Archive: November 9, 2009
I had this stored in my phone and thought it would be a good idea to post it. All too often I forget to post my final tour blog. Since returning from this tour I have still got a cough, moved from my home into a basement apartment in a different area of East Nashville, worked my butt off at my day job, my house is a bloody mess because I’m trying to make sense of the process of packing, I have played a show in The Basement in Nashville with a full band (1st time in 3 years), made a slew of new friends, and am feeling really good actually.
People to be thanked on the Tour are KJ Smith and his family, Jeanette Strole and Jeff Parks, The whole Garner Family, Insomniac Folklore, Matt Hopper, and everyone who came out to shows, hosted shows, and let us sleep on their floor or couch, or bed. Thank you everyone!!!
Here’s that blog I promised:
October 18, 2009
I am sitting in the Nashville airport waiting for my flight to Seattle to arrive. For the first time in almost 10 years I have lost my voice because of a cold (can’t even talk to my waitress). I foresaw something like this occurring, so, I’m on vocal rest (except when I’m singing) and on a myriad of doctor prescribed drugs. I usually push my voice pretty hard when I play. This will not be the case this time :-). Michael Pritzl is emailing me tips on how to keep the show on the road and so are all my other singing friends. I remember that there is some sort of concoction that broadway stage singers use when they have a run of shows to get through (rum + sugar + ????? +????? +?????) but can’t remember the recipe. Hm…
All things considered, I am still WAY excited to be on the road and the sickness is just another adventure to walk through. I am confident that it will work out. I am supposed to do background vocals for Matt Hopper and Insomniac Folklore while I’m out. So I guess we’ll see how I fair. Those may have to fall to the wayside. ———-October 20, 2009———- This tour has been great. Part promotional trip, part getting to reconnect with friends and refill, I have enjoyed every minute. At present my friend KJ Smith (I use his full name to remove the possibility of megalomaniacal misconceptions) is driving the car out of The Dalles as we make our way to Boise, ID. This time of year in the Northwest is gorgeous and I’m enjoying the brightly changing leaves immensely. It’s been the perfect time of year to be over here. It brings up so many old memories of crashing on my friend’s floors, discovering new music through my friend Pslim, learning how to be on the road and maintain my finances and also function with a clear head when an issue comes up. It’s interesting to see how touring has inspired personal growth and maturity in myself. A picture I don’t often get to see when life is day in and day out, simply being lived or survived. Functioning in forces habit (good or bad) gives one blinders of a sort to who they are.
I am a bit sad that we won’t be heading to Salt Lake or Colorado again on this tour. But real life and the changes ahead beckon. ———–October 21, 2009———— A night of restless sleeping has made this one of those days where I realise how sick I’ve been for the last 2 weeks. I feel it fully at present. But there’s just one more day of the tour left. Back to Portland today (one of my favorite cities in the US) and then flying out of Seattle tomorrow morning to be on my feet and at work by 5pm. It’ll be good to be home for sure. But there is SOOOO much waiting for me. I feel a bit overwhelmed already. Trying not to think too much about all the things that need to get done in the next 9 days. The show last night was, well, one of those shows that just doesn’t go right. My voice wasn’t really present at all, which caught me off guard completely as I thought I’d been feeling pretty good, and that surprise just sort of killed my confidence. We all have these shows from time to time. But we did have a great time catching up with Matt Hopper again. Talking about the future, catching up on mutual friends, getting a couple glasses of scotch and exploring Boise’s oldest bar. Boise is a fun town. Matt is someone I have known for about 10 years. We were on the same Velvet Blue Music comp and have been in contact since about then. I think we’ve both grown a lot as artists and as people since way back then and it’s fun to catch up. He’s very talented too.
Tonight will be a house show with Insomniac Folklore. I will see some of my closest and dearest friends for the last time (probably until next touring season) and then hop on a plane. I’m a bit sad about it to be honest. This tour has been a really good one to get refilled on. I will miss my friends and my favorite part of the country immensely. Looking forward to the plane trip home. That’s always a good place to prepare. I love being in the air.
The flight home was wonderful. I love how quiet being in the air is. An ipod and a pair of good head phones cancel out the sounds of crying babies. I happened to get a window seat (flying Southwest means I don’t get to choose) and the most beautiful cloudy scene unfolded in front of me as I flew home. Refilling me and giving me time to prepare for coming back to Nashville. It was gorgeous.