If a Band plays in Roanoke and Nobody Hears....
Topic: Lee Harris 3 Gig
The LH3's tenth show has come and gone and boy are my arms tired. I rented a minivan from a car rental place across the highway from me (how convenient!) and we were on the road at 6 PM. Mind you, we had planned on leaving around 4:30-but with jobs and my scatterbrained way of doing things (wait! I gotta go get a Coke!) things didn't work out like that. Putting blind faith into mapquest we headed west on RT 60, and along the way saw The Appomattox Courthouse, where I'm told something important happened, and we saw Liberty University (near the Falwell Airport.) We also were within a quarter of a mile of Jerry Seinfeld, who was performing in Roanoke. The highlight of the trip to Roanoke for me, however, was seeing not one, but TWO of those new retro Ford Thunderbirds. One in a driveway and one riding down RT 460. I shreiked both times eliciting sneers from my van and band-mates.

Attendance at the show was sparse. I'll quote Dennis, the friendly doorman at the Coffeepot, whom I overheard telling a bartender, "I've been working here 8 years and I've NEVER seen things so dead." Nothing like the magical showbiz pull of having the name "Lee Harris" on the marquee. Which it was. LEE HARRIS 3. Tomorrow night JACK ASS FLATS. At least it didn't say PUPPET SHOW and lee harris 3.

This being our second totally unattended show, we played magnificently. There's nothing like an empty club to really spur us to greatness. It's the epitome of indie-rock-we're so cool no one comes to see us play! Well, I'm exaggerating. Corey's girlfriend, Kristi, was there, and had the band all to herself. After each song she whooped and hollered and we took all of her requests.

Our first set was a rousing 17-song affair which lasted an hour and a half. We were able to expiriment a bit, and played "Mystified" really slow-so that may account for the length of the show. After a brief break, the guitar portion of the show started with "Make It Up as You Go Along," followed by "Everything is Possible Now," during which I broke a guitar string. That ended the guitar set, and we played through another 8 or so songs before calling it a night and drinking whiskey.

Dennis said he really liked us, and promised to put in a good word with Liz, whom books the place. 15 dollars in hand (our payment for the night), we careened off into the night back to Powhatan. Corey rode home with Kristi, and Monty slept in the back of the van. After unpacking the equipment and instruments, Monty hopped in his truck to leave and promptly scraped up Corey's car. We stared at the scratch and dent, Monty said "I guess I'll have to call him," and I went off to return the van and meet my substitute paper carrier to pay her and whatnot. Then I went to McDonald's and had breakfast, and fell asleep around 6 AM, in a strangely great mood-which by all accounts should not have been so great.

Oh well.