Posted on Jul 25 2017 09:29 PM
Part One - Pre-Show
Sorry I haven't reported back earlier, but I've been really busy and traveling for other commitments since we got back from CDMX (Mexico City).
Truthfully, it's also taken me some time to digest such a great experience, so that added to my delay. It was really one of the most killer and amazing experiences we have ever had as a band, or as individuals. Everything was put together really well by the promoters, Chok and Crunchy (from Lost Acapulco). Top notch!
We flew in from Portland together, except for John, who came on a later arriving flight. Here we are at the hotel, where all of the bands were staying.
Needless to say, it wasn't long before the mezcal, tequila and beers started pouring. Soon, we saw Dusty Watson (Slacktone etc)going to get street tacos, and then Evan Foster (Boss Martians) and Jake Cavaliere (Bomboras) joined us in the hotel bar with a few of the other Sonics and then we soon off to dinner with them and the promoters and the fantastic Emilio from Planeta Reverb, who had come to meet us at the hotel
We went to an amazing spot that was very "hip", as a lot of CDMX is, for a fantastic meal.
It was back to the bar after dinner, in time to see some of The Phantom Surfers arriving and more fun, tequila and mezcal.
The next day was the big show. I went over to the gigantic circus tent earlier in the afternoon to check in the merch and check out the scene. The promoters had everything timed out so that 15 passenger vans would ferry each band to the tent in time to get settled backstage and get ready for the press conference. Got to say a quick hello to the two Brians from MOAM (the only two I knew from back in the 90s) and meet the new members. At the tent, The Neptunas arrived soon after I di and I got to catch up with them. There was such a great feeling since we had either played with every other American band back in the 90s, or in the case of The Sonics, played with Evan and Jake's bands. It was a real reunion!
Then came the press conference! I don't think we've ever been in a press conference before. All of the American bands except The Sonics, they did theirs later, were assembled in a tent in the VIP area and we were met with 40 or so reporters and photographers to ask us questions.
It was a real trip! What was even more of a trip was that we took a wrong turn and left the press conference and went into the audience to watch some of the Mexican bands already playing and we got mobbed with fans wanting to take photos with us! We couldn't move and we loved it.
Everyone was telling us how genuinely happy they were that we had made it after 25 years. Our biggest fan base according to Spotify and Facebook is in Mexico, and especially Mexico City, but we were still dumbstruck at staggering amount of people lining up to meet us and get their photos with us. We usually mingle in the crowd whenever we play and get the occasional person coming up to us to chat, but we were being hugged, kissed and almost swarmed by the fans, it was incredible! Many had stories about taking a bus for two hours to a record store back in the 90s because they heard that they had some of our albums available. We really had never experienced anything like this before, and, of course, all good things must come to an end. The promoter played the bad guy and broke it up after awhile and had us escorted backstage. Turns out, many people had paid for special VIP tickets to have photos and a meet and greet with us later, so he didn't want those people who had paid more to get upset.
It wasn't long before we were trotted back out to the VIP tent for the photo meet and greet. This was very bizarre, but again really nice. People came up one at a time or in groups and either shook hands, hugged or in the case of the ladies kissed both cheeks. Very classy, but soon that broke down and they got silly taking group pictures with us. There were even some fans from the US that came down from LA and Seattle that somehow got in there.
A couple of tacos, some more tequila or mezcal and showtime was fast approaching.
To be continued...
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https://satanspilgrims.bandcamp.com/
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Last edited: Jul 25, 2017 21:30:55