Friday, midday, a van full of Strange Faces picked me up from my house on the corner of Urwiler and McFarland and off we went. They were nearing the end of the two week tour which had taken them from their home base of Chicago to South by Southwest in Austin, from free shots with the apply dubbed “Hairy Shoulders” in New Orleans to misogynistic bros and precious hardwood floors in Nashville. Now they were headed from Cincinnati, where they picked me up, to Columbus, birthplace place of Ben the Drummer, before returning to Chicago for the final show.
We arrived at Ben’s childhood home in Columbus around mid-afternoon and prepared to unwind before they played. Immediately came the production of coffee and the opening of beers which stood in the fridge, awaiting our arrival. On the ride there, Phil the Bassist had caught a glimpse of my Yerba Mate (yehrbuh mahtay) gourd and asked me to bring it in. Due to the lack of a kettle (Dear UK Readers: yes, there are people in America who do not own kettles!), we boiled our water in a pot on the stove as I explained the few rules I knew to the boys:
1. The Pattern – I fill the gourd, then drink until its empty. I then refill it and pass it to Phil. Phil drinks the entire contents, making sure to slurp loudly at the end so we know its gone, and then passes it back to me. I refill it and pass it to David. The process repeats.
2. “Thank You” – Only say “thank you” when you are satisfied and do not want the gourd passed back to you. This was the hardest to follow and the boys always made sure to tell me when they almost said it! ❤
3. Don’t touch the straw!
We sipped Maté and explored the house. David fixed the guitar he had smashed the night before. And the night before that. And the night before that. And so on. David, my “brother from another mother,” is a ham. And for that I love him all the more! 
The show was at Used Kids, a record store a few blocks from OSU campus and, to my great relief, I loved it! (It could have been a bit awkward to travel around with a band whose music I didn’t like!) David and Taylor the Guitarist – someone I knew, though not well, from high school with whom I thoroughly enjoyed reacquainting myself – had wonderful chemistry, playing with and against each other, running back and forth on stage, goofily portraying in their dance the somewhat aggressive, yet ultimately enticing ebb and flow of musical life. I can’t put my finger on a genre or categorization for it but their style had been described along the way as “Beach Boy Punk” and “Acid Pop”. Each had a nice ring to it and I’d say their sound is somewhere in between. Either way, it’s very groovy and I suggest checking them out! Their first album, Stonerism, comes out this summer. 
The next morning we hopped in the van and headed off to Chicago to close the tour. Upon arrival it was evident that the boys were exhausted so the performance was flamboyant and alcohol-infused, and included an awesome interluding rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Almost Eighteen!” Despite some technical difficulties (David’s guitar did not want to stay in one piece), the night was a blast. The rest of the evening was spent having slightly off-kilter (if you know what I mean) conversations on literature and philosophy with tired, smiling, Strange Faces. Can’t get any better than that.
Feb. 18 ~ Flew to 
