Good morning. I’m writing to you from four days ago, which was the first day of tour. I’m in a dark hotel room in Nashville trying to let ManFriendJeff catch up on his sleep. I wake at 5 a.m. these days which I never thought I’d like, but it turns out I love. My schedule will morph as tour dates go by and I will become a later, groggier waker-upper. A 5 a.m. wake-up is pretty much for at home only.
The first day is always the weirdest. I feel like a gray, translucent cocoon; not quite musician yet, all my parts still forming into muscle memory. My body feels a bit beat up from a 2:30 a.m. travel day that went straight into a loooooooong rehearsal. I’m a paste right now. But my excitement is also jelling. By the time you read this we will hopefully have three fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants shows under our collective belts, with no Covid, feeling like our clear-eyed selves. I love this part; adding more songs we haven’t played in forever into the set, really enjoying playing guitar, and being able to really listen to what my bandmates are doing for enjoyment, not just for form. There’s still a little friendly terror that “puts us to our shifts,” as Shakesphere would say, and, of course, something delicious and local to eat!
And the best part? There’s YOU. I love the connection we make when the show is happening and we are all making the plates of our different universes spin together in a murmuration. That vibration breaks the spiritual plaque off of us both. We are symbiotic. You: the ants who farm the aphids. Us: the aphids who make you the honeydew at your kind request. You could bite our heads off, but we both know it’s a better world when we vibrate together. I love you. :)
Two of my faves.
beautifully written! i've often wondered how morning people negotiate a musician's tour schedule. have a great tour!!
Can't express how excited I am for Friday, 9/2 at The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee! You, your band and the Pabst = the perfect concert experience. Thanks for this blog and all you do to keep us alive and well.