Night of the 1/2 lb joint. I kid you not.

[IAmKowalski]

Last night was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I live in a Mid-west rust belt city, with a surprisingly vibrant arts and music scene. Seeing amazing bands, both local and out of town, in basements, warehouses, bars, and coffee shops is nothing new. Bringing and encountering good bud at these events is nothing new either. Last night, however, was something different.....

Last night was a free show at a local underground venu. Two local bands, three out-of-town bands. One of the out of town names seemed to ring a bell, but I couldn't quite place it: "The Merry Pranksters". The pranksters showed up while the first band was playing, and finally it hit me who these folks were (Google "Electric Cool-Aid Acid Test" if you don't already know). Some long time members and some new, but very much the same group - if basically a second and third generation version.

Then came the joint. A heavy cardboard poster-mailer tube was produced and pulled open. From inside it emerged the largest joint (if you can even call it a joint at this point) that I ever expect to see in real life. At least two feet long, somewhere around 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. Composed of a perfect mix of bud, shake, and crumbled hash. It seemed as if layers of papers had actually been glued together with what appeared to be honey-oil (almost a lacquer coating between layers). It took about 15 to 20 minutes and a whole lot of group effort manning lighters and lungs before it was finally properly lit and burning. This monster would look ridiculous, ludicrous, and just plain silly even in a movie (it put Cheech and Chong's joint from Up In Smoke to shame, entirely dwarfing it), and yet here it was - an actual 1/2 lb (and I think that's a conservative guess) expertly crafted joint.

A continuous jam with various musicians transitioning between three stages continued through the whole night. So did the two-foot joint, and later the two-foot joint's many many many offspring. At one point, a run had to be broken off and the joint re-lit. The pile that was trimmed off was at least 1/2 oz and became a community packing pile - just laying on a table on some newsprint. Joint after joint and bowl after bowl was packed from the pile-o-weed while the main joint continued to burn... and burn... and burn...

Somewhere around 1:30am, the resin-clogged roach - still some six inches long - was finally dismantled and became another small mountain of weed from which more offspring were rolled.

Walking past the room that had housed the original joint, I was stopped at one point and handed three unlit joints and instructed to get them burning and hand them out.

I left around 4:00am after the last band had finally stumbled off stage.

There were still piles of weed scattered about, mostly little piles of the monster-roach, some piles of fresh beautiful bud (no one having a clue who had brought it or left it by that point).

Oh, and did I mention the cookies?

Good Night Yall!

IAmKowalski Reviewed by IAmKowalski on 11-15-2008. Night of the 1/2 lb joint. I kid you not. Last night was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I live in a Mid-west rust belt city, with a surprisingly vibrant arts and music scene. Seeing amazing bands, both local and out of town, in basements, warehouses, bars, and coffee shops is nothing new. Bringing and encountering good bud at these events is nothing new either. Last night, however, was something different..... Last night was a free show at a local underground venu. Two local bands, three out-of-town Rating: 5

[dlovejah]

brilliant... Thanks.. Im old enough to recognize the Merry Pranksters reference.. Wavy Gravy and the crew....And the good old GratefulDead.... sounds like a quite an evening..... Good for you... d:rastasmoke:

[klarity]

I too am old enough to recognize Ken Kesey's old crew. Sounds like quite a night. Would have loved to seen pics of this 1/2 pound joint lol

[IAmKowalski]

I too am old enough to recognize Ken Kesey's old crew. Sounds like quite a night. Would have loved to seen pics of this 1/2 pound joint lol

I suspect there may have been some pictures taken, but I don't think I could post them up here without blocking out the crowd faces and identifying venu landmarks.

The pranksters are playing again tonight at a grand opening event for a new bar - I'm trying to get directions right now ;-)

[RedLocks]

heh should wring the roach out over a jar,fill it up with resin heh. Sounds like a interesting experience, sounds like something from the 60s or 70s, but hey, look who was there heh..

yeah when ya said merry pranksters rang a bell here too, very faint, actually surprised to what the relation was there

[smok3y]

Dont really belive it dude, unless theres some pictures..

[IAmKowalski]

heh should wring the roach out over a jar,fill it up with resin heh. Sounds like a interesting experience, sounds like something from the 60s or 70s, but hey, look who was there heh..

yeah when ya said merry pranksters rang a bell here too, very faint, actually surprised to what the relation was there

Yea, I'm only 31 so I wasn't around for the first generation . I will DEFINITELY be reading Electric Coolaid Acid Test now though ,

[IAmKowalski]

Dont really belive it dude, unless theres some pictures..

I'm sure some pics were taken - I don't have any yet.. but I do have this (the flier for the event)

[RedLocks]

Yea, I'm only 31 so I wasn't around for the first generation . I will DEFINITELY be reading Electric Coolaid Acid Test now though ,

wondering if I have actually met them before, wonder if they frequent Gatherings been to a national/regional or two myself. Just still think it is a bit weird that why they are in my mind is because of a book I never bothered to read, but have known about for ages. Or could be the head injury talkin
wakka wakka

[weedmaster]

we use to make extra long joints about 12" long, they never smoked properly untill half way through,so we stopped as they seemed a waste of good weed.