March 3rd 2006 Newport Music Hall

This show turned out to be so much fun even though the days leading up to it were a complete mess. Started with Chris Mayhen from Akron's Portrait of Jack to play bass with Greg Wilson on percussion (to be a first for tripfuse) and Ryan Maloney from Columbus band Primary Engines on kit. The plan was to have one full rehearsal but it failed and Ryan asked if maybe Greg could play kit and we do without the percussion. So that was the plan until Chris got called to New Orleans on Monday. He was to fly back Thursday but that got bumped to Friday. He didn't think he would make it in time and asked if there was any other bass players that could do it in such short notice. So Ed Stephens from Cleveland's Abdullah was called . He didn't have a gig for Friday night but had a late afternoon jazz gig. So being that Greg and Ed had never played together, Ryan was called (Ed and Ryan have played a few times together) to see if he might want to still try and play the show. He is game. So now maybe Greg could move back to percussion but would we have time to rehearse before the show? Then Chris calls Friday morning. He might make it back in time. Chris did get some rehearsal time in before leaving for New Orleans and so Ed is called and told we may not need him....but we may. Chris makes it to Atlanta for his layover but the plane to Akron/Canton is delayed. He won't make it. Ed is called. Game on but we can't leave until 5pm because of Ed's gig and because of traffic we arrive almost 2 hours late with about 15 minutes to get some sort of sound check in. So in the dressing room 30 minutes to going on we decide Greg and Ryan will split the drumming responsibilities. Greg and Ed will play for the first time together on the Newport stage. All that crazy stress and the show was one of the best shows. Not the tightest tripfuse but the most musical. And the crowd was completely amazing. If you were there that night, thank you so much.