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October 2010 Magazine33 Virginia, Hampton Roads, The Well, Indie Road
Tales from the Road I: Lori to the Rescue
Story by Tom Ass.
An Introduction
Sometime in late 2009, after listening to Eazy-D and myself rave in alcohol and smoke-fueled, late night bar rants, we began to notice that many of our family, friends and fans were beginning to tell us that we needed to start documenting and cataloging all the crazy shit that has happened to our bands on the road and at shows in the area.
Due to a lack of a decent, relevant, underground DIY magazine in the area (and the lack of a decent scene in general), the two of us decided that this was the only way to get what people actually want and need to read about in order to help rebuild what once WAS a decent scene. There is a shitload of great underground music in this area that most people never get to see, hear or even know about in general so, now with a proper venue (Magazine33), we intend to provide you just that.
What follows is a collection of TRUE stories from people and bands just like you and me that have busted their ass to do what they do, how they want, where they want, when they want, and all that shit that has come along with it. Enjoy, and hopefully you can help us build a family network of individuals that are determined to make this underground music scene what it once was.
"Lori to the Rescue" – featuring E.O.S. From Virginia Beach
Sometime in early 2009, a Virginia Beach Windsor Woods based hip-hop trio called E.O.S. (Evolution of Sound – featuring Catalyst, B-Donna, and Manifesto) plated a solo headlining show in the Williamsburg metro area at Venue X. The story that follows is another story from the road.
After arriving at the venue over an hour before show time, E.O.S. began setting up their sound equipment and sound checking their mics only to discover that they had forgot their laptop containing all the band's recorded samples and beats back at Catalyst's house. In the meantime, they call loyal friend and fan Lori and ask her to pick up the laptop. With only minutes to spare they scramble to find whatever they can in the vehicles to make shit happen. Manifesto, after searching his iPod, realizes he has several unrehearsed beats that the group had never wrote lyrics to or performed live in his possession.
T-minus minutes to show time. Catalyst and Manifesto plug in the iPod and make shit happen. The set begins and E.O.S. starts freestyling off the top of their heads. The crowd oblivious to what's happening starts rocking out. In the meantime, Lori has arrived at Catalyst's. She finds the laptop, shoves it in the case on the table and hits the road towards Williamsburg.
After doing 90 mph on the way to the show, Lori arrives to save the day with the laptop only to realize she has forgot to take the flash dive out of the side of the laptop! Yes, that's right. When she packed it away, the flash drive broke off the side and was lodged inside, unable to be used. Lightning strikes again! Now the band has no more material to perform, so they take an intermission and scramble to make it work with what they have.
Just moments before giving up and calling the show a failure, calling it a night, cutting their losses, Lori realizes B-Donna and her had been listening to the instrumental version of their album in her car just days before! Lori scrambles to the vehicle and finds the instrumental demo and hauls ass into the club as the band was ready to say goodbye. She let's Catalyst know what's going on, and the two scramble to find a portable CD player and the appropriate cables from the venue's kitchen in order to make the show go on!
The group ends up putting on one of their top performances and saving the day without a soul in the bar knowing the drama that unfolded and almost caused the band to choke. Without friends like Lori, E.O.S. might have never rocked the set they did that night. So the moral of the tale from the road you just read is to always keep your samples/music in your car, and no band can operate without the dedication and persistence of loyal friends and family – you never know when they might save your ass!
Tom Ass"
