Chicago, IL (House Of Blues)

Last night's show was at the House of Blues in Chicago. This was the
last show of our six week tour. We had been looking forward to this one
for a long time! The show ended up being everything we hoped for and
more.

The guys played in front of a crowd of at least 800. This way by far the
biggest show on tour! They had never played Chicago House of Blues, so
this was a pretty big deal for them! A lot of friends and family came
up for the show.

The guys played well and kids were really into it! We ended up doing the
most in merch sales (out of any show on tour)! The sound was awesome
and the whole performance was just sweet! I stood sidestage during their
set. Corey actually brought me on stage part way through their set and
thanked me for all my efforts. It was really cool.

I don't mean to get all sentimental, but I was really proud of the guys
last night. Playing at that venue was a new landmark for them
(especially in front of that size crowd). (There ended up being about
1,000 people there by the end of the night.) We have always wanted to
break into the Chicago scene, and it seems like that is finally
happening.... The show was a perfect way to end the tour.

Overall, I had a great time on this tour. We all experienced a lot of
new stuff and saw some new sights. We met some great people that I hope
to tour with again. We've got some exciting things coming up in the next
few weeks, so I'll make sure to keep this thing updated!

Detroit, MI (The Magic Stick)

We played in Detroit at The Magic Stick on Friday. We actually played
this venue a few months ago (on our last tour). The show ended up being
pretty good. The guys played well and the kids seemed into it.

We're not a fan of Detroit because there are always a ton of bums and
thugs to deal with. Actually, Monty Are I (one of the bands on the
tour) got their van broken into when we were at the show. The had two
laptops, an ipod, and two bookbags stolen.

We had someone sitting in the van almost the entire show (just to make
sure no one messed with it).

Anyways, the show was pretty good. We drove to Chicago right after it.
We stayed at Jared's girlfriend's place.

Edinboro, PA (The Hangout)

Last night's show was at The Hangout in Edinboro , PA. We played this
venue on our last tour. The show ended up being great! It sold out
(415 kids)! This was our third sold out show on this tour...pretty
sweet!

The guys played well and got a way better crowd response than the last
time they played there. The sound was ok. We did really well in merch.

After the show, we drove to our hotel in Cleveland. We drove the rest
of the way to Detroit today. I'm now at our show in Detroit...

Day Off - Driving Day

We had yesterday off. We went to Niagra Falls (on the Canada side). It
was awesome! The scenery was unreal. I had never been there, so I'm
glad I finally got the chance to go. We hung out there for a while and
then went to a cassino right by the falls. I just spent $15 on slot
macines. (I'm a high roller, haha.) It was a good time though. Max won
$50 (and it was his first time at a cassino)!

After that, we made our way back into the U.S. We went to Erie, PA and
stayed with our friend, Matt. We're now eating at a diner in Erie.
After this, we're heading to our show in Edinboro, PA. Tonight should
be a good one!

Toronto, ON (El Mocambo)

We played in Toronto a few days ago. The show ended up being awesome!
We got to Toronto early and hung out. Most of us went to a local bar
for a while before the show. It was a good time!

Canada seems a lot different than the U.S., but it was pretty cool!
Everything seemed to be a bit more expensive there. The people were all
really nice. Sort of random, but I realized that not many people smoked
there. I really enjoyed that.

The show was great. There was a decent crowd (135 kids). The guys
played well and got a good crowd response. We did awesome on merch.
The sound was decent and the staff was nice.

After the show, most of the tour went out to a bar. We had a lot of
fun!

CORRECTION

The link to vote for The Graduate's video is:
www.mtvu.com/music/freshmen

Boston, MA (Axis)

Yesterday's show was at a club called 'Axis' in Boston. This was our
third time playing Boston, but we've never played this place. It was
really cool. It was definitely the largest/nicest venue we've played in
Boston.

The show ended up being pretty good! There were at least 200 kids
there. The guys played well, the sound was good, and they got a pretty
good crowd response. We did really well in merch.

After the show, we stayed at our friend, Karen's, new apartment. We
hung out in Boston for a while today and then started heading for
Canada. We just crossed the border. It went pretty smoothly. We were a
little nervous because Matt misplaced his passport today, but it wasn't
an issue. There was also a $450 fee that we wanted to avoid, and
luckily, we avoided it. We're now about an hour and a half from our
hotel.

Our show tomorrow is in Toronto. This is my first time being out of the
country, so I'm pretty stoked!

*The Graduate is in a contest (called 'Freshman') on mtvU this week.
They're currently at #1 (the contest goes until Friday at midnight).
Please go to the following website and vote for them as many times as
you'd like!

www.mtvu.com/music/freshman

If they win, the video could get added into rotation on mtvU and
possibly mtv2!*

New York, NY (The Knitting Factory)

Last night's show was at The Knitting Factory in NYC. We got into the
city around noon. We met up with our A&R guy, Matthew, and went out to
lunch. We hung out for a while and then went to the venue. The
weather got bad, so we had to load in really fast. After that, the guys
did an interview/acoustic performance.

The show ended up being awesome! This was the second time we've played
this venue. The show SOLD OUT (400 kids)!! The guys played well and
kids went absolutely nuts for them. This was probably the best response
they've gotten all tour. Kids were singing along and having a good
time.

The sound was decent, but there was some type of feedback throughout the
set. Luckily, it could only be heard when there was silence inbetween
songs.

We killed in merch. This was the highest grossing night of the tour for
us (so far)! After the show, we grabbed some sandwiches from a local
deli and headed to Conneticut. We stayed with Jared's girlfriend and
her family.

We're now on the way to our show in Boston. If tonight is anything like
the last three nights, it will be awesome!

Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church)

Yesterday's show was in Philadelphia at the First Unitarian Church. We
played this venue a few months back on the Punchline tour. The show was
in the basement of the church.

The show was great. There were a ton of kids there (~300)! The guys
played well and got a great crowd response. We killed in merch. The
sound was alright.

After the show, we went to Jake's house (he's the drummer of New
Atlantic - one of the bands we're on tour with). He lived in downtown
Philly. His (parents') house was awesome! It was 5 stories tall and
about a block from South Street.

Anyways, we all went to South Street for a little bit and picked up
Philly cheese steaks. They were good! Then we went back to Jake's house,
hung out for a bit, and went to bed.

We're now a few miles outside of New York City (where tonight's show
is). We've got some stuff to do before the show, so we're geting there
early. Tonight's show should be good.

Baltimore, MD (The Ottobar)

Last night's show was at The Ottobar in Baltimore. We got into town the
night before and stayed at Salad Days studio (where the guys recorded
their latest cd). It was awesome! It's sort of like a smaller real
world house (with a studio).

During the day, we met up with the guys' producer/friend, Brian
McTernan. We all got lunch at a place called 'Isabella's' in the Little
Italy area of downtown Baltimore. It was great! After lunch, we hung
out for a bit. I finally tried the famous Baltimore beer,
'Ressurrection.' Everyone raves about it because of the taste and the
fact that it has an alcohol content of about 8%. I personally didn't
dig it, but I have a bad taste in beer. Haha.

After that, we went to the show. It ended up being an awesome one! The
guys played great and got a really good crowd response. There were a
lot of kids there. We killed in merch. We got a new girls' t-shirt in
yesterday, and it looks great. It sold well at the show. Overall,
awesome show. We really needed a show like this. (The last few dates
were a little shaky for us.)

After the show, we went back to the studio for a bit and then we went to
a bar called 'Friends.' The guys used to frequent this place when they
lived in Baltimore for a month (while recording their cd). It was a
good time. All in all, it was a really good night!

This morning, Matt and I got up and took our van to get an oil change
and two new trailer tires. We ate lunch at Isabella's again. We're now
on our way to our show in Philadelphia. Pre-sale for the show is
already at 275+, so it might sell out. It should be a good one!!

Wilmington, DE (Tremont Music Hall)

We played at Tremont Music Hall on Wednesday. We were really late to the show (due to bad traffic). We got there a few minutes before doors opened. Luckily, a few of the other bands were late, so we didn't look so bad. The show ended up being alright. There was a decent crowd.

The guys played pretty well and got a good crowd reaction. The venue was just a big hall. The sound was ok. We did ok on merch. After the show, we drove to Baltimore to stay at the studio where the guys recorded.

Charlotte, NC (Tremont Music Hall - The Casbah)

Yesterday's show was in Charlotte, NC. It ended up being pretty
decent. There was a good crowd (~160). The guys played really well and
got a good crowd response. Unfortunately, we didn't do so well on
merch.

The venue was decent and the sound was good. I got to see my friend,
Charotte. She interned with me at Fueled By Ramen last summer. I hadn't
seen her in a long time, so it was great to catch up.

After the show, we drove five hours to our hotel in Richmond, VA. This
morning, we woke up and continued our drive towards tonight's show in
Wilmington, DE. We're currently still on that drive and running an hour
and a half late (due to terrible traffic from Washington D.C and
Baltimore). Hopefully we make the show on time!

Atlanta, GA (The Masquerade)

Yesterday's show was at The Masquerade in Atlanta. We stayed at a nice
hotel at the Atlanta airport the night before. We woke up, showered,
and went to eat at Mellow Mushroom. I was stoked we got to eat there
again!

After lunch, we went to the venue and did the normal routine. The show
ended up being ok. The attendance was rather low and the guys didn't
play their best. It was weird...something sounded weird during various
parts of their set, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was. I think it was
a combination of a few different small things. Anyways, they got a
decent crowd reaction and we did alright on merch.

My friend, Megan (who is from Atlanta, but now lives in Tampa), came out
to the show. She was back in Atlanta visiting for a few days. It was
good to see her again!

After the show, we went to a new friend's house. We hung out for a while
and then went to bed. We're now driving to our show in Charlotte, NC.

Day Off (Driving Day)

We had yesterday off. We were in Tampa. We slept in late and then went
to Tijuana Flats. After that, we cleaned out the van. It was really
dirty. Not cool.

Then we hit the road and headed for Atlanta. We pricelined a 4 star
Hilton Hotel at the Atlanta airport. We got an awesome deal on it!

We slept in today. We're going to get some food and then go to the
venue. Hopefully tonight's show is good!

Orlando, FL (The Social)

Saturday's show was at The Social in Orlando. I had been here a few
times for shows last year (when I lived in Tampa). The venue is pretty
cool!

Before the show, I took the guys to one of my favorite Florida
restaurants, Tijuana Flats. It's a great mexican place. The guys loved
it.

The show was an early one! The first band started at 4:30pm. Anyways,
there was a solid crowd. The guys played well and got a really good
reaction. We did really well on merch.

After the show, we went back to Tampa. When we got back, we went out. I
got to see all my Tampa friends again. I even ran into some old
co-workers from the restaurant I used to work at when I lived in Tampa.
It was great catching up!

Overall, it was a good time. We stayed at Caleb and Dave's place again.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (The Culture Room)

Friday's show was in Fort Lauderdale. It ended up being pretty good!
The venue was really cool and there was a good crowd.

The van was extra full because we had our good buddy, Caleb, ride with
us. In addition, Corey's girlfriend flew in from Illinois to be with us
for the weekend.

The guys played pretty well and the kids seemed to dig the set. We did
decent in merch.

We did an on-camera interview/acoustic performance before the show. It
went well.

After the show, we drove a few hours toward Orlando and got a hotel.

Tampa, FL (The Orpheum)

Yesterday was a good time! We played at The Orpheum in Tampa. This was a
great day for me because I got to go back to Tampa. (I lived there for
seven months last year.)

We went to eat a late lunch at Mellow Mushroom. Most of the my Fueled
By Ramen friends met us there. It was a good time! After lunch, I took
the guys to the FBR office. We picked up some t-shirts and hung out for
a bit.

After that, we went to the show. We did the normal routine. The show
went pretty well. I had a lot of friends (15+) come out. I got to see
my whole Tampa crew plus my good friend (Ryan) from home. It was great
to see everyone.

The guys played pretty well. They seemed to get a real good crowd
response (from a crowd of ~150). Unfortunately, no one seemed interested
in buying our merchandise.

After the show, we went to a club called 'Prana.' It was actually really
cool. We got in free because my good friend's band was playing. It was
a five story club and we partied on the rooftop! It was a good time.

After that, we went back to out friends' place and crashed. Overall,
great day!

Jacksonville, FL (Jack Rabbits)

Yesterday's show was at Jack Rabbits in Jacksonville, FL. It was a
pretty good show. The venue was decent, the sound was good, and their
light board was sweet. The guys played pretty well and got a good crowd
response. There were a good amount of people there (150+). We did ok
on merch.

After the show, we drove to Tampa. We got there around 3:30am. We
crashed with my good buddies, Caleb and Dave. Overall, good night.

I'm stoked to be back in Tampa!

Day Off (Drive Day)

We had Tuesday off. We drove a few hours and stopped at Gulf Shores,
AL. We hung out on the beach for a while. It was awesome! We ended up
driving all the way to Jacksonville, FL that night. The Audition had a
tire on their trailer fall off, so we went and picked them up. They
rode with us the rest of the way to Jacksonville. It was a good time!
We got to stay in one of their hotel rooms for the night. Overall, good
day off.

New Orleans, LA (House Of Blues Parish)

Yesterday's show was at the House of Blues Parish in New Orleans. It
was in a smaller room (not the main stage). Did I ever mention that I
love the House of Blues? They're always fun venues to go to.

The guys played well and the sound was great! There was a good sized
crowd and they were really receptive to the set. We did decent on
merch. Overall, solid show!

After the show, almost the entire tour went out on Bourbon Street. It
was a really good time! It was fun to finally get to hang out there. A
few of us went to a jazz club for a little while and saw some amazing
musicians play. It was great.

We have today day off. We're now driving to Gulf Shores, AL to hang
out. I've heard the beaches there are great! I guess I'll find out
soon....

Houston, TX (Java Jazz)

Tonight's show was at Java Jazz in Houston, TX. We got to the venue
early and hung out. It was really hot outside! Anyways, the show ended
up being pretty good.

The guys played pretty well. Corey is finally getting his full voice
back. They got a good crowd response and we did pretty well on merch.
We're staying with some new friends tonight.

Tomorrow's show is in New Orleans. It should be good!

Dallas, TX (Day Off)

We were supposed to have a show in San Antonio yesterday.
Unfortunately, it fell through. We had a relaxing day. We hung out,
went swimming, and saw the movie '300'. It was pretty good!

The house we stayed at was amazing. They made us breakfast and lunch!
The owner of the house owned three airplanes...pretty crazy!

We left that house around dinner and went to another friend's house for
the evening. We had some awesome hospitality there too! They had a
bunch of pizzas waiting for us. We hung out and did some laundry,
watched tv, and just relaxed. It was great! Overall, I wish we could
have played the show in San Antonio, but it was still great day off.

Dallas, TX (The Door)

The show tonight was at The Door in Dallas, TX. I had heard of this
venue for a long time, so I'm glad we finally got to play it.

The show ended up being pretty good! There was a good crowd (~215). The
guys played well and got a really good crowd response. We did really
well on merch sales.

The venue was cool, the sound was pretty good, and the staff was nice.
We also had some really good catering! Overall, it was a good night!

We're staying with a friend tonight. Unfortunately, tomorrow's show (in
San Antonio) got cancelled because the promoter was flakey, and we
couldn't lock down a venue to play. We're planning on staying with a
different friend in Dallas tomorrow night.