Jeremy Porter Road Blog

Road Blog: Wednesday October 21, 2026 - Columbia, MO

Road Blog
October 21, 2026
Columbia, Missouri

We woke up yesterday morning a bit worse for the wear after the late-night revelry in Lawrence on Tuesday. We milked every last minute of time out of our AirBB and headed back to Mass Avenue where we dropped some records off at Love Garden Sounds then went back for an encore breakfast at The Roost where the staff, down to our same waitress, was happy to see us and hear about how the show went. Once again, the service and food was top-notch, and we felt very loved in there.

We hit the road and headed east on I-70 towards Missouri. We cranked The Wall – the next installment of our Pink Floyd discography, and it remains my fav PF by a good margin. It’s the only one I’ve ever really spent time with, so there’s a nostalgia factor for sure, but it also feels the most focused and least meandering of their output. I know everyone has an opinion, but that’s where I stand. The band was unraveling, and our tale-of-the-tape facts and stats revealed a lot we didn’t know about the record that added some additional perspective. We crossed the Missouri River into Kansas City, MO, stopped for gas and slushies at QuikTrip (the second greatest travel plaza of all time), and pulled into Columbia, Missouri around 3PM.

Our first stop was at B-Side records, a small store that sits at the edge of The Arcade District – a massive area of stores, arcades, breweries, distilleries, restaurants, and various other venues, activities, and destinations, all with a UFO and aliens theme. It’s a small store with some cool stuff, and an Iron maiden Trooper couch that made me think of home. We tried to explore the district on foot and in the van but were met with repeated locked gates, closed streets, and other barriers. Maybe next time, Columbia. We tried.

We had about an hour to kill before load-in so we went over to Stephens Lake Park and took a walk on the path around the decent-sized lake. Troy was spotting turtles, Jake was scaring them away, and there were lots of butterflies, fish, ducks, and other critters around every turn. It was nice to stretch the legs, breathe some fresh air, and take in some sun. As we crossed a foot bridge back towards a parking lot these two cute, younger-twenty-something girls came over and started talking to us. They were really nice and giggly and we thought we were some sexy studs for a minute when we noticed their glazed-over femme-bot eyes, manufactured permo-smiles, and pins identifying them as sisters from the Church of the Latter Day Saints, out for fresh meat (the converting-to-their-cult kind). Their small talk and faux-enthusiasm towards us gross old rock and rollers was a rouse to get us to their church on Sunday. I told them I’d be dropping Jake and Troy off for the service, but it was too late for me, I could no longer be saved, and I’d just go get an omelet instead. They said “oh that’s not true – it’s not too late for anyone!” as I looked down in shame, pondered my imminent damnation, and told them they had no idea. They quickly realized their efforts were futile with this bunch of skeptics, gave it one last quick pitch, and wished us well.

We loaded into the Dive Bar COMO back patio and set up on the big stage at the opposite corner. There was a nice drum riser for Troy and we had plenty of time and room to work with. There was a kitty in an open window watching us from above, but he couldn’t be bothered to carry an amp or anything. I’m pretty sure he thought we were idiots. As I honed in my tone I checked again and he was gone and the window was closed. The neighbors are clearly not fans of the live music on the patio. We dialed it all in, went inside, ordered some food, and chatted with the staff. I wanted the lobster mac and cheese, but it sounded like a giant bowl of carbs, so I opted for my 3rd California wrap of the tour and a smaller side of buffalo mac and cheese, cutting corners where I could, keeping my digestion in check, but still getting a little gluttony in.

We went on at the odd hour of 6PM and played through until 8. Attendance was thin. One fella in a well-worn MAGA had asked me what we played. “Rock and Roll.” I told him. “What year?” he replied. I was confused. Are there bands that just play like songs from a single year? “Um…. 2026 I guess? I mean we write our own songs and stuff.” I said, and that seemed to appease him. We may not vote the same, but he was out there drinking his 16oz Miller Lites and watching our set for a good hour before bailing, and when you’re playing to as few people as we were playing to, ya hate to see any of them go. I spared him my occasional “standing with our sisters and their rights to healthcare and bodily autonomy” speech before our song “Plan B” (that is incidentally not about the day-after pill). As the sun went down and it got dark, the temperature dropped pretty quickly, and the thin audience became thinner as we wrapped up. We loaded out in record time, hit the highway, and drove to Saint Louis.

Those longer, post-show drives from the venue to wherever we are crashing are one of my favorite parts of touring. Spirits are usually high, regardless of the quality of the show we just played, and there’s something anti-establishment and romantic about watching cities pass by in the dark while civilians tuck their kids in, watch their sit-coms, and set their alarms. We had a shuffle going (alphabetical by song, not random) and it’s on the “I”s so we got a bunch of Steve Earle and Johnny Cash, but when “I Stole Your Love” by KISS came on, Troy and I exploded into air-drum-mania as the van swerved in and out of our lane. Even JakeE, not a big KISS fan, acknowledged the awesomeness of the song. 8 versions of “I Wanna Be Sedated” are waiting for us this morning.

We’re at it early today, with the longest drive of the run in front of us, and as good it will feel to be back in the Eastern Time Zone, we’ll lose another hour with that too. There’s a weird, loud squealing coming out of the walls in this old apartment building in Saint Louis, the battery in the smoke detector is chirping every few minutes, and JakeE’s in the shower while his phone alarm (a duck) is literally quacking in the bedroom. Basically an audial hellscape in here. Looking forward to multiple versions of the same Ramones song in a few minutes. We’re in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Barlery for 3 sets at 8PM tonight. We’re in the home stretch now, with two shows in Tennessee and one in Kentucky left. Tune in tomorrow to hear about Chattanooga! xx