with my good friend Josh Harty and I was glad he was there because all these site unseen small town places have been a real shot in my arm.  They've rejuvenated my hope for live music and the people who attend and I want him to get in on that as well.

We play around the city, amongst 1,000's of other bands and you’re just the next guy in that night, who cares. We get treated like crap most of the time...seriously.

So going to these small town places has eliminated this completely. Yes I have to drive 2hrs or more to play a show. But I'd drive 10hrs to play for people like Molly and the awesome folks of Black River Falls.

I'm not sure what Molly's rude awakening was or is but for me it is such a wonderful place. Like I said, a gem.

I'll be back at Molly's Rude Awakening on Friday, September 10.  It's a pot luck so bring some friends and your appetite!