Pretend You're Playing Red Rocks
2,087 miles on the 'ol Honda on this tour. Greetings, 8 days after it ended.
Had some really truly great and totally miserable times, as tours seem to go. Even the awful, I wouldn't trade back. Driving to, setting up, sound checking and then realizing before shows that I can tell no one will be at - those are pivotal moments that reawaken me. I know it sounds odd and it is. It is really a true punch in the gut. But maybe in those moments they offer me a choice - mail it in and feel sorry for myself or pretend I'm playing Red Rocks and deliver the show of my life. I think I've always chosen the latter. As if to sing and play so beautifully like I could will my fantasies to come true. I think in some way it does work like that. I think I'm just talking about manifestation, really. Happens a lot.
Gabe’s — Iowa City, Iowa, 2014. Photo by Ross Christopher
That red shot is from Gabe's in Iowa City. That was day 1 of the last 3 days of the tour and Ross and I were really on. Come to think of it there wasn't a show on this tour we didn't look at each other and start laughing like “where did that come from/how did that exist/that was so awesome I can't believe I just experienced that.” Many of these shows were the best I’ve ever played.
In 2006 I remember playing the South Park Music Festival in Colorado and it was like week 5 of a 7 week non-stop tour. Something happened to me in that moment when playing “Don't Leave Me Now” and I sang it like a madman. I had come off the tracks, on some level I'd never gotten to before. Ever since then that level has mostly been available to me. We played DLMN on or above that level several times on this tour.
We opened a lot of shows with Radiohead's “Street Spirit (Fade Out).” I think we closed every show with “The Storm.” I personally like “Chasing After You”’s facelift with a pre chorus intro-to-the-intro and an unresolved dissolve at the end of it.
St. Louis, Missouri, 2013. Photo by Ross Christopher
There's me from last December listening to mostly final mixes of Follow The Voices in Ross’s studio where I slept for 4 hours after the Columbia show. Peeled off the couch to go do an early St. Louis tv spot but Ferguson was still chaos so it got cancelled.
This is one of my favorite shots from the St. Louis CD release show:
The Old Rock House — St. Louis, Missouri, 2014. Photo by Abby Gillardi
The Old Rock House shots are all by Abby Gillardi.
Field of Dreams — Dyersville, Iowa, 2014. Photo by me
At the beginning of the tour, American Songwriter had wonderful words to say about Follow The Voices.
At the end of the tour, Aarik Danielsen at the Columbia Tribune had wonderful words to say about Follow The Voices.
We recorded a Daytrotter session in the middle.
Was good to see America again. Was good to see some familiar venues and faces. Thank you for your kindness. If you're going from Bloomington, IN to Champaign, IL beware of driving on side highways no matter if it's gonna cut your trip time down. I got two new shatter marks in my windshield on a gravel highway. Was spoiled by the great mild weather 95% of the trip. Milwaukee airport hotels, buyer beware. Keep your shoes on, don't touch anything. The pool looked great though. Iowa City looks to be a great town, was nice to be back there. And Columbia, Missouri. My college town. Lots of history for me there, and it has changed so much. Finally played Mojo's and dang that's a really nice place full of nice people.
St. Louis. What a special night that was. Great crowd, lots of familiar faces. And we brought it. Follow The Voices is birthed. For the price of a New York City gallon of gas you can buy it and it'll last you forever.
Was a tour full of great shows. Hope to see you out there again.
Me and Ross Christopher at The Old Rock House — St. Louis, Missouri, 2014. Photographer unknown