Winter In Review


 

Our winter got off to a very cool start with a trip to the amazing and thoroughly modern studios of Sirius Radio in midtown Manhattan. The boys and I were in town for a show at Mo Pitkins and we happened to get the invite from a "big time producer" that we were lucky enough to become pals with a few years back. Before we knew it, we were walking around the halls of the studio getting the grand tour. Howard Stern's suite to the right, Eminem's studio to the left and rooms full of twinkling gear and humming computer equipment on all sides. We felt like three backwoods hillbillies that had walked onto a spaceship... I just kept thinking to myself "don't touch ANYthing" while praying that the band heard me somehow. Within an hour or so, we were set up in front of some of the nicer mics & audio equipment that we'd ever seen... performing live across the country and across the solar system. We played a few new originals and chatted it up with the DJ. Lots of fun.

In gig news, we had several very fun openers and co-bills along the way. Our mini-tour in the northeast with Jimmy LaFave was a blast. We can't say enough about what a great guy & stellar musician/songwriter Jimmy is. Lots of fun backstage stories and antics. He brought along two of Austin's finest guitar wizards as sidemen which meant that every night was like a guitar clinic for me. Very inspiring and somewhat depressing... I think I need to hit the woodshed for a decade or so.
		A few weeks later, we met up with our good Canadian pals, The Dust Poets, for a great show at the Middle Earth in VT. If you've ever wanted to see a show in a hobbit hole, this is the place for you. The entire venues is fashioned in Tolkien-themed decore. Lots of Orcs & Elves watching from the wings. We shared the night with the Dust Poets and then had a big feast with the nice folks running the show. Definitely a unique stop along the way.
Our next stop landed us in Memphis, TN for the 2007 Folk Alliance conference. Lots of late nights, BBQ and Red Bull intake. We did manage to get outside for some 70 degree weather the first day which was phenomenal. We also got to see & party with tons of musician pals which is always the best part. We caught great sets by Hammel On Trial, Jimmy La Fave, Antje Duvekot, Amy Speace, Charlotte Kendrick, Rose Cousins and Anais Mitchell. Definitely check these folks out!
		In more recent news, we had the pleasure of opening a show for Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams in Framingham MA a week or so ago. We first heard this stellar band at Falcon Ridge Last year and finally had the chance to do a show with them. They've been called "Hillbilly-Floyd", "folk-pop", "alt-country roots-rock", and "surreal Americana". Whatever it is, it good! You need to check them out!