Wild West Tour Comes To An End

The long drive across Kansas. The mountains fading in the rear view mirror. *Sigh*  We stopped and broke up the monotony with a song:

https://youtu.be/YFZtWWyM2Ng

We took a break from the tent and spent the night at this cute joint

The next night was our show in Columbia Missouri at The Bridge. At the last minute, Beth Bombara from St. Louis joined the bill, which was awesome to get to hear her, finally. We have a few mutual industry friends who have been suggesting we should meet, that we'd make for good friends. They were right! 

Here's her website, so you should check out her new album: http://bethbombara.com/

The next two shows were in Indiana on the same day, both outside in extremely humid heat. Independent Music And Arts Festival in Indianapolis is a great event, which we've played a couple times. It's always well attended and supported by the community.  The band that played before us was phenomenal. Sweet Poison Victim, and they're from Indianapolis. Unfortunately they don't tour much at all because they mostly have "normal" jobs that tie them down. Booo to normal jobs!  Ruining bands!  That's why you have to tip, buy merch, support bands so they can break free from the 9-5 yoke and just make the music you love. 

After pouring our heart and sweat out on the stage, we quickly loaded out, grabbed some tacos, and headed up to Lafayette for our second festival of the day. The rain pushed the schedule back, but when we took the stage, blue skies appeared. We poured out the rest of our sweat and souls into the speakers, and made a lot of new friends. Lafayette is super cute. Go, if you have a chance. 

So? That was it!  The 5,000 mile month of travel is done. I'm happy to get home and back to work on our third album. We have a handful of local shows this summer, and a run out to NY for 5 or 6 days, those dates will be announced soon. Other than that, it's songwriting and recording. 

Thanks everyone for the support on this tour. It's your presence at the shows that makes this all worthwhile. Thanks for enjoying us!

P.S.

I'm home. We have no TV so I can't watch the Cavs game. But I can say that Akron turned into a jungle while I was gone!  The first thing I do when I come home, my ritual, is to walk our property and take stock of the changes in the flora. I'm shocked at how successful everything is, especially last year's calendula that is taking over with intense propagation of one corner of the garden. I'm excited for drying those flowers and making more calendula salve, last season's batch was awesome. Everything is not only alive, but has grown as fast - or faster than Suzi. And she's  almost 2 inches taller and has new teeth!  I'm happy to be home. There's desert sand and sage leaves on my floor, laundry piled up almost as high as the good memories. All in!

Day 20 - Wild West Tour

While we're out on tour, interesting things are happening back home. The Cavs are kicking some butt, there's some line-up changes in the Akron Mayoral corner, and there's the release of the video of our performance at Sofar Sounds in April. It was an unplugged secret show in a warehouse in Cleveland. The song is "Good", and the studio version of this song will be on our upcoming record. Here's the video link:

http://youtu.be/vQ0oUopYp3w

Also, this sweet show is just announced! Jessica is a very long time friend of mine, and I can't wait for this show!

So, where we left off on the last blog was in Taos. We left there and headed north into Colorado through some of the most beautiful country we've seen on this tour yet.

But first, on the way out of NM we tried to stop by D.H. Lawrence's ranch, all signs saying it was open. We drove the five miles of slow dirt road to the gate and found this

So we decided to shoot a quick video of us singing our song "D.H. Lawrence", still on the property if not in front of the home. It didn't end well. Haha!  Here's the video:

http://youtu.be/LondI2flICw

I think we might move to La Veta, CO. I want at least 10 acres with a view of the Spanish Peaks. A girl can dream...

Here's a picture Suzi took from the backseat, Spanish Peaks off in the distance. 

I'm obsessed with the sage found in this area. So I dug up a very small plant and have a cozy spot for him in the backseat, complete with a leopard-print neck pillow for support. We're calling him Decklan Herbert. I hope he survives. 

Once in Pueblo Colorado we found our venue: PULP magazine, a local art/music/scene publication that has begun hosting shows in it's office space. The place was packed with the most eager, happy, music-lovers I think we've ever played for. Rhythmic and able to harmonize too... I know because we got the audience involved in several songs and it was perfect!  I'm already planning our return to Pueblo, it's definitely an under-dog town that has lots of love for live, original music. We seriously loved our short time there!  We shot a 2-song video before the show for the publication, so that should be out soon. 

. 

The next day was our show in Colorado Springs, at a new bar/restaurant venue called 503W. The food was great, and we had a really good time, even brought Suzi up for some harmonica and singing!  :-)

Of course, if you're in Co Springs, you have to go see the Garden of the Gods. In the park is the Balancing Rock, which is special to me because I have a picture of my great-great grandmother sitting on a donkey in front of the rock in 1841.  

So we tried to re-create it, sans-donkey and large family. I'm sitting pretty close to the correct spot:

We went up Pike's Peak, too. Jayson climbed the 14,114' mountain in his 20's, but today we took the train. With record snowfall this year, we can't go all the way to the top, unfortunately. But here's some photos from nearly tip top. 

And lastly, sunset + rainbow.  Pike's Peak in the distance, Garden of the Gods in the front. 

Day 17 - Wild West Tour

We played a really fun show at The Mineshaft Tavern on Sunday. It's this nifty restaurant/bar in the old mining town of Madrid, NM. The road there is a national scenic byway called The Turquoise Trail. The views are stunning, and we kept happening upon interesting artist's dwellings and work. 

Madrid showed up, folks had seen our show posters and looked us up in advance. I'm relieved, sometimes I wonder if people still pay attention to show posters. 

Those next few nights were very cold in the tent. By day we explored the wilderness outside of Santa Fe, the folk art museum, and the skate park. 

https://instagram.com/p/3rEzJvB3KF/

  In the evening we serenaded folks at the campground. One particular moment made my day: an elderly couple sat down to listen, so under that full moon we pulled out an old romantic tune from their time, and I saw her lay her head on his shoulder as they both closed their eyes, smiling. Making moments like that are the true joy of making music. 

Wednesday we took the high road to Taos to play at The Taos Inn. I have played here before, as bassist for Hey Mavis several years ago.  

The gig was fun, and actually the power went out 4 songs in, so we performed most of the first set all acoustic. Like the last couple of gigs, everyone is from somewhere else. Playing at hotels like this, El Cosmico, and campgrounds means earning fans from all over the world. 

Taos kinda sucked us in. We made friends with Charlie, an environmentalist who was so much fun to talk to. We spent a little time at The Spot and  traded a CD for coffee. Sarah the shopkeeper on the plaza who was so excited to see us perform on the street. Denice and Mark, who I met several years ago through Ed Caner. Mark was playing at the gazebo downtown the next night, so we stayed to hang out. The crowd there was great, any one of those people would have stuck out in Akron, but in Taos they all blend in as one big artistic bunch. Keep Taos weird. I love it!  

Day 12 - Wild West Tour

We're in the section of the tour where we aren't playing much, because we're driving through areas without much live music scene, and the show I did get fell through at the last minute. It's a bummer to see a perfectly good weekend go to unused on tour, but we're having fun anyway. We're going to do some street performing to make up for it. 

Leaving Marfa, we drove back up through the beautiful Davis Mountains, all the way to Pecos. 

From Pecos, we drove up to Carlsbad, NM to spend the night in a campground. 

Jayson and I got up with the sunrise, he ran several miles and I did much-needed yoga. Suzi slept. 

Made breakfast, packed up, drove to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I have been there a few times as a kid, but it still amazed and took my breath away. My pictures don't do it justice at all. 

After Carlsbad was the long drive to Alamogordo,NM. We took the southern route past the Guadalupe Mountains and El Paso. 

My grandparents had given us a few country western song books, so as I drove, Jayson played chords and Suzi read lyrics. We learned several songs, and at Guadalupe Pass we pulled over at a scenic overlook, and played "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" in front of El Capitan. Forgive me if I didn't sing it quite right, I learned while driving, and we couldn't do more than one take with a 7-year old camera operator:

http://youtu.be/xOr0Sc2IHY8

Day 9 - Wild West Tour

Since we had a show in Marfa, we thought we should go see Big Bend since it's so close. It's one of the few places in Texas I have never been.  Until now. Big Bend National Park is the big bend in the Rio Grande which gives West Texas it's familiar shape on the map.  What makes it so special is a combination of geologic factors: as I understand it, an ancient mountain range spanning the state (mostly eroded or buried now) was formed by plate movements in the time of Pangaea. The activity caused a string of volcanoes, which erupted and left behind beautiful formations that we now call The Davis Mountains, and Big Bend. The basaltic layer collapsed in the Pre-Cambrian days, which left us with the massive mesas and buttes, and the Chihuahuan desert strewn with volcanic rocks. That kinda sums it up, but really it's just beautiful scenery. 

You should visit in the fall, winter or sunrise. We didn't get there early enough to stand the heat. 

After our show at El Cosmico, we had all our gear plus the PA system to break down and put away, in the dark, cold desert wind. By the time we all got to bed (or cot as the case may be), it was around midnight. The night was restless and cold, with no sound barrier against anyone who passes by the tent talking and laughing with friends or starting their motorcycles before sunrise. So we tried to sleep-in a little, which meant 9:00am. Made breakfast of oats, boiled eggs and cherries, and hit the long road to Big Bend. The drive there is just as awe-inspiring as you could imagine.  

Excuse the bug-stained windshield. 

Big Bend:

The temperature reached 105 degrees fahrenheit, and I think the humidity was strangely high, estimating between 40-50%, due to the weather system moving across the state. We were roasting. Poor Suzi was miserable, and a bit delirious, dehydration was trying to take hold. Nothing like a nagging mom making you drink water every 4-5 steps!  The air-conditioned scenic drive was better than the hike. 

We drove back to El Cosmico in Marfa, exhausted and coated in sweat. Off to the west were huge storm clouds with wicked lightening, whipping winds, and a bit intimidating for sleeping in a tent. We showered in the open-air stalls cold water and let the wind dry us while we watched the lightening show. Behind us was a beautiful setting sun. We didn't see the actual Marfa Lights (an inexplicable anomaly much like the northern lights), but we had a nice view just the same:

https://instagram.com/p/3SgmRvB3FY/