Long time no blog, I know. Well, I thought I would share a little taste of our recent travels, so here we go:
This tour out to the midwest has been many things. It's been exhilarating, illuminating, hard, fun, silly, uplifting, social, and fulfilling. We were taken in by so many awesome loving people! We had a chance to work out a few new songs, and get them solid, including an Ian Hersey original informally known as "Ribbons" and Alex and my new song "Rescue Ranger". We had a lot of great bonding time as a band in the van (voluntary and not-so-voluntary), out of which came our new in-joke: you just bellow/schreech out the most god-aweful noise you can and everybody laughs.
We were hosted in Kalamazoo by the band Rock and the Hive, and we played a show together at the Strutt. By the way, Kalamazoo is an awesome town, and the Strutt is an awesome venue. It's a coffee-house by day, bar by night in a quirky triangular corner room with lots of light and art, creaky floors delicious home-made pizza and really nice people. I finished this necklace there. The Rock and Hive played their set of passionate indie rock and then we played two sets for a generally energized crowd. That night back at the Rock and the Hive's house we met a very friendly cat (named Alfonso?) and it had the funniest meow that sounded like a very unenthusiastic "wow". wow. wow.... um, like... wow. Darby kept saying his wows like that the whole rest of the trip.Our third time in Grand Rapids was just as awesome (if not more) than the previous two visits. Founders Berwery is a big warm open room smelling like hops with windows into the brewing area. When you walk in there are peanut shells covering the floor, and usually about 50-100 people chatting loudly and drinking and eating. We had lots of old/new friends come out to see us, and we played furiously and were offered 2 cases of beer as a kind tip for the night. Our GR angel Beth put us up and recommended Bill's Family Restaurant for breakfast, where we could have ordered (but didn't) Duke of Rib... wow.
Des Moines is another beautiful city. During our day off there I went to the mechanic to check out a wiring problem. On the way back the entire sky was filled with crows. The biggest coven I've ever seen in my life. I pulled over to get out and watch, found a bench and propped my head back so I could just let my eyes take in the constant writhing, flapping, circling movement, of the crows' black bodies in the pale late afternoon sky. I could hear their flapping too. Then we played at Vaudville Mews with Tiger City, an awesome band from Brooklyn with the coolest front man I have seen in maybe ever. He is big and bald and his name is Bill and he sings like a lady sometimes. We all loved their set and their new CD Ancient Lover stayed in the front cup holder of Puppy for a long time (it is still there) (front cup-holder position is highest praise).
In St. Louis we played a fun show and then partied until daybreak with Liz and Maggie and their amazing crew of friends. Thanks for the doughnuts guys!!! The next day on the radio I heard Beyoncé's song "He's Got A Big Ego" for the first time and was blown away (as I often am by that lady). Somewhere along the way to Iowa City we stopped at a rest area and I took this video of me getting my jumppys out.
Then we all started jumping and taking pictures of it...
In Iowa City we were invited to Doug and Leigh Zalatel's house to stay for 2 nights! They made us dinner and breakfasts and sat around their fire pit with us for hours drinking beer. What amazing kind souls. Happy to have such a great network of friends and family to make strenuous tours a bit more bearable. Our show in Iowa City at the Yacht Club was wild. The highlight for me was briefly popping in on the after-party upstairs, where the hosts were a friendly married couple with an talented DJ friend, pebbles in their sink and an amazing hat collection.And finally Chicago. A great way to end the tour. We were sandwiched between two talented hip-hop groups, Treologic and the Heiruspecs. We danced for a bit and then had to cut out early to begin an all-night drive back to New Jersey with lots of cozy van-bonding time. Lots. Lots... wow.
Love,
Kalmia + Rubblebucket
