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"Go back to New York Asshole!"

Olympia>>  A couple of stops to pick up the t-shirts and a cd player for the van, and away we go. Everything fits and there is still enough room for two benches... oh thank god. The plan is to make it as far as Portland on the first day, but alas, the allure of the Seven Feathers Casino in southern Oregon, is too much and the van pulls in for sin. Much to our dismay, there is no drinking on the actual casino floor, and the fun is quickly sucked out. Oh well, sleep good. We arrive in Olympia and it is cold and rainy to no one's surprise. All of my pre-conceived stereotypes of Olympia are true. It is a place that has truly overdosed on its own counterculture and reputation. A thrift/ record store employee yells "GO BACK TO NEW YORK, ASSHOLE" at the phone receiver after fielding a call from a curious out of towner. Perfect! I buy the most ridiculous jacket you have ever seen at said store, and Kurt threatens not to play if I wear it. The only way it can be described is "mime-wear". I still do not have the courage to wear it, but I do love it. The is at "Le Voyeur" -- a vegan cafe/ bar/ club. I knew we were in for an interesting night when I discovered you had to give the bartender you drivers license in order to get the mic's and the cables to set up the PA yourself. Ah... another Olympia thing -- draped over one of the speakers in the stage room is a homemade t-shirt which reads "GANG OF FOUR NO, RANDY NEWMAN YES". We are happy to play with Oakland locals Bite Size, and we let loose for our first show... it was a perfect first show really. Hardly anybody there, except two actual honest to goodness PINQ fans show up all the way from Seattle...hooray! I discovered this when a voice in the audience says "Play drinking song" to which I stupidly reply, "you know, that's funny, cuz we have a song called 'Drinking Song'" to which he matter of factly replies, "yeah, I know". Bite Size closes with a rockin' P.E.E cover much to our pleasure, and the drinking ensues. The one downer is the freaky guy who dances around really aggressively and finally asks Tad if he is from Japan. We narrowly escape going to his house to hang out with him and Bite Size, who was in need of floor space... which we had at our hotel, duh. Sorry guys, hope you made it out alive.

The PINQ Tour Poster - Design by Maggie Fost

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