Nowhere But You

Chapter 28

Liz

Dear Log,

I promised I would try and write everyday. Yet it's been a month, and I haven't even cared to open this notebook. But there is a long road trip ahead to the East coast and I can't sleep, so I might as well try to recollect the events of the past 30-or-so days.

Since I last wrote here, at the beginning of this adventure dubbed "One Life Remaining's maiden tour," we have been to a number of places in the Midwest. I can't name them out of the top of my head, but what I will always remember is stopping by the Rocky Mountains in Colorado (which we just did) because they were too damn stunning. Robin took many photos of them and us against that backdrop. I took pictures too, but I'm sure hers are better. Nate did a small sketch of the mountains and gave it to me as a present. He promised he'd do a proper painting when we get home.

Never in a million years did I think I would get to see so many places so quickly. I always had the idea of a road trip in the back of my head, to learn more about other indigenous peoples other than my own, but this is a completely different thing.

Nate always makes sure to keep two copies of the flyers or any memorabilia from every. single. show. I'm attaching them to this page to remember where we actually were.

I'm having fun. I was somewhat dubious at first, at least the remains of the old me were. But not even the new me, the daring me, the go-for-it me couldn't have imagined what was ahead. More and more people come to see us play and recognize us, especially Johnny. The shows get crazier and crazier every night. You would think in the midst of this craziness our playing would get sloppy, but it hasn't. My need to play increases every day. Almost like an addiction. My arms are stronger. My kit is just crazy. Some drum company sent me skins and cymbals and sticks to try. Just for me. They're good. I have a tech.

We've been told our situation is rare. Most bands don't have buses and crew on their first tour. I know River and Nate want to detach themselves from what Wicked Garden used to be, but that band definitely paved the way for us. It's like they went through the freshman van tour and 12-people attendance shows in clubs in the middle of nowhere with that band –and even with Small Death. I say we're very lucky, or it was fate that we had to meet. Nate says someone up above is looking after us.

And the numbers are still good. We are not millionaires but at least we don't owe money... which is also rare for a first tour. Helping with the accounting is my other job within the band, and I don't mind it. It's basically the same I did back home. I'm glad to help.

Doing many of our own things help to keep the numbers at bay too. Not only we have things done the way we like it, but we save in the process.

All in all, I never, ever, ever, ever dreamed I'd have any of this.

We sound better and better, even when we have to face technical difficulties. Some of us are a little too hard on ourselves sometimes when those happen (me included) but all in all every show ends with us exhausted but happy.

One night a fan jumped on stage and almost broke Nate's pedals. He had to issue a warning to please be more careful, to which Johnny added "Nathan used to get up at 4 in the morning for work in order to buy those pedals. He did that for many years." That was sweet but I wonder if the audience picked up on it...

I have to say our singer gets a little carried away when he talks about stuff on stage. Sometimes he goes on and on... From my position on stage (I have the best seat in the house) I can almost see River groaning. The others just smile, sometimes they laugh. But I think we all agree. Then he either jumps to the audience and crowdsurfs, or he climbs on top of the equipment and even the structure and jumps from there. He says it's the adrenaline. I think he got even more inspired after watching those old U2 concert bootleg videotapes we bought at some rest stop somewhere.