Peter and I went out for a quick run of shows this past weekend. Sometimes shows are really dumb, and you wonder why you drove six hours in a crowded vehicle taking naps with guitar cases as pillows and eating cashews and gross cheeseburgers (without the meat, of course) all afternoon. A lot of touring is like that, and it's why I honestly prefer to tour in the United Kingdom -- shorter drives, audiences that treat musicians like royalty, and funny accents. But this weekend was one of those tours where the shows were fun, the audiences were attentive, merchandise was sold, and friends were made.
FWT joined us in the trusty Volvo, and he was a lifesaver. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have a tour manager available to sell merch (or pack up your keyboard so you can go hock CDs). He also drove most of the way, so Peter was able to read. I can't read in the car without vomiting, so I rocked out to some This American Life podcasts, you know, like a real rock star.
Some highlights:
- The Atlanta Dogwood Festival had a big cooler full of Cokes (which includes Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, etc, of course) and import beer backstage for the artists. Plus, they arranged for near-perfect weather, 72 and sunny.
- I was the sunscreen nazi among us, but I forgot to wear a hat. Or, rather, I forgot to put sunscreen on my scalp. Ouch.
- The house concert hosts in Birmingham were amazing, and they even indulged us in a grand tour of their gorgeous home ... allowing us to oooh and ahhh over their mind-blowing kitchen and mosaic tiles.
- Played a show in Atlanta with Jeremy Aggers, a folksy rootsy songwriter, whose music I really dug.
- Ate far too much and remembered why my road dresses are elastic. Brunch in Atlanta is yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy.
- Peter and I didn't have Jesus Christ Superstar on our iPods for the drive, so we performed as much of it as we could remember a cappella during the last bit of I-65. I'm not sure FWT appreciated that, but he didn't complain. Peter does a hell of a Judas, so casting directors, if you're looking to stage the show locally, I'm your Mary and Peter's your Judas.
- Sold some CDs, allowing us to break even and consider touring in American again. Folks, if you do nothing else at a show, please consider buying merchandise. You have NO idea how much it helps out an artist.
FWT joined us in the trusty Volvo, and he was a lifesaver. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have a tour manager available to sell merch (or pack up your keyboard so you can go hock CDs). He also drove most of the way, so Peter was able to read. I can't read in the car without vomiting, so I rocked out to some This American Life podcasts, you know, like a real rock star.
Some highlights:
- The Atlanta Dogwood Festival had a big cooler full of Cokes (which includes Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, etc, of course) and import beer backstage for the artists. Plus, they arranged for near-perfect weather, 72 and sunny.
- I was the sunscreen nazi among us, but I forgot to wear a hat. Or, rather, I forgot to put sunscreen on my scalp. Ouch.
- The house concert hosts in Birmingham were amazing, and they even indulged us in a grand tour of their gorgeous home ... allowing us to oooh and ahhh over their mind-blowing kitchen and mosaic tiles.
- Played a show in Atlanta with Jeremy Aggers, a folksy rootsy songwriter, whose music I really dug.
- Ate far too much and remembered why my road dresses are elastic. Brunch in Atlanta is yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy.
- Peter and I didn't have Jesus Christ Superstar on our iPods for the drive, so we performed as much of it as we could remember a cappella during the last bit of I-65. I'm not sure FWT appreciated that, but he didn't complain. Peter does a hell of a Judas, so casting directors, if you're looking to stage the show locally, I'm your Mary and Peter's your Judas.
- Sold some CDs, allowing us to break even and consider touring in American again. Folks, if you do nothing else at a show, please consider buying merchandise. You have NO idea how much it helps out an artist.
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