Merch Girls Trip Log:
Yesterday we drove 100+ miles from Greenville, SC to Charlotte, NC, had lunch at Cracker Barrel (there’s one at every freeway exit) and stopped at Publix to pick up Matzo crackers for Passover. We got set up at the Hilton in our darling 20th floor room with luscious robes and towels, a flat screen wall-mounted TV, view of the cityscape, stadium and downtown train station (HonorsClub membership helps). We got ready and headed out for Italian dinner with Kasim and Prairie at Luce in the Art Deco Hearst Building on Tryon Street. Between us we ordered carpaccio, Caesar salad, linguini & rock shrimp, grilled asparagus, and sautéed garlic spinach. Kasim selected our wine, Castello di Bossi chianti (yum) and he taught us a cork trick, which Tiki perfected. ;-)
Today we had brunch at Mert’s (“We Got Soul”), walked some more around downtown, shopped at The Museum Store, and had Starbucks before driving 3 miles to Neighborhood Theatre to set up tour t-shirts, framed vintage Todd and Utopia albums signed by Todd and Kasim, and tons of tour merchandise. Thanks to the theatre for all the display tables.
The Neighborhood Theatre is in the No Da (North Davidson) Arts District of Charlotte. The Dog Bar, Solstice Tavern, and Cabo Taco, and several arts galleries, restaurants and bars are just around the corner. It’s a multi-stage venue, with several seating options, including a large raised seating area to the left, several rows of seats on the floor, a small balcony, and plenty of floor space for dancing.
Fans we encountered in the house: Mitch Cooper of Third Lock Records and two TR fan tribute CD’s, Steve, Merch Mike of Winston~Salem NC, RC McWilliams, Merch Mgr of www.Foghat.net (thanks for the picks!), Mike Bender (BannerGuy) of Baltimore (check out TR’s initials tattooed on his upper back!), Kelly, Andre’, and so many more. Great to meet you all!
We thought the Greenville, SC gig was the best of this 6-date leg of the 2008 tour, but tonight they out-did themselves. You’d never know they were jet-lagged and beat from touring Japan just before the southern U.S. and Todd was suffering from sciatica. The boys were jumping all around, playing their hearts out, enjoying themselves way too much. I took a break from the merch tables and joined the fans down on the floor. You were all very generous, letting me right up close to dance and clap to the music with you ~~ thanks! I noticed Kasim had a huge posse of fans right in front of him. And, at some point we realized Todd had a bra hanging from his guitar (which he later signed). This last gig of the Spring 2008 tour was out of control ~~~ a blast, and the best!
Thanks to Charlotte and all the fans here tonight for buying so much Todd and Kasim t-shirts and merchandise from us. If we didn’t have your size, ran out, or you want more, check us out at ToddStore: www.tr-i.com. We can’t wait to see you when Todd goes out on his Stadium/Arena Rock tour (soon, we hope).
