after two days off in Georgia with Eze's cousin, we set out to Asheville. got into town around 11, and Eze and i went downtown to get a beer.
now, the thing about Eze is, it's never just, "we're going to get a beer." he has an uncanny gift of gab, which is nice for me, because i've always been a shy dude, and getting a beer often means just that.
we grab a drink, and Eze steps outside to smoke. he comes in a few minutes later and tells me he saw someone he met at his last show in Asheville, and so we go to hang out with her. turns out, she lives/works at the record store next door, and she proceeds to put on Little Ann and Numero's funky gospel compilation, and just like that, i'm in love with Asheville.
after hanging a bit at Static Age, we go to the Lazy Diamond and meet up with Sam Herring, who's performing with us at The Odditorium. Sam's the singer of Future Islands, and is recognized just about anywhere he goes these days, which was funny to witness first-hand. at one point, a guy was talking to Eze and i, thinking -- since we were hanging with Sam -- that we were in Future Islands. "i love your guys' work! i was showing my friend that one tv appearance, and man! they just think you're great."
after a few drinks, we were headed to a nearby house when a dude on the street just walked past us and said, "cypherrrrr". like, i don't know if he knew we rapped, or he just wanted to rap real bad and was saying "cypherrrrr" to everyone? but Eze stopped and said, "okay, go.", and the dude had the worst breath control i think i'd ever heard in the 15-some-odd years i've been rapping. Eze proceeded to body him with a freestyle about how dude's breath control sucked, and that was that.
the show at The Odditorium was packed, and Sam (Hemlock Ernst) and his brother Joel (Plucky Walker) brought the house down. bless you, Asheville.