Based on the newsletters, here is a chronological itinerary of the shows and events mentioned.
The newsletters cover a period from April 1999 to September 2000.
1999
- April 22 (Thursday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- Notes: A “warm-up” show before the official debut.
- April 23 (Friday)
- Venue: P.J.’s (Houston)
- Other Bands: Electrolux (their debut)
- Notes: The “Official Houston Debut.” Cover was $3. The band sold their first CD, neon, for $7.
- May 13 (Thursday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Time: 9:30 or 10:00 PM
- Notes: 45-minute set.
- June 18 (Friday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- Other Bands: Meredith Miller Band (from Dallas)
- Position: Headlining (played a 2-hour set starting at 11:00 PM).
- Notes: This show was mentioned in multiple newsletters; by Issue 4, it was noted as a success
- July 8 (Thursday)
- Venue: Mary Jane’s (Houston)
- Notes: The band’s debut at this venue.
- July 15 (Thursday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Hip Circle
- July 29 (Thursday)
- Venue: Rudyard’s (Houston)
- Other Bands: Red Line Seven, Living w/ Hancel
- Notes: Issue 4.75 mentions this show specifically.
- July 31 (Saturday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- Other Bands: Joe King Carrasco
- Notes: Listed as a “possible bigger showcase gig” in Issue 4.
- August 26 (Thursday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: The Westbury Squares, Deep Ella
- Time: 10:00 PM
- September 4 (Saturday – Labor Day Weekend)
- Venue: Café on the Square (San Marcos, TX)
- Notes: First road trip mentioned. Issue 6 notes there were “booking problems at the beginning” but the crowd was complimentary.
- September 24 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Steamroller (from Austin)
- October 8 (Friday)
- Venue: Mary Jane’s (Houston)
- Notes: Marked as the “1st Anniversary” of the band’s conception. (Note: Issue 5 originally planned a show for Oct 2nd, but Issue 6 confirmed Oct 8th).
- November 19 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Global Village
- Position: Opening (10:30 PM start)
- Notes: Official debut of new drummer, Trea.
- December 5 (Sunday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- Notes: Listed as a future date in Issue 6.
- December 25 (Saturday – Christmas Night)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Groove Jones
- Position: Opening (60-minute set)
- Notes: “Annual Groove Jones Christmas jam.” The band played unique interpretations of Christmas tunes.
2000
- January 8 (Saturday)
- Venue: Mary Jane’s (Houston)
- Other Bands: 77 South
- January 28 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Goudie (from Austin), Ashbury Keys
- Notes: Issue 9 lists the date as “Friday, January 29th,” but the 28th was the Friday that year.
- February 19 (Saturday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- February 25 (Friday)
- Venue: Fitzgerald’s (Houston – Downstairs)
- Other Bands: Libra’s Rib, Martyr Hamartia
- Notes: Mustard Plug and The Suspects played upstairs.
- March 3 (Friday)
- Venue: The Sports Shack (Lufkin, TX)
- Notes: “Playing all night.”
- March 24 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Secret Sunday, Motorway (from New Orleans)
- Notes: Release party for the boldly going nowhere EP (cassette). Free tapes were given out.
- March 25 (Saturday)
- Venue: The Crooked Path (College Station, TX)
- Event: North by Northgate Music Festival
- Time: 10:30 PM
- March 31 (Friday)
- Venue: Across the Street Bar (Dallas, TX)
- Notes: “Playing all night.”
- May 4 (Thursday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Sense Field
- Time: 9:00 PM
- May 5 (Friday)
- Venue: Sweet Eugene’s (College Station, TX)
- May 20 (Saturday)
- Venue: Fat Ted’s (Dallas, Deep Ellum)
- Notes: “Playing all night.”
- May 26 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: Steamroller
- Position: 2nd band (10:30 PM)
- Notes: Farewell show for drummer Chris Jones (who was moving to NYC). Issue 12.689 included a quiz hidden in the text to win a bumper sticker.
- June 6 (Tuesday)
- Venue: Mary Jane’s (Houston)
- Notes: Mentioned as a future date in Issue 12.
- July 7 (Friday)
- Venue: The Sidecar Pub (Houston)
- Other Bands: Feel
- Notes: Debut of new drummer, Boris.
- September 15 (Friday)
- Venue: Instant Karma (Houston)
- Other Bands: VAST (Elektra recording artists)
- Time: 11:00 PM
- Notes: Newsletter mentions bassist Dave had just gotten married to Monique.
- September 23 (Saturday)
- Venue: Nasty’s (Austin, TX)
- Time: 10:00 PM
- End of September sometime
- Venue: Sweet Eugene’s (College Station, TX)
- Notes: Mentioned in Issue 15 alongside the Austin show, possibly implying a future date or part of the same road trip.
Other Tidbits & Band History
- Drummers: The newsletters chronicle a “carousel of drummers.” The lineup included Steve (Issue 5), Trea (Issue 7), Chris Jones (Issue 4 & 12.689), and Boris (Issue 13).
- Releases:
- neon (CD) – Released/Sold at the first show in April 1999.
- boldly going nowhere (4-song Cassette EP) – Released March 24, 2000.
- Awards: In July 2000 (Issue 13), the band launched a “write-in campaign” for the Houston Press Music Awards, specifically asking fans to vote for Myla as “Best Female Vocalist.”
- Robbery: In May 1999 (Issue 2), the band’s practice space was robbed, and they lost about $1,200 worth of equipment, including their P.A.
