We just finnished a rip-roaring ralleying session of "Stump the Tour Manager." I think Sean and Eric (the one being stumped) started it. By the time i got on the bus, they were already into it. Here's how it's played. We shout out a 3 diget area code and our Tour Manger has to tell us where its from. His abilities were pretty impressive, I must say. So...tonight was our last show of the year. ...It was sort of a funny night, but...we had a good time and are now enjoying our last night on the bus. Our last night of camaraderie on the bus for a while.
Many of you have heard us talk about the Watkins Family Hour shows that Sean and I have done at Largo in Los Angeles with our friends for four and a half years now. Well, we finally put up a special myspace page with pictures and scheduals and some video footage from one of the most recent shows as well! Sean and I will be updating, blogging and keeping active on that site during the time off, so if you're curious as to what we're doing when we're not driving around the country in the Nickel Creek bus, befriend Watkins Family Hour and stop on by! Thanks! Sara
Nine AM greetings to you all. I've been more ore less awake since five this morning and don't really know why. I went to sleep at 1:30, and, were I in typical form, I'd still be out cold for an other two or three hours. This morning I just couldn't stop thinking. ...Thinking about arrangements for songs I'm probably going to work up, keys...(would it be better if I use an alternate tuning on the fiddle?) I thought some more about the idea of getting back into some teaching around San Diego and LA during the months we're off the road this winter...I always improve when i'm giving fiddle lessons... -- thought about maybe signing up for a yoga class... haven't been a part of anything like that for a long time. Haven't had enough time in one place. I thought about getting into a home routine of going to bed early and waking up before the coastal fog burns off, and riding my bike to the beach to check out the surf. I need to get a coffee maker. My other one broke. Our first taste of autumn came when we were in Minneapolis, but since then, there hasn't been much of a chill until today in Indiana. It's beautiful out. The sky is blue. the students are quickly walking to class in sweatshirts or t-shirts over thermals.... There might as well be a pumpkin patch right in the lawn right infront of me! Three more shows and we're done for the year!
Hey Everyone. I wish that we could sick around this festival for the rest of the weekend. But Friday has come and gone and at 3 AM we head to Tulsa, OK. I'm not gona lie to you. It was very very hot today. Don't think I stopped sweating all day.
--wish I would have had time to see Stars and Cat Power and a few others....
By the time our show came around however, there was a nice breeze accross the grounds. I don't know how the audience stays excited for the music all day long. In the sun, the crowds, the dust and being on their feet all day. They are stronger than almost any band here, I'm sure. Our show was really fun, I thought. But on Ode to a Butterfly, there were some guitar technical difficulties, inasmuch as ... it wasn't audible...to anyone. But Chris and I held it down :) Other than that, I think it went pretty well for a festival show. (which is generally a challenge because you have no soundcheck, just get onstage and play a short set). We love this festival though. Its been very good to us. Radio here, the people, the whole city. After a little signing at the Watterloo Records tent I went to find Ray LaMontagne, who'd asked me to play a little with him during his set. I played and sang on his first record and so we did one. He sounded great, of course, and is playing with a good bunch of musicians. I always enjoy singing with him. Now we're heading back to the hotel to wash the festival stank off our feet. Wish us luck!
