Gig at the CIA

Had our gig at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa today. Had to fight off the snooze button several times, but made it to RCW in time to load up and make the trek to California's famous wine country. It's beautiful out there, people. The grapevines are golden in the November light, and the trees are turning too. To get there you have to drive by dozens of beautiful wineries with their classic, simple architecture, and then through a small town that looks like something out of the movies. It was also nice that today was a beautiful, sunny, 80 degree day. Betcha makes you want to live in California, huh?

Anyhow, the CIA is a former monestary in the heart of wine country. Our gig was to play a set during the 1 1/2 hour lunch break in what was called "the Barrel Room." I think it should have been called "the Odaiko Room," since it housed several gigantic wine barrels. All we need to do is find some cows big enough to skin these babies:
This gig was part of some sort of international cooking conference. Special guests included Yan Can Cook (I don't know his real name--but I saw him. He was wearing a pink shirt!) and one of the Iron Chefs (the guy with a ponytail. I don't get food TV, but when I go to LA I fall asleep to episodes of the Iron Chef. I saw that guy too!) There were also other cooking celebreties, and Meri's eyes would light up each time we saw one and she would be like, hey, that's so-and-so! That's awesome.

As I've said before, it's a lost cause to try to get people's attention if there's food involved, even if you're pounding away on taiko. But I think it was a good set. Yes there were mistakes. The floor was crookedy, and the drums would literally slide away because it was so uneven. Plus there were tons of extraneous mics to play around, and the stage (or dance floor) wasn't as big as they said it would be. We didn't get as big as an audience as you would think, especially since they said there would be 600 people there. But there was an old guy watching us, and he seemed pretty enthralled because half way through our set he dropped and broke his wine glass, and someone ran up with a broom to sweep it up. And during my Kanki solo, the professional photographers came right up in my face and were photographing me for what seemed the longest time. Good thing my Kanki solo is set and I have my happy-playing-face down.

After our set we got to wander around and eat at all the booths that were housed there. It was a free-sample grab fest, and I walked off with a few goodies, and a full belly. Such good food! Such great flavors!

When we were loading out, I noticed a bunch of baby taiko drums, er, I mean, wine barrels just sitting there. If it weren't for the darn marimba taking up all the space in my car I would have rolled one of those barrels right into the trunk of my car.

But take a look at that line of spotty stains right across the front of that barrel. Boy do I know what caused that, and what can remove it!

Off again tomorrow to the lovely city of Berkeley where we are headlining our next show. I have to talk, so that should be interesting. Wish me luck!