Jeremy Porter Road Blog

Road Blog: Tuesday October 15, 2024 - Laramie, WY

Road Blog
October 15, 2024
Laramie, Wyoming

Tuesday morning was slow-paced with a quick visit to the less-than-exceptional breakfast bar at the motel and a couple cups of coffee. Given the uncooked potatoes, empty egg tray, and watery, dog turd looking sausage links, I tried to emulate the master of the lobby waffle machine Gabriel Doman and make some myself. The process was a bit over-complicated but I got it figured out and even helped the nice lady next to me navigate the insanity.

I spent a few minutes cleaning the car and hit the highway north towards Wyoming. First stop was in Fort Collins, at a record store called Driver 8 Records. The owner Charles is a super nice guy I met when The Tucos played FoCo 10 years back and again when TrooperGirl22 and I attended a Micah Schnabel / Vanessa Jean Speckman show at Surfside 7 the night before a Jason Isbell/Lucero show at Red Rocks. I also met Jon Snodgrass that night, and I’m not sure he remembers much about that, but we’re pals now. Driver 8 is a cozy but very well stocked store. I found more things than I can take back home with my limited space, but I picked the top few and will figure out the logistics later. You FoCo folks can find my new record and a couple Tucos records there as well, so stop on in, pick one up, and support that great store!

It was a pretty easy hour from Fort Collins to Laramie. I cranked Tropical Gothclub and Tygers Of Pan TangI gulped down a crappy (trend here?) fast food burger and checked into my motel on the west side of town, facing the expressway and the mountains. I took care of some business, called TrooperGirl22, and read about the shooting of Ozzy’s 84-86 guitarist Jake E. Lee in Las Vegas. I’m a big Jake fan, and glad to hear he’s supposed to be ok, but what a crazy, random, sad story! I got a rare short nappy in, ate my leftover sandwich from The West End Tavern in Boulder the night before, and watched some Coming to America before heading into town for the show. The part where James Earl Jones (rip) is telling Eddie Murphy he can’t pursue Shari Headley anymore because he has a pre-arranged marriage waiting back in Zamunda, then the mother asks him “Do you love her? Then GO after her!” to JEJ’s ire kills me every time.

The Great Untamed is a wine bar/meadery that sits on the main drag of Laramie’s downtown. It’s a quiet little city – no high-rises or LED billboards advertising the latest pop music. Just main-street USA with some locally owned business that all close at 6PM and no shortage of cowboy bars. I met Scott, the owner, who is a tall, slightly reserved, but friendly and welcoming dude, and got loaded in. The venue has a sort of living room/house-show vibe, with couches and upholstered chairs around the perimeter. It was comfy, intimate, and felt right for a weeknight show.

Before long Eric and Debbie from the Deacon Brown Blues Band arrived and we had a nice chat about the town, our guitars, and logistics for the night. Their first date was in 1970 hitchhiking from Buffalo to Syracuse to see the Grateful Dead, and I thought that was amazing. Their percussionist Bob (aka Dr. Robert on Wyoming public radio) and his wife (um…Susan? Sorry!) came shortly after.

They set up and went on first, playing a short set of early blues and originals. Eric is a great guitarist and Debbie’s vocals lent some great texture. I played after them, pulling material mostly from my new record, with a couple oldies thrown in. Reception was good, the tip bucket was full, and I played well. Not bad for a Tuesday night.

I sold a few CDs, packed up, and loaded out. I stopped at Love’s Travel Plaza for a frozen burrito and some mini Nutter Butters and was back in my room by 10:15, picking up the replay of Dodgeball exactly where it left off when I left for the show 4 hours earlier. Not sure if I’ll ever make it back to Laramie again, but it was as good a Tuesday night as I could ask for, and a fine way to celebrate my 40th state played. I wouldn’t rule it out. Tonight I am in Bozeman at the Tune Up Bar from 9-11. I’ve got a daunting 8+ hour drive in front of me, I’m juiced up on shitty motel breakfast buffet and coffee, and I’ve got my Whitesnake/David Coverdale playlist queued up. See ya tonight Montana! xx