4 on Tour Preview

Wednesday night we performed at Amani International Coffeehouse in Pittsburgh, PA. And when I say 'we', I mean 4 great singer-songwriters: Garrett Heath, Brooke Annibale, myself and Joy Ike. We'll be touring the eastern region together at the beginning of October - check out our Facebook group for more info: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=63933549943
Below is a preview of what our 9-date tour will look like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1e1H2JtWb8

Atlanta... and Greenville via Cherokee National Forest

In Atlanta I met with Margie Ulsh, editor of Among Worlds, a quarterly publication for TCKs and ATCKs (Adult Third Culture Kids) that addresses issues such as transition, crossing cultures, and coping strategies for grief and the pain that accompanies being transplanted - issues that more people are finding common to their experience. You can learn more about the magazine by visiting Interaction's website: http://www.interactionintl.org/amongworlds.asp or Margie's Blog: http://amongworlds.blogspot.com
  I played at Covenant College as well, where rain forced us to set up the picnic in the dining hall - an enjoyable experience nevertheless. I then traveled to Greenville, SC, where I played outdoors in an amphitheater on a beautiful day with a good crowd, and received some excellent responses from the audience - it is wonderful to make new friends!
So here's some video of meeting with Margie and then my drive from Covenant College through Cherokee National Forest to Greenville, SC, where I played at Paris Mountain State Park's 'Music in the Woods', sponsored in part by WNCW. Good turnout, fun event.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDzPDp0sTc4
I'm in Lancaster at the moment, hanging out, working for MathUSee and getting ready to head out on the road again on Saturday. Fun times. Right now I'm wondering whether to install the ProTools LE 8upgrade, or simply let the disc sit on my desk until I get back from the road at the end of September. I'm leaning toward the latter, but I'm curious by nature, so having it sit there is rATHer tempting..

New Recording Project

The other day Matthew Monticchio and I went out to our friend George Yellack's house to record some drums for songs we are working on for a new collection of sacred songs. We wrote some of the songs and re-worked old hymns for this project, much like our last two Christmas album projects. This album will be released again under Pageant Music, and features a bunch of local musicians (Cliff Lewis, Katie Becker, Claire Battle, myself, Matt, others to be named) in a folk/pop/indie vein. You can download a rough demo of one of our original tunes, 'Communion Hymn' HERE. I'll try to keep you updated on our progress - here's a short video of our journey to George's and what we did when we got there.

Things I've Learned from Tour

For 68 days, beginning on March 2nd, I was on the road - driving down the east coast and around through the midwest (as far west as Tulsa, Oklahoma) up to Chicago and back through Ohio to good ol' PA. I kept a log of each day here on my blog (scroll down) and took video as well. Some days I got better video footage than others.
I traveled 6,347.3 miles, according to the mileage I wrote down on my receipts when I filled up my tank in whatever place I happened to be. Some other data from those receipts (for you data-gatherers): the average price of gas during those two months was $2 per gallon, my car used 181 gallons of fuel and I averaged 35 miles per gallon. Not bad for a 1985 Toyota Tercel.
So what did I learn from the experience? Here's a few bullet points:
1. The United States is a big place. I never TRULY realized this until I started driving around on my own - the land itself is incredibly varied. Soil and land/elevation differences cause flora and fauna to change as you go south from PA through the hills of VA to the clay soil of North and South Carolina to the sandy and more tropical Georgia and FL. Tennessee is halfway tropical and then Arkansas starts into the plains and open spaces, which is what Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and most of Ohio is like - only when I crossed back into PA did I start getting back into mountain areas.
2. GPS is the way to go. I have to say that for this trip it was awesome to have a GPS to navigate for me - took a lot of the guesswork out of getting from one place to another. You do have to keep your wits and an eye on the road though - it's not a perfect system and there's lots of change in names of roads, etc... that still happens in the US.
3. Originality was not a strong suit for many of the early settlers. Everywhere I went I kept finding names repeated - of towns, cities, roads, etc.. I guess settlers were more concerned about having a name than that the name be unique. It makes me realize that our value of uniqueness may be a rather recent phenomenon.
4. NJ drivers are not the only bad drivers. Wherever I went this was pretty similar - there are always a few people on the road who are either completely oblivious to what's going on around them, or they aren't paying attention. There were a couple pretty hairy spots that I managed to escape from intact simply because I was paying attention to other drivers who obviously weren't paying attention and maybe didn't even care that they almost caused an accident.
5. People are friendly wherever you go. This was definitely true in every place I stopped, even when I was the only white person around - be friendly and direct, and people will return the favor. Probably my favorite part of the trip was spending time with friends and family along the way - sleeping over, sharing meals, helping out around the house, building community. It makes me realize how important it is to stay interested in people and to invest in each others lives, and that community only exists (and can even exist on the road) when you invest in it.
All in all, the trip was a great experience. I got some really positive feedback, played about 25 shows, sold about 250 CDs (10 per show on average, though some places I sold a lot more and some I sold a lot less). The average crowd was 20 people, which means I sold CDs to about half the people that came to my shows. It was extremely encouraging to me as a musician to have that kind of response, and it makes me think that I'm writing and performing music that really connects with people, which is exactly where I want to be.

Vlog Day 61 - Lucha Libre, Moody Bible Institute

I took the elevated train in to Chicago city (the Loop) from Pilsen. Down below the track there was a block party going on, and Lucha Libre was just getting started. The Mexican version of WWF, part soap opera and part fight choreography, it would have been fun to see. However, I rode the train instead and met up with my friends Anna and Emma at Moody Bible Institute, where they're finishing up school.
They showed me around the campus, which is bigger than it looks, and took me through the tunnels and around and about. They seem to know everyone and kept introducing me to people as their friend from Ghana (we grew up as fellow MKs). There was a fair being put on by the student government for students and the community, so we partook of cotton candy and popcorn and watched people on the bungee swings. They mentioned they wanted to see 'Wolverine', the latest X-Men movie, and so we walked downtown to the theater to see it - a really good film, if you haven't seen it yet. I would review it, but this isn't the place. Or maybe it is and I'm just lazy. If you comment on this post, I'll review it. Afterwards, dinner was Go Roma, a great pizza/salad spot downtown.

Vlog Day 60 - Chicago

I drove to Chicago, from Gridley (the kids made me a really great card, so just for that I have to go back to see them at some point in the future) stopping in Peoria along the way to get an oil change at Firestone. It was probably good I stopped, because they also changed the battery, which was leaking acid. Ended up being a bit more expensive but not terrible, and now my car runs again like a dream.
In Chicago I'm staying with my cousin Carolyn, who lives on Peoria street in the Mexican part of the city. We had a great time catching up - visiting Kristoffer's Cafe (which has Tres Leche Cake - very good!) and generally hanging out. I haven't seen her in 4 years or so. I love reconnecting with people, which has been kind of a theme of the trip.
In the evening I played at Uncommon Ground in northern Chicago, opening for my friends Lucrezio. Jennifer and I went to college together, and they have a really great acoustic sound. I also got to see my friends Anna and Emma, whose parents were missionaries in Ghana as well. They go to Moody Bible Institute and kindly took some video for me. It was a really vibey place, but the sound was a bit hard to get used to. We (I and the sound guy) figured it out halfway through, fortunately, and ended strong.

Vlog Day 59 - Goat Fence

I helped Duane put up the goat fence today. It was pretty windy - I had to wear my knit cap to keep my ears from freezing. Beautiful day though. It's been rainy, but it hardly rained at all today. The goats will be coming next week - they're planning on milking them and making cheese.

Vlog Day 58 - Ithaka Fellowship

I slept in today, then got up and went with Duane, his son Calvin, and his father to pick up some things from Normal - fence for the two dairy goats they are getting next week, the PA system for tonight, and some bricks and mortar for repairs around the house. We drove four across the front seat through mile after mile of fields that are empty, waiting for the rainwater to drain so that the fields will be dry enough for planting to begin. Duane's dad is full of knowledge about the area and the process of farming, so I learned a lot on the drive.
On the way back we drove part way on Route 66, which goes right through here on its way south to St. Louis. Then we made preparations for the event tonight, and at 7pm people started arriving. Here's a piece of the event - my car song 'Steer Into the Curve'.

Vlog Day 54 - Lawrence Tornado

Today was a pretty chill day - I visited the Watkins museum briefly (did you know they made electric cars at the turn of the century? Milburn did, that is) and then spent most of it in Signs of Life Books (google search it, it's a cool place in Lawrence), and half the time they were playing my music. I spent the time editing video, writing a letter, and talking to people. I also wandered around the bookstore, which rose incredibly in my estimation when I discovered a Square Halo book on its shelves!
Square Halo Books is a publishing company that my friend Ned Bustard started (Ned helped design my album cover and does other great stuff through World's End Images) which publishes great books on art and music - look for a new book out soon, on the business of art/music.
After Rachel got off work, we decided to ignore the tornado warning sirens and walk to get something to eat, which was perhaps not the wisest move. As the storm clouds overtook us (with lightning and beginning to swirl ominously) we took shelter in Wheatfields, a local bakery/pastry shop, and ended up waiting out the storm with other customers in their pastry kitchen. I managed to document the event. Fortunately, the tornado didn't touch down in Lawrence, passing northeast through the city before developing into an actual tornado of swirling wind.
I left Lawrence around 9pm to drive to my friend's house in Kansas City, and the last couple shots in the video are me trying to document the incredible lightning show I received on my drive - miles away and safe enough to drive past. I tell ya - weather is no joke out here.

Vlog Day 53 - Signs of Life Books

My friend Rachel lives in Lawrence, Kansas, where she graduated from college, and she is friends with people that work at Signs of Life Books, a bookstore with lots of great books - both Christian and non - that has managed to become a center for the arts and music in Lawrence, combined with a gallery and coffeeshop - just a really cool place to hang out. They set me up with a show at the bookstore, so I arrived from Tulsa, rented the PA system at Mass Street Music, and played for Rachel, her friends, and others that stopped by. It was a great night. Afterwards we went to a friend's house and hung out around the campfire.

Vlog Day 51 - Jump Zone

I went to JumpZone with my nephews Jack and Charlie today and my brother Ben - Jack was the one running around and jumping on the huge air-filled playplaces and slides, so I just followed him and got worn out. It's a pretty sweet place though, available for parties for both small kids and big kids like myself. And since they had a membership I got to play for free! I added some of the canned music from FlipShare to the video below - adds to the cheesy enjoyment factor. Enjoy!

Maybe I should get one of those head-mounts for the FlipVideo...

Vlog Day 49 - Friends & Harvey's Video

My friend Harvey Robinson just finished the excellent video he took of me performing in his kitchen, so I'm embedding it below. Harvey does really good work and has some good equipment. When I traveled through Greensboro, NC I got in touch with him and set up a time to visit his home, where he films. His work with Monkey Whale Productions is pretty incredible, and I hope you'll check it out.
Back to the tour, today we generally hung out around the house and I helped with some chores (like mowing the back yard). It's been really great to have some downtime with family here in Arkansas. In the evening we went to visit Franny's family nearby and I played some songs for them. Here's part of 'One Girl for Me' in their living room, and playing with their dog Molly and nephew Charlie.

Vlog Day 46 - World Garden

I drove the 8 hours from Nashville to Bentonville, Arkansas today - stopped in Memphis for lunch, which I discovered was not conducive to a streamlined drive. Did you know that on half the streets in Memphis (maybe more) you can't turn left? This means that turning left involves intense circumlocution and lots of extra time. But all's well that ends well.
In Bentonville I played at World Garden Salads, a new soup and salad place that just started last fall and has a really neat focus. Through their sales they provide funding for orphanages around the world - a seventh of what they make from their soup and salad bar goes to seven different orphanages, so when you eat there (and the food is really good) you are making a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of children who otherwise would not benefit. Their food is great and they roast their own coffee - which is also phenomenal.
Rick and Mark's vision is to provide a fair-trade network for coffee growers and farmers both locally and worldwide that also benefits those who normally go without. They want to extend their food and craft resources to many different countries by purchasing coffee, tea, and spices directly from farmers, and crafts directly from artisans or through other trade resources such as Ten Thousand Villages. It is a really unique idea and one that really is working and making sense. World Garden is now beginning to think of franchising. You can hear directly from Rick in the video below - pardon the excited girls in the background. =)

Vlog Day 44 - The Blue Plate Special

When traveling through Charlotte, NC, I met Pat of The New Familiars who recommended I get in touch with Matt Morelock at WDVX. WDVX is a community radio station in Knoxville that hosts singers, songwriters, bands and traveling musicians on weekdays during the lunch hour for a live performance. So today I played at the station, which was a lot of fun. I can now say I've played on the same stage as Nickel Creek and Bela Fleck (though not at the same time). Here's some footage of Knoxville, one of my songs and Matt and Jon Ladeau who played after me.

Vlog Day 40 - Marietta

Saturday was a day for sleeping in, hanging out, and then a concert in Marietta. Stonebridge Church is a neat congregation nestled in a storefront just off the square in downtown - it reminded me a bit of being in Lancaster with one-way streets and on-street parking. I walked around the square a bit, which you can watch in the video below.

The inside of the church is pretty cool too, very coffeehouse-ish with mood lighting (multi-configurable) and optional round tables or chairs. I helped Andrea set up and then welcomed attendees of the event. Some really friendly people that I enjoyed getting to know. Here's a song from the concert, 'Play Switch'.

Vlog Day 38 - World of Coca-Cola

I visited the World of Coca Cola in Atlanta today - exciting stuff! I've always wanted to visit the museum since I'm such a fan of the drink (definitely not a Pepsi person), but haven't had a chance until now. It was pretty busy, as you can see from the video.
Once we negotiated the line we were herded like cattle into the 'paraphernalia' room which is chock-full of CocaCola memorabilia. Here we were given a talk by a guy, which I included a short snippet of. He also mentioned that they're missing 4 Norman Rockwell coke paintings, so if you happen to have one, let me know and I can talk to them for you... =)
After the video snippet the screen raises up and doors open and you enter the main exhibit, where I got a shot of me with the statue of the hero and creator of Coca Cola. Perhaps my favorite part was all the commercials from around the world - hilarious stuff! Then of course the tasting room and on home. By the time I left I had to go to the bathroom.

Vlog Day 37 - Stone Mountain

I visited Stone Mountain Park with Angela, Kessia, and Andrea - we climbed the huge hunk of granite that can only be found here in Georgia. It was pretty impressive. And it was a gorgeous day for a hike, blue skies and not too cold. It was extremely windy at the top, which you can hear in the video since this video camera doesn't have a wind guard on the microphone.
So that was fun, and then we hung around in the park until the sun went down so we could watch the laser show, which is a regular occurrence during the summer. This was one of the first of the year, due to spring break this week. You can hear the commentary on the show by the little girl sitting on our left (the microphone is sensitive). I am pretty impressed with how this camera functions at night - you can see a lot of what is going on, and if you watch this video tomorrow you can probably even see it in HD. I only clipped a bit of the beginning and end of the show, so stop by Stone Mountain itself to see the whole thing.

Vlog Day 36 - Dance Dance Revolution

Today I chilled with my friends who live here in Georgia - they're a missionary family that was also in Ghana with Wycliffe, so our families grew up together. I'm really enjoying my time with them. To relax we play Dance Dance Revolution, Mario Kart and Wii games. It's lots of fun. Here's some video of us playing DDR - I'm pretty bad at it, kind of like Guitar Hero. I guess if you can do the real thing it doesn't always translate to video games. That's a whole other skill set.

Vlog Day 35 - Eddie's Attic, Decatur GA

I visited Eddie's Attic for the open mic, which is well-known among musicians for its attentive listeners and the quality of musicians that it attracts. Having said that, however, there were one or two acts that we had to suffer through. But Eddie, the founder, lets everyone who signs up (you have to sign up a few months in advance) have their two songs in the spotlight. I caught him before the night began, having a burger, and had a good conversation - he's a cool guy.
I walked around Decatur beforehand as well, but unfortunately there wasn't much to see. Or maybe I just didn't know where to look - it always helps to have someone with you who lives there, but barring that I did the best I could. Back at the open mic, some people were late (which Eddie says usually doesn't happen), so in the confusion, and what with people playing their two songs, I got on closer to 10:30 - only 20 minutes late, which is impressive for an open mic.
Like I said, there were some REAlly good musicians and singers and it was mostly lots of fun to listen and hang out with friends from college that live in the area. Finalists were a girl from North Carolina who has a killer voice (reminded me of Brandy), the Erickson sisters (folk, Iron and Wine style), and Chelsea Lynn Labate (cross between Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michealson) - the latter of which ended up winning the competition. Because it IS a competition, and that's partly why so many musicians are there.
I didn't video all the acts, but here's a little bit of the song that I sang, 'Voices', and a flavoring of the place.

Vlog Day 34

Today I drove to Georgia. More later.