Thursday, March 29, 2007

Marching pt. 2 / Intermission


We finished the Canadian dates with Johnny Winter on Tuesday and were back home by Wednesday afternoon. What a blast getting to open shows for a legend like Johnny Winter. We finally got a chance to meet him on the last day, and I thanked him for letting us open for him. What do you say to someone whose music has influenced you so deeply?

So now the month is almost done, 2 shows left before a nice long 6 day break! Meantime, Project X has a name (TBA) and hopefully a release date in the next couple of months. We're just finishing the mixing and song selection. Just a little hint, while we were in Canada, Richard and Tom visited with the fans in line for the shows and gave out SHB compilation cds. I didn't tell anyone, but I put a couple of new tracks at the end of the cd, so if you got one of the ones I made, you've got some unheard (outside the band) music!

Thanks to all our Canadian friends who always make us feel so welcome when we come to your beautiful country. I can't wait to come back this summer and have some more fun with ya'll!

Monday, March 26, 2007

Canada / Day 5


Toronto tonight, London tomorrow and then that short/long drive home. It's been an incredible trip so far. We've been playing to really receptive and kind audiences and the Johnny Winter band and crew have all been incredibly gracious. I've been in this business long enough to know that, as an opening act, it isn't always like this, but every one's been really cool. As a musician and a big Johnny Winter fan, getting to sit at the side of the stage every night and watch a true legend never stops being a thrill. Most nights, at some point I go out near the sound board and see it from the audience perspective and I can guarantee that they're getting a great show.

I hope we get to do some more dates with these guys in the future, it would be awesome!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Canada / Day 3


So with 3 shows under our belts, I can tell you that I have the best band in the world. Richard and Tom are supreme professionals. They go through tremendous amounts of crap everyday, and they always rise to the occasion. Yesterday, we drove to the gig from Quebec City, arriving @ 3:00. The load in is scheduled for 4:00 and we have no intention of being one minute late for anything. So we get there at 3:00, find parking for the van, walk across the street for lunch (at 3:30) and are back at the gig for load in. My band proceeds to blow the doors off the place and then play better tonight than last night! I'm so proud of these guys. They don't stop. They get it. It's not about the money, it's not about the adulation, it's about that intangible force that covers you when you are creating art for the sake of art and riding that sonic wave. When I stand in front of them, I fear nothing. It's actually pretty cool!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Canada / Day 1


Well, here we are in beautiful (but very snowy) Quebec City. Tonight is the first night of 5 shows opening for the legendary Johnny Winter. I'm very excited to get the chance to play to some Canadian audiences. It's been a while since we've been here and they always make us feel right at home.

It is a meteorological shock to come from the Florida Keys to the Great White North, but we will do our best to melt as much snow as possible! We've been driving non-stop for 30+ hours, so I'm sure I'll be more talkative later.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Plumas Pines

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So we all know that I am not one for heights, and honestly I am not much for mornings after great gigs where it is hard to get to sleep. But this is one for the books. Today we are up early and off to Plumas Pines Resort, its a short run, but god knows this is a memorable one.

Coffee is gotten, Tom settles in behind the wheel, loved ones are called, and the gig is advanced. Club owner is hugely receptive, so we are all psyched.

Ipod on, snoozes coming.

I wake up to find us in the middle of the woods. Some ancient high mountain road, Scott behind the wheel, Tom talking to his wife, Richard and Derek out like lites. But I glance out the window, as I am known to do, and I see were driving on the edge of a cliff, and a rock wall rises up above us the other way.

Close my eyes. Make it go away. When I open my eyes, the cliff is on the other side, and the rock wall is over there. Who needs this, faith in Scott, release it to the universe.

But it is amazing, I look down the cliff from the van, and I realize this is a giant fall. A huge one, because at the base of this cliff thing is giant trees, and they appear miles below us. What a cool sight.

After a couple of hours of rising and falling, and all of us laughing, were here.

Plumas Pines Resort. Now you need to imagine this, miles from everywhere. A resort in the big sense. Alone in nature. A giant lake, and cabins to rent, and a small restaraunt bar thing. So were thinking this is not going to be good. But the owner is awesome, the food is good, and I do not have to eat Mexican. We load in, sound check, and it is off to sleep.

But this place is to gorgeous, I gotta see some stuff. So I walk to the lake, which is the biggest lake I have ever seen. Walk around the woods a bit, and settle in at the room me and Derek have. Catch up on some paperwork, call Mom, and snoresville.

NO WAIT, we watched TEAM AMERICA. Scarred for life, I tried to block it.

They have a laundry, so some of us use that, but most of us doze off.

The gig, well the gig is awesome. What we did not know is all of the folks who live on the lake are thrilled to have a live band, and they all come, and they all love us. Scott and the guys whip out all the tricks, and even some new ones. The tricks are deep, and I never see them all it seems.

After the gig, Scott and I walk back to the room, and we watch Creem at Royal Albert Hall, and argue about Eric Clapton.

Early morning tomorrow, San Fran and the great record shop. Psyched to be going to that town.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Sacramento

So early in blog I talked about the greatness of the Apple Store, and the amazing sense of good will that comes from having a good ipod. Well that Ipod is now in the hands of Wendy from the band Sunspot, because I know she is giving it a good home. Drummer and all, prone to wear Volcom clothes. Who knows, but she has the ipod, and I got a new black one.

So Sacto we are staying in this joint right across the street from the State house. Which is oddly enough not occupied by the Guvernator. Rather I am sure he lives in Malibu, driving around in his hybrid Humvee. Or whatever he does.

The club is called the Stork I think. It is amazing. A big giant room, several hundred blues heads there to see our boys put on a show. Sitting in the back, an actual dressing room backstage type of thing, and we are feeling blessed. This is going to be an amazing show.

I was right. Scott is loose, and really connected tonight. The band is playing loud, probably too loud for the bar.

No wait...yes for sure too loud for the bartender.

But Scott is loose. really ontop of the groove, and giving it everything.

The only time I freaked out was when a giant, I mean like 6 ten biker dude walked up during the big Hendrix medly to get real close to Scott. I had no idea what I was going to do, throw myself in front of the bullet and get all secret service on him. WHo knows. But the good thing was he just wanted to tell Scott he was going great guns.

What a great night.