Thursday, November 11, 2010

JEREMY FACKNITZ SHOWS! Fall/Winter 2010

Hello, this is the Jeremy Facknitz newsletter, now in blog form. Seems Yahoo! has decided to make it increasingly difficult for indie musicians to send mass a amount of emails to fans. They call it "spam", and even though the people on my list have willingly signed up for this service, I am indeed "spamming".

I'll be doing things this way from now on.

Fall has seemingly come and gone, as I watch the snow fall from my loves' easy chair. It's been a long, long year and it's nearly over. The show I put on has been revamped, with many a new cover and some new original material.

Lindsay and I are going to start performing more consistantly as a duo, and we're very excited about this. You can get a sneak peak December 3rd (details below), but the big coming out party takes place February 17th 2011 at Studio Bee in the Pikes Peak Center.

Shows...

Friday, 11/12/2010
RICO'S CAFE AND WINE BAR
322 N. Tejon St. * COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80903
7:30-10pm, all ages, no cover

Saturday, 11/13/2010
BOONDOCK'S COFFEE
76 N. McCulloch * PUEBLO WEST, COLORADO 81007 8pm, all ages, no cover!

Saturday, 11/20/2010
JACK QUINN'S
Tejon St. * COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80903
9:30-12:30, 21 and over

Friday, 12/3/2010
MANITOU SPRINGS COMMUNITY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
103 Pawnee Ave.
Manitou Springs, CO 80829 - (719) 685-5255
with LINDSAY WEIDMANN,
opening for JOHN SMITH
7pm to 10pm

Saturday, 12/11/2010
DOWNTOWN BAR
103 Central Plaza * PUEBLO, COLORADO 81003
10PM, $3

Thursday, 12/16/2010
BENEFIT FOR THE EMPTY
STOCKING FUND

Friday, 12/17/2010
THE SPEEDTRAP
84 S. HWY 105 * PALMER LAKE, COLORADO 80133
8-10PM, all ages, no cover

Saturday, 12/18/2010
BOONDOCK'S COFFEE
76 N. McCulloch * PUEBLO WEST, COLORADO 81007 8pm, all ages, no cover!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope to see you out there, kids.

Jeremy
www.jeremyfacknitz.com
www.myspace.com/jeremyfacknitz
jeremyfacknitz@yahoo.com

Friday, October 15, 2010

CABIN










I realize I've left this page to collect dust as I reassess my life from my cabin on the hill. Recently, I've also been made aware that there are real-life people who actually read this blog. I know this, because they have seen me at shows or passed me on the street and have inquired as to when I'll grab the Pledge and a paper towel and dust 'er off again.

Since I last logged on to blogger I've been busy getting my head straight, rather than dusting. I moved into a small cabin in Manitou Springs, CO. I've been able to pay rent thanks to my job as a freelance field-technician for a growing company out of Ohio who sends me all over America to install, download and upload various things for TJ Maxx and Marshalls (it is for this job that I leave for Portland, Oregon tomorrow for the third time this year - although there are no shows scheduled, if you decide to pop into an open-mic in the area, you may see me).

When the mid-west tour was cancelled I felt rather deflated and defeated. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't keep doing what I was doing to myself. I tried to blame it on age; "man, if I was only 22 instead of 32, I could sleep in my small car for another 6 weeks". I tried to blame it on the economy: "I don't mind not making money, but I do mind creating debt while constantly working my tail off." These things were both true, but there was a third, overwhelming and frightening voice inside my head that was saying "I just don't want to."

Don't want to? This is what I've been waiting for my whole life! A chance to throw everything I have at the endeavor. What do I mean, "I don't want to?"

The voice was loud and it would not quiet down until I gave it it's proper respect. "No, I don't want to". No, I don't want to live this way for the next 5 years so that I can make a decent wage living this way for the rest of my life. No, I don't want to live on the road. Then, more voices - what am I running from in Vermont? In Washington? In Nebraska? What am I looking for in Oregon, California, Massachusetts?

I always dreamed of opening up for certain acts. "Michael Penn, man it'd be awesome to open up for him." "Martin Sexton - oh man, could you imagine?" It wasn't because I adore these guys as solo singer-songwriters (I do), or because I wished to shake their hands or see their show for free. All I wanted was to share the same spotlight as those guys. I wanted to share the bill with them. I wanted my talent to considered along with theirs, whether my talent deserves to be considered at that level or not. I wanted acceptance from their fans. I wanted validation for the years and years of smokey bars, bloody fingers and damaged vocal chords. Out of the coffee shops and into the streets! I had tastes of it in opening for "Blessid Union of Souls" and Tim Reynolds - fleeting tastes of "I could be a somebody", fleeting tastes of acceptance.

I realized acceptance isn't out there, it's in here (author pointing to chest in a dramatic fashion). That's why musicians who are seeking what I've been seeking through music get that "acceptance" as they're playing sold-out arenas... then develop massive drug addictions and/or kill themselves. It's never enough. You have to accept yourself for who you are, for what you bring to the table of life. That's what I'm doing from my cabin.

I was always quite fond of a Joni Mitchell line from the song "River"... "I'm gonna make a lot of money, then I'm gonna quit this crazy scene." I ALWAYS loved that idea, even in the midst of my recent quest! I don't know that I ever really wanted to tour the country for the rest of my life. I think I would have been fine (and would still be quite happy) with selling "Bijou Bridge" to Campbells soup for a few million dollars and retire - which, to me, looks like making more albums, playing regionally and spending most of my remaining time on earth with a new family nucleus, friends, and my ever-growing collection of sports and music memorabilia.

Anyway, I'm doing great! Man, I can go on, can't I? In summation, if I accept myself I don't need anyone else's validation. Now, once I do that, is there a desire to tour the country and go into debt trying to beat people over the head with my music? The answer to that is a simple and sane "no". I don't need a fan base in Portland, or Watsonville, or anywhere to feel acceptance or validation.

There are thoughts for a make-up tour of the mid-west come spring 2011. Just thoughts. I'm putting together new songs and revamping (or correcting?) old tunes I wrote 10, 12 years ago and discarded. The solo shows are making way for a new project, as Lindsay Weidmann and I are forming a duo. We haven't named ourselves yet, but you can see us February 17th at The Studio Bee in Colorado Springs... it will be our first official show as a duo (our 64th un-official show). Hell, we may even release an album together. I may return to school to study music, as I have no formal musical training whatsoever and wonder what I might be capable of as an artist if I had a clue as to just what I'm doing. That really excites me.

In the meantime, keep an eye on www.jeremyfacknitz.com for updates, shows, and pictures of my face.

I hope you are well.

Love,
Facker

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Midwest tour cancelled.




This past weekend, with just three weeks until I leave for the Midwestern tour, things weren't looking good. The tour out west in June/July cost a lot of money. Blame it on the sunshine or the economy but people were not coming to the shows. I was hoping to recoup my losses here in Colorado and in this upcoming Midwestern tour and although I had moderate success re booking a couple of places, a lot of puzzle pieces and dates were still missing.

Currently I am very poor (in debt, actually), still homeless and with the economy the way it is at this time I feel it's best for my psyche and livelihood that I cancel this tour and try to find gainful employment here in Colorado for the time being.

I am extremely sorry for any inconvenience this may cause to the many venue owners who have supported me and given me a chance. To anyone who was looking forward to my return to Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and northwest Michigan - you have my deepest apologies. The show in North Platte, Nebraska 8/21 and a weekend of shows in southeast Michigan the weekend of 9/10 and 9/11 are still on.

Life is not all or nothing, and I want the reader to know that I'm not "giving up music". Songs will be written, shows will be played and albums will be released for anyone who wishes to hear them for as long as I'm breathing. To be frank, at this time - after 13 years, 1,200 shows in 24 states, 3 albums and countless vats of emotional blood, sweat and tears - I cannot go back out there and sleep in the car. I cannot go back out there and earn so little that I feel guilty for spending $10 a day on food, or rack up further debt.

Also know that there is peace with this. I learned in the last four months that maybe I'm just not cut out for hitting people over the head with my music in order for them to pay enough attention that will allow me to make a living at it. Maybe I'd rather create from love, and let anyone who'd like to listen, listen. Anyone who doesn't wish to listen, doesn't have to. They don't have to be won over by a clever marketing scheme or a sexy music video (like Vaguely Alamosa! Damn I loved that beard!). They sure as hell don't have to feed me, or clothe me. The attitude of need has taken something I find invaluable (my relationship with music) and given it a small, paltry number in USD. I need a break from that.

Thanks to my friends and family for your undying support.

P.S. - Today, I played my guitar and - in my ears - it sounded more beautiful than it has in months.

Jeremy

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

WEST COAST VERSION 2.0 TOUR with LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Tour comes to a close/I can celebrate this independence.




Lindsay and I drove through the night to Portland so we could be the musical guests at the Portland Center for Spiritual Living Sunday morning. We enjoyed playing for this friendly congregation as our last costal show on this Pacific Northwest tour. We’ll be playing a show in Carbondale, CO at Steve’s Guitars on Friday, which will be the last official show after we meander back to Colorado over these next couple days. But in the meantime, the 4th of July marked the end of our west coast shows. We crashed at a friend’s vacant apartment for the rest of the holiday weekend, reveling in greatly earned naps, couching, and movie watching. We toasted ourselves and the tour with a bottle of Roxyann Winery Pinot, then watched distant fireworks from the balcony.

This tour is my third this year and each one has been significantly different from the others – different highs, different lows and different challenges. All of these things continue to lead to new epiphanies. For example, I’m having a garage sale in a few weeks. I’m selling all of my stuff. I want to fit everything I own into my Honda Fit. Also, I realized I don’t have to tour the rest of my life if I don’t wish to tour the rest of my life. Also, I want to open myself to the possibility of living in a different city. I am very open right now. I feel my mind is rather clear and getting clearer the more time I spend out on these interstates. I think that is I like best about this lifestyle. You’re trapped with yourself, you’re forced to look at yourself everyday. It’s sometimes sobering, often terrifying but I believe it’s a great way for Jeremy to grow quickly, and I’m loving this growing thing.

I can’t say enough about my tour partner, Lindsay Weidmann. So I won’t even begin… I’ll just say “thank you, Lindsay” into my guitar and loop pedal and let it repeat four or five thousand times.

WEST COAST VERSION 2.0 TOUR with LINDSAY WEIDMANN - 7/1 through 7/3 - WASHINGTON STATE SHOWS!













Thank you Lindsay’s Aunt Mary. I have not yet met you, but I’ve slept in your guest bed and thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast you so kindly prepared for us before leaving your house to run errands. After eggs benedict, fresh fruit and strong coffee, we headed down to Seattle’s southern neighbor, Tacoma, to see Lindsay’s cousin Will, a student at the University of Puget Sound. In the cafe where we were to folk that evening, we took full advantage of it’s internet, couches, excellent food, and pleasantly quiet and creative environment. We set up shop at The Mandolin CafĂ© for the afternoon to enjoy some interneting and much needed out-of-car-time. I scored a hair cut, as I could no longer see. We played our show and slept on Will’s dorm futon and I was able to relive the college days I never lived in the first place. I went to trade school, and commuted from home. I guess the closest I ever came to dorm dwelling was my time with “The Ottomans”. Aside from the rehearsing, shows and a laughable sense of entitlement, I recall hours spent with those boys laughing at movies that were heralded as much more hilarious than they actually were, thanks to the assistance of, shall we say, assets.

The next 48 hours were full of seeing WONDERFUL old friends of Lindsay’s. C & P Coffee in Seattle hosted the Jeremy Facknitz & Lindsay Weidmann show Friday night for their quiet coffee crowd. Lindsay’s good friend Victoria was visiting the area from Minnesota and brought a bunch of friends. Very fun to meet her! Then we slept at Dr. Julie’s apartment, a friend of Lindsay’s from catholic high school days. The next evening her fellow artistically inclined college friend, Josie, hosted a house concert for us. Old fellow camp counselor friend, Patrick, was in the audience as well as Julie and Lisa, another high school friend. I’m so thankful Lindsay has so many friends!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

WEST COAST VERSION 2.0 TOUR with LINDSAY WEIDMANN - WASHINGTON STATE, BELLINGHAM - GREEN FROG ACOUSTIC TAVERN











FROM THE BLOG OF LINDSAY WEIDMANN:

Jeremy and I have been on tour for 3 weeks now and we still like each other. Although this is my first tour ever and have nothing to compare it to, I find that fact impressive. I would like to attribute our serenity to our agreeable dispositions. We’ve had some moments of annoyance with each other but on this morning, last day of June, we walked around Portland like two friends on vacation together. We decided to have a morning off from working or planning tour logistics and explored downtown Portland as tourists. We found a great diner for a 11 am brunch then walked down to the largest independently owned bookstore in the world, Powell’s Bookstore. Unfortunately, we had a lot of miles to cover so we could only skim through a couple rooms of this 4 story bookstore spanning a whole city block. It was quite a site. Having worked in a bookstore myself, I found the overpowering smell of hardbacks intoxicating.

Bellingham, WA was our tour destination. We had a late show at the excellent Green Frog Acoustic Tavern. A peanut shell laced, darkened bar full of smiling, jovial Bellinghamers, the Acoustic Tavern was full through the evening. We played our usual songwriter tag-team show for everyone, which is now like a well-oiled machine, and enjoyed making a few new northern friends. It was another late night of driving as we headed back down to Seattle to sleep at a relative’s house. Thank goodness for friends and family willing to take in last-minute ramblers."

WEST COAST VERSION 2.0 TOUR with LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Monday, 6/28 and Tuesday, 6/29 - Day off and casual Tuesday...










We awoke on the Yachats coast. Lindsay went for a walk and did some yoga. Jeremy organized his possessions and went over trip logistics. Then we did some more songwriting in the car as we headed back to Portland Monday morning. This was the beginning of a big driving week for Tour of Faith and this “day off” is no exception. We have experienced nights of sleeping on the ground or in the car and we’ve also experienced generously plush sleeping arrangements on this tour and lucky for us, the next two nights were of the plush category. We settled in to a friend’s vacant apartment in downtown Portland and actually enjoyed a home cooked meal of Lindsay’s famous spaghetti surprise and Jeremy’s badass blueberry muffins. Spontaneous singing and improvisation went on after enjoying one of our Roxyann Winery bottles of vino.

Lindsay went hiking with her friend Jonathan and enjoyed his native knowledge of different Portland hotspots on Tuesday morning. Jeremy worked diligently on the computer booking gigs for the fall and then we headed out for our Alberta St Pub gig. We met and jammed with our new musical Portland friend, Will West and his cello, mandolin playing comrade Skip. We danced around during Will’s intoxicatingly musical set while enjoying Irish Pub fare and brew. Great night all around!

Portland is a very clean city, one full of very progressive minds and green landscapes. It’s a city we’re gonna spend as much time in as we can while were here.

WEST COAST TOUR VERSION 2.0 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Sunday, 6/27 - DRIFT INN - YACHATS, OREGON




June 27th, Day 18: Yachats, our new costal home
“Let’s build a little house by the sea
build a little house by the sea
My worries from the land
Will sleep in the sand
Let’s build a little house by the sea”

These lyrics were inspired by our time in Yachats, Oregon. We arrived there Sunday afternoon and walked off our car-cramped legs on their famous inland beach where the surf is sandy and shallow. Yachats is the sea version of a one horse town. There’s about a dozen businesses along the main road and many scattered picturesque houses spotting the pine hillsides. But we forgot to take pictures of the town itself. We also forgot to take pictures of the Drift Inn where we played that night for many a sea-faring folk. This dining establishment boasts live music every night of the week for the Yachats locals and vacationers. We had an attentive Sunday night crowd of live people and mermaid murals. We fell asleep at a local hotel after stuffing ourselves with a complimentary seafood dinner by the Drift Inn. Oh, this is vacation!

Earlier that morning, while enjoying fresh picked raspberries from friend Jonathan’s garden, we employed a new tradition on our tour: Appreciation Workshops. Lindsay has decided she’s starting a new career of professional appreciator. So she led a workshop with Jeremy. Let’s try one now:
“Take a medium sized breath
Now take a long deep breath
Close your eyes and take one more slow, deep breath
Now, open your eyes and look around
Do you see anything you appreciate? Feel any appreciation?”
I appreciate the blue house over there on the corner. I appreciate laughing a lot this morning. I appreciate my healthy body. I appreciate being well fed. I appreciate Jonathan’s garden peas. I appreciate that I’m alive one more day and I can choose how much love I feel at any given moment. I appreciate feeling really happy right now.
Now, you try…

WEST COAST TOUR VERSION 2.0 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Saturday, 6/25 - HONORING DAY, FLOYD'S COFFEE IN PORTLAND, OREGON












Today would have been my wedding day.

I was engaged to be married and it fell through. It's no big deal. It happens.

I'm glad it fell through sooner than later. Nobody had to take back tuxedo's or cancel flights and, what would have been worse yet, nobody left anyone at the altar on front of 150 friends and family members.

But a date was planned, and it was June 26th, 2010. Matchbooks were made up as party favors. Gifts were purchased for the wedding party. The chapel and reception location were booked. Somewhere online, I believe there is still a weddingchannel page for us, but I don't posses the password required to dispose of it.

We broke up 7 months ago, and while we had many a good time together, it was past due and my life since then has gone through a Renaissance of sorts. Without divulging what's too personal for this blog, I will say that I'm apparently more "over it" than my family. I will say that I'm so thankful and honestly happy to be here in Oregon on June 26th, 2010. I will also say that the biggest issue I've had with the relationship and its demise has been my roll in it, because when it comes right down to it, all we can change is ourselves and our own behaviors and even this is a tremendous task.

Lindsay's proving to be a stellar tour partner. My sweet, dear friend blessed me with gifts this morning - a toy dog that sings "Singing in The Rain", inspired by the movie we rented recently in Crescent City, CA (we've named him Gene); an angel for the dash board of our tour "bus"; and a ring with a big fat J on it which led to a small ceremony in which I married... myself. Lindsay dubbed it "Honoring Day". It was a good Honoring Day today. The best ever.

I feel an extreme amount of gratitude and contentment to be in Oregon with my friend Weidmann, playing shows and living my life for one person and one person only, my new wife... ME. At times, part of me feels as though I have gotten away with something. I feel special, in that so few people get to look at their wedding day that's not happening from 7 months and 1,000 miles removed and actually celebrate it.

Thanks Lindsay, thank you to me.

Thanks also my ex. I toast you today as well.

We played a show at Floyd's Coffee in Portland with Jonathan Brinkley and Hans Barklis, a songwriters in the round show which was a great deal of fun. So was the walk in the rose garden afterwards with Jonathan and his roommates. I look forward to Honoring Day, 2011 already.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

WEST COAST TOUR #2 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Friday, 6/25 - Roxyann Winery - Medford, Oregon.
























"Inspired by the Rogue Valley’s natural beauty and bounty, RoxyAnn Winery was founded in 2002 at the historic Hillcrest Orchard in east Medford that has been bearing fruit for over 100 years." - www.roxyann.com

Tonight Lindsay Weidmann and Jeremy Facknitz were blessed to bear their fruits of song to the appreciative wine sippers at Roxyann Winery. The sunset, a gentle breeze and the rolling hills of southwest Oregon were also in attendence this evening. The touring duo crooned while those in attendance swooned. Specifically, the rolling hills and the couple at the table stage right were most appreciative of the duo's efforts.

Having been compensated with two bottles of wine and nice check, our fearless folkers drove off in Lindsay's prius and headed north, bathing in the warm summer glow of the moon.

Tomorrow, Portland.

Friday, June 25, 2010

WEST COAST TOUR #2 w/LINDSAY WEIDMANN - Monday, 6/21 through Thursday, 6/24 - FOLKIN' IT UP FOR ASHLAND, OREGON












MONDAY, 6/21 - LIQUID ASSETS

After a swell meal and even "sweller" night's sleep in Crescent City, California Sunday night, we packed up our guitars along with the remnants of our fatigue and made our way to the beautiful state of Oregon. We stopped along the way for ice cream. Chocolate. My diet on this tour has run the gamete. I have good-boy days where I'll consume veggies and fruit, and bad-boy days where I'll live off of milk shakes and gas station donuts. It's not always easy to eat well on a budget with no fridge as well as the overwhelming temptation to eat crap looming everywhere. Either way, I'm still here, still folking and I'm not hungry, so I applaud myself. Clap clap clap clap clap...

Tonight, Liquid Assets (thanks Olivia!). My second time performing at this wonderful wine cafe in downtown Ashland. It seemed as though the most attentive of audience members were also members of Olivia's family (thanks Olivia X2!) as they tapped their tables, chairs and toes to our Monday night sounds.

We took advantage of free wine. The Merlot is most excellent. It has good legs and a hint of chocolate.

TUESDAY, 6/22 - DAY OFF

Kara Rosengren is my sister. She runs a non-profit dance company known as "Against The Grain" (www.againstthegraindance.org). She's quite gifted. She has also had the fortune of landing a good husband in my brother-in-law Ken, who is a pilot for Delta. Sissy (as I call her) can fly for free pretty much anywhere she wants to go, so she decided to come see big brother in Ashland.

Unfortunately, she must fly stand-by, which can be tough when you're traveling with kids out of school and your destination is the tiny airport of neighboring Medford, Oregon. It took her 20 hours, but she arrived to the Roadway Inn as bright, sweet, chipper and effervescent as ever! That's my Sissy!

She took real good care of us, and I can't thank her enough for her support in my endeavors.

While she was fighting her way across the country from Chicago, Lindsay and I worked... booked shows, blogged a bit, played guitar. Lindsay is now joining me on "Vaguely Alamosa" and "Better Than Us" and improving the live delivery of these nuggets immensely.

WEDNESDAY, 6/23 - TEASE

I love window shopping. I'm rarely tempted to buy things I don't need or can't afford. For this, I am thankful. Sissy and I walked around Ashland during the day sipping coffee, munching on Cinnamon rolls and talking about Jarod Facknitz behind his back while Lindsay toiled away on the laptop. Lindsay's a go-getter. I felt a twinge of guilt but I'll get back to "me" come Friday. I welcome my sister's visit and shall use it as a valid excuse to turn into tourist for a few days.

Thanks to Julie who booked us, and Allan who volunteered to take money at the door. Tease is a new business here in Ashland... rather posh but without pretentiousness. Me and my clothing ensemble of faded jeans/cowboy shirt felt quite at ease inside of Tease.

We put on a great show. We know this because we have proof; Sissy attended and filmed a few songs for us, some of which I'd love to post on blogger but I don't have the 67 years it takes to download a video on blogger. What's that? Will they be on Youtube soon? Hopefully. I will keep you posted. Thanks for your interest!

THURSDAY, 6/24

This day will live in infamy.

Although I'm still getting to know her, I'm sure Lindsay Weidmann has made many discoveries throughout her life. But I trust they pale in comparison (in my mind, anyway) to the discovery she made as the sun hit the side of my face just right on Thursday, June 24th 2010 at 7:23pm pacific standard time and brought to light another reminder that I am not a child, nor will I live forever.

An ear hair.

I have a hair growing out of my ear.

This is not a big deal. Just as everything poops, everything also grows old, grows hair in odd places and dies.

My initial reaction was disgust. Followed by panic, then sadness, then acceptance. This all happened within about 37 seconds, but I felt this is something you, dear reader, would find interesting.

We performed for a few lucky patrons and the beautiful staff at Culture Works in Ashland, Oregon. Chris was kind enough to feed us with sandwiches and salads.

I love Ashland. I love the people here, and the way I'm received and welcomed as a performing artist. I will return, probably sooner than later.

I just hope I get over the whole "this is where I discovered my first ear-hair" thing.

To hear all this from Lindsay's point of view, and expose yourself to a higher quality of writing, visit www.lindsayweidmann.blogspot.com!

ALSO! ORDER JEREMY'S SOLD OUT CD "GIMMICK" (just a few copies left!) OR DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM AT www.cdbaby.com/jeremyfacknitz!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

WEST COAST TOUR 2.0 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN – SUNDAY, 6/20 – UNITY OF THE REDWOODS – EUREKA, CALIFORNIA












We literally drove through the night, leaving Santa Cruz at 10:35 pm for Eureka. We had about 10 hours between performances and half that would be spent driving - a daunting task in daylight, an extra dose of daunting over night. We stopped only for fuel for the car as well as our sleepy heads. We tried desperately to make each other laugh and stay alert, and we succeeded until about 4 am when we couldn’t even do such things for ourselves anymore (and that's saying something, since we both find ourselves wildly entertaining).

We arrived in Eureka shortly after 5 in the morning. We slept for 2 hours as well as we could in the car, myself in the front seat, my tour partner on top of our belongings in the back. We awoke, cleaned up, and played our hearts out for Father’s Day. We napped on the beach afterwards. Drove through the Redwood Forest. I stepped inside a “tree of insight”. It was beautiful. We drove to Crescent City, scored a cheap mom and pop hotel, rented “Singing In The Rain” and went to bed early.

Now, I am exhausted and completely devoid of wit and pith.

That’s all I have to say about that.

WEST COAST TOUR #2 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN - 6/19 - ASANA TEAS









We still don't know how to pronounce "Asana". We would like to say "AsAHna", but the polite gentleman behind the counter reminded us it was "ASSana", which I think sounds... dangerous?

Gail was great. Thanks so much for booking us, Gail! Asana Tea's is a lovely shop with even lovelier food in Santa Cruz, California. I highly recommend eating food there. I'm sure the tea is swell as well, but I stuck to water.

I'm a violent tea-drunk.

For a small yet appreciative crowd we folked our way through our trade-off set. Next to our stage area, there were two large "temple doors" for sale at half off. As you can see by the picture above, it was priced to move and it was a bargain I had a hard time passing up. Damn you, Toyota Prius! If only we had a larger vehicle to transport such a bad-ass souvenir from Santa Cruz, why, those doors would be mine right now and I could walk through them whenever I damn well pleased.

Tonight, a 5.5 hour drive after the show to Eureka, California for a church performance tomorrow morning. Coffee? Check. Chocolate gas station donuts? Check. Indigestion? On it's way.

WEST COAST TOUR #2 WITH LINDSAY WEIDMANN - 6/17 and 6/18 - THURSDAY'S CANCELLED SHOW, FRIDAY AT ZELDA'S!









We left the hot springs and headed back east 40 minutes or so to Reno for our show at 4th Street. Upon our arrival to the major metropolis, Lindsay noticed she had received a phone call from the venue. The owner said that the local opener had backed out, and typically people don't come to this place unless you can pull a draw in Reno, as it is primarily a music venue. He suggested we call the whole thing off.

If we weren't looking at throwing down $60 for a hotel room in Reno that night, we might have done the show anyway - rolled the dice and gone for it - but we've been doing this long enough to heed such advice from venue owners. We called back, cancelled the gig and headed back west... this time with the intention of driving all the way to Lindsay's old friend Gersh's house in Santa Cruz, California.

I wasn't prepared for this. Typically, I like to know when I'm about to sit in a car for 6 hours. I mentally prepare myself, do some half-assed yoga and get to it. No matter, really. It was a beautiful evening. We stopped along the way to treat ourselves. Lindsay purchased fruit, I a chocolate milkshake from Burger King.

Gersh housed us Thursday night and walked us up and down the boardwalk Friday morning. Thanks to Gersh.

Friday night we played Zelda's On The Beach, my second time go-round (I played there in March with Teresa). Zelda's is a restaurant/bar on... wait for it... the beach. It seems that typically, at Zelda's, we start off the show in front of a packed dinner crowd. A few stay, a few leave - those who stay tend to get pretty drunk and enjoy the hell out of you. This scenario suits me just fine. After years and years of playing the bar scene in the mid-west, this is my element. This is where I thrive.

We sold CD's, we made the most money we've made all tour up until now. A man named Ryan came up and gave us $10 to play "Brown Eyed Girl" so he could sing it. That's lunch man. Hell yes I gave him his "Brown Eyed Girl" and I even sang back-ups for him. After the show, he joined us on the patio and the two of us sang the theme song to "Punky Brewster" as Lindsay looked on in confused horror.

A night at Kathy's guest house in Watsonville closed the best day of the tour thusfar (in this author's humble opinion). Thank you Kathy, Ernie and kids for your hospitality and for showing us the secret tree.

Also BIG thanks to Eddie and Zelda's. My favorite bar in California!