Christmas Time

As I'm sure you're well aware of, the holiday season is upon us again. When you work retail, as I have done for many years now, the holiday feeling is almost inescapable - it gets to the point of annoying very quickly - not to sound like a scrooge or anything like that, but there is a lot forced on you: the decorations surrounding the store, the holiday items that start arriving towards the end of October, the panic stricken customers that come in to shop for a holiday party - trying to find something appropriate to bring (I work in a specialty grocery store), and of course the music - the endless cycle of songs that carry on and on. After the first day of Christmas music, I'm done and I spend most of the rest of the days trying to block it all out.
I think it's the lack of variety that gets to me about the holiday music season. There are only so many songs, and when you have to listen to them every working day, it takes the specialness out of hearing them. Then also there are the different takes on the same song - and that sometimes leads to the analyzing of these songs - since you're hearing the words in a different way, or that you're hearing them again and again. For example, in the song that has the opening line, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," the singer talks about "Tales of the Glory," and follows it with "telling scary ghost stories," - when did telling scary ghost stories became a Christmas thing? That's baffling to me. Then I remember a Trivial Pursuit question from long go that asked what is the horses name in Jingle Bells - and now I think about that every time I hear that song.
Probably my favorite Christmas song is A Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. It's a masterfully written song about being down and out on Christmas Eve - trying to hold on to a once promising relationship. The opening lines are: it was Christmas Eve babe/ In the drunk tank. The song becomes a duet with Kirsty MacColl taking the female role and Shane MacGowan the male - the rough and sweetness mix of their voices is perfect - and you believe them. It's gets to name calling after the beautiful instrumental break - things aren't good, but they are still somewhat hopeful by the end of the song. The music is glorious, the voices and the words all mix together for perfection.
Last year my friends, Sarah Stanely, Rich McCulley, and Shane McMahon, decided to organize a show at "our" bar, The Cinema Bar. It was to be a holiday show with all the songwriters singing original holiday songs. I was asked if I wanted to do it and I said yes, since I had an original holiday song from a couple years before that I wrote about drinking on Christmas Eve in Nashville. The show ended up having about 25 people or so on the bill - and it was an awesome, impressive night. Everyone was good and I'm glad that I'm able to call them all my friends. My song went over well and after the show I put together a little slide show with the song playing and posted it to You Tube.
This year they decided to do another holiday show, and I agreed again. This time though I didn't have a song already written so I started thinking about what I wanted to write a holiday song about - and I had no clue as to where to begin. I guess somehow (I'm still not sure) I started thinking about my friend's film, Prison Through Tomorrow's Eyes, by Paul Sutton and Lori-Boland Sutton, that I had recently seen at a film festival - and that became my subject matter. I wrote it from an inmate's view reflecting in his mind about Christmases past. I set it at this prison that's out in the California desert off the I-10 which I have seen a lot since I drive to Phoenix regularly. I wasn't sure about some lyrics but just went with it - and ended up being happy about it all. I did a recording in my bedroom and was happy with that too.
The show went well - again some amazing songs had been written and sung that night. It's hard to choose a favorite, but again it made me happy to see my very talented friends - and I'm so glad to be a part of this community - this very supportive community. My friend Deb Tala joined me that night on accordion for my Christmas Morn song and it added a lot to it all.
It was another big billed holiday show show - about 25 performers - so The Cinema Bar was packed. The Cinema Bar is a very small bar in Culver City, but it seems like the more people that pack in, the more fun it is - even with having to squeeze your way to the bar, to the restrooms, to the back patio, or in or out of the front door. The stage isn't big so it's always interesting when you see a full band play there - trying to fit everything - gear, equipment, and people - into that tight corner - but again, it adds to the fun.
I guess I find comfort in knowing that there are other holiday songs out there - not just the ones that are on repeat at whatever retail store or business you happen to be at. Occasionally I do find myself at work singing along to the songs because they are catchy, and they have been etched into my brain - which I guess there are worse things in life - and I also take comfort in the fact that the songs will stop on the 26th.

Here's last year's song, Townes Jesus, and Me

and my new holiday song can be heard on the Reverbnation player to the right

The Weekend Through Arizona

On Monday evening, we slowly made our way back to LA after several days of touring through Arizona. This time of the year is the perfect time to be there - the weather cools down so much - which is usually to biggest reason to stay out of Arizona - since from May to October it can easily hit the 100 degree mark. This trip we almost got snow in Flagstaff, Phoenix was nice, and Tucson, was incredible - I almost didn't want to come home.
As mentioned in the previous blog, the show in Flagstaff went well, and the next day after breakfast in downtown we hit the road south for Phoenix. It's an awesome drive that displays some amazing Arizona scenery - you can catch a glimpse of the red rocks of Sedona and the valley where Cottonwood lays, and the old mining town of Jerome that overlooks it off to the west on the side of the mountain. It was a good drive and we stopped off in Cave Creek before heading into the city which was beneath grey skies - rain was on its way.
While we were hanging out, relaxing at Janey's, we heard that a dust storm, a haboob, was on its way through Phoenix. It missed us since we were so far north but as we drove into town, the dingy haze of dust lingered throughout the air. We got to the gig, the North 51 Grill - on the north side of Phoenix and got ready for our set that evening. We saw Rick, the now former owner of the bar, who has been very cool over the years - booking me whenever I've needed a break from LA - and so it gave the night a bittersweet feeling. Overall, though, it went well and afterwards we went out to my friend Jim's place where we were going to be staying that night.
Jim is an old friend that I met through Eddie and he and his wife bought a house not too long ago. When we got there, Jim and his friend's were having a jam session in the front room. The place was nice and big and he now has a big music room that's filled with guitars, basses, a banjo, a mandolin, a drum set, amps, and footpedals - and that night we stayed up late switching around instruments and having fun.
In the morning we all went out to breakfast and Matt and I got our stuff ready for the drive down to Tucson. Before that I had heard about a party in Tempe - not too far from the campus of ASU, and a band I know from Austin, SHURMAN, were going to be playing. Unfortunately they were going on at 5pm, and we had to be down by Tucson by then. But I figured we'd stop by and check out the scene. It was a pretty awesome set up - in one of the off-campus housing spots. It took some time getting in because at first we couldn't find the proper entrance and then you had to register through a website, and the ID check - but once in it was cool. There was a good size stage set up, food cooking, beers flowing, and people just slowly pouring in. We stayed and watched a band for a bit and then hit the road.
I was looking forward to Tucson - I guess it's a feeling similar to how I feel about Flagstaff - it feels familiar - and the town is active and laid back. I've already been there several times this year and even in the summer I felt good there. Tucson also has a good music scene. One of my favorite bands is from there: Calexico - and Neko Case, who is one of my favorites does a lot of her recording at a studio there. The last time we played there in early June it went well - we had a good crowd, enjoyed the beers out at the Nimbus Brewery, and Matt introduced me to some good people.
We were set to play from 7 to 10 on Saturday night out at Nimbus again. We pulled into town and made our way there - which is south of town in an industrial area - generally saying, in the middle of nowhere - and briefly we got lost on the way. But soon we found the right street and got our stuff in and set up and got ready to play. The beers are pretty good there - although I wasn't too impressed with the IPA, but everything else was cool. A few of my friends came out, including the family that we were going to be staying with during our time there. The music and the sets went along like they should've and the people that were there liked us, and before I knew it, we were done. Also what was done was the kitchen - and we didn't get anything to eat beforehand. So we headed downtown after our goodbyes.
Downtown was busy that Saturday night. We walked by the Congress Hotel where we stayed the last time we played in town. The Congress is a cool old hotel that has a venue where bands play and they have a DJ too some nights. Things were jumping there, but we walked down to the The Grill which has a venue attached to it called the Red Room. It was crowded but we found a place at the counter and ordered. There was a punk band playing next door and they were pretty good. After we finished eating (can't remember what it was) we looked over and caught them finishing up - a three piece that had a tight sound - and a crowd of people were gathered around. I should have gotten the name.
We made the drive out to where we were staying - which was on the north east part of town - just outside the Tucson city limits, close to the mountains. It's a bit of drive from downtown that winds through the hills and during the daylight you can see some amazing views. Some friends that I met through my good friend Eddie Elliott have a house out there and a little trailer that they keep on the side. I stayed there with Eddie in June when he played a house concert there and it's pretty nice. I was looking forward to the morning to see the view of the mountains.
Rain falling on the trailer roof was what woke me up the next day. Outside, clouds were moving across the sky - and inside the house there was a cup of coffee calling my name. The family was up and we talked about the show last night and also the Day of the Dead parade that was happening in town that evening - All Souls Procession which Matt had said we needed to stick around for. I was intrigued and couldn't wait to see what it was all about. Thankfully the rain moved on and we headed out to check out the town before we had to go downtown.
We stopped off at a Bookman's, which is a big used book store - and it also sells CDs and DVDs, video games, music instruments - a little bit of everything. I picked up a few CDs and then a few doors down picked up some new cowboy boots from a Buffalo Exchange which is a used clothing store. The boots called to me and after I put them on I knew I had to have them. From there were hit the Barrio Brewing Company for lunch - decent chicken quesadilla and a good IPA - hoppy like an IPA should be.
By then it was about time to head downtown and get ready for the night out on the street. Down on 4th Street lots of people were walking around with their faces painted - dressed in black. Matt went looking for makeup and as the sun kept going down we made our way to the Congress Hotel to meet up with friends, including my friend Tricia, who's teaches at the U of A. While waiting at the Congress we saw some very interestingly dressed people. The costumes were impressive and I was really looking to seeing everyone in the parade. Before the procession, Tricia and I got a little snack at Maynards which is where the old Tucson train station is and it's across the street from the Hotel Congress. It's nice inside there and we hung out and caught up over some food and drinks.
By the time we got out, the parade was going. We walked over and stood watched everyone go by. There were many amazing costumes and so many people. I guess it's the largest Day of Dead parade in North America - I think that's what I heard. Something like 20,000 people were there watching and taking part. I was so glad that we had decided to come at that time so I could see it all. Our night ended up at a bar down the street playing pool - 9 ball since the 12 ball was missing, and playing darts and later made my way back to the trailer out by the mountains.
In the morning I wasn't looking forward to heading back home. I wanted to stick around for at least another day - and driving 8 hours back to LA didn't sound all that great. Still, after breakfast back at the Congress, we were ready for the drive. We said goodbye to that great desert town and headed northwest on the 10, back towards California and our final gig of this little run - at The Cinema Bar.
After a long drive where we got stuck in traffic right at the border for no good reason, and typical Southern California traffic as we got closer to home, I was dropped off and I got ready to head up for the gig. To tell the truth, I wasn't really feeling it. The night before had been fun, but it had also been a late one, and I was beat, and I also had to be at work the following morning at 10 - so I really couldn't wait until the night was over and back in bed. Our show at The Cinema Bar wasn't the best but it went all right and we played only one set before we packed everything up and I headed home to sleep.
So overall it was a fabulous trip. We were able to see some amazing scenery, we missed some bad weather (rain really isn't that bad), we were able to see lots of good people, stay with some very cool friends, and of course play some music. The food was good and decent, the beers awesome - and then the parade - which was truly spectacular. I'm hoping to head back in February - which I'm also hoping to head to Memphis later that month too, and then Austin in March for SXSW.
Can't wait for the new year - although there's plenty to do with the rest of this year
yours truly,
Jeremiah
Flagstaff Brewing Co. - Thursday night
Matt on the left and our friend Kate, who we stayed with up there
On the road from Flagstaff to Phoenix
Matt and I in Tempe
Outside of the party in Tempe - before going down to Tucson
Set up at the Nimbus Brewery
The view from the house in Tucson - looking up to Mt. Lemon
The new boots - right before putting them on and wearing them for the rest of the day
A store front window on 4th Street
the patio of the Congress Hotel
People on the patio - ready for the parade
All Souls Procession
The parade
A snake in the parade
In front of the Rialto Theater
Video from the parade (which for some reason repeats itself - I'll get it fixed)

Arizona trip

Greetings from the road. Right now we're in Cave Creek, Arizona - one of my favorite spots in the state of Arizona. Last night we were up in Flagstaff which is definitely my favorite spot in this state. We played at the Flagstaff Brewing Company which is one of my favorite bars in the country - just a relaxed feel - good beers, friendly people - both patrons and employees.
It's a good feeling when people are expecting you when you show up - and that's how it was last night when we came in. I had sent flyers and I saw them posted on a few of the windows. I've played there several times and I've been building up a fan base which I'm happy about. We set up our gear, got a few beers, and ready to play. We set up in the front window area - where right across Route 66 is the old train station and visitors center. It was chilly outside, but it felt good - not freezing and luckily I had the right clothes.
We slept in today since we got in late - and after the day of driving I know I needed the rest. I could hear the wind blowing hard and there was talk of a storm with snow that was supposed to hit the town sometime today. After we got some breakfast, and gassed up, we head out of town down the 17, passing lots of old memories for me - from when I had a girlfriend there years ago.
We drove by the exit where we she used to live and I looked to see if I could catch a glimpse of her house - the house that I helped put a metal roof way back when - that was such a crazy experience - especially since the hardware store where she ordered the supplies from got the order wrong. So we didn't have enough of some things and the screws were the wrong size, and it became a struggle to get it finished. Overall they are good memories. Her name is Ellen Winter and she's a writer and she has a great book of short stories called The Price You Pay which can be found on Amazon.
Tonight Matthew and I are playing at the North 51 Grill which used to be called the Dirty Drummer and a place that I've been playing for years - ever since my friend Eddie Elliott recommended me to the owner. This might be the last time I play there though since the owner is in the process of selling the bar. I've some good memories of that place too - some strange ones too as you can imagine. So I'm looking forward to this set this evening.
Tomorrow we head down to Tucson for the end of this run, and then head back to LA to play at The Cinema Bar - my home stage. I'm happy to be back on the road again - and going through some of my favorite cities.
I'll write more later,
yours truly,
Jeremiah
Flagstaff Brewing Co. - in between sets The Monte Vista - midday in Flagstaff Sedona off in the distance

Fall...

This week, with the rain and the cooler temperatures, it's definitely a sign that summer is over. Fall, with its crisp morning air, cool evenings, and a new fire season right around the corner, is here. This year it reminds me of when school begins, since I will be going back to the day job starting next week. After an extended break, I'm ready to get back to work.

It's a bit of an odd feeling because I'm giving up my limited freedom: no more waking up when ever I feel like it, going out to wander around town, eating on my own schedule - I guess sort of just bumming around - although there was other work to be done: booking shows, writing and recording songs, rehearsing, and I guess cooking can be added to that list. But now of course I'll have a steady flow of money to contribute more to the economy, I'll be able to purchase music gear again, not scramble every month (so much) for money to pay bills, and save up for more tours for the new year - I really want to make it to Europe next year.

Like I've said, it has been an interesting time traveling and playing music across the country. I feel lucky and fortunate that I was able to go out and do that and I have many, many fond memories about it all - most of which can be read on earlier blogs. I've had so much support from numerous people in various cities and it couldn't have been possible without them.

Since getting back to Southern California in mid July I've been living down in Orange County, where I grew up, in Garden Grove - which isn't too exciting. In the evenings, sometimes I'll head up to the Long Beach area, where I used to hang out long ago right out of high school. It has a good feel to it, not so uptight as Orange County. Lately I've been playing more down here, which is where I started playing. There's a couple coffeehouses that have started booking me a little more regularly again, so I think that's a good thing. But still I miss being out on the road - although I don't want a repeat of the last tour.

In August I made a trip up to Paso Robles which is in Central California close to the coast - it's wine country. There's a place I've played several times called the Pour House. It's just south of town and is a good room - a great selection of beers on tap and I was glad to head back up there - not only for playing but for the amazing drive. To get there you have to take the 101 and go along the coast for a while - through Ventura and through Santa Barbara and the view is spectacular. There are vineyards all along the drive and on that mid August day the weather was incredibly perfect.

My drummer Matt and his friend Tommy were going to be meeting me there. They were headed further north for a party that weekend and I was glad that they were going to be able to join me. The previous times I've played up there, I've just done it solo, so I was looking forward to having some support. The owner is a great guy named Shawn and this time he got out the word and there were more people there than I've had before. Overall the night was a success, and then the next day I took my time driving back so I could enjoy the views.

My next road trip is going to be November - the first weekend and Matt and I are going to be doing a few shows in Arizona - Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson. I'm already looking forward to it - I feel like I'm definitely needing a road trip and to get out of town for a few days - and by then, after doing the day job thing, I'll be even more ready.

So happy Fall and thanks for reading,
Yours truly,
Jeremiah On the drive there south of Santa Barbara Our gear set up at The Pour House, Paso Robles Pismo Beach Just above Santa Barbara

August [from September] Part 1

So here we are in August once again [well now September]. August for me, has always been somewhat of an eventful month - not only because I was born on the 20th in the early seventies - but it usually has been a time of change: My family has moved several times during this month (from and back to California); when I was 13 I found a new path at my local record store; I've fallen in love and traveled across state lines - and have searched and found new directions - and now, I always wonder what each new August will bring.
The first eventful August I remember was back right before I turned 6 year old. We were living in Huntington Beach, California - not too far from the beach - and soon we were giving that up and moving to Illinois, close to the St. Louis area. My mom had grown up in Wood River, IL and my parents decided to move to nearby Alton, Il. - which is right on the Mississippi River about 45 minutes north from St. Louis. We had lots of family in the area, on both sides of the river - and two of my aunt's and their families lived on our soon-to-be street. It seemed to be all right to me, but I still can remember being sad that we were leaving California - I think I was just old enough to realize that something big was about to happen.
What I do remember quite well is the trip across the country to Illinois. My parents, my new baby brother and I were going to be driving all our belongings down along old Route 66 while my sister's were going to be flying with our two dogs. We had a motor-home which would be towing a little Mazda, and a U-haul moving truck which would be towing our yellow van. I was looking forward to it and took keep me occupied along the way my parents bought a little cassette player and a bunch of kids books on tape. I remember everything loaded up and we said goodbye to our neighbors and I rode first with my dad in the truck.
We took around 5 days to cross the country. We stopped in the KOA campsites along I-40 to sleep at night. We also stopped at the different trading posts along the way - and in the Southwest there are a bunch of them - and by the end I had a whole bag of loot from all the stops. I remember watching the desert landscape roll by, and then the flatlands of the Texas panhandle, and then into the hilly country of Oklahoma, and finally into Missouri - with its green trees, hills, cliffs, and fireworks stands.
What I remember most of all was the last day - when the drive was almost over. We had passed around St. Louis, crossed over the Missouri River, and then had the more difficult crossing over the Mississippi. The bridge over the Mississippi River that lead directly into downtown Alton was an old, narrow two lane bridge that looked like it could use some restoration - it was a little rusty - or so it seemed (it has since been replaced). My mom was driving the motor home and we were leading the way for the moving truck - it was in the afternoon - and my mom was nervous about crossing the bridge with this huge vehicle. I remember being told to stay quiet so she could concentrate on navigating in the narrow lane - and it took up just about the whole space. Finally, though, after moving slowly across the bridge for several tense minutes, we made it safely across, and with a sigh of relief made our way through town to our new house.
It was August 16th as we drove down our new street and down this good size hill where our house was at the bottom of, and pulled into our new driveway. We noticed that our new neighbor was outside her house in the driveway crying. My Aunt who was with us for the trip and who lived at the top of the street and knew the neighbor went and talked to her and found out that Elvis had died.
A few years later, in August, we moved to Ohio - just outside of Cleveland. We stayed there for a year and the following August we packed up our stuff again and moved back to California. On the way back we were on the road for my birthday and we stopped off in Amarillo at the Big Texan - which is a famous place - mostly because they have signs all up and down I-40 for hundreds of miles trying to get people in for their steak challenge - which is if you can eat a 72 ounce steak and the baked potato and vegetables within an hour, you get it for free. The steak is supposedly a good one (as seen on the Travel Channel) but I just can't imagine eating that much meat. When we stopped off that time for my birthday I had steak and lobster which was my favorite meal at the time - and I remember it being good. A couple days later we rolled up to our new house back in Huntington Beach.
By the beginning of the following year we moved a little further inland, still in Huntington Beach, and close to that first house that we moved from when we left California in 1977. There was a lot close by: grocery stores, pizza places, Mexican restaurants, a donut store - and, as I would soon discover, a record store. Camel Records was up the hill and not too far away - it was an easy bike ride through an undeveloped part of town called the "Green Hills" where we would ride our bikes through the trails. It was right next to a Round Table Pizza where a lot of school events would take place and so I started venturing over when I was about 12.
Camel Records was a unique record store. It was independent first of all, and they only sold new wave, punk, experimental, and stuff outside the mainstream - no classic rock, no metal - and I loved it. I started heading up there a lot on my bike and check things out. This one time I went in there, a couple weeks before my 13th birthday and I heard the clerk playing In The Flat Field by Bauhaus from the live, Press The Eject And Give me The Tape Album. It was a sound I really hadn't heard before: I heard the feedback guitar, the primal drums, and Peter Murphy's voice - and I was hooked. At a time when I wasn't all that comfortable about asking questions to store clerks, I went up asked just what was being played. He told me and I noted it down, and I knew that I had to have it.
A couple weeks later I went up there to buy the tape with the money I had saved from my weekly seven dollar allowance, and asked to buy it. The cassette ended up being a little more than I expected since it was a double album tape and an import from the UK, and I ended up not having enough to get it. But luckily, one of my older sister's friends was in the store, and he loaned me the two dollars or so - and I took the tape home and blasted that thing for days.
Following that, I would make weekly trips to Camel, spending almost all of my allowance money for the better part of a year. Discovering that store kept me on the look out for new music, music that wasn't played on the radio or on TV (although 120 Minutes on MTV did introduce me to several bands - but that was when MTV played music videos and that show was a good one) and it started a shift away from the mainstream influences.
Soon I started reading the music magazines and looking things up in the library. I enjoyed researching bands, finding out what they were about and where they were from - who they were influenced by. It became sort of like an investigative game - which is definitely easier now because of the internet. All of that information greatly expanded my music collection - and, I guess, my music knowledge too.
Unfortunately, the owner sold Camel Records and it became more of a typical record store. The stock expanded - and maybe a little too much. It ended up lasting only a couple years more and then closed down, and I head to go search for records elsewhere. I miss that place - I picked up a lot from there.

[So as you can see, I'm not too good about writing on a monthly basis, when there's lots of time to pass, and it's hard for me to stay focused and get all the thoughts down. It's a lot easier said than done - for me anyway. So hopefully I'll get another entry up here soon.]

Thanks for reading,
yours truly,
Jeremiah

New Blog...

Hey there -
just a quick note to say that a new blog is coming soon. I've been thinking about what to write - and August has always been a transitional month - so I just have to get figured out what I want to put down.
Also this week I get to do a short road trip up the coast to Paso Robles, CA for a gig on Thursday night, then Saturday down in Orange County in Santa Ana at The Gypsy Den in the Artist village - which is also my birthday - and then back to the Cinema Bar on Sunday night where I'll be joined by my friend Dan Janisch - it's going to be a good week - or at least I hope so.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Tour Wrap up and thank you's

It's been two weeks since I've made it back to Southern California - and it feels good to be home. The weather has been pretty perfect - warm - in the 80's, a little breezy at times - a mellow summer full of sunshine. It does make me feel a little bad for those out in the middle of the country where they have been experiencing a major heat wave - I was out in it last summer as I traveled from LA to Phoenix to Denver to Nashville and Austin. This is actually my first summer in California in about two years - and I'm happy to be here.
This recent trip was a pretty good one overall. I did hit many of the same cities, and did some audience building. Flagstaff was awesome as always - it's an amazing city up there in the Arizona mountains where my soul feels at home - and hopefully I can get back up there soon. Austin was fun. I stayed there for a week with my friend's Mikaela Dewar, who played a couple shows with me out at some farmer's markets, and Jackie Bristow - both who are from New Zealand and I left town with a kiwi accent in my head.
The Emmy awards in North San Diego county were a good time - would have been better if I had won - but oh well - next time. My friend Kristie came with me - along with my parents who met us down there. It was quite an extravagant event - quite a few people were wearing tuxedos - and I'm happy to report that we all looked good. I'm glad that I made it back for it, but would have enjoyed a few more days back in town - but I was due in Nashville so the next day I caught the train back to Albuquerque where I had left my car and then took off east down the road to Tennessee.
I enjoy visiting Nashville and seeing my friends there - especially my close friend and musical partner Lauren Austin. We've been working together for over 5 years now and I look forward to seeing her always. She has a cool dog named Nando who comes over and jumps on my bed in the morning and will just hang out. Our late show at The Basement went well - and I look forward to getting back there - well after the summer heat has passed.
On this trip several big storms passed my way. When I was in St. Louis for a week we had some good ones roll through. It didn't stop my cousin Mike and me from getting the grill going. On the Fourth of July it rained but cleared up enough by the evening so that we could see fireworks off in the distance downtown by the Arch.
I was able to play with a band there in town - Mike on drums and his friend Dan on bass who are both in a band called the Homewreckers and I've played shows with them earlier in the year. I would like to get something regular like that back here in LA - and I have been building things up a little bit. Since January I have my friend Matthew playing drums and that's been a good thing. I'm hoping we can get back out to Arizona and do a run from Flagstaff down to Tucson.
One place that I'm really looking forward to getting back to is Newport, Kentucky which is right across the river from Cincinnati. There's a place called the Southgate House and this trip is the second time I've played there. It's a venue that draws people in - so there's always a decent and supportive crowd. People showed up who had seen my videos on You Tube and who had read the description on the website calendar page and decided to come down and check it out. I had a good time playing there and like I said, I'm looking forward to going back.
By the time I reached Denver on this trip which was at about week 5 out of 6, I was feeling exhausted. Sleeping hadn't been easy for a lot of the traveling on the road. It was a combination of uncomfortable sleeping places, late nights and early mornings, long drives - and they all just built up and built up. So Denver was a place where I was able to crash - I had my own room on the 3rd floor and that allowed to do some catching up.
Denver was a good stop overall. My cousin Chris and I played at the little coffeehouse KJ's again and had a decent crowd for a Friday night. Again, storms came rolling in one after another, but we we're still able to get in barbecuing a pork shoulder - which came out great - it was even better the next day.
This trip I didn't really hit up that many awesome food places - well there were a few. But food wasn't really the focus this time like it had been in the past trips. Although my friend Arthi took me to a great breakfast place outside of Chicago in the suburbs close to her house - I can't remember the name right now. I also did get to go to Cooper's BBQ in Junction, Texas on my way to El Paso from Austin which was pretty good. And I did go to a good diner in Albuquerque right on Route 66 but I also can't remember the name right now.
I guess a lot of the better food I had was stuff that was made at home. I made burgers, steak, and smoked a pork shoulder in St. Louis while I was there. I made pizza in Nashville, a couple chicken dishes in both Austin and St. Louis. I know I cooked some fish somewhere - and it didn't turn out all that good. I did have some bad stuff on the road, but I really don't need to write about that.
After Denver I drove to Tucson through several awesome storms along the way - and then the following morning drove home to California. I was happy when I crossed over the Colorado River - knowing I had just about 3 hours to go. I was grounded for several days, trying to recover from the all the traveling and catch up on my sleep and rest. Finally when I was able to get out of the house it felt good - felt good to exercise and move and head up to LA to see my friends - and overall it just feels good to be home again.
Right now I don't have any plans to do any major traveling for a while. There was a slight chance earlier about getting into the Americana Music Association conference and showcase in Nashville in October, but they passed over us again this year. So I'm not thinking about traveling until January at least. Just this week I started looking at cities and the map to try to get things sorted in my head for the next trip. There are some blanks to fill in between cities - like between Austin and St. Louis - Kansas City would be cool or somewhere in Arkansas - so I have my work cut out for me. I'll keep you posted on it all.
So I have people that I would like to thank:
First off my parents who have helped me tremendously, my brother and sisters: Bridget, Jennifer, and Will - and their families, Susan Barth, Lauren Austin for both of their continued, undying support, Lori Boland Sutton and Paul Sutton for asking me to be a part of their documentary, Prison through Tomorrow's Eyes (which can be seen online at Vimeo.com), Eddie Elliott and his family, Matthew Magener for meeting me out in Tucson and bringing his crew, Mikaela Dewar and Jackie Bristow for letting me crash at their place, Mark Gonzales for helping me set up the show at Momo's, Kristie Puls for coming with me to the Emmy awards, Arthi Meera and Tyler Beech for coming out to the show in Chicago and for introducing me to your families and also to Arthi and her family for putting me up while I was in town, Moira Alter for telling me about the Southgate House, Mike Evans for taking care of me while I was in St. Louis, Dan Niewoehner for playing bass, Chris Evans and his family for taking care of me in Denver, Tracy Huffman and his family for putting me up for the night out in Cosby, MO, and Dafni and Pete for coming out to see me in Chicago - a pleasant surprise.
And also for all my Kickstarter supporters: Vadim Gordin, Adam Mackintosh, Birte Howdle, Richard Haxton, Anna Sacks, Penelope Sevier, RA Allman, Erica Legum, Tim Hammer, Karen Broome, Tricia Rice, Ellen Winter, Ian and Becky Dodge, Andrew McMaster, Jennifer Bork, Bridget Driscoll, Annie Nelson.
I'm sorry if I've forgotten any names - I will make amends as soon as possible

yours truly,
Jeremiah

Back in LA - Sunday night at The Echo for the GOE

On Sunday - after I had fully recovered from being out on the road - I finally made my way up to LA. My friends in the band Old Californio were having a CD release party at The Echo - which was also the weekly Grand Ole Echo show that my friends Kim Grant and Julie Richmond put on. It's an early show that begins at 5:30 and is over by 9pm - it's also free - so I always do my best to support the show when I can. It's always a good gathering of friends - and Sunday's show was packed.
The Echo is in Echo Park which is just north of downtown LA about 2 miles or so on Sunset Blvd. It has a good size stage and they have good bands on a regular basis. I've played the Grand Ole Echo several times since it began in '06 and it's always been a good time. Echo Park has been changing over the years. It was a rough neighborhood for a long time - and there's still some of that element there - but there have been a series of new stores and restaurants that have opened up in the area over the past 5 years.
Now in the neighborhood there's a book store, a record store, a restaurant called Masa that has some great food and does a decent deep dish Chicago style pizza, another pizza place, a great dark bar that has beer and wine called El Prado - they also have a great record collection that they puill from and spin through out the night. My favorite taco truck is on one of the streets close by so normally I'll stop there for a couple of tacos after the show - and it's not uncommon to see others from the GOE stop by too.
Sunday's show was a good one. Old Californio is a great band - that now has 2 records out - sort of cross between country-ish rock and Grateful Dead-ish jam band rock - but also with a Beach Boys-esque harmony quality to them also - I would also throw a Moby Grape reference in there when describing the sound. They had recently been on the road and it showed - they were tight and in control and the songs flowed easily - and most of the people were grooving to the sounds.
They played the new album from beginning to end - Sundrunk Angels which I highly recommend picking up. It's still pretty new to me, but I recognized a lot. Also, I've seen them play quite a bit so I'm familiar with a lot of their material by now. I was happy that I was back in town for the show - since I knew it was going to be a good one.
Dan Janisch was also on the bill - he picked up the middle slot after someone had to back out. I've known Dan for a while now and he's a great, amazing guy. He writes some incredible songs and plays them with such a special energy. He's a awesome showman too and makes sure everyone is having a good time - without being phony about it at all. On Sunday he had a wonderful band - and they rocked and rolled through the set.
Before I moved to Nashville - almost two years ago now - Dan joined me at The Cinema Bar for my farewell to LA gig. It was a fun night that was originally going to be my CD release party - but things changed over the summer and I decided to move. Dan was also there when I booked my first night at the Cinema Bar - he did the opening set - and next month he's going to be joining me again for another gig - my LA birthday gig on the 21st (my actual birthday is on the 20th but I already have that booked down n Santa Ana at the Gypsy Den). It's going to be a fun time I know already - so it's definitely something to look forward to.
It feels good to be back in California, especially since I've heard the reports about the crazy heatwave that's been hitting the midwest. I'm glad I made it out of there before that rolled in. It's been warm here, but not hot - not like Texas or Arizona hot - or that midwest/southern humidity heat - and I am so thankful for that.
On Monday I'll be playing back at my home stage at The Cinema Bar with Rod Melancon starting off the night. I'm really looking forward to playing again since it's been over a week since I've hit the stage. I've gotten my rest and ready to go back to work.
This week I also plan on working on some new songs that I wrote while out on the road - we'll see how they fit in with everything else - or if they're too similar to others - you never know.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

The End Of The Road - For Now - day 44

It's time to say that the tour is now officially over. I made it back to Southern California on Tuesday - a little sooner than originally planned - but as I have said, sometimes these things happen. It was 41 days of traveling and playing shows - from LA to Cincinnati and lots of places in between. I made some new friends and new fans, saw a whole bunch of old friends and family. I would say overall it was successful, not exactly financially successful, but in other ways - musically, career-wise I guess. I'm not sure right now when I'm going to hit the road again - I wish sooner than later, but I don't think any major cross country tours until next year at least.
Last weekend was fun up in Denver. My cousin Chris and I get along well and he has a great family. While in Denver we were hit with storm after storm - and thankfully it let up enough to let us slow cook a pork shoulder on the grill. We had plans to do some more playing on Sunday, but Chris had family things to attend to so the plans ended up being cancelled - and I prepared for my drive in the morning.
At first I was wondering what to do and where to go. I didn't have a show until Thursday in Vegas and I had several days to slowly make my way over there. But I was also having another feeling creep up - one that had been slowly building and building - and that was exhaustion. The idea of just going home was sounding better and better. I was also unsure about a show in Phoenix - one that I had asked about but had never heard a confirmation. And finally there was the question of money - of which I didn't have much left. I decided to head towards Tucson and make my decisions there - although I had a feeling that home would win.
Monday morning I hit the road south and ended up hitting several storms before New Mexico - they were pretty intense - one with hail and strong winds and I kept on the lookout for tornadoes - just in case. The drive is a very scenic one - winding through some mountains as you leave Colorado and come into New Mexico - then it heads down through Santa Fe and into Albuquerque. In New Mexico I hit storm after storm as I went from pine trees to the wide open plains - past the big city and headed on the southern part of the state.
I cruised along through the desert landscape on a small two lane road on my way to the I-10 - and up ahead I could see more storms - the sky was dark and I could see sheets of rain falling in the distance - lit up by the setting sun in the west. I could also see streaks of lightning - both to the right of the road and to the left. Soon I hit the rain and carefully kept moving down the road. The lightning was fantastic and it was amazing to see as the sun finally set. Some of it would shoot straight down in a long line to the ground, and others would just zigzag right across the sky. It kept going and never let up until I was almost to Tucson. Even then I could see the sky in the east light up now and then.
Tucson was nice - much cooler than the last time I was there at they beginning of June. I hung out for a while downtown with my friend Tricia and then later hit the road. I was looking forward to getting home by that point - I was only 8 hours of driving away - but I knew I had to rest. I slept for a little bit and then headed up the road towards Phoenix. I stopped for a bit in Tempe - coffee and some food - and then was finally ready to make the last drive to home.
The road from Phoenix to LA I know well. I've been doing that drive since about 1991 and I've seen the area grow so much in that time. My friend and fellow singer/songwriter Eddie Elliott lived there for around 11 years and I traveled out there often to play shows and visit. In June, though, he and his family moved to the east coast, so visiting Phoenix won't be the same. I was happy that the traffic was light and soon I was past town and on my way to California.
The rest of the ride was easy - I rolled right through the desert and across the Colorado River into California - and soon I was past the desert and into the sprawling suburbs and then I was home - and so glad about it. I felt glad to be off the road finally - after 41 days - and I looked forward to getting cleaned up and getting some rest.
This weekend I feel like I've finally caught up on my rest - after being sort of lifeless for the days after I made it home. I was glad to get out of the house and do something.
So that is all for now - I'll keep posting at least once a week. I do have some shows coming up and looking forward to those.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

The road through Southern Colorado

Rested - Day 43

These past couple days have been good - I feel like I've caught up on my rest and am feeling somewhat normal again. I went out tonight to a local coffeehouse that had an open mic going on - and I ended up signing up and playing. It's a place in downtown Santa Ana called the Gypsy Den - and where I'm going to be having my birthday show next month on August 20th.
The Gypsy Den was one of the places that I first started playing shows. I was first booked there back in 1995 at the original Costa Mesa location. The other spot was Diedrich's down on 17th Street in Costa Mesa. Those were the first paid gigs I had - and I started to build off of that. I picked up some other gigs around Orange County and I would also go out to open mics all across the county.
Soon I started heading up to LA to do open mics and I started looking for gigs up there. By 1998 I had moved up to Hollywood and started picking up gigs and kept going out to open mics around the city. I would also come back to Orange County and play gigs at the Gypsy Den - it was always good because it felt so familiar and since it's an all ages coffeehouse, my family would make it out most of the time.
So I'm happy about having my birthday show there - even though it has changed owners - it still has a good feel to it - and mostly the same decor. I'm not sure if there's going to be another performer that night and I'm also not sure who's or if anyone's going to be playing with me there - but it's definitely possible that some people will join me. August 20th is the date and i am looking forward to it.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Home - Day 41 and 42

Yesterday I made it home to California - earlier than I originally planned - but these things happen - and I as you might have figured from my past blogs, I've been really tired and exhausted - in fact right now I'm just spacing out on the couch watching TV.
I'm not sure, how I ended up getting so tired on this trip - but it happened - and now I'm happy to be home and off the road. Now I have to find a job back here in California and go back to earning some money and take care of bills. Next year after I get some dough saved up I'll get back to touring.
I'm happy to say that i have some shows already lined up here in town - starting with July 25th, Monday at the Cinema Bar - then next month right before my birthday on the 20th - but I'll keep you posted on those.
I do have some photos from the drive the other day and I'll get those up soon too.
thanks,
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Another Stormy Weather Driving Day - Day 40

I made it just past Albuquerque - I left Denver This morning and headed south - and soon hit storms - first in Southern Colorado, then right before Santa Fe, and then right before Albuquerque another one - and looking to the sky in the west it looks like another one is coming.
It's been all right driving though - I've just been cruising along and I'm looking forward to getting to Tucson tonight. I'm sure how long I'll be there - and I might stop in Phoenix before heading home to California.
So I need to get moving down the highway again - just a short pit stop right now.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Southern Colorado Stormy Sky

Heading West Tomorrow - Southwest in fact - Day 39

It's the last few days out here on the road - and I'm happy about that. It will be good to get back to California, stop moving for a while, relax, catch up on sleep, exercise - you know, normal things - things that I haven't really been doing over the past 39 days. Well I did exercise at the beginning, but I don't know where and when I stopped - maybe Albuquerque.
Denver has been a good place to be for these past few days. Although there have been storms everyday since I've made it to town - luckily no tornadoes or anything like that - but big, dark clouds that roll in, thunder and lightning and rain - usually it comes down hard at first - but then the storm clouds quickly move on - and then sometimes another storm will roll through.
Today I went out walking to a coffeehouse called St. Mark's which isn't too far my the house - a few blocks - and as I was leaving I could hear the thunder start rumbling and across the sky were clouds - but it didn't look like it was going to do much so I just continued on. As I made it there, a few drops did fall, but nothing major, and then it was gone and the sun came out. I sat and wrote, trying to get some lyrics of some sort down.
Tomorrow I'm heading out - going south through New Mexico and then to Tucson for a couple days to rest again, and then I might just head back to California and pass on Las Vegas because my funds are low and gas is still taking most of my money. Yes - it'll be good to get back home. But we'll see what happens over the next few days and how I feel. The last time in Vegas I made money gambling after my gig - but I know that the odds of that happening again are very, very slim. Anyway... that's all for now.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

This is the front of KJ's where we played on Friday night - and on the left is Adah, Chris' daughter

KJ's on the inside

Another storm coming in - from the backyard

In the music room playing Chris' baby Rickenbacker

Denver - Day 38

It's late over here - just past midnight - but it feels later than that. I don't think I've caught up on my rest just yet - and I'm wondering when that will happen. Since I've gotten to Denver we've had days of rain - more so than normal so it seems - from what the locals are saying.
Last night at KJ's went well - we had a good intimate crowd - not as crazy as last time - but it was still a fun night, and we played well. During our set a good down pour happened, and some thunder and lightning - it was good to see - even though I seen quite a bit of that over the past week - from St. Louis to here in Denver.
Today we BBQ'd another pork shoulder and it came out great. My cousin Chris also made a salad with stuff straight from his garden - plus some potatoes - it was a good meal and everyone felt full for a while.
This evening one of Chris' neighbors was having a party so we wen t over there and ended up playing some songs - right until it start raining again. Still it was a fun gathering of people.
I'm planning on staying until Monday and then I'll continue west until I get to Las Vegas on Thursday, and I think Phoenix on Friday for a show - that has yet to be confirmed.
Sleep sounds good now -
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Traveling West - Day 36 and 37

Again - I apologize for not writing yesterday - I had planned to when I reached my destination here in Denver, but a good storm passed though and knocked out the power at my cousin's place, so there was no internet access. Today it has cleared up after raining until the early hours of the morning, and it should be perfect by the time we head over to KJ's Coffee and Wine Bar right around the corner.
Yesterday morning I woke up late after finally getting a good night of sleep. At my cousin Mike's place I slept on his futon which wasn't the best and most comfortable, so finally getting into a real bed was amazing. Tracy Huffman has a good size farm style house out in the country, and when I woke up, I sat down to a cup of coffee and talked to Tracy's wife, Beth. They're both warm and welcoming, and from that area, and I told them about my traveling days, and we also talked about the rising Missouri River which is where St. Joseph lies next to.
After some good blueberry waffles and another cup of coffee I gathered my things and started out to the road through some rain. I decided that I was going to take a smaller highway, the 36, which is pretty much a straight line across the top of Kansas and not too far from the Nebraska border. It's the old Pony Express road and it seemed better to do that than to drop down to the main Interstate 70 highway. I was ready to pass through a bunch of small towns along the way - just like I had when I drove through the back roads of Texas.
As I rolled along out of the St. Joseph area the skies cleared up and I followed cars and trucks and we traveled along. People were friendly out there - many waved from their vehicles as I passed by - which I hadn't really seen before. I passed by so many farms - lots of corn fields and cows, horses and tractors. The towns along the way all had a similar feel to them - nice folks who would also wave as I drove by, small Main Streets, lots of trucks. Then there were also many towns that had closed up stores, vacant gas station remains, broken down motels, and silent restaurants no longer open. I have seen it a lot in my travels over the past year - and I wonder where those people are going.
As I crossed into Colorado, my cousin Chris called and left a message saying that a major storm had rolled through and knocked out the power - also that there were high winds and some tornado warnings. So I knew what to be on the look out for as I got closer and closer to Denver. I looked ahead and saw the dark sky which spread wide across the horizon - and where I was heading straight into - after a few miles of hills and then onto the I-70. I could see and feel the wind, and soon drops fell from the sky. As I hit the highway, the rain fell harder and harder - and I cruised along cautiously. Still though, the storm wasn't as bad as the one I encountered as I drove out of Memphis on my way to Nashville a few weeks ago.
I was happy when I finally saw my exit and made my way through the streets to my cousin's house. The power was still down, so candles were lit and I sat down and relaxed. It felt good to be done driving for the day - and I was very glad that I decided to drive that day and not the have to have done it all the following day (today) and then rush and have to get ready to play. I was exhausted and ready for sleep after a good shower by candlelight.
I slept in again today - and this evening Chris and I are going to be playing right around the corner again at KJ's tonight. It's a nice little place, well supported by the neighborhood - and I do enjoy playing there. Then it's a few days of rest before heading west again. After tonight the next show is in Las Vegas in Thursday, then I think Friday in Phoenix, and then back to Southern California.
After this trip I have no real plans to tour like I have for the past year and a half. I need to get back to work and get some money so I can eventually head out again next Spring - so after I get back it will be the end of these hardcore traveling days - which I will miss, but it will be good to be in one place for a while, sleep in my own bed, eat better, and exercise - which I haven't been doing much of at all - but soon.
That's all for now,
yours truly,
Jeremiah

from Tuesday - as I drove over the Mississippi River from Alton, IL.

That's Tracy Huffman at Magoon's in St. Joseph, MO.

Northern Kansas along the Pony Express Trail

Heading into the storm front

On The Road Again - Day 35

This morning I was up fairly early, so I could get all my things together and get headed down the road. I had been in St. Louis almost a full week - and it was fun, but it was time to start the move back to the west. I had a good time hanging out with my cousin Mike at his new place, playing music, and breaking in the grill out back - plus the Fourth of July.
I checked all around to make sure I didn't forget anything, all my chargers and bathroom stuff, DVD's, and my bag of mesquite wood that I bought in Texas and that I used some for smoking the pork on the 4th. But before leaving town I headed over to my aunt and uncle's place to get some laundry done and take a shower - since I was desperately in need of both.
Right now I'm about 20 miles outside of Kansas City - it's a very easy drive to get here from St. Louis - only about 4 hours across Interstate 70. This evening I'm going to be heading up to see my friend Tracy Huffman who lives just outside of St. Joseph - which is about 45 minutes north of here. Tracy is an awesome singer/songwriter who used to live in LA and I used to go see him play shows around town. He's from this area and a few years ago he and his family moved back to the midwest - and he hasn't really been back to the West Coast to the dismay of his friends.
I came out here to see him about 3 years ago - he has a regular Wednesday night gig at a place called Magoons. Then, I had planned a small tour across Iowa and Lauren was set to meet me in the morning - and I stayed with Tracy out at his place in the country which was nice. That night a big storm came in and the thunder shook the whole house and it was pretty spectacular.
I've been trying to see him out here for the past year or so. Every time I it set up, something in my plans would change, and so I would have to send him a note saying next time. So, I'm pretty happy right now that I'm only bout 45 minutes away, and it's a Wednesday night - so it looks like it's finally going to happen.
Tomorrow I continue the drive west - heading to Denver. I was thinking going up to see Eddie in the Omaha area, but I think that it's too far out of my way, and I do want to get to Denver - also so I don't have to do all that driving on Friday - and have time to relax before playing that night - but of course - it could change.
It's still hot and humid out here and today it felt good getting clean.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

The Fourth of July - Day 33 and Day 34

So it has been a little bit of a pain not to have internet access at the house, but oh well. Today I'm back at the local spot, Nora's - enjoying a mellow post-Fourth of July morning. The temperature has come down quite a bit and I'm definitely thankful for that. There were several storms that rolled across the area on Sunday and even a few yesterday - lots of lightning and thunder - the fair activities that were happening downtown by the Arch had to be cancelled - but we still went ahead and did some grilling.
Yesterday was pretty fun - I got an early start since the plan was to smoke a pork butt - and that usually takes about 5 or 6 hours. So I went to the store to get the rest of the supplies and I got the fire going, soaked some mesquite wood that I bought in Texas, seasoned the meat, and got it cooking. Several of Mike's friends came by, including his brother Eric, and we had a good time. By about 5pm everything was ready to eat, and man, it was good - definitely worth the wait. So I think that Mike's grill has been sufficiently broken in.
Today I need to cross over the river and go see family in Illinois and pick up a rocking chair that has been in the family for a while and my mom would like to have it. It's an easy drive and I think I'll wait until Mike get's off work.
Tomorrow I start the drive west and will eventually get to Denver for a show on Friday. Maybe to see my friend Tracy Huffman in St. Joseph, Missouri, and maybe to meet up with Eddie in Iowa on Thursday - but we'll see.
Yours truly,
Jeremiah

The new set-up

The stage at the Three Kings Public House on Saturday night.

The pork butt being smoked - it was close to being done at that point

Stormy St. Louis - day 32

3rd of July - it's been a very quiet day. Last night was fun playing down on Delmar at the Three Kings Pub - it went well - had a good crowd and some of my family came out.
Yesterday Mike bought a Weber Grill and we broke it in with some burgers, corn, red bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes - it was all good! This evening we did steaks and they came out just right.
Tomorrow is the 4th of July and I'm not sure what we're doing - but I'll write more tomorrow.
Yours truly,
Jeremiah

MIdwest Humidity - Day 31

Yesterday was a hot one - and I know in other parts of the country it's even worse - but there's just an extra kick with that humidity here. The air seemed heavy - almost like you could see it - looking to the Arch to the east there was a haze that sort of just hung in the air - it almost made me wish I was back in the dry Arizona heat - almost - since today it's supposed to hit 117 degrees in the Phoenix area.
Yesterday Mike and I ran some errands around town after he got back from work. A trip to his parents house, a run to the Goodwill, the drum shop, some food, then back to rest for a while before heading to rehearsal - and all of this done in Mike's car that doesn't have air-conditioning. It was a good day and the rehearsal went well and I'm looking forward to the show tonight. I'm sure we're going to lose a bunch more of water weight - since it's just as hot today - although we're supposed to get some thunderstorms later tonight.
Since Mike doesn't have internet at his place just yet, I walk over to his neighborhood coffeehouse/cafe for my morning coffee and to get online and check things out - like right now. The place is called Nora's and it's a nice little place - very friendly staff and the food looks good. All that I've had so far is a breakfast sandwich on a bagel that tasted great, but the chalk board menu on the wall has a wide selection of sandwiches that sound awesome and I wish I could try them all. They also have salads and soups, and a kids menu too. Best of all though is that it's local and I do think that's important.
I've been seeing that more and more across the country - the whole buy local campaign - and I do agree and support when I can. When we played the farmers market in Austin there was a free magazine that was focused on the local farms - of all sorts - in the surrounding areas. The pictures and the words really made me want to go experience it all. I do enjoy shopping for foods and seeing the fresh products displayed - and I always enjoy shopping at farmer's markets - so it was great when Mikaela and I played at two of them.
Here in St. Louis I picked up a similar magazine - focused on local products - in fact they have it here at Nora's and I think it's a good thing that it's spreading. Also I've seen more and more people with their own gardens - either through community gardens (like my dad) or in their own yards - if they have the space. Before i moved out of Hollywood, I had a few things growing that I was proud of - a basil plant that was doing really well, and a mini poinsettia that was given to me - and I surprisingly kept it alive - and it kept growing until I left and moved to Nashville.
Well, now that I've had two cups of coffee I think I'm ready to start the day. I need to go get some guitar strings, Mike wants to go buy a grill - he's not sure about either gas or charcoal - and then some grilling supplies - food and such. Then load up later and head to the gig, which is just down the road.
I'll let you know how it goes,
Yours Truly,
Jeremiah

Summer time - Day 30

Another St. Louis morning - out in a neighborhood coffeehouse - close to where Mike used to live. Lauren, Mike, and I came here after a night out - it has a good feel to it. Lots of locals, I presume. I remember the food being pretty good to. It's warm and humid out still and I had to get out of the apartment - also Mike left very early for work and I really didn't get back to sleep after that.
Last night after I made dinner - chicken, red potatoes, broccoli - we went out to an open mic that we went to a few months ago. I don't do many open mics these days - mostly because I have my own gigs now - but every now and then if I had nothing else to do and I know of a good one in a cool spot I'll go. Last night was one of those cool ones - at a place called the Iron Barely/Fred's Six Feet Under. The Iron Barely has BBQ and last night they were out back with their trailer/smoker cooking ribs - which smelled amazing. If I hadn't just eaten I would have gotten some - but I can wait.
Last night we all were out on the back patio - all the tables were almost full and we had to wait for a few minutes to find an open one. I signed up and waited. It was a good evening - still a little warm - but being outside felt good. The people that were there were enjoying themselves - eating and drinking - and the musicians and singers came and went to the stage - myself included. It was nice looking out and seeing people listen and pay attention when I played - it's always good to have people pay attention.
We realized it was getting late and knew we had to go since Mike had to be up early for work today. As we drove back, we passed the Budweiser plant and we could smell the beer being made - it's a unique smell - the cooking of grains which has sort of a warm scent to it. When I was up in Paso Robles last September at the Pour House which is located behind the Firestone Brewery I experienced a similar smell.
Today - it will probably be nap time this afternoon - and I won't be making the drive to Indiana. Then some rehearsal, some food too at some point - and just enjoying St. Louis - which isn't too hard right now.
Next show is at the Three Kings Public House on Delmar here in St. Louis
yours truly,
Jeremiah

mmmmmmm...BBQ....

Back in the Gateway City - Day 29

Yesterday was an easy drive - I like easy drives. For one, it's a drive I know well - from Nashville to St. Louis, and two, it was nice and clear out - and not much traffic. St. Louis is a great town - one where I have a bunch of family on my mom's side - so I've been coming here since I was a little kid. I think the first time was when my parents took my sister's and I on the train from LA.
Nashville had been good for catching up on my rest. I really haven't had much down time at all on this trip and the other night I just passed out. A big storm came through early in the morning and I didn't hear any of it. I woke up refreshed like I haven't really been for a while. After the weekend to Chicago and Cincinnati I was feeling exhausted and I could feel a crash coming - so I was very happy to get sort of caught up.
I enjoy the drive into the city - where you can see the Arch in the distance - and the road winds through East St. Louis and then you cross the bridge over the Mississippi River - and the city lies to the north of the highway and the arch shines in the sun - as the muddy river rolls on by. I made my way further into the city to wait for my cousin to get off work - since I was going to be staying with him.
I drove around for a bit and it was nice out - not too hot and humid - and the skies were wide open with some clouds drifting slowly by - and a tint of smog in the distance. Soon Mike called and I met him at his place - which is in Dogtown and an old Irish neighborhood. I guess the St. Patrick's Day parade starts nearby - and so the streets are full and packed with people celebrating. The houses and apartments are old and have a lot of character. Mike just moved in two weeks ago so his place is still filling up with stuff - but it's a cool place on the 2nd story - a front deck and a back deck.
We went to a place around the corner (and right on the corner from where I'm writing this now) for some food. It was pretty good. I like that there are places to walk to and the neighborhood is interesting.
Tonight I'm not sure what we're going to do - maybe an open mic - then tomorrow I drive to Marion, IN for a show at the Beatniks Cafe - I'm hoping it goes well - and Mike might come with me - we'll see. The Saturday night we're playing at a place called the Three Kings Public House on Delmar in the loop. The family is supposed to come out for that one.
that's all for now,
Yours Truly,
Jeremiah

Crossing into St. Louis

Mike Evans - wearing a King Louie's t-shirt which is a burger stand right around the corner from my Granny's old house in Wood River, IL. that everyone in the family knows very well from going there all the time from when we were young. I'm hoping to go there this trip.

Heading North - Days 27 and 28

Yesterday I just never got around to writing - I had meant to do it in the evening - but instead I stayed out late and then got back and fell asleep on the couch - these things happen sometimes. Now I'm on the road - resting for a moment in Clarksville - on my way to St. Louis. It's nice out after a couple days of rainy skies - overcast.
Nashville was cool - one of the good things about the rain was that it kept the temperatures nice and mellow. Last evening I went to a meeting with Lauren about managing tips for bands - from the business side of it. It was interesting and I think I picked up a few ideas from it all. The band that was being discussed is called the Civil Wars - they have been gaining more and more attention and I like their sound.
Yesterday I finally got the fish right - I realized that it needs to thaw more - in fact it says that on the packaging - to thaw over night. So lunch yesterday was good - so much better than the night before - served with mushrooms and grilled onions.
I've driven the road from Nashville to St. Louis a lot - so it should be an easy and smooth ride.
That's all for now - but I might add more later on after I get to town.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

More Southern Days - Day 26

I made it out of the house again today and I'm down at the 12th Taproom in the 12th South part of town. It's a hip beer and wine bar and has some great food. The burger here is something that I highly recommend - also the caesar salad.
They also have music on certain nights - this being one of them and my friend Johnny is playing bass tonight. Johnny played with Lauren and I when I lived here in town. He's a very nice guy, laid back and easy to work with - and I also worked with him at Trader Joe's. Johnny was also the bass player on Lauren's record. I miss playing with him. I always try to make it to gigs when I can.
Earlier tonight I made dinner which didn't come out like I had wanted it to. Fish that had been frozen and it just didn't work right - and the Brussels sprouts and mushroom mix was a little too cooked - but at least the mashed potatoes came out nicely.
So one more full day in Nashville and then I hit the road for St. Louis.
Yours truly,
Jeremiah

Nashville - again - Day 25

This morning I made my way back to Nashville, where I'm going to hanging out for the next couple days - before I head to St. Louis to get ready for the show there on this coming Saturday. I hit some rain as I drove down the Kentucky highway - and by the time I got to the house I was ready for some rest. The last several days have been really busy - and fun - so I'm glad I have a few days of down time - hopefully I can catch up on my rest.
Chicago was awesome - I love that town - well visiting it anyway - I don't know if I could handle the winter there. It has a unique feel to it - a busy kind of feeling, but also relaxed and friendly. I like the old buildings and the different parts of town - and just the general history that's there - not like Los Angeles where it's mostly new in comparison.
Before I headed out of town I stopped by Jackson Park which is south of the city and where the Museum Of Science and Industry is located. I wanted to see the building since I'm a fan of the book, The Devil In The White City, which is about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair - and the museum is the only remaining building left - since the other ones built were only temporary and ended up burning down. I was truly impressed seeing it up close - and it's a grand building, but I do wish I could have seen all the buildings as they were - the others were massive and I can only imagine what it all must have been like.
I walked from there to the shore of Lake Michigan - it was a little hazy out but warm and a bit humid - and the beach was busy - the park too - people were running and cyclist cruising around - and people just hanging out in the park. I know if I lived up there I would do my best to be out there all the time. Then I realized it was getting late and I needed to get down the road to Cincinnati - and then I remembered that I had to cross into the Eastern time zone and it would be an hour later - so I really knew I had to get moving. I made my way to highway and headed for the Indiana border.
The ride was smooth and I was glad to see the gas prices drop as I left the city - where they had been around $4.29 - and in Indiana the price had dropped to around $3.49 - even cheaper down the road too. As the sun was setting I rolled over the river from downtown Cincinnati into Newport, Kentucky and to the Southgate House. There were people out on the town and I was looking forward to playing in venue again - the last time was in early April and it went well - a little smokey but a good feeling room.
I carried in my gear and set it up and got ready for the night of playing. It's in an old two story house and has 3 different rooms for performers. I saw that Dave Alvin was playing in the larger room, and a several others that I recognized. Like I said, the last show went well and I was ready and people starting coming in to the club.
I ended up making several new fans - people that had looked at the club website and decided to come down based on my bio, and then a few others who had seen some of the videos I have up on You Tube with Lauren - so I was very happy to see that I have some fans in the Cincinnati area. I will hopefully make it back there before the end of the year.
After the gig I hit a local late night diner for some early/pre-dawn breakfast and then moved down the road to the first rest stop and slept for a while. A storm came in and rain poured and the lightning flashed and the thunder roared. By about 7:30 I got up and started the drive back to Nashville. The sky was dark and cloudy and rain fell for most of the way. I passed again through Louisville, and made a stop in Bowling Green, which is close to the border, then finished the drive - and I was so happy to stop - because then I knew I could lay down and take a nap - which is exactly what I did.
This evening I made dinner - hamburgers on Lauren's new propane grill - and cut up vegetables: yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, and red bell peppers. I used the side burner of the grill and cooked everything outside. The rain cooled the temperature down some and it was a nice mellow evening - and the food came out just like I had wanted it to.
On Thursday I reached the year mark of me not having a day job. It's been quite a wild year - full of ups and downs and I've been very fortunate to have so many people supporting what I do - especially my family. It would have been nice to win that Emmy - as sort of sign of the past year - and the years before too - but oh well - next time. I am looking forward to getting back eventually to LA - and then I'll be off the road for a while.
yours truly,
Jeremiah


Chicago

My friends from LA, Dafni and Pete - outside of the Horseshoe in Chicago

The Museum of Science and Industry - and the former Fine Arts building from the 1893 World's Fair

Chicago and Lake Michigan from the south at Burnham Park

Another shot of the museum

The Southgate House in Newport, KY - and my name is there on the marquee

Dinner tonight in Nashville

Chicago Busy Day - Day 23 and 24

I do apologize for not writing yesterday. It was a long one - that was both relaxing and busy - at different points of course - but the day was pretty much filled from beginning to end - and Chicago, and the surrounding areas, is a great place to hang out.
Yesterday we started with brunch - and when I say we, I mean my friend Arthi and I - Arthi let me stay at her house out in the suburbs for this trip - we used to work together back in LA - then she moved back to Chicago. It was a good eggy breakfast, good pancakes, and good coffee. I was still pretty exhausted from the day before - but got going by the afternoon. We watched my friend's documentary, Air Guitar Nation, which is about the first air guitar championships and how they go to the world championships in Oulu, Finland - it's a great entertaining movie and I highly recommend it.
From there we caught the train into the city and met up with Arthi's boyfriend, Tyler, and the restaurant he works at - Big Star - a Mexican restaurant in the Whicker Park area - I think. We hung out there for a bit and then went over to meet up with some of Tyler's family which I had been invited to also. It was at The Burger Bar in Lincoln Park which I was looking forward to - since I'm always on the lookout for a great burger. It was a good gathering of people and a good meal - not a great burger, but a good one.
It was nice out - a little chilly - I was glad I had brought a jacket with me - and our night in the city ended with the three of us hanging out on the patio of this corner bar. When we got back to the house we ended up watching the end of the movie, then some Flight of the Conchords - and then I passed out from exhaustion.
This morning I'm feeling well rested. I think I got the best night of sleep so far on this tour - I'm glad there was a quiet room for me here in the house.
I need to get my stuff into the car and get moving down the road to Cincinnati where I'll be playing from about 9:30 to 1:30 - The Southgate House in Newport, KY which is right across the river from Cincinnati.
I'll post photos soon,
yours truly,
Jeremiah

Chicago - Day 22

It's been another long day and I don't think I'll get much written now. It's after 2am and I've been up since about 8am - and really didn't want to get out of bed this morning. But I knew what had to be done and forced myself up and got ready to hit the road north to Chicago. I picked up some coffee at Bongo Java and got on the highway out of Nashville.
I made it in about 8 hours and had stopped along the way just north of Indianapolis. I had a gig at The Horseshoe and was looking forward to playing. The night went well - my friend Arthi and her boyfriend made it out - and then I got a call from my friend Dafni who said that she and her husband Pete were in town - so i gave them the address and the eventually made it over to the gig. It was a nice surprise.
Tonight I'm out in a spare room of Arthi's house - I think close to Aurora. Tomorrow I have the day off and looking forward to seeing some of the town since the last times I've been up here it's been a quick turnaround. I'm also looking forward to sleeping in.
So that's all for now,
good night,
yours truly,
Jeremiah

A Day of Relaxing - and Pizza - Day 21

Today is a day that has seemed to fly by. Right now it's almost 10:30 at night and I feel like it should be earlier - and have more energy too. But it was a good day - a day to relax and catch up on some rest, go around town for a bit and even catch an early set at The Mercy Lounge this evening - before coming back and making dinner.
Yesterday was a busy and long day. I started the morning in Oklahoma where it was warm and humid and made my way east - still on the I-40. I cruised along, hoping to make it to Nashville by about 3pm or so - which would give me enough time to get cleaned, get some food, and practice for the set at The Basement that night. As I drove through Arkansas, past Little Rock, with Memphis not too far away, I saw storm clouds off to the south moving along quickly and heading on a diagonal north east path to the road ahead. The wind blew strong and I knew it was only a matter of time before we would meet.
I made it across the Mississippi River and through Memphis - and then the rain started to fall. It fell harder and harder and the wind started howling. Slowly I moved along, and everyone else was cautious since it was so hard to see. I kept on the lookout for tornadoes too - since I knew that could be a possibility. Right after Jackson, Tennessee though everything came to a halt. I figured that there was an wreck somewhere down the highway caused from the storm. So I sat there, and sat there, and waited and waited - the rain came and went and after almost two hours - the traffic started moving again.
I was so glad when I finally got to Nashville - I was looking forward to a shower and to getting cleaned up. I figured a nap was out of the question since it was too late by now and we had to get to The Basement by around 8pm to find out where we were on the line-up for that night's show. We settled on a setlist and got our stuff together and headed over.
The show is called the New Faces Night and each act gets around 20 minutes or about 4 songs. Also the owner and guy in charge of the night doesn't let you know the line-up of the night until about 8pm. So we were ready to get there and find out and then start sending out messages to our friends about where we were on the list. Obviously it's better to go earlier in the night - so there's less waiting around time and it's easier to get people out. The last time we played there at the end of March we were last on the list - and so we were surprised when again we were last on the list. Neither of us were too happy about it, and if I had another show lined up in Nashville I would have left. But it had taken too long to get there and so we decided to wait it out. Lauren started working her contacts and I made my updates and then went to eat some food since we still had about 2 hours or so before we were due up.
When we got back we heard that several people were going to be making it out and we were ready to play a good set - since we were pretty annoyed about our time slot. Finally it was our time and we set up and played our songs - Lauren going from harmonica, to vocals, to banjo - and we had a decent crowd for being last. So I was happy in the end, but not sure about booking another New Faces Night.
It felt good to get back and sleep - yes it had been a long day. When I woke up in the morning I was still groggy and it took a while to get the energy to go out and run errands. I knew I had wanted to make pizza tonight so I had to make a run to Trader Joe's - my old job - across town. It takes a surprisingly small amount of time to get across town on the highway. It felt good to be back in town - and almost like I had never left. It rained during the day which cooled things off nicely.
Tonight after pizza I've just been enjoying a quiet night - soon though I need to get to bed. Tomorrow night I'm heading up to Chicago to play a show at The Horseshoe. I really like Chicago and I'm hoping to stay around town on Friday - we'll see.
yours truly,
Jeremiah

from the train

New Mexico Highway

The Big Texan in Amarillo, TX - where you can get a free steak dinner if you can eat 72 oz. of steak - there's big billboard signs all across the highway

from the Texas Panhandle

The storm moving quickly off in the distance

Stuck waiting in traffic

Nashville from the north side of town

Lauren and I at The Basement - and me in my lucky shirt