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The Astounding Northwest!
Whenever I get the chance, I head north. That's where the good stuff is. And sometimes the universe aligns in such a way that I get to play shows along the way. And that's what I'm going to tell you about now.
Kerry and I left a 105 degree Sacramento Valley on a Tuesday in July (2013 for you future readers) for two weeks of shows in Oregon and Washington respectively. We camped most nights. We're pretty good campers. We brought a camera, 6 and a half pounds of bacon, and Kerry's parent's 1972 Coleman camp stove and lantern. We left the dogs at home because Pickle Breath doesn't handle the road very well and Lucy doesn't handle life without Pickle Breath very well. It's a relationship that is thoroughly confusing and we won't go into it now.
The first few nights were a little weird and a little rough. I paid too much for some cheese in Jacksonville and I played a show in Albany that I just honestly can't remember. It seems familiar that I might have been paid in Ice cream.
Then things started to get pretty awesome as we took an afternoon trip to Crater Lake. The deepest Lake in the U.S.. Just incredible. Here's the best picture I got. (I actually brought the camera down to the water. But there were lots of kids swimming. And maybe this makes me weird.... But being as I didn't have any children of my own in that water, I didn't want to be the creepy guy with the camera. So I left it in the bag. Suffice to say, Crater lake is a great stop and I'm glad we took the detour.
Whenever I get the chance, I head north. That's where the good stuff is. And sometimes the universe aligns in such a way that I get to play shows along the way. And that's what I'm going to tell you about now.
Kerry and I left a 105 degree Sacramento Valley on a Tuesday in July (2013 for you future readers) for two weeks of shows in Oregon and Washington respectively. We camped most nights. We're pretty good campers. We brought a camera, 6 and a half pounds of bacon, and Kerry's parent's 1972 Coleman camp stove and lantern. We left the dogs at home because Pickle Breath doesn't handle the road very well and Lucy doesn't handle life without Pickle Breath very well. It's a relationship that is thoroughly confusing and we won't go into it now.
The first few nights were a little weird and a little rough. I paid too much for some cheese in Jacksonville and I played a show in Albany that I just honestly can't remember. It seems familiar that I might have been paid in Ice cream.
Then things started to get pretty awesome as we took an afternoon trip to Crater Lake. The deepest Lake in the U.S.. Just incredible. Here's the best picture I got. (I actually brought the camera down to the water. But there were lots of kids swimming. And maybe this makes me weird.... But being as I didn't have any children of my own in that water, I didn't want to be the creepy guy with the camera. So I left it in the bag. Suffice to say, Crater lake is a great stop and I'm glad we took the detour.
Then we camped at this unbelievable waterfall and I carved our initials into this park bench. It wasn't until I finished that I realized that I was the first person to carve something into an otherwise brand new park bench and I felt a little lame for defacing public property. But then we drank some wine and I forgot all about those nasty feelings.
Portland! What a Place! They all dress like me! I've never fit in better. Special Thanks to my new old friend Cassie for letting us sleep at her place!
We walked out onto the Bridge of the Gods Where Kerry had met some hippie friends 13 years ago as part of an epic Backpacking, Tree Sitting, Rainbow gathering adventure. And we waxed nostalgic over an enormous bag of Ranier cherries. |
Then I played at McMenamins White Eagle Hotel and saloon. Awesome Venue!
Later, I ate a pot cookie as part of an experiment (My grandma has been asking about using marijuana to ease her arthritis pain.) Here's what I think grandma: Go ahead, but don't plan on getting shit done.
After a sort of strange mid-day gig at a seattle coffehouse, we stayed with my friend Pete who has impeccable skin and hair. Good job Pete!
Then we headed to Leavenworth (a small Bavarian themed river town) where, for the first time in my life, the venue owner tried to stiff me on payment, then asked me not to come back. I insisted on our agreed payment, then farted on my way out the door. Then Kerry and I had a long conversation in the car about the inherent impossibility of meeting all of the expectations of everyone at the same time. And we watched this clip on her Iphone a few times. I felt better.
After a sort of strange mid-day gig at a seattle coffehouse, we stayed with my friend Pete who has impeccable skin and hair. Good job Pete!
Then we headed to Leavenworth (a small Bavarian themed river town) where, for the first time in my life, the venue owner tried to stiff me on payment, then asked me not to come back. I insisted on our agreed payment, then farted on my way out the door. Then Kerry and I had a long conversation in the car about the inherent impossibility of meeting all of the expectations of everyone at the same time. And we watched this clip on her Iphone a few times. I felt better.
GREG RAWLINS!
I got to play 4 shows with Greg to round out the trip. He's a songwriter based in La Grande, OR with some roots up in Washington. He's swiftly become one of my favorite writers and on top of that, he's just a darn good guy. His songs are sincere in a way that I don't hear very often. And the feeling I get from listening to his music is congruent with the feeling one might get having a conversation with him. Like he's seen some stuff but he's not all up his own ass about it.
I got to play 4 shows with Greg to round out the trip. He's a songwriter based in La Grande, OR with some roots up in Washington. He's swiftly become one of my favorite writers and on top of that, he's just a darn good guy. His songs are sincere in a way that I don't hear very often. And the feeling I get from listening to his music is congruent with the feeling one might get having a conversation with him. Like he's seen some stuff but he's not all up his own ass about it.
We played The Columbia City Theater in Seattle, The Hi-Fi in Bremerton, The Next Door GastroPub in Port Angeles, and my personal favorite, The Muse in Conway.
The Muse is quirky venue in a town you'd drive past and not even see. Elfa, the proprietress was kind enough to set up the show show without ever having heard my music. She fed us and was gracefully assertive when passing around the tip hat to ensure we'd get some gas money. She even offered us a place to camp on her property that night. But we had already setup camp down the road where the 80 year old camp host cornered us by the bathrooms to tell us that to get ahead in life there are three options:
1. you've got a 180 IQ
2. you know someone in the business
3. you've got Tenacity
I guess I'd better look up the word 'tenacity'.
Some more fun photos from the trip:
1. you've got a 180 IQ
2. you know someone in the business
3. you've got Tenacity
I guess I'd better look up the word 'tenacity'.
Some more fun photos from the trip: