January 10, 2004 - Erie, PA

Possibly the most unorganized fest in history, and it's what we put up with all this shit to play at.

We wake up pretty early and head on our way. We've gotten directions to the venue, but don't really know how to find it. Doesn't matter though, as Tim of Gaia calls to tell us the show has been moved. 11am and the day is off to a good start. We get the new address and head for the van. It's maybe 15 degrees outside, but at least it wasn't snowing. We start on our way, and eventually find where we need to be. What else do we find? Cops. About four of them. They tell us the show has been moved and to leave. We ask where it's been moved to, and they tell us they don't know and walk away. We call Tim and ask what the deal is now, and he says that there is an old ballroom that the show has been moved to and gives us directions.

Apparently the police have been giving the promoter a hard time all week and this is his last resort for a venue, and it's about the 5th one. We pull up to what I think is an abandoned building, but no, it's the ballroom where the show is. Eight inches of snow cover the sidewalk all around, and a few of the windows are broken. We park the van in the parking lot across the street and head inside for a look. Imagine an abandoned warehouse that is only used for shitty raves every three or four months and you've got the idea of what it looks like. There are a few bands there and no one knows what's going on.

The promoter walks around like he's just about given up and just says "I don't know" whenever he's asked a question. Oh, there's no heat in the building either. Then the fire marshall shows up and declares the building unsafe for a show. So everyone starts working on how to get the place in working shape. Shoveling snow, fixing exit signs, etc... All the while, the promoter stands around looking like he's ready to go home and sleep.

After a good two hours of standing around and fixing things, the show finally starts. No one is really moving around because it's hard to get into a band when everyone is wearing giant coats, gloves and hats. As the day wears on people start getting into it, more people start showing up and it gets warm enough that a long sleeve shirt kept you warm. Until the sun went down, that is. Then it got cold as hell all over again. By the end of the day, we deemed the show a success and made a bunch of new European friends (Purification and Purified in Blood) and set off to find a hotel.