Gettin' my Jersey up!

8/8/05, 8:11am: Greetings from the Philadelphia Airport! We just finished a two-day run in New Jersey (New Brunswick & Sewell) and, well, not too much of particular interest to report. I’m flying out of Philly, boarding a connecting flight in Cleveland and then on home to LAX. This is my second time flying through Philadelphia. Word to the wise; avoid flying out of here at all costs. The line for security here is quite possibly the longest line -- of any kind, for any reason -- that I have ever seen. Passengers for the entire airport funnel through this one station. Not sure why such inefficiency exists at a major airport like this, but it at least softens the blow by being quite comfortable once inside the terminal. Wireless Internet and a decent selection of shops & restaurants make for pleasant way to kill some time.

New Jersey, in my opinion, is quite a lovely state and it’s moniker of the “Garden State” is well-deserved. Lush greenery is everywhere and the buildings -- both commercial & residential -- are refreshingly different than the cookie-cutter architecture we see in L.A. So much more character! The town of New Brunswick in particular struck me as being quite nice and had that small-town, colonial look & feel to it. It’s also home to Rutgers University and the college was well-represented around town with displays of school athletic uniforms, clothes, and other related souvenirs.

Both shows went well with Engelbert hitting what appeared to be a personal high-note at the show in Sewell. It was one of the larger venues we’ve played -- probably 3000 or more capacity -- and there was a nice exchange of energy between audience & band.

The high note for me, however, was being picked up by a limo at the airport (I had arrived a day earlier before everyone else so a car was sent for me) and getting the driver to stop at White Castle for me. I bought a sack of 10 cheeseburgers, got through 5, and with a smile from ear to ear, left the rest for the driver. I do believe I saw stars as the first delectable little belly bomb slid down my throat. The only thing that could’ve made it better was having my Dad sharing the bag of burgers with me. Next time!

Up next, dates in Massachusetts, New York, Las Vegas, and SoCal. Right now, I look forward to a few days at home with the lovely Beth, and a photo shoot for my upcoming record. Hopefully I can squeeze in a gig or some other playing situation as well.

That’s all for now!

Your friendly neighborhood bassist,
--Adam