Day 8 - Charlottesville

Wrote this about Day 8 after the show. In retrospect though I'll say that we didn't play badly, but the crowd wasn't really there to hear music. They wanted to Hukah. So whatever.

Day 8 - Tea Bazaar Show

The notion that the shows get better response as we go farther north has been proven false--well, was shaken last night. The Tea bazaar was weird. The Balmorhea set was good, it was just weird for me cause I was kind of positioned in a way that didn't really allow me to hear things through the PA that well. but whatever. hearing at shows? psh. who needs that.

ok. you know, i just decided I don't wanna copy what i wrote in the car. So I'm just going to re-remember and write things out. Trapdoor--we played half way according to the set list. Revolution Choir felt a little weird to me, maybe to all of us, and then Ship of Death turned into this improv jam that was pretty cool, but apparently not what the Tea Bazaar crowd was wanting. Again, they were there to smoke hukah. Except for a couple tables of cool people. We did do a pretty sweet cover of "Love is Simple" by the Akron/Family. But I think we all walked away feeling like it was a weird set.

oh well. The radio show Trapdoor did earlier went well, so that's cool. But I think I already wrote about that. I don't really remember. Things are beginning to blur together. I just realized that was a lame report of the show...I apologize. When you feel strange about a set, the last thing you want to do is think about it repeatedly and then break it down into bunches of details to squish into paragraphs. I have some pics, but we'll see if blogger decides to let me upload em.

I'm about to write about today so go read that now. adios

-Aisha

Hey! I've got an entry to transcribe about last night's show.  But we're about to go practice really quick. But we are currently in philly.  write more laaaaater.

p.s. it snowed!!

day 8 - Charlottesville

Hey friends,

We're currently hanging out in the Tea Bazzar (spelling? I should be more precise about that).  We're playing here tonight.  We've been sitting around, reading, eating and sipping on tea until it's go time.  

We stayed in a hotel last night so we could be a little closer to Lexington, Virginia, where Trapdoor had a live radio performance at the Washington and Lee University.  That went pretty well.  

Rob is feeling a little better, but he's still sick and very medicated.  The day he went to the doctor, we saw a college newspaper headline that said something along the lines of "flu epidemic hits unprepared campus."  Stupid flu.

I didn't take any pictures there.  And I haven't taken any here in Charlottesville. I'm getting really lazy about it.  I'm also getting lazy about blogging.  I just don't wanna do anything actually.  I want some sleep. and a movie.  and...some ice cream.  and my gals.  It's exactly a week into the tour and I'm already missing my Austin crew.  We're like sisters! I can't help it!  I miss being goofy and nonsensical with my roommate.  And I miss my blood sister too.  She's the best.  But, phones are great.

The guy from the radio show took us out to lunch at this Italian place.  I was unaware when I ordered spaghetti that my plate would be a foot long.  Dave ordered an entire pizza...for himself. lol He's shared it with us since then.  So don't get the wrong idea.  Point of the story is we ate well.

But yeah, lots of sitting around.  My battery is gonna die soon.  Sorry there aren't many pictures up.  I've literally taken hundreds but uploading them to the internet takes for-ev-er, and getting them on blogger has been problematic for some reason.  I just spent forever trying to get TWO pictures up. so annoying.  Anyway, I'm doing what I can to give you a tiny glimpse into our lives.

Notes to people:

Alison-Danyelle-Monica-Taylor-Tucker: I miss you guys immensely!

madre-padre-mi hermana fantastica: te amo 

-Aisha

Day 7 - Feb. 25

Ashville, we love you.

We played at a little cafe called Gourmet Perks. We set up our stuff and our traveling light show (yes, light show. it's documented. check it out. Kiss has nothing on us [ ok, so it's only three lights, but still...]). Anyway, it was kind of empty at first and then out of no where this crowd trickles in. Trapdoor played first, with an awe-inspiring version of "Song for Hooch and the Priest." That song's feeling really good these days. Rob and I have got that syncopated rhythm down really well, and Alex is always great of course. It is his song after all. And the second half of the song where it gets soulful and Motowny is amazing. I feel a little weird complimenting our playing like that. But just know I'm not trying to be big-headed in the slightest. Collectively, it was good. Anyway, with vocal parts a la Sean Padilla, we all start singing behind Alex. And the song ends with all instruments fading and giving way to our voices blending in an a cappella chorus vamp. The crowd came forward and stood a couple feet away from us. It's so cool to have people so near.

The Balmorhea set went really well too. We started with "Limmat" into "Soft Rustling." I think "Baleen Morning" was after that, followed by "Process." Somewhere in there "Show Me" was played and was awesome. I just remember people clapping so hard. And this kid in a red shirt sitting up front, burying his face into his hands and shaking his head, and when I saw his face he looked so into everything. We thought we were ending with the "San Soloman" reprise, which was dedicated to Austin Dupree, but at the song's end, they clapped and clapped annnd didn't go anywhere. They just sat there, staring at us. And as you know, that's the international sign for hey, you better play another song. So we played the new untitled one, and people clapped again. The sound of energetic clapping is so nice to hear. Some guy screamed out, "Why wasn't that in the original set??"  

We put up our things and this girl came up and told us how she loved our music and how it touched her. That was so sweet, and she seemed so honest and grateful. Then this other guy was so so excited about everything. He had beautiful sincere compliments. I got a short interview from him for my project and man, he'd never heard of us before, but he just loved the show so much. This is so bizzare to me. I mean, I picture people saying that to hugely famous musicians playing some huge venue or something, not to me, the 20-year-old girl, meandering through life with only half a clue, this timid-natured girl who comes alive when no one's looking, who thinks and thinks and selectively speaks. I can't even break my own walls down to be myself completely at all times in my own life. Sometimes, I feel like I could barely make a flame shiver if I blew at it. How could I be apart of something that brought that look of joy to this girl's face?

Music always just blows me away. I'll never understand what it does to people, how sounds can change us so much. I'm just very glad for this, probably more than I show.

We're listening to Zookeeper and driving closer to Lexington tonight to stay in a hotel. Tomorrow we get to play on a live radio broadcast. Ha, and just think. Two and half years ago, I'd stopped playing my violin.

More of day 7

It's such a nice day!  I think we've all spent some time outside, reading or writing.  For the first day since Austin, I didn't have to wear the ski jacket outside! haha.  Big step for me.  I made out alright in a tank top.  Twas nice.  

Alex, Dave, Adam and I went on a little walk led by Austin Dupree.  It was scenic and pretty.  We walked a wide path through lots of trees and dilapidated houses and sheds.  There was also this creepy looking old factory building we passed.  Apparently, it's private property and a local officer was quick to materialize out of no where and let us know.  So we got back on the path and headed back to the Vista house.

You're probably wondering what Rob and Michael were up to all day.  Rob got sick last night.  Michael took him to the doctor today and it turns out that he has the flu...a contagious strand.  So we've got lots of anti-bacterial and cold medicine for all of us.  Don't worry moms and dads, we're washing our hands a lot and being really careful about keeping things clean.  The boys also brought lots of Vitamins (Dad, I know you're glad to hear that).  And we have lots of fruit and healthy things with us too.  Hopefully he'll feel better soon.  He's napping now.  Luckily, we don't have too far to go tonight.  Ashville is only an hour away.  Welllll we're loading up the car and getting ready to go.  

Ta ta for now

-Aisha

Day 7

Hola,

We're still hangin out in the Vista house in Greenville.  I had one of the best night of sleep since we've been on tour.  We pretty much have this whole house to ourselves...including the kitchen :)  No, we didn't eat their food.  We finished off the left overs from last night's fantastic dinner.  One of the girls made tortilla soup and spinach enchiladas for us all.  

Last Night's Show (Feb. 24th)

The show went well.  A girl named Emily who lives here started things off.  She sang and played guitar and her voice was so clear and beautiful, kind of wispy and light.  She sa

ng some folky songs, beginning with a cover of Ryan Adams' "Oh my Sweet Carolina." 

After marveling at her voice, Balmorhea played. I can't really remember the set, but I know we played Soft Rustling, that new "Show Me" song, Divisadero, We Will Rebuild and the new untitled song.  It was nice to play acoustic again.  Everything is much more natural that way.

Trapdoor was last.  We had a pretty long set which included (among other things) Deep Ellum Blues, Ramona, Elizabeth, Four Green Mountains, and Shekinah (Alex, forgive me, I know I just butchered that...).  Man, I need to sneak around and get a recording of Mike singing that song.  It's so great!

  I don't even know what to compare it to.  I told him I wished I could get an alarm clock with him singing that.  I'd wak

e up sooo happy every morning!  You just have to hear it for yourself. I think one night he should do a bunch of covers of Alex's songs.  That would make my heart smile.

That room was pretty neat.  All the lights were turned down, save for a few strings of white christmas lights and 6 candles on a table against the wall.  We all sat in a line and the listeners sat in folding chairs around us.  At the end of Trapdoor things, Emily came up with her guitar and we all played a few songs with her, beginning with Ms. Ohio and ending with Amazing Grace.  I wish I could've gotten a picture of that.  Just the look of four acoustic guitars in a row was really cool.

Twas a good night.  We watched an episode of The Office before going to bed.  Oh how I love that show.

Day 6

Hello hello

We are sitting inside a very southern looking house in the quiet of Greenville, South Carolina.  It's near the campus of Furman University and I think everyone that lives here attends school there.  It's so nice.  There are tall white columns in the front, complete with a porch and rocking chairs.  Inside, there are hardwood floors everywhere, a big kitchen, about 4 or 5 rooms upstairs annnd an upstairs kitchen too!   The backyard is an open field.  I pet a horse for the first time.  Then he tried to eat my hair.  When he realized I was empty-handed he became uninterested and walked away.  

It's so pretty here!  Very green. Lots of open space.  I laid outside and stared into the clouds for a good while.  You can see the mountains around and its a nice departure from the flatness of old Tejas.  Today was the first day in a long time that we actually saw the sun.

Adam's sitting nearby reading and I think Dave is headed outside to write a bit.  Alex is outside on a hammock reading, and Rob and Michael are in the kitchen.  I think they're sipping on some tea that the woman from 11:11 Teahouse made and gave to us called "The Balmorhea Blend."  

Well...I don't think I've got much more to say.  The drive from Atlanta to Greenville was pretty short and that was nice.  Before we left, we had brunch at this little place in Decatur, Georgia (which is just outside Atlanta.  San Antonians, think SA-Alamo Heights, or SA-Helotes.  Austinites, maybe Austin-Cedar Park?)  That was a neat spot.  Dave pointed out all the real estate signs about.  Like Austin, it seems like people are moving toward downtown to live.  

I hate pointing out racial things, but there were so many cool looking black people at that diner. lol.  Sorry, I notice these things.  This girl had this mohawk thing going on, but it was all dreaded.  Lots of women with dreads, some with dreads and piercings.  They seemed artsy.  Maybe writers or poets or artists or maybe I'm just making assumptions.  Growing up, I've just never seen that a lot.  I've seen the stereotype and being a person that's never fit ANY black american stereotype, I've struggled with that and gotten a lot of crap for it.  But what I'm trying to say I guess is that I was just glad to see that other black people are "different" too.  

Anyway, I digress...I think I've got some pictures to share.  I added some to the older posts.  So take a gander and enjoy :)

-Aisha