Our next show was in Logan, UT. I met Olive Alexander, who did the art on my album, for the first time. She is a nymph. We had a picnic breakfast in a tree house and swung on a rope swing over a creek. The show was magical and so were the people we stayed with. I am crushed out on that whole situation. The day following the show we went to a poetry reading in the park and almost died because everything was too cute to bare.
Then we played Salt Lake City and watched Dream Girls with our friends Jenna and Brandi. I love Beyonce. Then we played Denver with the new love of our lives, Ian Cooke. He loops his voice and cello and sounds like Andrew Bird, Joanna Newsom, and Rufus Wainwright. We also met a boy named Stelth... need I say more? The next day we were in the steam room at a gym and a guy who was sitting uncomfortably close to us pegged us at traveling musicians. When we told him we were playing in Colorado Springs that night he said that ex military kids with PTSD were always shooting people there. In his opinion, we were goners. We are still here but we narrowly survived.
One ten hour drive later we arrived in Kansas City to play a show. I forget most of that evening due to lack of sleep. We were greeted with rice and vegetables... that part I remember. Also I remember how crazy talented our host was. Apryl's art is stunning. Oh and Molly Gene is a crazy bad ass country blues songwriter and one woman band. The next day we ate the best vegan food that either of us have ever eaten. Since we have both spent most of our lives on the west coast... this was pretty shocking. The place is called FUD and has the best nachos I've ever had... vegan or no. We also tried on fancy lingerie at Birdie's and bought a ceramic squirrel for the dash of the van at a dollar store. As we were driving from one side of the city to the other we heard opera through the van window. We hastily wove through Kansas City streets in search of the sound. We found speakers on the side of the road blasting the music. We then walked down a river bank and saw a woman standing on a bridge over the water singing some aria or another. Pure magic.
Kansas City couldn't possibly hold any more adventure for us so we left last night and when we arrived in Lincoln, NE at 1 am this morning, we went directly to the sex shop that shares a parking lot with our motel. We spent last night in a Motel 6 and a large part of our day in a chain family eatery across the street from said Motel 6. Since then we have been browsing antique stores and consuming various delicious foods and beverages.
Today I received a rough version of the Paralyzing video and it is looking fantastic. Just a few more changes. I plan to release it on Sept 30th. You can't wait.
I also wanted to update folks about my second visit to New Folsom Prison. I threw a benefit show a few months ago and raised enough money to buy a loop pedal just like the ones I have for the music room at the prison. This second visit consisted of playing a show in the yard and teaching a workshop on using the loop pedal.
I arrived at the gates at 8 am and as soon as we entered the yard I started hearing my name called out by various inmates. It was so nice to be greeted like that. I played for about 75 guys gathered in the grass. I saw a lot of familiar faces and after my set a autographed a lot of scraps of paper and prison issued hats.
Then I went to the music room and taught some of the main musicians the basics of the loop pedal. It was so fun to see them using it. Even the tough looking guys couldn't hide their excitement. I want to thank everyone that attended the show that raised the money for this. I wish you could have been there to see this.
Sorry this is a long one. It's been so long since I updated and I have so much to say. I think thats it.... but I'm likely forgetting something.
