We headed back out to the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival again this spring.
It was good to see everybody, as usual. It was extremely wet by the second day, but a very good time again.
We played on Fri. right after the huge rain storm began, the power even went out once, somehow it gave the whole thing a more communal feel. stomping and shouting and splashing around.
That was cool for the first few hours, then it just got annoying and wet.
We also played the Kraken Bar, which we had never done before. It was a pretty cool time. They allow dogs and we like dogs. I will say their muzzles were all supiciously wet, alcoholic dogs, maybe?
We headed down to Florida, to hit the same old suspects, plus a couple of new spots. Always good to see the folks at the Ale and the Witch and the Belle Isle Yacht Pub and Will's Pub, of course.
We did Bryan Childs 9 Bullets radio show in Tampa, which he claims will soon be called the Sad Bastard Song Club. Then we drank a lot of craft beers with said Bryan Childs at a place called Southern Brewing Company, I believe. Really good beer and neither one of us likes craft beer.
This caused us to be late for our show at the 8th Avenue Pub in Safety Harbor, but I think we still pulled it off o.k., despite having to play the whole night, which means, covers(not my favorite thing) and more work. Luckily our buddy Animal jammed along with us and we made it through.
Thanks to everybody who helped on this run and everybody who didn't can piss off. Another one's coming soon.
Well, we've been having a good time. Brock and I and "the Worlds Worst Merch Girl" (WWMG from hear on out) headed out and did the whole deal.
We went down to lovely Springfield, MO hung out with a lot of our friends and saw the timeless Jonathon Richman. What an awesome show. When the show is so good Lou Whitney's standing on a table, you know it's good.
The next night we played with the NightHawks, always good to see those fellows. Also, all the other folks that make up the whole Outland, DugOut scene. It was especially cool to run into our buddy Doug from the Ben Miller Band and various other projects, nobody is quite like that guy. We'll get to see them again at Shakori Hills and just thinking about it makes me happy.
WWMG misplaced the merch $, but I found it, still haven't told her where.
The next day we took off for Memphis. We had never been to, or played the P&H Cafe before, it turned out to be cool. The other band didn't show, but we got a really nice reaction. We played a pretty long set, talked to some people and sold some stuff, then headed out for NOLA that night. I think we may have spent almost as much money playing video mini golf as we made, but man that machine is addictive (thanks Matt Woods).
The drive was fine I did a few hours, Brock did a few hours and I drove the last hour and a half. Maybe my favorite drive in the world, rolling into NOLA with OZ blaring the Brass Band Half Hour. We hit NOLA about 7:30 a.m. and started to drinking.
To Be Continued...
We made the run down to Knoxville on Wed. Oct. 3 and played the Well again. Everybody there is so extremely nice and laid-back.
We have had a great time both times there.
We played with Glossary, very cool band, they did a SlobberBone cover.
I am informed that in Texas, SlobberBone are as big as Tupelo, etc.
I however, had not thought of them in years.
We ran into a place called Sessions in Greensboro, NC, the next night.
I drove all night over the mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina
and we arrived in Greensboro at about 6 a.m., not that fun.
Sessions was a cool little place and people seemed to like us, I believe we'll head back there in the early spring. Lots of craft beer, lots of coffee.
Shakori Hills was a good time, as usual.
Brock slept in a puddle.
So, since the 15th of May, when the last update was done, that's a lot of
space to cover.
We have written new songs and recorded them and played a pretty fair amount of shows, with old friends and new.
It's interesting, in the last couple of years we have played for a 100th birthday party, until 4a.m. and at 7:30 a.m., recorded 30 some songs and played hundreds of shows all over the South and MidWest. We, however, certainly still
feel we're at the very beginning of what we're trying to do, because we are.
As October starts, we'll be heading out for shows that take us far SouthEast
and far SouthWest. We know, very firmly that we would have no chance of doing any of them without a support system of friends and family that is consistently more welcoming and enthusiastic than we could possibly deserve.
We recorded 10 songs a couple of months ago with Johnny Kenepaske at his Dead Horse Sound Company studio in Independence, MO. We did everything in probably less than 16 hours of recording and had a blast doing it.
It's kind of a big step for us, when we started doing this we didn't know if we'd ever go back in a big studio again. Johnny's place was sort of dipping our toe back into actual production, but trying to keep it pretty rough and ready at the same time.
The record shoud be available online around the 16th of October and we're all ready selling c.d.'s at the shows. They have an extra song on them that won't be available online, until someone uploads it less legitimately (not that we're against that).
We've played shows with our buddies in the area, like Scott Ford and Dave & Dyno and jammed with many talented musicians.
We did a Labor Day Ramble, inspired by Levon Helm's legendary efforts (I feel like and hope that's happening all over the world) and shared the stage with people I had wondered if I would ever get to play with (and in one case see) again.
It was a huge rousing success for all involved and I think paid off the mortgage on a local taco truck.
So, that's about where we stand, getting ready to do a couple of shows for good causes and then head out to North Carolina, for our 3rd time at Shakori Hills and first time in Greensboro. We also get to go back to Knoxville, which is awesome.
We hope to see everybody soon and I'll be updating this as we get back on the road and head for all these familiar and new places and experiences. Check the shows page, as things will be expanding rapidly.
We headed out of Black Mountain about noon and got off the mountain
when a weird light came on in the car dash.
It took me a few minutes to realize it was the tire warning, about then
the car started handling funny. I guess it was a good thing that
it didn't happen coming down the mountain.
The rental car road-side service about drove Brock insane and we might
have been in much worse shape, had the tire change fellow not
known the right things to do. We ended up paying to have the tire fixed
ourselves and heading down the road, after about a 3 hour run around.
I'll tell the full story sometime, but the big question I have is... Why can't
two grown men put a doughnut tire on a rental car? Are we too mentally
deficient to be allowed to put a spare on a Corolla?
Also, how can a road side service company have and not implement 4
different plans in a 60 minute period?
We rolled into the Pittsboro area and went to check in at the performers
gate. Shakori Hills is a huge and well run event. We were checked in
and had our passes in about 25 minutes. I don't know what their attendance
numbers are for the weekend, but it has to be over 20,000.
We played Thursday night at 11 and got a really appreciative reaction.
It's really fun to see people walking by, stop, stare and come over and
listen for the rest of the set. I think we made some fans, as a lot of them
came back the next afternoon to see us.
After we finished up, we rolled back to Rodger's campsite.
Brock joined the general jamming. I watched and drank many Yuengling's
until it was time to pass out in the tent.
I got up the next morning and wandered about until it was time for the 1p.m.
two step lessons in the dance tent. I discovered I still don't need any two step
lessons. Then it was time, time for the big event.
At 2p.m. Friday afternoon my number 1 Honky-Tonk Hero, J.P. Harris took the stage and it was amazing. People were two stepping, there was a tripping balls hippy kid doing some kind of crazy shimmy, who hit a back flip in the
middle of J.P.'s version of "Bright Lights and Country Music". Probably the
first back flip ever performed during a Bill Anderson song. Brock danced with
an obviously nervous and confused girl in a fedora. It was perfect.
We headed back to the camp afterwards, got our stuff and went to play our
set.
We played, had a good time, ran into J.P. who reminded us not to let him
do fire tricks after 10p.m.(cost him some beard) and loaded up and headed for Kansas.
We had a great time at this festival and once again we have to name check
Rodger Lenhardt, who got us there. We'll be back in the spring, if we're allowed and we'll be spending the full four days.
I'll have the theme done for the Elderberry Cordial by then.
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