I'm running out of rock songs about Detroit for the title of posts here. My gigs in Detroit are done. So here's your update.
Friday May 1st
ZERO DEFEX with Amino Acids and U.D.I. at the Comet Club
The last time Zero Defex played was on May 4th 2008 in Kent, Ohio. Jeffro Smull, our guitarist, arranged this gig through his friend, Scott, drummer for the legendary and awesome Amino Acids. I met Scott a couple years ago at Still Point Zen Abbey in Detroit where he regularly attends zazen stuff.
It was a primo gig. But we knew going into it that there was no possible way we could rehearse with the full band before the show. The rest of the group practiced together in Akron and we hoped for the best. I wasn't even able to locate a guitar to run through the songs on except once in North Carolina and again in Montreal. But for all that it came together pretty well. We've played tighter shows before, for sure. But we still rocked the house. Singer Jimi Imij flailed like a madman, Mickey X-Nelson ripped up his drum kit, Jeffro strangled the strings of his SG guitar and I held my own amidst the chaos.
We got a terrific response from the natives. Far better than our last gig in Detroit circa 1983. Though I remember the Detroit crowd being far kinder than the one in Toledo, which was pure hell. In fact maybe it was The Necros in Toledo who bumped us off way late on the bill and not NA in Detroit. I don't know anymore. Anyway, this was a major fun gig.
Jeffro and Jimi high tailed it back to Akron that very night. Mickey stayed at a hotel and went home the next morning. I got back to Still Point Zen Abbey around 2:30 AM. Then I had to get up at the butt crack of dawn to lead a half day retreat the following day. Actually they generously let me sleep until the luxuriously late hour of 8 AM.
Zen Retreat at Still Point and Book Signing
May 2, 2009
We sat three and a half periods of zazen after which I did a Dharma Talk. This was actually one of my better talks, I thought. As usual, when I give a good talk nobody records it. My best talks are kind of like the Loch Ness Monster -- a few dubious "eye-witnesses" and no hard evidence! Maybe it was the fact I was still a little punchy from the night before, but I felt like I said things a little straighter than usual.
At 6 PM the same night we did a less formal book signing and talk. That was taped. It was OK. The audience was far smaller, which surprised me.
Sunday Service at Still Point
May 3, 2009
The following day I presided over Still Point's regular Sunday service. Again it wasn't taped and again I did a better talk. Such is life, I suppose. I wish I could remember some of the questions. One was about goal seeking behavior in Zen practice. Maybe someone else who was there can recall the others...
Still Point is in the Korean Zen tradition. I know they use koans sometimes. But I try not to hold it against them. I'm kind of curious to see how they use them. I know it's optional and I get the impression they don't approach the matter the rather cartoonish way it's often portrayed. They chant melodies, not monotone like in Japanese Zen. That's also kind of interesting. If you don't know the tunes it's a little rough. But I faked my way thru it.
Tomorrow it's on to Saskatoon. I updated the tour dates a little regarding the Saskatoon stuff. See the link to your left. I just listed the major events. Their Facebook page (also linked on the tour dates page) has some other stuff. I hope to see some folks there. I have no clue what to expect in the Canadian frontier! But I got a red hoodie with a maple leaf on the breast in Montreal (did I say this already?). So I should be fine.
