and a psychiatrist came, and a college professor, and a movie actress in a bikini, and a Russian spy, and a French spy, and an English spy...

Saturday, July 28th -

Saturday morning Dave and I get on the train and go grab some breakfast before our noon rehearsal at the UCB Training Center. I had really enjoyed Bagel Maven, and since I am sort of a creature of habit when it comes to some things, we went there again. I have a bacon and Egg Bagel this time, and it does not disappoint. I find out Dave is not really a breakfast person, and discover that despite not being a morning person, I especially enjoy breakfast foods. I have a feeling I am going to be that old man who won't eat anything but English muffins and scrambled eggs, and I will watch Jeopardy every fucking night, brother.

I run into Lyndsay on the street, which is a nice surprise, as I have not spoken with her since I left Chicago, and it seems almost surreal to see her now. I get her number and plan to see her again. We meet up with Zach and John on the way to get my bracelet at the UCB Theater, and they look exhausted already. We head over to the space, and Erik and Jason Q. get there at about the same time. Corey is running late, so we start off without him. Our practice goes well, and it is great to play with the NY boys, all of whom have grown considerably as performers.

We end a few minutes before 2 so we can catch Papa Fibonacci over at the Hudson Guild Theater, which I must say, is certainly a great place to have as a second venue for this thing. Kudos to the organizers this year for finding such a suitable and nearby second theater. The closeness of the two venues is a welcome change at DCM this year. Papa absolutely kills it at their sparsely attended show, which is incredibly my first of this marathon. It does not disappoint. There's not much time before the next show, and the guys want to grab a quick bite before call-time, but my nerves are not allowing me to eat anything beforehand, so I settle for a vitamin water and a power bar. Quinn gets a shady looking crab salad, which he pretty quickly disposes of. We go into the theater, straight to the back area, where Big in Japan is warming up for their show @ 3:30. I see Bob B. and the other guys and high five them before their show. We meet up with Corey in the back and the next thing I know it's basically showtime. Everyone seems a little nervous, and I watch one of the monitors from the greenroom while BiJ is on. The crowd looks stoic. Yikes.

Diplomat hit the stage running on all cylinders. It was the wake up that the crowd needed, and it sure helped having a bunch of our hometown friends in the audience go crazy when Zach announces that we are here "from North Carolina." I feel a great sense of pride in that, and know that with it might come expectations of our performance, but I am ready to tackle the stage with the same tenacity I do back at home every week. I know how to do this, and by damn, I shall do it well.

(TBC...)