Thursday, October 15, 2009….Somewhere in TN 

Strange thing….with all that handwringing I experienced over the past couple of days, Tuesday afternoon brought a bit of peace to my world.  First and foremost, all that could be done in my Athens basement was being done or had already been done and the expected rain that was coming looked like it was fizzling out.  My main concern was that I wasn’t there to lend some assistance – be it manual labor or just some simple, on-site, words of encouragement….or just a hug.  Certainly a lesson that life goes on just like the road does.   After a few deep breaths on both sides, we agreed that we could put off the “time to go home” decision until Wednesday morning…..just to make sure that expected rain was indeed fizzling.  That decision meant I would be getting off the crew bus and staying the night in Knoxville rather than traveling on to Nashville post show.  That was a good decision as Nashville would’ve put me another few hours away from Athens, and if I was to head home on Wednesday, I had a head start still being in Knoxville.  Secondly, after that decision, I did feel better because I did have the support of my friends around me.  They were way over seeing me obviously preoccupied with over-thinking my decisions; so, for the first time since Birmingham, they saw a bit of sunshine in my eyes.  

I know this is sounding like a broken record, but the show time came early again.  Here’s how I have begun to see this opener/closer tradeoff…in terms of how I approach the show.  If WP opens, then it is a task to get it all together for a 6 pm show time.  The last night usually being a late one, it’s tough to be done with the normal daily stuff…like getting up…before noon.  Luckily, 10 – 11 has been the norm, but by the time some semblance of lunch is taken care of, the middle of the afternoon sets in and then bam…show time at 6pm.  With a two hour WP set right off the bat, you find a way to get in that groove pretty quickly, but then with no warning, in a sense, you get the feel that the WP portion of the show is winding down.  And then it’s over….kind of.  The rest of the evening is now all about the break and the ABB set and then post show plans.  So, once you get over the fact that you’d really like to be getting another WP set, the rest of the night becomes real laid back and you get to flow freely between whatever is going on backstage and in the front of house.  And that might be a 6 – 7 hour time frame to go once WP leaves the stage…say 8pm until 2-3am.  And that’s not normal for a WP after-show experience….unless you are one of those that enjoys playing through. 

When WP closes one of these collaborative efforts, the reverse happens.  The afternoon leading up to the show becomes much more laid back and then about 8:45, WP takes the stage until about 11 pm.  Once that long WP set is over, the brain starts its trickery.  Naturally, the brain is going…ok, another WP set to go.  So, there’s this period after the show where you still want more and it takes a bit to realize it just ain’t going to happen.  Some nights this was over and done with in a minute….and a couple of nights it took seeing the crew at work for a few minutes to realize the show was really over.  Although I liked the second slot because it was dark by then at the outdoor venues and I just never really got used to WP at 6pm, I will have to say that I enjoyed the flow of the evening more when WP opened.  From a band’s perspective, maybe it’s that feeling back from high school when you did your presentation first and then had that peaceful feeling as you got to watch your classmates sweat it out…..not that I was on stage or anything close to it, but you get my point. The way I feel is that the longer before you have to eventually go to sleep after a WP show,  the better…since you get more time to bask in that show afterglow.  From the crew’s perspective, if WP plays first, it’s hurry up and flip the stage…and then wait til after the ABB set before getting on the bus and rolling….just to be able to see that clean stage.  Forgetting something in Knoxville and then finding out in Nashville…..when you need it right then….is not an option.  So, WP opening kind of staggered their day, but a WP closer show fit like a glove for the crew.  

So anyway, I digressed.  Again.  The Knoxville show was a welcome end to a long three days.  Settling in just in front of the board with a bunch of friends, it was nice being inside again.  I just love GA floors as they let everybody be themselves.  Finding out in the past couple of days that not only was the Knoxville show was going to be moved inside, but Nashville as well, I was sort of pumped that 4 of the last 5 had that indoor energy.  I had been looking forward to the World’s Fair Park as that was where Zach had an awesome 3 yr old WP experience, but given the weather situation outside, I got over it pretty quickly.  I thought the first part of the WP set was real laid back and that made for a good segue into the rest of the evening.  The band spoke to me during the whole “Papa’s Home > Stop Go > Papa’s Home > Travelin Man > Ride Me High > Surprise Valley > Climb to Safety” sequence as I had a lot of ups and downs the past couple of days but I let the set opener define the deal for me….Better Off.  Made my 45 years feel young dancing….that’s for sure. 

After the WP set, I had a little business to take care of while the ABB set was going on.  Earlier in the day, I had decided to stay in Knoxville after the show, but had forgotten to get my gear off the crew bus.  So, with the bus rolling not long after the ABB set, I had to use that time to transfer by bags.  With 1 large duffle bag and 2 daypacks, I threw it all on my back…around 40 pounds or so I guess…. and started off on a solo trip to the parking deck.  Problem was I went to the wrong parking deck.  Both of the decks had over-the-street ramps and sort of looked the same to me since I wasn’t driving.  After about 3-4 phone calls, a few texts, several car alarms (set off by the buttons I was pushing on the keys I had) and about 45 minutes of aimless wondering, we all came to the realization that I was on the completely opposite side of the arena than where I needed to be.  So, this expected 30 minute deal turned into about a 2 hour start to finish experience that basically included a work out and a couple of twilight zone moments.  Guess I got that hike in that I missed the day before.  I had a few friends back in the ABB show waiting on me probably thinking I had completely ditched them, but we all found each other later and all was good.  Needless to say, sleep came early that night…well sort of early…given the need to get up to see what Wednesday would bring. 

The news Wednesday morning was very encouraging from Athens.  The rain was gone, the sun was out and so were the wet carpets from the basement. We talked it over and decided me getting home Thursday pm instead of Wednesday pm was of zero consequence….basement-wise or other-wise, so with a renewed sense of energy and optimism, we set off for Nashville.  I tried to do the blog thing while riding in the back of the Surburban, but all I got was a good headache and a queasy stomach.  So, when my friend Dick decided to drive around the same city block a full 25 times looking for a parking spot next to the busses, I thought I was going to lose whatever lunch I still had.  Of course, when he pulled over for me to get out and get some air, we lost the spot he had his eye on.  Oooops!  It all worked out though and there was minimal stress….since WP was closing.  Getting there around 5:30 for a 6 pm WP show would’ve provided us huge amounts of stress, so the late slot worked in our favor that night…..except for one reason…I didn’t get to stop by Hardy’s Broadway Brewhouse in Nashville.  I had been traveling with Hardy since Charlotte and had really looked forward to hanging at his spot.  This quick back and forth on the Nashville side of things took that option away.  But hey, sounds to me like another reason to get on back up to Nashville.  

The late slot worked for the band that night too…..which was cool since this was my last show of a 9 show run.  It was nice to get a great one in the second slot as it made for a great send off. The whole show just smoked from the beginning.  The energy, the guest artists, the song selection, the opener, the closer, the encores…even the crowd going easy on Johnny Neel with the lighters during BWM….it just all fit so well that night.

Let’s Get The Show On The Road > Happy > You Should Be Glad, Pickin’ Up The Pieces, Up All Night, Love Tractor, Big Wooly Mammoth*, Fishwater > Drums > Fishwater, Don’t Wanna Lose You** > It Ain’t No Use** > Jam** > Driving Song > You Got Yours > Driving Song > Chilly Water

E: Vacation > Life During Wartime

*    with Johnny Neel on keyboards ** with Audley Freed on guitar

What fit well too was the feeling I had at the end of this show.  I was satisfied.  I remember back in 1984 with Dave, Tom and Nicola out on the GD summer tour when, even after traveling 7,000 miles in three weeks, we were bummed we had to go from Alpine Valley, Wisconsin back to Georgia via Virginia (to drop Dave off in Richmond) rather than make a detour through Berkeley, CA for the Greeks.  What are an extra two weeks and another 7,000 miles?  Would’ve gotten a Dark Star if we had gone for it….and as it turned out for me, it took me to the last time the GD performed that tune before I caught one.  That was certainly a “whew” moment that night at the Omni back in 1994.  I felt like Indiana Jones diving under that stone door just as it slammed shut. 

Anyway, this night in Knoxville was a little different….not only for me but for everyone else around me….friend-wise that is.  No Texas.  No problem. Band and crew were headed there for sure, but none of my friends outside of those circles that had been with me for this run of shows were going.  This was the end of the line for all of us.  I don’t think any of us really felt Texas pulling that hard…..because we all had the real world biting our backsides at this point and with good reason…..until a few days later and we saw that Houston setlist with the Cortez.  But, oh well, you can’t go to them all. Guess we figured that one out a long time ago. 

One thing was for sure at this point….we had seen two weeks of amazing music and had moments that wouldn’t be matched…probably forever.  The road is like glue the way it binds friends, family and experiences together…..and although our traveling crew over the past two weeks had been tight before we took off,  we had added another impenetrable layer of  life to the mix.   Papa was now going to be driving past the night working his way to make it home….as I wouldn’t be a sight in Athens until later the next afternoon.  But regardless of how many hello’s I was looking forward to back in GA, I had some tough goodbye’s to deliver prior to making that transition.  And you can always find good reasons to stretch those out……..

Tuesday, October 13, 2009….Knoxville, TN

Once again the 6 pm show time came quickly. After the long ride to Raleigh, I ended up being a little subdued during the course of the day and just sort of hung on the bus and tried to stay out of the way. WP loading in at 12:30 and then having a show at 6 that’s over at 8 makes for a very quick day…..but also for a very busy and potentially frustrating day. Listening to the crew talk about the challenges that were ahead just before we arrived, the main thing I heard wasn’t negative….it was how great the ABB crew has been to work with. I also feel this way. One of the things I thought about prior to coming out on tour was how well the 2 camps would get along. I was concerned some of the production offices would be cramped and not be conducive to having a well-oiled machine…..or that the stages wouldn’t be spacious enough to properly manage all of the equipment changes. These two camps work great together….as most have been involved in similar ventures over the years, the familiarity…from both musicianship and workability perspective…is something that is pretty cool to witness. WP and ABB have a collective 65 years doing this thing so it really comes as no surprise that those that have done it the longest know a thing or two about dealing with way more challenges than these set ups have provided.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as the show went, it was an interesting night for me. I thought the WP set list was awesome with most every song being one my show buddies and I had been chasing. That usually makes for a rowdy night, but this situation just wasn’t like one of those….due to me being solo for this show. A quick aside….I’ve always thought that each performance has a few people that think it was the best…or worst…show they have ever seen. Why is that? Differences in opinion of everything from song choice to outdoor/indoor venues are clearly reasons. But what I think makes the most difference is the state of mind we find ourselves in at a show….and I don’t necessarily mean a contrived state of mind via an altered consciousness. It’s all about the human element. Back to my point….being on tour is a subset of life…as it’s all about shared experiences. When you roll down the road with a group of friends or your family, you share not only the ups and downs of the show(s) but the ups and downs of the week(s) as well. Once you continue on and they don’t, the next show takes on a very different feel. Although I had the band and crew around me in Raleigh, they were on task all day long….same for the couple of friends I did see out in the audience. So, I guess the melancholy sort of set in a little not having the camaraderie of what was Charlotte > Birmingham.

Interestingly enough, my highlight that night in Raleigh was the ABB version of  “Can’t Find My Way Home” w/ JB on vocal duties. After that WP set, I was hanging out by myself over by the tour busses maybe thinking about things way too much for my own good….or anyone else’s for that matter…and I see JB come out of the band bus and start walking with a purpose. Having grown a little used to the “time to be a guest” body language, I knew where he was headed. I immediately headed out to the front of the house and landed about 20 rows deep….dead center….having no clue what tune he was out there for. The emotion of CFMWH, as delivered by JB, never ceases to do its work on me. On that night, it wrapped around me and hit me harder than ever before. I’ve got my struggles…and because we are all human, I know “You’ve Got Yours.” The road has always given me my fair share of troubles, but it ultimately always gives me an invaluable perspective on the whole. And over the years, that perspective has always led me to a better place, so I try and open myself up to those times when the road’s kind of cruel…..as it’s always a learning experience. I learned a lot that night as I always do when I discover a conduit to let my emotions flow freely.  The next day was to bring more of the same.

So, a little unplanned “down-time” in Raleigh. And on top of that, my hiking plans for a Knoxville day off on Monday got rained out, so the whole Sunday > Monday thing for me was all about a reckoning with some reality. I awoke in Knoxville just as dawn was breaking and immediately left the bus and took to the streets…..with a raincoat. I didn’t feel like I would be good company that day, so I went out on my own….and finally found what I was looking for in the most unlikely of places…… Knoxville, TN…..in the rain….and, in many respects, so very far from my home.To quote my old GD days….”Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.” Guess I turned the bright lights on and found a little truth…..not by opening a can of worms, but by basking in the light……while settling deeper in the rain. The trick was to not let it get too dark.  As I discovered, this lid didn’t need to be kept on tight…..some light needed to get in there.  Life is always full of paradoxical situations….and this day’s experience was no different.  Sorry for the cryptical envelopment, but damn what a day….and it wasn’t over yet.

So, at the end of what was one of the more insightful, defining days in quite some time, I was all set to move from the crew bus to Dave’s hotel room and go see a movie. And laugh. I was all set, that is until I got the call from home…water in the basement. Trouble, oh trouble move away…..I have seen your face and it’s too much for me today. And instantly, I knew Trouble’s face might be too much for my family in Athens too. I felt like I was able to stabilize things as much as possible while standing on a street corner…and given that I had seen the same thing before some years back, I had a good idea of what was going on. With no vehicle of my own and late on a Monday night, I felt comfortable checking in later when I got to Dave’s room and then assessing the situation on Tuesday morning. Plus, I had a 14 year old who was doing all I could do…wet vac-wise….so, I felt ok for the moment given the situation. At that point in time, Knoxville seemed just as far away as Seattle. That plan worked until my phone died on the way to Dave’s room and then I spent 30 minutes with the hotel staff just trying to make a LD call from the room. When Dave got in around 12:30, I was realizing I had 3 texts and 2 voicemails from home but still not enough battery power to make a call due to a broken charger. When it rains, it pours…..literally and figuratively. So, I abandoned those attempts and just used his phone…and was able to check in at home one last time that night. Then I sat up with Dave and had a life talk til about 4am. A few of those a year with the big guy has been my saving grace over time. Talk about getting by with a little help from your friends….I was living it on so many different angles. One thing was sure by 4 am that night….Tuesday wasn’t going to be much better….for me or for my family back in Athens….and I had a decision to make. Should I stay or should I go?

This morning, Mr. Healthy, aka Dave, had a nutritional smoothie and then went to work out…. and I’m headed out before he gets back to make sense of what I need to make sense of…..if that makes any sense. It does to me!

Sunday, October 11, 2009….Raleigh, NC

Come this morning, this old world sure wasn’t the same.  Not after that show last night….that’s for sure.  Right out of the gate, after another great ABB set…this one with JB sitting in for “And it Stoned Me”….. I thought this really felt like a WP show.  The Take Out > Diner  > Rock hit everyone pretty hard right off the bat…and then I felt the Airplane > Pilgrims toward the end was really special.  They just really seemed to be locked in last night….and I thought the sound was fantastic.  This was the classic GA floor set up….probably my favorite spot to see shows on a consistent basis.  Don’t get me wrong, I love those awesome outdoor venues and the small theatre shows too……but, for me, I always feel at home in that GA floor coliseum….there always seems to be good space around the board, the lights  sound take full effect….and in a different way, it can get real dark real fast….and I like it when shows take those nasty turns.  Those moments are just different when you’re outdoors.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This being a get away show…with a date in Raleigh, NC on Sunday night….the energy begins to change a little…and then a lot….once the show hits the final stages.  Shuttle rides, bus rides and car rides all start getting coordinated backstage and the connections of past few hours that you’d wish wouldn’t end, have to.  So after saying lots goodbyes and giving lots of high fives, Chris and her crew headed back toward the hotel and then on back to Athens today.  And once again, I found myself making that segue onto the crew bus.  I don’t think the bus experience will ever feel normal to me.  I’ve spent my life traveling to shows in so many different ways…from cars and vans to rv’s and crew busses.  It is really a different experience altogether.  First off, your show perspective changes immediately….for one thing, the show time comes much earlier.  Take today for example, we arrived in Raleigh about 12:30 pm after leaving Birmingham about 2:30 am last night.  Immediately, the chalk marks went down on the stage to guide the guys lifting the lights and sound system to be sure everything is centered.  While this this is going on, all the trucks start to be unloaded and tons of road cases get routed to the proper staging areas.  Same goes for the practice area gear….except they don’t fly speakers and lights in the practice area.  Soon, the stage will really begin to morph into a well-orgainzed looking deal.  It’s a magical transition that I’ve always compared to backpacking.  To really enjoy it, you must have a sense of adventure, be able to deal with changing conditions, and be able to break it down and move on with relative ease after a few hours of use.  That next city’s lights are growing sharper now…..

 

 

My first crew bus experience came with the Stockholm Syndrome tour in February 2008.  I explored the idea with Dave at the New Years shows and it all ended up working out…to my surprise.  After confirming the details, I began to be a little concerned that I would get out there and be stuck in a bus and couldn’t get off.  I was going to be entering a strange new world.  I had been “on the bus” before but not in this manner.  This was going to be way more than a glimpse of what goes on backstage and on tour behind the scenes.  This was going to reveal the underbelly of the monster.  Dave gave me the confidence I needed and Garrie told me that I was going to be with a lot of old friends that I would get to know lots better and that I would make new friends that would become some of my best ones.  Those two gave me a true glimpse into that future as that was exactly what went down on that trip….and it ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made.  It might sound strange coming from someone that’s been chasing music forever, but that I learned how to follow my heart during that trip. I just needed a little room to fly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, riding the bus isn’t all fun and games.  Especially when you are new to it all.  That ride from SLC to Colorado was a perfect example.  When the bus is in the lot or on the way back to the hotel (my previous bus experiences), it’s like a hospitality room or a taxi.  But when the night wears down and you hit your bunk, the reality of the situation takes over.  You realize that this guy you just met that has been sleeping all afternoon is going to be flying you down the ribbon of highway that goes through the gut of Colorado.  The process of handing your life over to that driver is something that ebbs and flows for a while until you just let it all go.  First off, it’s all about centrifugal force….especially if you’re on the top bunk….which is usually where the rookies end up.  A bus has a natural sway that can be a little unnerving for the uninitiated.  When you swing one way, you get used to swinging the other way just the same amount…..and you get used to the timing of it as well.  Once you get to feeling “normal” then any slight change in what you consider normal can kind of freak you out….until you learn to just let it go and trust the driver. That next morning once we made it to Colorado that first night out, I went to ask the driver about the sudden swerve about 5am. He told me about the elk herd he barely missed that just appeared out of nowhere. From then on, I decided to just quit asking questions and try that trust thing.

 

The driver of all drivers for WP, Yogi, was always carrying my buddies around so I got to know him a little over the years.  In a sense, Yogi gave me the trust in drivers before I ever rode on a bus…..just from all the stories I heard about him.  Those stories always seemed to center on mutual professional respect and a heart of gold.  I found that out personally one time in particular.  Back in 2005, we made our trips around in a little rv and had a little issue going on in Macon one night.  Sunny got Yogi on the task and before long there he was cleaning our battery cables with his dremmel tool and telling old stories about similiar issues from the past.  He broke into a huge sweat and spent a good hour getting it all back the way it should have been….actually better than it should have been.  What a professional in every sense of the word…..with a heart of gold.

 

 

It’s going to be a quick day…but a long one too.  Like I said earlier, we arrived at 12:30 for a 6pm start.  And then it’s time to take it right back down.  Like my buddy Sean (Todd’s drum tech) just said….”Time to make the donuts,” as he just headed out to make some final preparations.  And then we’ll head to that next city’s lights…..Knoxville.  Who know what the future holds?  A good day off will go a long way in figuring that out….can’t wait to let it all fall in place the way it’s supposed to……starting tonight.