Murs And Chadwick Pulled Over In Bozeman Montana

The Avalaunch Pray For Snow Party was amazing! It's taken some time for me to get this post up but I wanted to tell you a story, at least I find a little amusing.

Apparently I was too amped up from the show, or maybe it was driving a new car, or the unfamiliar feel of driving with huge boots...whatever the case I got pulled over for speeding while driving Murs, the headliner of the Pray for Snow Party, to his hotel.

My job for the show was to run the artists performing at the show around town as the Chamberlin Production crew turned the N. Black parking lot into one of the best outdoor venues in Bozeman.  The day of a show the artists usually fly in or show up in buses or vans hours before they are scheduled to do anything specific.  So it is up to me to direct the artists to where they want to go or drive them there.  In this situation I was the contact with the Murs camp and specifically the Tour Manager, Jamie.

Saturday morning I showed up late, by 15 minutes, in my Buick Sable rental car I had gotten the day before.  The boots I wore were already confusing me on the driving mechanics of the car but I was making due with the situation.  Through out the day I did a couple runs to the C'mon Inn to drop off and pick up the bus drivers and Jamie.  Murs is currently on the Hip Hop and Love Tour with Sean O'Connell, Mckenzie Eddy, Da$h, Tabi Bonney and Ski Beatz and the Senseis.

The last hotel run of the day was after the whole show was done.  My only job left was to get Murs to the hotel.  After the entire crew from the Hip Hop and love tour went to Helly Hanson to get some cold weather gear Murs and I got in to the Buick Sable rental car that I had been driving all day.  Maybe I was tired or still stoked from the show or I was amped to be talking with Murs, but either way I had a led foot.  I saw a police officer in my rear-view but didn't think too much about it as I passed Scrubby's Car Wash turning onto Oak from North 7th and Murs and I made small talk about snowboarding and his tour.  I was headed towards Smiths and I guess I got on the gas a little too hard because I noticed that the police car behind us was really on my bumper.  The flash went through my mind that he was running the plate right when I saw the red and blue lights of death come on.

Letting out an "Oh Shit" and a "Sorry about this" to Murs, I pulled over the Buick and rolled down the window.  "Hello Officer" I said as he walked up and asked how I was doing. "Just fine, we're coming from the concert downtown and I'm taking a performer back to the hotel."  The officer informed me that I had been going 36 in a 25 on Oak back by Scrubby's.  He did the usual of asking for my ID and insurance.  It being a rental car I was confused on what I needed to provide him, but luckily I had the rental paperwork still in the car so I gave him that hoping that would suffice.  The officer said that was fine, but then asked "Does your passenger have an ID I can see?".   I kinda froze up.  What do you do here?  I didn't know if he did and I felt horrible asking and Murs obviously looked hesitant about the situation.  "What do I do?"  I asked myself.  I told the cop that he didn't as I was just taking him to his hotel and he most likely left it on the bus back at the concert, but then I looked over and Murs had taken out his wallet and was skeptically handing me his ID.  I noted that the pic on the ID had him with his legendary dreds and handed it to the officer as Murs asked "Is this normal?".  I had never been in this situation before so I told him that the officer was most likely looking for someone who was drunk driving and also running both our IDs for warrants.

A few tense minutes went by.  Murs said, "I wanted to talk shit, but you're driving and he may just give you a warning.  But if he gives you a ticket get his name and I'm going to tweet the shit out of this."  I laughed and saw the officer was coming back.  While it half crossed my mind that I had a warrant out for me due to some parking tickets I started sweating a little when the officer handed me our IDs and said he was letting me go with a warning.  Crisis avoided.

I eased back onto the road and got the man back to the hotel with no more issues.  I thanked Murs for the epic show and bid him good luck on the rest of the tour.

That's it.  That's my story with Murs.  Now looking forward, I realize I need more practice driving with my, as Missy O'Malley calls them, "Wamper Stompers."

I'm looking forward to the next Pray for Snow Party!!! Oh, and Rail Jam this Spring!!