New Faces New Stories...

Friday 5th November 2010

Friday morning I was starting to think maybe I should work out my next move. I don't want to outstay my welcome here, although when I broached the subject with Tara and Lexi, they both insisted they were quite happy for me to stay. In fact Tara said she had a surprise for me and we went out for a drive in the afternoon, and she took me the Minnehaha Falls, a small but very pretty stream (well, small river) that led to a Falls, just a 15 minute drive from the apartment. We spent a while meandering around, taking in the fresh (and very crisp) air. Then Tara had to run a few errands and I joined her and then got some food. Later that evening Tara was planning to go a friends gig for whom she was writing the biography for the application to SXSW. I of course accepted the offer to go along, especially as the gig was taking place in the front room of the house the band lived in. We headed down about 8pm, and it really was the most intimate thing I've ever been to. They had literally constructed a very small raised stage in the corner of their front room, they had home made popcorn and apple cider, and when we got there there a solo guy performing. They had fairy lights strewn around the stage and everyone was either sat on the floor watching or sat on sofas and chairs. The main band were called The Royal Engine Company, and I really enjoyed it, although I also thought the very little I saw of the opening guy was very good too. The Royal Engine Company are a sort of upbeat Folk set up, reminding me of Crosby Still & Nash along with The Band. You can hear them at http://www.myspace.com/theroyalenginecompany and I certainly recommend you give them a little listen (plus, if you look at their photos, one is a spitting image of Pete Townsend. Following that we returned to the apartment as Tara had some work to finish and they were expecting some new Couch Surfers, and her friend Matt who has just moved back to Minneapolis but doesn't have a place to stay yet. We were all pretty tired and not particularly looking for a late night. Then the three surfers and Matt arrived. We all sat up chatting. Matt told us of his time in Korea teaching English, whilst Drew was in Minneapolis to film a documentary following a charity who tries to reunite Native American families who were split up as children, whilst he has brought his 2 friends Mandy and Alyssa along for the road trip. I'm constantly amazed by the stories I'm hearing on the road. As the clock struck 3am we decided we should probably go to bed...