Archive for the ‘Tour’ Category

Filmed this video performing “Soldier” with The Sweetness just before our show at Cafe Henrici in
Zurich, Switzerland.

I’m sitting in the passenger seat of our rental. My friend, Nils is driving, ride-share gal in the back, en route to Frankfurt. I fly home to Texas in the morning, my heart is full of gratitude and nostalgia after an amazing German Tour.

So many of the shows were packed, full of smiles and yeehaws and earnest applause. A few, even lightly attended, but filled the room with dedicated listening and support. Many folks who started out as acquaintances at the onset of this tour, became late-night coffee and club matte buddies. I lost track of the long, wonderful conversations and life stories weeks ago. Not to harp on cliches, but I feel like this is the stuff of life: community. Killer shows come and go. The high of a great crowd never really lasts for long. Neither does the low of an awful turn out. The relationships I’ve forged in the last few weeks mean the world to me.

So, this blog post is for you guys. To Uli, for letting me crash in your bed while you slept on the couch for a whole week. Please keep growing your beard and by Christmas time I expect to see pictures of you dressed as German Santa. Nils, for sitting at all those cafes while I drank all those cappuccinos hiding behind my laptop, while you sort of read a magazine and sort of texted for 5 hours, waiting for me to finish. Also, for all the chocolate, and showing me that chivalry is alive and well in Germany.

To Andi and Benni for being our German psuedo-stalkers and Reiner for feeding us till we  waddled, Andy for my first stick-driving lesson, Pascal for making it feel like I was coming home, and every last person who touched my heart (here comes the sap) after a show. And who can forget the troupe of Serbian and Croatian dudes who serenaded us after the show in Berne. You guys are the reason I get through the rough patches.

I love returning to a city and knowing exactly where to find the forks in a kitchen, or what to order without looking at the menu. I love introducing the band to a life-long friend, and becoming fast friends  with everyone else’s.

The Sweetness has a few dates on the calendar for 2012. We have another North American tour in the works for February, and recording of another EP. Other than that – and my new album – I can’t tell you what the next year will bring. I can say my heart is pulling me back to the drawing board, creatively and intellectually. Sometimes it’s nice to feel remind myself that I’m not in control, take a step back and admire all that life has thrown at me.  The good and the bad.

It’s been a pretty great ride.

PS. If you haven’t heard, The Recording Conservatory of Austin has chosen me out of 400+ as a finalist to win $20,000 in recording and gear. Voting is simple and only takes two seconds – just click here!

Autumn is in full swing in the south of Germany. The leaves are fading from burnt orange to neon yellow – and every morning we wake to the blinding sunshine and brisk cool air.

Fresh (?) off the plane.

We arrived in Mannheim Thursday evening jet-lagged and completely beaten by the plane ride over. After a four-hour wild goose chase around the downtown center, Chloe and i bought SIM Cards for phones we could not unlock, a GPS connection cable that would not connect, and an internet cafe with no internet. I finally accosted some very friendly Turks, and asked in broken Turkish if I could borrow their cell to call our Couchsurfing hosts.

Our lovely hosts: Andi & Benni

I was half-asleep by the time we made it to Andi and Benni’s. We each took naps in short intervals – between grocery shopping, eating, laughing, and troubleshooting our IPhones. Andi & Benni made a wonderful vegetarian pasta, after which I promptly collapsed into a full-bellied coma.

Every morning greets me with a quiet contentedness, knowing the shows have been nothing short of wonderful. Chloe has done a killer job booking this tour. Each of our crowds have been quiet and attentive and later in the night, loud and enthusiastic. I woke up Sunday morning to the sound of church bells ringing in through the skylight of our hotel room window. Courage im Volksbad arranged a beautiful bed & breakfast for us to stay in central Magdeburg (Northeastern Germany). To say I’ve been fed well on this tour would be the understatement of the year.

I never want to take for granted how fortunate I am to get to see the world doing what I love. In the weeks leading up to this tour, I often greeted excited reactions with a half-hearted smile. I absolutely love Germany – and am so glad to be back. But, I’d been so focused on work, I was more concerned with recording and e-mailing back a promoter than anything else. Every day I work on being a little bit more present. When I’m home – I try to focus and appreciate being home. It’s too easy to daydream about the next tour, or adventure, and how much better life will be once I get there. As soon as I start slipping into the ‘Are We There Yets’ – it’s never enough, and I’m never satisfied. It’s amazing how quickly we adapt to our lifestyles.

So each day – it’s enough to know I’ve done my best. My best to get accomplished what time allows, to connect and get to know the people I come across, and appreciate the little things. Like the little bag of EmergenC I just found at the bottom of my computer case. Right now, that’s pretty amazing.

This is us. In German!

One of these things does not belong.

Next week I will be headed back to Canada to perform at the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals music Conference (OCFF) ! Shortly thereafter, hitting up German & Switzerland for another European tour with the Sweetness!

Here she is, folks…

Oct 21st, Der Bock, Mannheim, DE
Oct 22nd, Courage am Volksbad, Magdeburg, DE
Oct 23rd, Koli, Karlsruhe
Oct 24th, Mehlsack, Mundingen, DE
Oct 25th, Cafe Henrici, Zurich, CH
Oct 26th, Cafe Zahringer, Zurich, CH
Oct 27th, Muig Bistro, Bern, CH
Oct 28th, Silent Friday, The Sweetness, Stuttgart, DE
Oct 29th, Cafe Galao, The Sweetness Stuttgart, DE
Oct 30th, Cat, Ulm, DE
Oct 31st, Fetzer Concert
Nov 2nd, Club Voltaire, Tuebingen, DE
Nov 3rd, Havanna Cafe, Marburg, DE
Nov 4th, Cafe Lichtung, Cologne, DE
Nov 5th, Kulturfabrik, Heidelsheim, DE
Nov 6th, Mobile Blues Club, Hamburg, DE
Nov 7th, Prinz Willy, Keil, DE
Nov 8th, Das Haus, Rostock, DE
Nov 9th, Ae, Berlin, DE
Nov 11th, Sofa Salon, Berlin, DE
Nov 12th, Cafe Brohmers, Halle, DE

For show details, checkout the tour page!

PS.I’ve wrapped the first half of recording my sophomore release, and so far, it’s been amazing! I’ll finish up in the studio this December, and get set for the release Spring 2012! Yay!