South of The Border......Down Mexico Way

So after a month off at home not doing very much besides playing Playstation and catching up with friends and a great 10 day vacation in California and Vegas it was off to Mexico for the first of the shows to make up the last leg of the year.
The next month will see us visit 11 countries playing 16 shows along the way as well as sitting on a lot of planes and mini van seats. First up we were off to Monterrey for a show at Monterrey Arena, a venue we had played before on the Sams Town tour, as were all the venues in Mexico. This has been a very passionate audience for the band and these shows were no different with the crowd in fantastic voice throughout. After the show we were off to a party at the Nirvana Rock Club before the idea was had that a Mariachi band was needed to carry on the party at the hotel so off into the main square someone drove and within an hour we had a full on Mariachi band playing in the lobby of the hotel.


Next up we were off to Guadalajara for another great show at the Auditorio Telemex. Unfort some of the crew have been struck down by illness on this run so we were pulling together to make the shows happen while people recovered. We did however manage to find one of the best steak places i've ever eaten at down a side street bizarrely enough. couldnt tell you the name but i could direct you if you ever get there. Next day we were off to Mexico City for 2 shows at the Sports Palace arena, or as everyone calls it.

The Armadillo


We also stayed one of my favourite hotels. The W Hotel in Mexico City. Simply, it has a hammock in the shower people. What more do you want.


Although i was a little surprised to see that they had spikes on the window ledge of my 12th story room. Can only make me wonder what happend before that they needed them?


As always you hear the horror stories of Mexico City and kidnapping of foreign tourists, im afraid to say it does happen. As evidenced by this picture of the white van which was driving down the street with 2 men in hoods in the back with door ready to fling open at an opportune moment.


Anyway, we all made it safely through the day off dinner at Charisma's, a little mexican cantina not too far from the hotel and it was off to show #1. As always the crowd was great and the band played a great show. Mexico City has always been a great place to go bootleg merch shopping as its not just a few guys with yellowing teeth and some cheap t-shirts on the ground. Here, they take it very seriously with full on markets springing up outside the venue selling everything from t-shirts to zippo lighters, posters, stickers, DVDs and even Killers Licensce plate holders. And its all great quality too!!!

I even bought a hoodie!!!


10 Dollars!!!


Anywho, on the tour Brandon has been trying to get out into the crowd more and more whenever possible so when we had a security all the to the FOH lighting position in Mexico City it seemed like a perfect idea.
Now suddenly the people at the back of the arena who had previously been looking at my ass all night(the lucky ones eh)
now had a close up view for one song as we built a small platform inside the lighting/sound desk area at the back of the venue


Next up we were of to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a few days on the beach before the show at the Coliseum Arena


As well as a day hiking up in the rain forest to a couple of waterfalls. If you ever make it to San Juan then def make the hours drive to El Yunque rainforest national park. the views are amazing.


We hiked a little while to Cocoa Falls


Before moving onwards to La Mina Falls where you can actually go for a swim. The water moves pretty quickly under those falls i can tell ya


Oh, imagine my horror when i awoke the next day to realise that i actually had to do a show. Some people eh.....


Off to work we went then and a big pop show happened that evening....just about. San Juan presented me with a lighting crew who managed to bypass the record for most or missing broken equipment ever. As we are not carrying any lighting with us on this tour, i have to make do with whatever each venue can hire for us everyday. Out of my normal rig if about 90 lights for an arena show of this size, these guys managed to make sure i was without 33 of them by the time the show started and the attitude towards fixing was, how do i say this nicely??? LAZY!!!!!!!

Oh well, these things are sent to try me.

Onwards we go to the Dominican republic for a show in a football stadium that apparently was entirely sponsored by some drinks company!! Hmmmm!! Everywhere you looked there was signs for Dewars Scotch

The stage was also one of the smallest we have had to do a show on in quite a while so that's always fun. The pyro cue in WYWY looked a little small tonight



The Domincan Republic is full of the usual imagery you think you would see such as armed guards outside hotels

and people carrying produce on top of their heads.

Although it does have some of the best year round golf courses in the world, it also has a large seperation between the upper and lower classes in terms of wealth and crime is a major problem. It also shares it landmass with Haiti at the other end of the island.

So theres some useless information for you.....you'll thank me if it ever comes up in a pub quiz though wont you !!!