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October 28th, 2009: Eastward, Passing Ghosts Approaching high desert! Flagstaff, Arizona was a cute little villa a la Missoula or Asheville and I liked it immediately. I admit I have some magnetism towards the small hippie cities. Played a brewery across from the train station in the heart of town, on the patio outside. It was an absolutely gorgeous autumnal day and my first set went by peacefully with the wind blowing by- definitely a good number of appreciative and relaxed head-nodding from the rotating audience who joined me outside. My second, louder set followed, which could not help but to be enlightened by a peculiar event initiated by a stranger between sets. The people you meet on tour! The rest of the day I felt positively haunted. I walked around town with a purpose but no destination. The Albuquerque and Austin shows were both cancelled- unfortunately out of my control. I especially wanted to test out Austin in lieu of SXSW 2010 which I am considering making an appearance at, but alas I had to settle for traversing these cities as a frugal tourist. So much driving. Thousands of miles in one week. Texas is truly torture to drive through, especially alone. Therefore New Orleans came as a huge relief. I played the Circle Bar with Damien Louviere. 'Twas a Monday night, so a small crowd, but the ones who were there loved our sets and we sold them CDs and accepted their offers for drinks. Yes, please. Afterwards Damien showed me around the city and within an hour of reaching the French Quarter, I had visions of moving to Louisiana. What a graceful, flowing, musical city. More driving. The landscape was getting quite familiar by now. Back in the East for sure. Green hills turned to mountains and I was in Knoxville for a mixed bag of entertainment at the Pilot Light. Some failed comedy from the openers (Sir Mix A Lot covers, really?) so I felt confident in following up. Had a few drinks before the show and ended up playing one of the best shows of the tour- totally reckless and right on. Poised, perched, swinging guitars round my neck and vocals aimed at the heavens. It was loud, it was volumatic! Volumous! (I want to make more synonyms for loud). I was ready to go home with this show under my belt. Took the long way back to Asheville through the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The foliage is perfect right now. After so long, so weird/nice to be home. The final show at Modaddy's was pretty great. Lots of people came out and I registered the event at 350.org to coincide with the International Day of Climate Action. Donated a bit of my door proceeds to NC Warn. One more time through these songs and I could safely say I was ready to retire for a little while... October 11th, 2009: Guess I'm Fringe but I Still Got the Itch So the West, as they say, is different than the East because of one thing alone: SPACE. So it makes sense it’s been so long since I’ve written, right? (how’s that for poetic license?) When I last wrote I had entered the Northwest. After conquering the Pacific, I traveled to Oregon and played a string of shows from Portland to Eugene, all pretty standard shows as shows go. Low lights, loud songs, attempted connections, missed opportunities. All in the small world of rock shows... Managed to write/finish a new song in Portland (a rare occasion on the road) and tried it out in Bend. It’s called “Reflections of a Gallery Janitor” and it’s about an art gallery janitor, who, being an artist himself (though an unnoticed one), decides the only way to match the fame of the artists surrounding him is to burn down the gallery. It would evolve over the next few shows as I added some layers, as I do. Beaches, weddings, retreats, more National Parks, and a few weeks passed, and I was in windy San Francisco with my new friend, poison oak (ugh). Nevertheless, got to play with my old friends from Maine, Citadelle, who had changed their sound a lot since I last saw them 2 years ago (less 60s influences, more muscle and songwriting variation). Kimo’s was a cool venue on two floors- the bottom bar was full of older men who seemed pretty excited over the prospect of a few young indie rockers joining their ranks. Made sure to keep an eye on my drinks that evening! We had a good time upstairs; our little world in the middle of a big city. Los Angeles came after- Santa Monica to be exact- and
the crowd totally made the show this time- kindness welcomed me into LA
County- totally unexpected! I was thinking it'd be unforgiving and filthy. Venice Beach, the museum of Jurassic
Technology, Sunken City…so many interesting, entertaining things in that
city. Played Huntington Beach (the town where my parents met) which was
cool. Neat to see the womb of my family- thank god it's on the coast. San Diego was soon after (cheap
Mexican food!) and I ended up jamming with a member of Unwritten Law after
the show…?? Good folks dispersed throughout all of this… So many people telling me they are envious of my travels, telling me to keep “doing it”- and by all means I’m Doing It…it’s good confirmation, but mark my word the next time it will be with a band in tow. I can’t wait to muscle out these songs as a three piece when I get back to Asheville. I've reached 10,000 miles for this trip. Next: desert, and 2 weeks from “home”- whatever that means at this point. October 10th: More photos from the road The tour is winding down to the last 2 weeks! A new blog entry to come soon, but for now you can see more photos from the road by clicking here: Tour of Retreat photos, part II September 13th: iTunes/CDBaby links, and pictures from the road! Hello all- no blog today but much news! First of all, the album is now available on iTunes and CDBaby! Follow the links below to purchase a copy!  
And you can still get a physical copy by ordering straight from Alive and Well Records. Also, it's about time I fess up and admit...the current tour is as much a tour as it is a road trip (hey I'm a one-man band, I can do that). I've been exploring National Parks and seeing old friends all over the place between gigs, and you can check out some of the pictures I've taken here: Tour of Retreat photos, part I Meanwhile I'll be keeping the blog pretty musical. Maybe someday I'll be real verbose and have a separate travel blog (eek). Thanks for keeping up- see you next in San Francisco on the 29th! dup September 11th, 2009: Amongst Conifers (Hailey to Tacoma)
There is a parallel in Idaho- the farther North you go, the more interesting the landscape gets (to a point). Hailey, Idaho was quaint, quiet, and the Sun Valley Brewery treated me like a king with fresh brews, enchiladas, and general goodwill. I played two long sets, one of which was full of songs I hadn't played in ages..."Join the Light" and "Saints and Soldiers" from the Disaster Stories EP, the ones that got stuck between the cracks ("Emery's Exile"), outtakes from the record, old Cardinal Heart tunes, and even a few covers (have you listened to that Adem record yet?) Felt good to have the time and space to give the quieter songs the attention they deserve, and I was surprised by how a few of them still felt vital. Drank a few more beers than I'm accustomed to these days (the amber was my favorite), so sleep came easy at a friend's house that night. Skip ahead past a week of camping and hiking in the National Parks, and I'm in Seattle for a show at Nectar Lounge. Great venue- liked it right off the bat, from the friendly staff to the retro-rusted sign out front in the courtyard. The Fremont neighborhood- which is said to be the center of the universe, or so the signs would have you believe- gave me good memories that day, and although the crowd was sparse (Tuesday night), I sold some merch to the few in attendance and saw the giant Fremont Troll thanks to my new best travelling companion, roadsideamerica.com. I'm curious to see what sights they have for Asheville on there- amongst the things I searched for in Seattle were a mysterious monolith in Magnuson Park (did not find, but I did end up in a blackberry patch, prompting me to eat about a pound of them on the spot), a tow truck shaped like a foot (toe truck), and a large silver rocket right around the corner from Nectar.
I have slept with my guitar at least 4 times this trip so far. Checked out the EMP once more- I have a distinct memory of Dylan piquing my interest for the first time here back in 2003, though it would be another 2 years before I followed it. Actually my 8th grade English teacher Mrs. Bowman was the first person I remember to tell me about him, in particular dissecting "Mr. Tambourine Man" as a drug dealer metaphor (it's got to be more than that)- but I was years away from being ready for Bob. Onto Tacoma, WA- the home of my lovely Neko Case. I drove through here once years ago, and was told about the 'Tacoma Aroma' which permeates the city limits- and I can safely say it hasn't gone away! A mix between your typical paper mill smog and your redneck neighbor's dirty basement. But once you're there for 10 minutes you don't notice it anymore.
Drove past the Java Jive, which I had been told was a 'legendary dive' in the shape of a tea kettle (pictured above). Great, I thought, one of these gigs. But in reality the dive was matched by kitschy charm and the atmosphere was made good by some outgoing locals that I met in the parking lot. I drank some pop (root), which I've been putting down more than the real stuff on this tour (or this stuff)- trading one vice for another, I guess. Luke Stevens opened up the night and played through an old boutique amp and I played a shorter set to an attentive group of his friends and general wanderers of the Northwest. Neko did not show, but Luke did play 'Moonshiner'- my favorite Dylan track- which was, strangely, the second show I've played this year where someone played that song. Good renditions, both times, and since I lost my copy of my favorite version, it was nice to get a refresher and sing along. 2 days later I saw the Pacific for the first time. September 1st, 2009: Can I stand the quiet? (Minneapolis to Logan)
The buildings of St. Paul, MN were clean but seemed more like dioramas or cardboard cutouts than real architecture. Nevertheless, I felt good here- ever since crossing the Mississippi earlier in the day, I had grown a little more (if not overly) sensitive to my surroundings- perhaps us fish are more vulnerable near the headwaters of such a national artery. That night, I checked out the science museum and played a great gig at the Hexagon Bar in Minneapolis- highlights were the tribal trip of Daughters of the Sun and the high octane Bouncer Fighter. Lots of energy, lots of people. Good show.
Iowa was about what I expected. Fun to drive around in the country (not as flat as you'd think) but Des Moines didn't offer me much. I played Hull Avenue Tavern to some hip folks who politely asked me after my set, "Why are you here?" I was told to go to Ames or Iowa City next time for a more receptive audience. Okay! Done. Not a lot of loveloss leaving the Midwest, though my hosts had awesome Huskies.
Nebraska was long so Sean Penn read me Dylan's Chronicles. Experienced a terrifying storm in my tent in the plains that night, but made it to Colorado dry. The Rockies and the locals I met blew my mind...I began to understand the term ecstatic peace. I saw my first tumbleweed, etc. The amazement was repeated as I drove through Glenwood Canyon, southern Utah, Arches and Canyonlands, and finally into Salt Lake, where my energy and morale levels bottomed out a bit. SLC didn't come easy for me- the sound was way off during the show and gas money wasn't even made (despite there being 40-50 people there) - threw me off for the rest of my time there. However, Chris from Elegant Curses had a very interesting self-made Korg key-tar thing (pictured below) and it was fun to watch him make it sing. Enjoyed meeting the people in SLC but had to leave the next day in a rush (after hours of obligatory Internetting).
The desert had dried me out. Upon entering it above Moab, my defenses had shifted- I was in such unfamiliar territory- I started to get dry in the mouth and making sure my resources were in check. Allthisspace was starting to re-align my senses, and it was unsettling for a few days. A wonderful part of touring is how sudden events or strangers can revive you. Logan, Utah was just that for me- walking downtown in Mormon central, I immediately met several kind souls who returned me to my optimism. The show was great that night at Why Sound, a combination venue and studio- a young crowd listened attentively as I sang my tunes for the first time in a few days, but what had seemed like an eon. They were alive again! "Dodger" was louder than ever. Sold more CDs than I had any other night of the tour.
Many conversations with my hosts about Mormonism and Joseph Smith that night, and into the morning. Led me to make a tee-shirt to piss off the locals, as well as the above shrine. And again, I ventured into the Northern latitudes... August 14th, 2009: I never only speak in lies/the sky is turning ovoid (lakes to Milwaukee) A stiff, constricted night’s sleep in the Saturn prefaced my journey alongside Lake Michigan. My new best friend is my GPS, whom I've named Anthro (Ant for short). She has been helping me find libraries, rest stops, and free breakfasts lately. That evening’s show was in the small hamlet of Lake Villa, IL, a land of privatized and bacteria-filled lakes where fish like myself are prohibited from swimming...anywhere (trust me- I tried a good few times before I gave up and headed to the venue).
Swing State is a combo hookah lounge/coffee shop/all ages venue. Initially, the vibes were awkward. The bill ended up as varied as a bill could be in the middle of nowhere- myself, followed by two Christian hardcore bands, a singer/songwriter, and a comedic, personable cabaret singer from Ohio. Hookahs, metal, positivity…! The difference in faiths and lifestyles was pretty apparent, but we all got along, though it was admittedly hilarious to see some of the Christians checking out my t-shirt (a somewhat blasphemous image of Jesus in pink)- which prompted them to return to our conversations thereafter with a little more hesitancy. If only they had read my lyrics too, we could've had some good discussions! Camped out behind the venue in the heat. I can't seem to escape the rain. Also, the time zone thing has confused me, since southeastern Indiana, unless like the rest of the state, is not in CST. According to a Terre Haute resident, "it's cos all of thos' Republicans!" Detour to the wonderful (though construction-heavy) city of Madison, WI to find John Muir's black locust tree. At one point I recharged my phone on the side of a church, and I thought, Jesus is powering my cell phone. Then to Chicago, where I snuck into cemeteries and wandered in Millennium Park and smiled incessantly at the activity. Swimming downtown is a strange, satisfying feeling (and they won’t let you get in over your chest).
Darkroom was a great venue, but the sound was off and I played a lackluster set. Pree is always a good show. TV Set was the oddity of the night, with such lyrical head-scratchers as "you can walk your dog- or eat him" and charming banter such as "Tasmanian devils are extinct, just like me!" What? Headed to Milwaukee the next night, a city that immediately revealed itself to me as a host of many different odors- fried food, hops (?), corn, pastries…a wild assortment of options for your olfactory, however you split it. Monkey Bar had surprisingly good sound and managed to sell a good amount of CDs, although a majority of the crowd was more involved with beer pong in the other room (I guess people really liked high school- they seem to never leave it). Learned how to tune a gu-zheng (Chinese zither) with my Couchsurfing hosts. It is good to be in the North again, with people who are familiar with blizzards and genuine (not manmade) lakes. The clouds here seem to hang higher in the sky, like glaciers. I feel more protected by them in these latitudes, and on my drive to Minneapolis I began to spin the illusion that the middle of the sky was turning ovoid the further West I went.
August 10th, 2009: Oh, memory/the Blue Nothing (Lexington to Lake Michigan) A fakeout- I turned Eastward, albeit momentarily, towards Lexington, KY. Insane traffic. Spurs fragmentary writing. I'm "reading" a book on CD for the first time this trip, which has prompted me to yell at the barrage of passing semi-trailers and trucks while I turn my ear to try and hear the dialogue: "Dude! Can't you see I'm reading here?" Played an artspace called Chaosome (perhaps the greatest venue name ever) which was right behind Al's Bar. Foosball had excited the young crowd. I played loud. Felt good. The Sidekicks played even louder (add to the 'forgot to pack' list: guitar stand, mic clip, aaaaannnnddd earplugs). Was excited to see Shane from Future Kings of Nowhere play a solo set because it seemed like he was on the path to a new chapter in his musical career- one that included quitting his job, breaking up with his girlfriend, and moving to NYC. Viva the fellow transients! Good luck, sir- feels good, doesn't it? Farmer's market in the morning, and a sunny drive where I tried to figure out how to eat seeded grapes properly. Onto Terre Haute, IN, where I was welcomed with an interview for a local TV station. You can see the clip here. What a dork! Coffeeshop and a weak dinner at Mooger's (smelled stale and they served me a whiskey when I ordered a cape cod), then played to a noisy crowd at The Verve. Though, it might look cooler to say I played with The Verve instead of at The Verve. I can say it was a typing error if anyone catches me. Meanwhile, I'll get passive promotion and uber-cred for opening for The Verve... Twas a fun, late-night scene- I played as loud and uninhibited as I could, but it was still very much a bar crowd who may have been more interested in the meat market aspect of the night than the music onstage (Micha Walk who played after me, and had played there before, confirmed it). Nevertheless, met some good-natured locals and actually drank until 4am (unlike me). Funness.
Rainy drive through Indiana the next day. Discovered that I lost my ATM card. Morale was low, despite having visited Traderspoint Creamery, where my favorite yogurt in the world is made in Zionsville, IN ("I come from North Carolina to taste your yogurt"). Things were flattening out- the terrain, my mood, even any music I put on. Camping seemed unlikely for the night due to the wetness falling from the sky.. Then I pulled into a full view of Lake Michigan and all was healed. Quite instantly. I stood gazing at my faux-ocean for the next week and then took a glorious swim. I miss living near a large body of water so much to the extent where it honestly hurts my soul- but it makes for wonderful reunions too. Rice was cooked. Peace was had. More from the Central Time Zone soon. August 8th, 2009: Purchase Journal of Retreat now! Get your own copy of the new record by clicking here! The album is only available thru Alive and Well and at my shows until later in the month! August 5th, 2009: Driving away/DUP TO THE FUTURE Guess it's been a little while since I wrote. So much has happened! To catch up, I've signed a deal with Alive and Well Records. They're going to release the record officially in early 2010. Meanwhile the record is available at shows and soon online (will post links). The show with Gray Young in Raleigh was grand. The Downtown Live show got rained out (to our delight) and all three bands killed it. Friends abound. The following day, Dan from Gray Young told me that afterwards, he had dreamt he was flying through 80s movies when a Delorean pulled up. I got out and the words DUP TO THE FUTURE appeared on the bottom of the [dream] screen. Anyone who is proficient with Photoshop: you now know what I want for Christmas. By now I've started my journey out West. The Rocket Club kickoff was a success- a diverse crowd came out, and for the first time I played some of these songs with a band behind me. Truly exciting to hear them come to life! Up until now, there has been two entities to SS- the recorded side of things (bigger) and the live show (one-man). This show convinced me how much I missed having humans to play with again! You can expect a full band behind me after this tour-harmonies and all.
On Monday I drove out of the mountains to Knoxville to start my first full U.S. tour. I did a live radio performance for a full crowd through WDVX- those are always interesting because they prefer quietude to noisy effects loops. I played a new song on the keys to accommodate. Having been out to the bars the night before, I recognized a fair amount of locals, including a member of Royal Bangs. This city is much smaller than previously thought.
Proceeded to drive through a truly terrifying rainstorm into Kentucky- actually had to pull over it was so bad. Upon entering Louisville, my nerves were still a bit ramshackle, and the city itself seemed to mirror my own feelings- under a deluge, the downtown was muted. The gig at Derby City Espresso was therefore a bit sparse, but the hardwood floors and the local menagerie welcomed the songs nonetheless. Ben Traughber sounded like Crispin Glover if he was a musician (and apparently when I told him this, I found out Crispin Glover was a musician...so, I guess I gotta look into that). Played with much more confidence than the radio gig (what can I say, I like to get loud). Louisville has a lot of bridges over its muddy river. Maybe I'm too critical of rivers being from New England, but goddammit I just want to swim in a clean, clear river. Everywhere I go in the South and Midwest has these brown rivers. And for those of you that are privy, the river I grew up on (the 'Scroggin) is hardly an example of environmental stewardship (though it has come a ways)- but at least I can see the bottom! I digress. Backtracking to Lexington tonight. July 5th, 2009: Album update Journal of Retreat is going to be available on August 1st. It's going to look like this:
I'm in negotiations about its official release (via a local label) but it's going to be available for the tour kickoff show that night- which, by the way is going to be an excellent show: Lewis, Ba Man Bia, Darien, and myself will be playing. Also, I will have a full band behind me for the first time (a tease of what's the come). Not to be missed! June 24th, 2009: Podcast posted, album tracklisting Two months ago while I was up in the Good North, I meandered into Somerville, MA and taped a live session for Band in Boston. You can see a video below and hear the full 6-song podcast by clicking here.
There will be exciting album news coming very soon, but for now I can tell you the tracklisting for Journal of Retreat will be as follows:
The national tour is fast approaching- check the shows page for the most updated listing of shows! May 28th, 2009: The album title The debut record is going to be released in August. It's called Journal of Retreat. Andrew and I finished some last minute overdubs this week- including a big group singalong for "Let's Try It". I haven't sang in a big group of people like that in a while- it was completely refreshing. Going to sound great. The goal is to have everything mixed and mastered by mid-June. We're on track. dup May 10th, 2009: Spring tour update #2 Left Maine in hopes that the way back down south would be a little less disastrous than the way up. Took a scenic route to Burlington- I only get so many chances to drive through the White Mountains these days. I miss New England!
In Burlington I played with my good friends Villanelles and their buddy, the one-man band Parmaga. We played in a TINY coffee shop and packed it, to the point that it felt like I was playing with everyone else in the room. Pretty intimate. Villanelles have only gotten better since I last saw them, and watching Parmaga was probably the closest I've come to watching my own set- his sounds were more electronic than mine, and he had a higher vocal range than me, but the idea was very similar. The next day I tried to avoid my computer (difficult- I am an addict) as we set up for a friend's birthday party. I had to leave just as things were getting rolling- some Pollock-esque paint splattering (which ties in with the theme of the Contrary EP for those of you with a copy), men in dresses, lawn geese turned flamingo... Along the way to Connecticut my ears had the pleasure of soaking in a record by Julie Doiron, which I listened to 3 times in a row- something I rarely do. Rural Vermont is a nice place. I wish I could've spent more time trying to find Neko Case's barn in Montpelier, but alas, my time on the road is limited. The venue that night-Cousin Larry's- smelled a bit like a bowling alley but the employees were gracious. The bar crowd was typically apathetic and the bands were quite a mismatch, but like any other gig I played my ass off. Walked the streets of Danbury after- a city I used to mallshop at as a kid- a reminder that things have changed (for the better!)
Stayed with family in nearby Mt. Kisco and spent the next day in a coffee shop working on booking shows for the big summer/fall tour (it has begun!)- it was rainy outside anyway. On the drive to Philly I attempted something I had never tried before- peeing in a bottle while driving- couldn't do it- stage fright or something. Crossed the ghostly Tappan Zee and thankfully the fog covered up the view to the city. Philadelphia is a city I've only known in bits and pieces over the years. I continued my fragmented unraveling of it that evening by exploring the Old City for the first time. Had a delicious slice of pizza on Market Street and managed to get a parking ticket almost immediately upon stopping the car. Played the Khyber (which the man himself Iggy Pop had played only years before) to a good crowd, but some bureaucratic nonsense at the end of the show left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I will spare you the details. Some highlights though: Jamie Harrison's guitarist smashed his axe at the end of their set (I thought that the move immediately justified his gold-laced jacket and sunglasses), Pitom's drummer's facial expressions, and on and on... I hydroplaned my way across the state to Pittsburgh the following day, unaware of the ridiculous toll that awaited me on the other side (20 fucking dollars- worse than its Jersey counterpart that I try so hard to avoid). As it poured nonstop the entire day, I talked with a friend who was in the middle of the desert in Nevada and laughed at the contrast. Soon enough I will be in the desert too, I had to remind myself. Entering Pittsburgh gave me the feel of my grandmother's basement- full of useful but outdated things, all boxed up. The gig at Garfield was a lot of fun though- quite unexpected for a Monday night gig. It was just the type of crowd you want- maybe not the biggest but one where 100% of the people there came to listen to music (and buy CDs!). Renewed my faith a little bit after a financially strenuous tour. I talked Vindell's ear off about their record- they had it available only on flash drives. I've heard about this but never known anyone to be actually doing it. Very cool- expect my record to be available like that this summer. Pittsburgh didn't make me feel claustrophobic like most cities do- I took that as a good sign. Learned about an interesting character in John Fetterman- the mayor of a small PA town called Braddock who's trying to build his city back from the brink using art installations as economic stimuli (amongst other things). The dude is like 6'8" and a beast too. Wikipedia that dude. Drove through more rain that day, into the innards of WV and out to Virginia, where I arrived in Lynchburg. Ate at a delicious Peruvian restaurant called Macchu Picchu- treated myself to an expensive meal for once instead of skipping it altogether. Played to only a few people at Speakertree Records that evening, but Kurt Heasley from Lilys ended up playing after me- he had just returned from opening for My Bloody Valentine the night before. What a change for him. Good people all around though, and once I found out he had sang on Neko Case's new record, I had to talk him up. A very unique personality. Stayed in a former crackden-turned transient artist abode owned by a Hackensaw Boy that night with the owner of Speakertree, Blair Amberley. Blair and his girlfriend have an admirable vision for the city of Lynchburg- much like Fetterman, they're attempting to inject art into a somewhat artless city. A brave odyssey indeed.
More rain driving to Asheville the next day, where I discovered that someone had stolen my hammock while on tour. The tour of theft. Thursday night I opened for Bowerbirds and La Strada at the Rocket Club in Asheville. It was the first day there had been consistent sun since I left Maine, so I was in a good mood and played an energetic set to a willing crowd. The other bands were great, the mood was jovial, and Phil from Bowerbirds ended the night by doing a version of my favorite Dylan song, "Moonshiner"- the last lines of the night-the tour- were sung aptly: the whole world's a bottle/but life is but a dram when the bottle gets empty/it sure ain't worth a damn Amen. Thanks for being a part. DUP ps- see all the pictures from the tour here May 1st, 2009: Spring tour update #1 Let's try and recap without any mention of the aforementioned tragedy, shall we? Well, this is in good humour:
Chapel Hill w/ The White Cascade @ The Cave. We had the early show so the crowd was slow to trickle in, but Veelee's set after both of ours was charming enough to make it feel a-okay. I love me some duos! After meandering in the ridiculous glory of 80 degree heat the next afternoon, I made my way to Arlington, VA/D.C. where I stayed with my Couchsurfing friend Aaron and ate frozen yogurt made by rocket scientists. Then off to NYC which was fine until I tried to go in the Holland Tunnel and it took 2 hours of Jersey traffic- a kind reminder that I really do hate New York City. Fun to visit, but that's about it. I can't believe I was actually thinking of moving here. Played at Piano's upstairs to a decent crowd. Saw some familiar faces. Mattison closed the night with lovely Rhodes-led lounge pop. The DJ on deck must've not liked it as much as I did, though, because before the last song could finish ringing out, the place turned into a dance club IMMEDIATELY and we had to lug our gear through two floors of dancing drunk people. Not cool. My friend Luke and I spent the rest of the evening wandering about Brooklyn- my much preferred borough of the city. Luke disappeared in the morning so I got a smoothie with my friend Matt and drove to my old stomping grounds in Boston. Managed to even find the nice part of Connecticut to drive through. Dinner with some family in Brookline and then to PA's Lounge where I played a short but strong set to some receptive ears. The bartender was a bit saucy but it's always a good sign when the booking agent for a club is actually present for your show AND is a sweetheart- such is the case with Jen Guthrie. I went off with friends and chinchillas into Jamaica Plain for the night, then returned to Somerville on Sunday to do a taping of bandinboston, a podcast/website which Jen and her husband Andy run. I set up my gear in their living room and went at it. Was even treated to some snacks and an afternoon beer to boot. Great company and good times...
Made the scenic drive to Northampton, where I immediately ran into TJ and Ali from Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (Northampton is that small, yes). We had a lot of time to kill before the show, so we walked around and ate some food and I confirmed how much I want to live in the valley at some point. Loitered with the other bands til LLTB went on and slayed (once again, the duos reign supreme) and I followed with my best set of the tour yet. I even showed the crowd my tour hair. There were a lot of other bands that night, and I liked mostly everybody. Dame Satan's set was particularly interesting. There's something about the sound of California... Stayed with my friend Jose and drove to Maine the next day. Home! Finally able to relax a bit. My Portland show was smashing as always. Everyone got pretty pissed for a Tuesday night, I was impressed. More later... DUP April 23rd, 2009: Some unfortunate tour news hi
friends April 22nd, 2009: Recording a debut record, part III/SPRING TOUR As of today, basic tracking for the record is finished!
Now it's Andrew's job at Landslide to make it sound all pretty... April 12th, 2009: Recording a debut record, part II
I'm down to the final week of tracking. Things are moving along nicely... Yesterday my friend Billy Jack (of Man in the Shower, Ba Man Bia, and others) came to Woodfin to lay down some cello for "Dodger". I had never recorded the instrument before- though it's always been my dream to play it- so I half-expected some tonal nightmares, but 10 tracks later we got a very lush arrangement. I've never heard one of my songs be transformed so immediately. Amazing what those orchestral instruments can do do a rock song. My friend Simon Goldberg (from just about every Asheville band you can think of) also laid down some trumpet last month. Sweet. I think the lyrical themes are beginning to unite for this collection...I'm finding that although these songs were written anywhere from 5 years ago ("Car Crash Headline") to this year ("The Afterlife is A Slideshow"), there is something tying them all together.
I've been inspired to make some tools. The box that my amp came in is now serving double duty as my kitchen table and as a bass drum.
Have I forgotten to say how great the tambourine is? DUP April 4th, 2009: Flocking Disaster music video After much deliberation and delay, the official music video for "Flocking Disaster" is finally finished. Watch it below!
Thank you to Gavin Hart for his direction and Ben Jackson for the strange engineering feats that unfold before your eyes. If you have any questions about what the hell that thing is, you can find out more information about the T.A.R.D.I.S here and here . DUP February 15th, 2009: Recording a debut record, part I
So the split EP is recorded and all, we're just waiting on all the boring stuff now- the M's (money, materials, mixing). Meanwhile though, I'm slowly but surely recording my debut record here in my cottage in Woodfin. I've been assembling all the pieces to have my own mini studio for years, and it's now in complete working order- Elvis head and all. The plan is to track everything here at my convenience, and then drive down the road to Landslide Studio, where my confidant Andrew Schatzberg will be mixing the record in April. Though it means I've got to tackle some of the technical issues myself, I love having the leisure to record in what would be my living room, assuming I ever hosted. There's nothing like midnight vocal sessions in the kitchen with a candle and some green tea- though watching "Chinatown" on mute while tracking piano at Landslide was kind of unforgettable in its own way too. That fort-like construction? Not a result of cabin fever, actually just some experimenting with micing the bass drum. Worked alright. Will keep you posted on the process, as well as the search for a label to release this thing come summertime! January 18th, 2009: All songs will now be free to download! This weekend was POPAsheville, the only truly great rock festival of the year in the region. This year was the best it's ever been. Heypenny from Nashville floored me with their energy, La Zoom shuttled everyone around in a big purple bus, and the mood was jubilant through all the workshops and shows. An amazing time, with so much talent bouncing off the walls. I was bummed I couldn't be a part (no solo artists...) but my amp's in the shop anyways...
January 11th, 2009: Christmas tour blog 3: Descending/revolving/returning My final days in Maine were peaceful. I got my Head Rush fixed, thanks to Steve, and made my way down to Providence, RI. I played at a place named Tazza, a tastefully-lit downtown restaurant/bar with a really cool illuminated bar. Ted Adams opened the night but unfortunately had some equipment problems and had to cut his set short (I know the feeling). My set was celebratory since all my equipment was back to working order- my enthusiasm came off in the loops, for sure. Spanish Dancer ended the night with an unexpected dose of energy- they set the room alight and were good folks too. Started snowing on my way out, when I discovered a pair of boxers that were not mine had been placed inside the back of my amp. Unknown origin. Observe confused but appreciative reaction here:
My Couchsurfing hosts Randy
and Matthew were exceptional. Randy even gave me a pair of his pants.
Pretty cool. 3 hours of sleep followed.
December 30th, 2008: Christmas tour blog 2: Maine holiday Few days rest at home to sort things out. Maine is and will always be my home and every time I return to the Good North it's a bit more surreal, a bit more tempting to move back forever. I know in my bones that I will return someday, and it will be permanent, but I can't say exactly when it will happen. Nevertheless it's good to be back for more than a week for once.
I spilled
beer on my Head Rush loop pedal in Boston, so I spent most of the day
after Christmas scrambling to get it fixed. If you've seen my set
recently, you'll know that pedal is pretty much the lifeblood of my live
show. Luckily, I had recently met an electrical wizard by the name of
Steve O'Connor, who builds his own handmade amplifiers (Synaptic
Amps). He helped restore my pedal to temporary working order, at least
for one show's worth, while we waited for the parts to ship from Texas.
Lifesaver! A perfect show at Slainte followed, with many friends in attendance and much to cheer about- including no equipment malfunctions! My equipment caught up to me though, during the next night's set in Lewiston. The Head Rush went out on me yet again (as well as my amp cutting in and out- another ongoing saga of which I will spare you the details). Fortunately, there was a piano there that I could play instead of my usual loud numbers. The greatest part of being a one-man band is the ability to fly by the seat of your pants when things go wrong- and most of the time it works...it encourages confidence in stepping out into the unknown. Bahama closed the night with their first show- equally shambolic as my set, but we had fun.
I walked on some beach the next day and wandered around Portland…mmm Portland. I love this city. The show at Dooryard was interesting- lots of bands, some cops, some out-of-place dancers during my set (everyone else was sitting down, quite attentive). It's always a challenge for me to play quietly, but it can be really nice to give some of these songs full dynamic focus too. Marie Stella played an excellent first gig and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper was even playing drums this time. Fun as always, with extra pickles please. Now time to enjoy snow while I've got it and fix that damn pedal. December 27th, 2008: Christmas tour blog 1: 100m sprints to blizzards Before I even hit the road this time around, my co-workers and I thought it'd be fun to have a 100m race the length of the warehouse...consequently, I took my last-minute lunge too far and ended up bloody and soaked in a puddle at the finish line (and I only got third...maybe?). Yes, I may have proved my dedication and intensity, but perhaps also my stupidity. The following drive was stiff and restrained. It's funny cos when I'm on tour I tend to joke that I must look like a hobo, cos I feel like one- what with the limited wardrobe, lack of shaving, and skipping every other meal- but this time I entered Chapel Hill looking really homeless, bandages hanging off me, bleeding... My friend Corbie's new band Battle Rockets opened. An impressive duo fit with a sampler, pedals galore, and using vocals as an instrument. Nicely done sirs! My set followed- an improvement from the show in Asheville the night before (thanks to Ken for putting me on the bill last minute though). For some reason I never seem to play good shows in Asheville...always an equipment malfunction or something off every time. Cursed to play elsewhere? Members of the Whiskey Smugglers closed the night with some raucous drink-and-sing-alongs. Good time all around. The drive to Philly the next day was long- I generally avoid driving I-95 below NYC but no such luck this time around. I enjoyed the fruits of travelling solo nearing the end of the trip, listening to an in-between AM station for a while, as the ever-morphing stations on both sides created an aural collage that kept me surprisingly alert til I reached the city limits. Pretty amazing that static can sound like that sometimes... Surefire Broadcast's 7" release show at the M Room followed. My first time playing Philly. I went first with a short set, and Padre Pio took the stage second- a powerful local trio with a guitarist that reminded me of Willem Defoe. Great stuff. Strange imagining Willem Defoe playing that type of music though. SB was third and were as entertaining as always...supreme. The Laughing Man from D.C. ended the night with some type of Devendra Banhart/Love spookiness. Good people all around, and Rodney and Lisa from SB let me stay with them at their gorgeous house in Hammonton, NJ for the night. After gazing at Lisa's amazing record collection in the AM, I discovered my car was leaking antifreeze (again)...traversed the Jersey countryside to temporarily fix that on my way to Brooklyn. Listened to LCD Soundsystem as I sailed across the BQE and into Williamsburg, where I met my friends Jack and Luke Schurman (aka Luke Rathborne). I got hit on by an old man with a cape in the first bar we went to, who approached me with a pennywhistle and politely said, "you're adoooorable" before impolitely shaking his crotch at me and blowing on his whistle. "New York I love you, but you're freaking me out..." Spike Hill was pretty empty tonight and my amp completely went out on me mid-set, but Luke and I played some impromptu songs together with what we had and made the best of it. The Rhodes had to cancel cos of snow too which was sad because I love their energy. Learned the real way to pour a Guinness from the bartender, who made me realize all the bartenders who have been mis-serving me my stouts over the years... Didn't stay out partying late as I felt myself getting a little sick. Stayed in and played on Luke's piano instead. There seemed to be reports of snow all around the city but no sign of it falling again yet... Luke and I drove to Boston the next day, taking the long way (my fault) and discovering all the snow we'd heard about. Arrived at Church just in time for us to go on. Good place and plenty of writeups in the papers, but the blizzard the night before had scared everyone into staying in for their Monday, unfortunately. Played with James from This Building's on Fire who put on a brave acoustic set. Playing all electric these days, I'm impressed with anyone like James or Luke who can just go on with an acoustic and be captivating. I'm too into my loops now to go back... Stayed in JP for the night with my friends Chris and Anna and left for wintry Maine the next day... December 17th: Christmas tour begins December 18th (tomorrow!) Come out for some shows, eh... DEC 18: Asheville, NC: THE ROCKET
CLUB w/ Rothwang, The Zealots December 9th, 2008: Asheville Christmas shows No, sadly, I will not be playing Christmas music for the upcoming Asheville shows, but isn't it enough that I'm playing two gigs in my homebase in one week? It seems like it's been a while since I've done anything close to that. CDs and yes, t-shirts, will be available. Come out and support and be warm! Happy Holidays! Saint Solitude ww/ Old Folks, Baker Family Band, and Mark Boyd (from King Tut) @ The Boiler Room: December 12th, 9pm, $5 Saint Solitude CHRISTMAS TOUR KICKOFF! **VENUE SWITCH** w/ Rothwang, The Zealots, @ The Rocket Club: December 18th, 9pm, $5 October 27th, 2008: Split EP w/ Charles Martel straight from the control center we've got word that Saint Solitude will be doing a 7-song split with fellow Asheville solo artist Charles Martel (aka Drew Veres from KING TUT). The CD will out sometime this winter (fingers crossed for a pre-Christmas release) and will feature 3 songs by each artist as well as a collaborative effort. The studio in Woodfin is now fully operational and there will be a brand new song up very very soon to celebrate the glorious month of October. Shows start again this Sunday at Snug Harbor in Charlotte! the dup September 30th, 2008: "Cinema in Life"
Show yourself on an altar September 13th, 2008: Autumnal plans Hello blog readers! News is abound. I'm taking the next month off from shows to focus on several things...1 being how the hell I'm going to record a full album in the next 9 months (finances often force compromises, as we all know). Also, I'm booking for the next tour in late December/early January, shooting a video for "Flocking Disaster" with my friend Jack Ramshaw, getting my equipment fixed, traded, and made more efficient, working on the website/mailing list, and reaching out- as always- for help with booking, promotion, and distribution. Wouldn't mind finding a band to play drums in, either. So if you don't hear from me for the next little while, it's certainly not due to inactivity- that's never been a valid excuse for me. dupdupdupdudpdudpddpdppdppd September 9th, 2008: Drone Valley 08 A loving but stern reminder that the second annual Drone Valley festival is starting this Thursday at The Rocket Club in West Asheville at 8pm!! It will then spread to The Garage, Caffiend, and the New French Bar for Friday and Saturday. I've met and heard a lot of these bands and it's truly some of the greatest live music I've heard in a while. For instance:
I'm playing Thursday for the iniation! Come and see some of my new tricks. Percussion!
August 18th, 2008: Tour thanks The
tour was a swimming success, and thank you to all who came out and
supported, signed up for the mailing list, bought CDs, took pictures, let
me crash on their couch, participated in deep conversation, etc... |
A rare
sighting!
