Greg Grant

Past Shows

2002 Journal

12/31/02. Lily's Backroom First Night, Great Falls, MT.
Tired from the dirve up from New Mexico, but it was still fun being in Great Falls, alot of things going on for the first night. Liked playing at Lily's.

12/7/02. Pizza My Heart, Paonia, CO
Coming into Paonia we stopped in really great used book store and scored a few titles that we probably won't get to read for a few months due to other stops in other used book stores. We've got quite the stash of knowledge at this point. Paonia looks like it should have apple trees somewhere in the area.

12/6/02. Christina's Bar & Grill, Durango, CO
A journal entry about the wonders of duct tape. Yeah, Big Thunder (our van) started to shake and rattle and grumble about 5 miles outside of Durango so I ended up putting duct tape on the drive shaft to keep it from vibrating too badly because the U joint went bad. Once again, we made it to town in 2nd gear and really it was a pretty fortunate misfortune. The reapair shop actually shuttled us and our gear in a mini van to the gig. We got a motel room right across the street from the gig, and at the end of the night we wheeled our gear across the street on a luggage cart. We must have looked like homeless people with PA equipment. That's what we felt like anyway.

12/5/02. Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe, Salida, CO
Good vibes here right away. Pulling into Salida, it felt good, each town definitely has a feel to it. I was warned that thursday night wasn't a great night to play music here, but it was fun just the same and I hope to be back here on a weekend night sometime.

12/4/02. Taos Inn, Taos, NM
This was a fun evening. The atmosphere was very 'New Mexico' and I mean that in a good way. We'll definitely come back here again.

11/30/02. Mine Shaft Tavern, Madrid, NM
Our van, Big Thunder, made it here just fine. When we were unloading, Linda overheard a comment about him, something like, "why do musicians always have like a million dollars in musical gear, but a van that barely runs..." Maybe Big Thunder overheard it too, or else it was just a prophetic comment - after the show he died on this really steep hill and I almost couldn't start him again. linda had to hold the brake with her hand while I manipulated the clutch and gas. We made it up the hill and then some miles after that but then the clutch went out about 20 miles from home. Big Thunder was kind to us, though, and we made it home in 2nd gear. The next day a friend came to fix it and he got a half mile down the road before the clutch totally disintegrated and he had to tow it after that. Moral of the story? Big Thunder is not just a van, he is our friend.

11/29/02. Borders Bookstore, Alburquerque, NM
Playing here is kinda like playing in a library. Except it's a bookstore. It definitely has that place of learning feel to it, I enjoyed playing and look forward to playing here again.

11/16/02. Cogswells Smoke House, Wallace, ID
CANCELLED SHOW

11/15/02. Daily Grind, Pullman, WA
I've played here and written about it enough times already that I don't really have anything to say. It was a nice evening, it pretty much always is here.

11/14/02. The Shop, Spokane, WA
My first time at The Shop - a great little room with a great vibe, that's no surprise as the guys who run this place are very cool people. I had a good time tonight, got to hear bluesman Lyle before playing, a nice transition from driving mode to performing mode. This is a place where people really listen to the performers, and I appreciate that more and more as I tour around playing all kinds of venues. Sweet dreams and very unique cat sounds as we slept in a friend's basement this night. Meow doesn't really begin to put the correct sonic image in your mind as you read this. Kind of like a coyote/cat hybrid animal (that someone mated together) howling. But howling kinda softly. Speaking of hybrids, Linda and I were debating whether or not turkeys came into existence when buzzards mated with chickens...

10/25,26,29/02. About those shows in ND and SD...
Wednesday morning we got a phone call from the Mt Rushmore Brewing Co. in Hill City, SD letting us know that it had snowed there and that things were very slow. The weekend before, when they had live music, it was pretty sad, with nobody really there. So we lost our main gig, a 2 nighter, and were'nt able to schedule anything else last minute. It's a drag to have to cancel - we apologize to the people in Spearfish, SD and Bismark, ND if you made plans to come and see us... Sorry, sorry, but it just wasn't practical for us financially to drive 1400 miles round trip for just 2 shows. We hope to see you next time we come through. --Greg and Linda

10/19/02. Bohemian Bar, Clarkston, WA My second show with Fedis, and my first ever at Hogan's. This is a very cool place that seems like it should be in London, or at least Seattle or something. Very cool atmosphere inside here. Little blue feathers hanging from the ceiling right over the stage and a few large African masks... some mannequin heads with glasses and assorted other stuff on the walls. You get the image. So this turned into a great show with a finale of free jamming with Fedis making cool harmonics on his bass. I hope to back here soon.

10/18/02. The Daily Grind, Pullman, WA We do like this town a lot. It was good to come back here, it's been almost a year since we were here last time. I had a good time playing here tonight and it was fun to play with Fedis from Portland on bass. I don't usually put people's names in this here online journal, but I don't think he'll mind and it's just such a great name.

10/07/02. University of Laramie Out to lunch series, Laramie, WY
I like this town. People were super friendly and laid back and it's got that college town vibe to it which I kinda like and it's alway sunny and windy and wide open. I had fun playing in an acoustically pleasing space. I played in front of a fire place and could look up at people walking or sitting on the level above me. The sound engineers were cool and I hope to come back and play here again sometime.

10/03/02. Borders Bookstore, Alburquerque, NM
A neat place to play. I like playing in a room full of cd's and posters of musicans. I'm looking forward to coming back to play again in November and hopefully it will be a busier night. I love being back in New Mexico. It's an urban environment here in Alb., but it's much more laid back than other American cities. I don't eat at McDonald's if I can help it, but sometimes on the road it can be convenient. Well, in New Mexico they put green chile on your burger and it actually has a little flavor and life to it. Imagine that.

10/01/02. Blue Dragon, Alburquerque, NM
My first time performing at the Blue Dragon instead of hanging out and drinking ice tea and eating pizza. Not much of a crowd here, then again I didn't advertise at all and not many people know about the musician from Eureka, Montana down here. A few people did hang out and listened and made it a worthwhile experience for me. I need a certain amount of feedback to make it worth the time and effort. I would've liked more, but thanks to those people here that gave me enough to still have fun.

9/29/02. Cassie's Supper Club, Cody, WY
Back at Cassie's again on a mellow sunday evening. Good to see some familiar faces and eat some familiar great food. See you next time.

9/28/02. The Murray, Livingston, MT
So, tonight was a double booking and two of us musicians were scheduled to play and the lesson for me was that I need to start mailing out more contracts. Ahhh yes, the power of the written word. On a physical piece of paper. The owner was cool though and we still got to stay at this very nice and historical hotel and I played for part of the night with the other musician and it was fun. Great old elevator in this hotel and narrow hallways from the early part of last century.

9/27/02. Flicker's Coffeehouse, Helena, MT
My second time playing at Flicker's, it was a good night. Lots of college students here tonight, last time it was an older crowd. Some of my equipment, I've noticed, has an emotional moody nature. It works fine till right before the gig, then it decides not to work, so I futz with it and try not to get frustrated because it's not supposed to conk out on me 10 minutes before performing. And then, the pattern seems to be that it works fine about 2 minutes before I have to start playing. Well, this was one of those nights.

9/23/02. Eureka Book Store, Eureka, MT
Ahhh the Eureka Bookstore. It's like having everybody on your side from the beginning of the show without having to win anybody over, because you know everybody already. I can't sing it to you online, but I'm just going to write a few of the words to the Cheers theme because it was so like that. "Where every boooddy knowsss your nammme" I don't remember any other words, but those are enough. I like doing concerts, now. I'd love to do more of them. This was a nice Monday night. Thank you everybody for coming out.

9/20/02. Esse's Bistro, Hayden, ID
This was an interesting evening. I was playing for people eating dinner, so I was background music. Was I Muzak??? I hope not... I had fun, actually, because people weren't paying attention to me directly I could kinda experiment a little bit more than usual in an instrumental way.

9/19/02. The Moontime, Coeur d'Alene, ID
Back at the Moontime once again. I like this place. A pretty mellow Thursday evening, some good food, some good beer. I'm becoming less verbose. It's just that, it's like deja vu, it's a different night, yet it's just like the other night I played here, in a way.

9/18/02. Parks and Recreation Conference, Kalispell, MT Private Party
It's been quite awhile since I played in a hotel. I used to do some gigs with this crazy show band that played in hotel ballroom after hotel ballroom. So this was a gig in, yup, a hotel ballroom.

7/25,26,27/02. Arts in the Park, Kalispell, MT
No entry at this time


8/24/02. Eureka Fair, Eureka, MT
Back at the Eureka fair again. Time is passing so quickly. I think I started all these journal entries last year with the fair as one of the first entries. So everything is the same and also completely different. No bugle girls from Canada at the fair this year like last year, but I enjoyed myself just the same. The stage was a bouncy one. So bouncy that the more I got into the rhythmn of a song, the more I ended up moving the stage. There came a point in every song where I had to choose between the rhythmn of the song, or of the bouncing stage which, was in rhythmn with a song for a little while only before it found it's own bounce. I am NOT on drugs... this really happened and I can write about it if I want to. No, no, don't take me away....


8/17/02. Club Cigar, Great Falls, MT.
Beautiful drive here from Yellowstone. Lots of sky and sagebrush - the vistas reminded us of New Mexico. Some cool towns with hot springs that I know I'll want to come back to someday. Cottonwood groves by the river and some amazing canyons. I won't mention the highway lest it become more heavily travelled. Who am I kidding? Montana is becoming heavily travelled. I am amazed by how hard it is to make a left turn sometimes. A fun night at the Club Cigar, especially towards the end of the night. Now I know what an Irish car bomb is... Thanks, Don. My guitar was completely fine tonight, didn't freak out once. Strange.


8/16/02. The Bear Pit Lounge, Yellowstone Park, WY.
A mellow but nice night at the Bear Pit. Once I got my guitar to make it through a song without freaking out, that is. A loose connection? Dry air? Electrical interference? Alien beings trying to speak through my guitar to the people at the bar? I don't know, but I couldn't play through an entire song in the first set without having to stop and bang on my guitar.


8/15/02. The Mangy Moose, Jackson, WY.
The landscape down here is beautiful. I guess that's why there are so many $%#!!&! people and cars down here. Not that I'm complaining - where there are people there is music. But it sure is hard to make a left turn around here. It was a good night at the Mangy Moose. I got to open for Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons. I've seen them in Whitefish a few times and I am definitely a fan. There is a giant moose pulling a sleigh here. I imagine somebody under the influence must have jumped from the upper level onto the moose, suspended with chains from the ceiling. I know I was was tempted.


8/7/02. The Laughing Horse Lodge, Swan Lake, MT.
A very mellow evening at the Laughing Horse, but a nice one. It's always a pleasure to be back here. I've already mentioned the food, it is awesome. Early august and it was cold enough to kick up the wood stove.


7/19/02. The Northern Lights, Polebridge, MT.
Always a pleasure to return to polebridge. I've already described it in my other musical journal entries so I won't repeat myself. It was a perfect night weather-wise for picking and singing on the porch. A really excellent lap steel player sat in for a set and it was nice to have a little musical company. We made a mic stand for him out of a tennis racket, a large rock, duct (duck) tape (of course) and a small middle eastern drum. I'd draw you a picture, but... It was nice to see some friends there that I didn't expect to see.


7/18/02. Belton Chalet , West Glacier, MT.
This was a fun show. I played in a pretty small room but the windows and doors were open so the people sitting outside on the wrap around deck were listening, although I wasn't aware of that at the time. I met some great people, including one with an unusual but very cool name and even got to play a spanish song or two that people actually knew and appreciated. Very much looking forward to coming back here next time...


7/3/02. Depot Park , Kalispell, MT
I played here at our live sound gig. We do the sound for the people who play here, and today we got to do the sound for me. It was actually my first time playing with all my looping gear etc. on such a large sound system. Of course we can't use our sound system at home to practice with as it uses way more power than our solar-powered system can deliver. So we still need to iron out the little glitches, but today was fun anyway. It's fun to play with BIG speakers.


6/28,29/02. Old Faithful Lounge, The Bear Pit, Yellowstone Park, WY
They gave us a cute little bungalow/cabin to stay in right near Old Faithful. Walking back from the gig late one night we saw a wolf right there in front of the lodge. Nobody else was around and I guess the wolf was eating some kind of people food. It wasn't too scared of us, that's for sure. The Inn here is a marvel of construction. It's like half Grizzly Adams and half Doctor Seuss. It's built out of logs, some BIG ones, and there are some funky little turrets and a catwalk that give it that Dr . Seuss feel. We had a good time here and look forward to returning next summer.


6/27/02. Cassie's Supper Club, Cody, WY
This was a great place. People are super friendly around here and the natural scenery surrounding the town is fairly amazing. We came through Yellowstone and saw bison and elk, but we also saw a grizzly bear that was maybe 10 yards from the road. Linda kept trying to get closer and follow it into the woods with her video camera. I tried to get her to keep a little bit of distance. I guess excitement is stronger than fear. A man next to us also looking at the bear said to his friend, " Wow, look at the bear. He's a pretty one, it looks like a grizzly bear. Holy %^$!!#$, it is a grizzly bear. Holy $#$@##$!" A nice time playing at Cassie's, met some nice people and ate some prime rib. I hope to be back here soon.


6/22/02. Cogswells Smoke House, Wallace, ID
Well, I gotta say that this was one of the funnest nights yet. As soon as we pulled into town from the interstate we liked Wallace. It's got a lot of history as a mining town and it actually had legal prostitution houses until 1988 when they were forced to close down. There weren't a whole lotta people out and about tonight, but the people who were here were into the music and it was just a great place to play. There is a mural on the inside of the bar that wraps around most of it. It's a scene of a valley that some guy painted in exchange for beer a long time ago and it's great. I was handed a pair of binoculars to look at it with - there were a ton of little details that you wouldn't pick up with your naked eyes. With the binoculars I noticed eagles and a moose and an outhouse and a fire tower and etc. etc. Looking forward to coming back here in November.


6/21/02. Symes Hotel, Hot Springs, MT
It's hard to write a little blurb about a show in Hot Springs and not focus on the hot springs. The springs are hot, and as I was soaking I was wondering what my life would be like if I started and ended everyday with a soak. I imagine life would be quite different, better or worse I can't say. I mean, it would obviously be very nice, but would I become addicted? Would I need my soak to feel right? Maybe I'll spend a winter here some time and find out. A noble experiment awaiting me...


6/14/02. Flicker's Coffeehouse, Helena, MT
My first time playing at Flicker's Coffeehouse. At first things were as mellow as could be; a little too mellow. But as the night went on people started to come in and by the end of the night I was sorry to have to stop as it was just starting to become a really nice scene. Oh well, better late than never. It was actually a really good night - I'm looking forward to coming back here in the fall.


6/13/02. Leaf & Bean, Bozeman, MT
A fine evening in Bozeman at The Leaf And Bean. It was my second time playing here and it felt good to play. This was my first show in Montana after playing on the way to New york and back, and what can I say? Montana just feels good. People are different here than other places in the USA. I love it and I'm glad to be back.


6/04/02. OPL BAR opened for Milkhouse, Syracuse, NY
Opened up for Milkhouse at the OPL, not too many people on this particular Tuesday evening, but I enjoyed playing for the people who were here. Thanks to Milkhouse for lending me their PA and some of their playing time.


5/22/02. Cath's Coffeehouse, Indianapolis, IN
Once upon a time there was an independently owned coffee house in Indianapolis and the owner was very nice and very cool and collected pez and let strange musicians crash at her house and play in her coffee shop and gave them coffee in the morning. Thank you thank you!!


5/18/02. Green Earth Cafe, Bismarck, ND
Second gig of the day and it was a good one. Not too bad of a drive and we were powered with great wraps and sunshine and further powered at the Green Earth with lemon iceys and strawberry ?? (some refreshing word that I forgot). Not to mention great food. Really great food. I again didn't know what to expect in terms of people liking my music or not in more conservative country, but I was again nicely surprised. I am weary from a little too much travel at this point- dear God, please send me a roadie. I'll be back here again for sure.


5/18/02. Common Grounds, Spearfish, SD
After a great breakfast with our new friends, you know who you are if you read this, we played for a few hours at a great coffee shop in what was, without a doubt, my earliest gig ever. 10 a.m. is early for me, but I had great coffee and this is a great town with good vibes and cool people. I say it again, the Black Hills are beautiful. We'll definitely be back.


5/17/02. Border's Books, Rapid City, SD
We got up a little late this morning in Great Falls, so we had to boogie to get here on time. We were a little late and it's a drag to have to hurry to a gig and not have time to eat or relax before playing. But I live and I learn and next time I'll make sure to get up early. I enjoyed this town the Black Hills are beautiful. We met some great great people who let us stay in their guest house and cooked us breakfast in the morning- thank you, thank you!! When total strangers open up their homes to you and trust you without knowing you at all just because they want to help you, then it's hard not to be happy living here on earth. Most people view us with suspicion and underlying fear these days, especially driving a 1980 van around. To prove that point, after the show we got gas and as soon as we pulled out of the gas station we got pulled over by a police car. He said that our headlights weren't on but I don't believe him. He was nice and let us go after verifying that we weren't terrorists or car thieves, but what a drag just the same. Good luck, bad luck. I'd rather remember the good luck, without completely forgetting the bad.


5/16/02. The Club Cigar, Great Falls, MT
A fun night at the Club Cigar. I just want to say, in case anyone is reading all these past show notes, that they are almost more for me. I don't know that they are of too much interest to anyone who wasn't actually at the show, but I like having them as a sort of online journal. So this was a great place and I wasn't expecting it to be. You know, cowboy country, a military base town, I was actually concerned about wearing sandals in case of possible hecklings. Sandals don't usually go over with boot wearing types. I was expecting requests for country tunes etc etc. But the people here were totally open minded, intelligent and cultured. At least on this night, we'll see what happens when I go back!


3/29/02. The Daily Grind, Pullman, WA
Back again at the Grind... More vanilla freezes and this is just a great place to play. Linda got up on stage to play a little bass and saw a few familiar faces- thanks for coming out! I'll be a heading back this way soon, I'm sure.


3/28/02. The Moontime, Coeur d'Alene, ID
Loud, loud, loud is what this was. There were lots of people doing lots of talking and I tried my best to cut through it with my sound system and for the first time I wished I had MORE POWER in my PA amplifier... Lots of feedback but still a pretty good night. I like this town with it's huge lake.


3/2/02. The Daily Grind, Pullman, WA
More good times at the Daily Grind. This is a large coffehouse - at least 3 or 4 rooms. I liked playing here a lot. A college town with good vibes. There is a great used book store across the street, I could spend days in there... I definitely look forward to coming back here in the near future.


3/1/02. The Blackbird Java House, Lewiston, ID
Good times at the Blackbird Coffeehouse... Not too many people out and about on this evening, but had a good time anyway and I definitely look forward to returning here soon. I love that overlook on highway 95 where you can see all of Lewiston and the small mountains/large hills that surround it. It's officially as cool or cooler at nighttime as it is during the daytime. That's my humble opinion, anyway.


2/16/02. Eichardt's, Sandpoint, ID
This is an oasis of music, beer, and food. Really cool atmosphere inside and great buffalo wings. I'm always on the prowl for a good buffalo wing and Eichardt's has 'em. I've played here a few other times with a band, but this was my first night here as a solo. I had a lot of fun. A lot of places that you play at that serve alcohol, the people don't really listen. But not here - people were listening and that connection between performer and audience that makes it a worthwhile experience was here. I believe I made one of my last political comments here. I didn't say much, but even the word "political" seems to drum up tension and spoil the mood. Especially these days... So I'd rather let the music do the talking and I'll stay quiet from now on.


2/15/02. Alberto's, Bonners Ferry, ID
A very mellow evening playing at Alberto's restaurant... Connie makes a fine margarita. Not much to say about this night except that this is a really nice place, lots of a Mexican masks on the walls of a nice log cabin. Pretty cool to be playing with all those masks staring at you...


2/9/02. Laughing Horse Lodge, Swan Lake, MT
Back at the Laughing Horse Lodge... It's starting to feel like home away from home. The food here is amazing, people, if you ever pass by on the swan valley highway you'd be a fool not to eat here. Well, maybe fool is a strong term, but you'd be wise if you did. Eat here, that is. Not too many people here tonight, kind of a low energy evening, but that's okay, we'll be back when the weather's getting warm.


2/8/02. The Raven Cafe,Missoula, MT
A stage made out of palettes and plywood... from which to reach the people eating great food and playing pool. Met some VERY interesting people here tonight, and I mean that in a good way. Missoula is full of traffic during the day, but I like it a lot at night. I hope to come back to this town pretty soon.

2/7/02. The Leaf & Bean Cafe, Bozeman, MT
As we rolled into Bozeman, we quickly noticed the shift from older to newer. A college town, young people everywhere. We had root beer floats for dinner, oh yeah, ice cream is the ultimate pre gig food... Well, once in a while anyway. They say you shouldn't eat dairy before singing, it promotes too much mucose production or something... Maybe the root beer canceled that out cause I had no problems... This was a good show, lots of noise from the espresso machine and plates clanging, but we met some like minded people and had a good time.

2/6/02. Sacred Ground, Butte, MT
I started out my second mini tour at The Sacred Ground. This is a very cool space in downtown Butte. The acoustics are really good for a one person show. There are paintings on the walls and the place feels good - you can definitely tell that people come here to meditate, do yoga, or otherwise expand their consciousness. I had a great time playing for the open minded people here, I hope to come back and play again... Also, the architecture of Butte is awesome. Every house, every building, or so it seems, is unique. No subdivision type houses here, at least on the hill... We enjoyed driving around just checking out the town the next morning.

01/13/02. Down the Hatch, Polson, MT
Well, when I walked into Down The Hatch in Polson in the afternoon a few hours before my gig, I had serious second thoughts about playing here. I sure as hell wasn't gonna leave my gear there for a few hours without worrying about it... Especially after last night at the super nice gourmet resort Laughing Horse Lodge, this was a smoky bar filled with quite a few people radiating unhappiness and negativity. But, it was a Sunday night and I guess the unhappy people went to their unhappy homes and it actually was a kinda fun show. Even though there was one lady in the audience who kept asking me to play a blues tune. Sorry, lady, I've take a sacred vow to never play the blues again... Well, I'm just burnt out on it for the next 10 years at least. I used to really like the blues when I was a teenager.

01/12/02. Laughing Horse Lodge, Swan Lake, MT
The food at the Laughing Horse Lodge is gourmet all the way. I really like this place. I can't wait to go back here and play and stay again. Kathy and Rich are quite alright in my book. It was a good show for just a few people. But I'll take just a few people who are into the music and really listening over a crowded bar full of people half-listening anyday.

01/11/02. Symes Hotel, Hot Springs, MT
Hot Springs, MT - yeah! I can't believe I've been based in MT for 8 years and have never been here before. Love that sulfur water. It makes brushing your teeth much more interesting. The Symes Hotel is a great old place, it's like New England in MT. This was a good show, super laid back. I guess everybody is just so relaxed from soaking in that hot water.