10/21/2004 The 40watt Club - Athens, GA- Marriage Rocks Benefit

My throat hurts. I am listening to Ralph Stanley. Before the show we packaged CDs for NINE hours because we are starting our radio promo blitz on Nov. 2 and all the CDs had to go out ASAP. The 40 Watt was so much fun. This was an event to encourage folks to vote NO on the ballot about changing Ammendment one. The Athens Boys Choir opened. I love them boys. I am confused though because do they be wit boys, or do they be wit girls. Their poems allude to both men and women and everything in between. I will ask Katz next time I see her. Their spoken word is very moving. They actually got a negative write up in the Flagpole recently. During our set I spoke about how I thought Ben Gerrard, the man who usually writes that column, was completely off base in his review. Ben walks up to the stage and says, "Claire, I didn't write that review. Chris Hassiotis did." Dude, I am an IDIOT. When I was reading the column, Chris' review pissed me off so much that I didn't even finish the article and thus didn't notice that he, and not Ben , actually wrote the article. IDIOT! That shit always happens to me. One time Leslie and I were on Athens public radio. I had recently gotten an e-mail about how the gov't was cutting funding for public media and that the stations might be shut down any day. I thought it would be good to publicize this news so that people listening could donate to the station. So, I pled my case on the air, and then there was this short silence, and the host says, "Um, Claire, that e-mail is a total hoax and has been traveling around for years. Our funding is completely solid and secure." Sigh. Poncho Magic filled the 2nd slot, but my ass was down at Clocked eating a tuna-melt so I missed most of their set. We went on third, w/ no sound check. Luckily we had engineers who are badasses and had run our sound before. Only minor feedback from the cello. We performed all the new stuff: Miles, Threads, I don't Wanna Go. I love the NEW SONGS. I want more. Many, many folks came out to support the cause. There was a huge mix of people on Washington Street that night because the street was shut down for this huge Christian music concert and that was packed. Those people was testifyin'. Praise hee-um. Bain Mattox finished the show. Those boys are so rock. They got all the moves. Their new member fits right in. I think his name is Rivers. It is strange listening to songs that I used to sing with Bain now that they have been given "the works". I am glad he is playing Rice Paper Heart solo. That is a rad song.