Fri., April 10, Up & Under Pub, Milwaukee, WI -- I immediately liked Milwaukee. It seemed somehow safer than Chicago--certainly smaller for sure--almost quaint. We rolled into town and drove around trying to find the pub. Lots of college kids around and some groovy shops made ol' Milwaukee look pretty hip. Joanna remembered having a hard time finding it the last time the band was there. We asked directions three times and got three different answers. There was some kind of arcane system all the direction-givers were using and we were the last to know... After doubling back a few times and turning around a few times, we finally arrived at the Up & Under Pub, Milwaukee's main blues joint. It's in a very old building with high ceilings and is much longer than wide. The pub opened an area behind the stage for a pool table and new entrance to the bathrooms, so there was traffic behind the stage creating a very intimate atmosphere... The manager was upbeat, expecting a packed house. We set up and then were given a wide range of choices about where to eat and the club would reimburse us. After checking out the Mideastern restaurant and seeing no one of Mideastern decent, instead a few clean-cut hippie wannabes and an over-priced menu, we opted for the Chinese joint around the corner. Although we had decided to drive back to Chicago after the gig, the club had reserved rooms for us anyway at Milwaukee's oldest hotel, The Wisconsin. Built in 1905 with all the "modern conveniences" such as "completely recirculated air", "running cold water in all the rooms" and a $1 room rate, the place had been through some changes over the last 93 years. The rooms were spacious and cozy with that air of history, drama and intrigue that permeates a truly cool place. As I lay down to take an hour nap before the gig, I got a sudden hit of my deceased dad, and realized that he lived in Milwaukee as a young man. Gee, he could have actually stayed at this hotel! Maybe this room! Whoa. It would have been the mid-30s. Cool. Anyway, back to reality, we kicked out some decent jams to an appreciative audience, and did moderate sales of CDs. It was just two long sets and we began to pack up. As I finished up casing my drums, a very tall black man leaned up against the stage just talking a blue streak--to himself. Something about Guyana and the "fine young black men that had died there"...Snap out of, buddy...The slight slur to the words and the drink in his hand helped to explain some of his distress, but certainly not all of it. Darnell had somehow snagged a pizza and I scarfed down on a couple of pieces as we pulled out of the club in the van. It was so good, I was amazed. We hit the road at about 2:30 a.m. and I made it to bed at 4:30.