June 27th
Dead Bodies Everywhere
(Day 11)

The morning began with laughter. Pretty nice when yesterday ended in yelling. An apology was still due and I kicked it out. No time to think about it any longer, we have more important shit to do—like some kick ass shows! I think Oldham is kind of what I pictured when I thought of touring the UK. A really small town with fields everywhere and sheep scattered throughout. The landscape is very similar to the movie Children Of Men. It feels like we have gone back in time. I love it here. The venue is a converted hotel and seems to be the only place to see music in town.

After we setup our gear Dakota and I run and grab some calzones. Two veggie for Ashley, one for me and one meaty mother for Dakota, while Julius and Adam go snag some Chinese. I think?? On the drive back Dakota hit a parked car in front of the venue! Thank god for getting full coverage!!! It was sweet because the lady didn’t want to even come in the parking lot to look at her car because it was slightly sprinkling! Hahaha! After eating, a group of FIVE MILLION little kids came from upstairs in the building and stormed the merch table. Dakota had to drop kick a few of them to get away with what shirts he could save! It was awesome. They were screaming and going crazy! We have every kid in that town as our fan! OH!!! And something really cool happened while we were getting food…I will tell you that at the end of the blog!

We spent around forty minutes trying to set up our sign! It was so fucking funny seeing everyone giving options and trying their hardest to get it to stay! The bartender was awesome and he took over and really made it totally worthwhile. Right before we went on, in walked Andy! Andy is a guy that saw us in Leeds last night and wanted to see us again while he could. This man is amazing. Another person that just is so generous and full of life. And he brought his AMAZING daughter! She is one of the most laidback, confident, happy girls I have ever met. I could hang with the two of them for hours and hours and never have it be awkward. I really like the people that I have met out here.

The rain really started to come down and no one else came to the show. We played for maybe five people. But it was great because the two of them were there so we really had fun playing just for them. I think Julius said that this was his favorite sounding show.Okay, okay—I can’t wait anymore. I feel like I can’t do this blog any justice because I am SUPER distracted by what happened while we were getting calzones (which would have been 10 times better with a little Franks Red Hot!!!!)

So Ashley stayed behind to watch the gear and the soundman and bartender began to tell her a local murder story!!!!! Keep in mind this place is creepy to begin with. Straight out of a horror movie. Ashley said it was the perfect setup for a horror movie—young, naïve, American band tours tiny town of Oldham and ends up getting slaughtered! We decided to dedicate a blog to this particular story. So please watch it in our video section! A rough outline is that a man and woman rape and murder fifteen kids in this village and buried them in the fields we drove past while coming in. The man is still in prison and will not tell where the remaining body is buried. And he has been on a TEN-YEAR HUNGER STRIKE!!!! But they keep feeding him! We thought for sure that we were goners.

This story and setting really hit us all. For me it really brought out a lot emotion that may not have come if we were in a different situation. But hearing about the parents of the children being so old and on the verge of death but still wanting to know where their children are buried really got to me. Sad.You should really check out the video if you get the chance. Thanks for reading everyone. Sorry my head was out of it today. I am really zoned out on the fact that this happened. Very intrigued but also seeing where they were tossed is kind of overwhelming that someone could repeatedly do that to children.

Sleep well.
Joshua of Dirt Jake Replicas

Links:
Dirt Jake ReplicaSpace

Photos courtesy of DJR

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