[Rasputina's Melora Creager, the undisputed doyenne of cello-based, kinda-goth, steampunk-avant-la-lettre indie music, has graciously agreed to guest-blog for West Coast Sound in anticipation of their upcoming LA gig at the Troubadour, this Saturday, August 14. She's been sending us these awesome letters from the road, which you can read exclusively here. Click here and here for the first and second installments.]

August 12, 2010

Well, Readers,

We just played a small recital in Tucson, AZ. I've always loved this place. We're at the Hotel Congress. My first producer brought me here in 1895 [sic] to pick out a cello from the infamous Chicago Music Store. I got the one that later acquired a star sticker.

The concert was underattended– perhaps because it was 21+, perhaps because we're playing in Phoenix tomorrow night, or perhaps because we're the best kept secret in rock-n-roll. But the people there in front were going kind of nuts, singing along. At first I was rather embarrassed by that, but the situation improved.

During the banjo break, a young couple was chatting loudly. After the song, I queried them. “Are you talking about banjos?” They said no, that they were talking about me, and their love for me. Well! Somehow, it then evolved into a somewhat lengthy conversation with the entire audience, and I, once again, found them to be a very sweet little mass of people.

We played a couple of completely unrehearsed songs that they requested, and my cohorts played quite admirably!

I don't often do the photo-op/receiving line lately, but I did here in Tucson, because it's such a sweet set-up–using your hotel room as a dressing room in a charming historic hotel.

There, I met an intriguing Native transexual. I've read that, historically speaking, the Native Americans always accepted and encouraged their LGBTs. I hope they still do. Do you know?

Then, Daniel/cellist & Dawn/merch and I had some drinks at the bar. That, I also rarely do. We did shots to a toast of “Diaper Ball!”– a game I recently invented. It's like volleyball, but with a dirty diaper. It was all good, clean fun til I got some poo in the face, but I really think this game could take off.

Earlier today, we spent some time prospecting in a creek in the Gila Wilderness. Baby Ivy loved that. She sat on her butt in the stream and enjoyed the rocks & water. She doesn't care about gold, she doesn't need to strike it rich. She just needed to be out of the car-seat for a while.

Alright then, I do need to get some sleep. Talk to you tomorrow,

Melora Creager

Directress, Rasputina.

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