Mike Hard (God Bullies)
SPB: Have you played any familiar locations that survived since your last tour and, if so, what struck you on revising them? If not, is there a city or highway that gave similar "flashbacks" or surprises?
Hard: The first city that comes to mind is Dubuque Iowa. Aaron Hefel has been booking shows for us there at various venues, mostly at "the Lift" for generations. For us the geographic location is great, whether we go north to Minneapolis, head south to Texas, or do the Chicago IL, Dubuque IA, Madison, WI loop. Aaron has been more than accommodating. Aaron has promoted shows for us all over the Dubuque area, Places like an old country bar Johnny Cash played in Upper Ball Town, with tons of cops waiting outside to follow the kids home on the back roads. He's booked us at the National Guard Armory, and we broke the plywood stage in half. Also, he has got us in several local dive bars with some very entertaining regulars. One time he booked us at a restaurant that looked suspiciously like a Denny's. We had to move the salad bar to set up.
Aaron Hefel has always come through, a lot of times on a weeknight. He is the man. I watched him grow up. He started booking AM REP shows when he was a kid, like 18 years old. We would stay at his apartment and he would make dinner for all after the shows. He makes a mean corn beef and cabbage boiled dinner. It is always rewarding to catch up with Aaron and all of our friends in Iowa.
Hey, they love us in Dubuque.
