Friday, April 10, 2009
TOUR DE TUERFF?
A couple of years ago, a musical acquaintance of mine joined several other acquaintances of mine and departed on a month long tour of Germany. That’s right, Germans willingly listening to American Folk Music. It’s big over there.
This operation worked fairly well, except that from all reports, all the guys who’d toured together had pretty much had enough of each other once the tour was over. I can understand that.
However, about a year later, one of those guys asked me if I’d be interested in touring Germany. Having seen what had happened that last time, and not really savoring the idea of spending four weeks – let alone four HOURS – with a couple of the guys he was asking, I said no. Besides, I write funny stuff. English language humor don’t go over so well in Germany. Just ask Monty Python.
But it did put a little bug in me that is still bugging me to this day. I’ve never really been on a tour. Heck, I’ve never even booked a gig out of town that required more than two hours driving.
I’ve played open mics all over the place – Richmond, New Orleans, Portland and other places. But I was just thinking: where would be a good place to play out of town?
It would have to be a place where I know enough people to help generate a crowd.
Well, for one, there’s Tucson. But I tried that once and everything got screwed up. The posters I sent to the venue never arrived, everyone I actually knew in Tucson was out of town that weekend and while the coffeehouse where I played was very nice, it was kind of out of the way. Although everybody seemed to know about it.
Then, there’s Seattle. Through choice, fate, luck and the internet, I would venture to say that my wife and I know enough people in the Seattle area that, if they all brought friends, I could fill a small room. They’re people we know from all kinds of places and all kinds of reasons: college friends, post-college friends who moved, people we have something in common with via the internet, filkers (that’s sci-fi folk music people) and more.
Tucson and Seattle. That’s not much of a tour.
Which brings up another problem: Travel. A drive to Tucson I can handle. But paying my way to fly and stay in a hotel in Seattle would pretty much negate any kind of money I would make for entertaining my Washingtonian pals and their friends.
I’m thinking about looking into Western folk festivals for next year. Just one or two, provided this new job doesn’t fly away (or maybe BECAUSE the job flies away). I like performing and I’ve played in front of enough perfect strangers to know that I’m funny. True, it might not be touring, per se, but the change of scenery might do me –and my act – some good.
------
You may not like Facebook – and there are a whole bunch of things I don’t like about it – but I do have to say this. If you want to reunite with someone you used to know a long time ago, it’s not too hard to find them if they’re on Facebook.
I like catching up with people I used to know. It’s fun to see what happened to them, what they’re doing now and what their interests are.
Plus, if you have a good reason, you can get a few famous (or at least marginally famous) people to be your “friend.” For example, since I have an internet radio show (“Zappa Universe,” Every Sunday at 6 on radiofreephoenix.com, but then you KNOW that because you listen EVERY WEEK, even when it’s RERUNS like right now, don’t you?) about Frank Zappa, I have one former member of the Mothers of Invention on my list, and two other members of FZ’s 60s entourage.
Their occasional comments are always interesting.
All I can say is that even though it’s confusing as hell at first, and badly laid out, Facebook has some ups.
------
No gigs this weekend, but my lovely wife Jan is part of a huge dance show this weekend. I’d tell you about it but it’s sold out, so there you go.
-------
Thunderstump, the best band that ever sprang 2/3 of its members from my loins, played another open mic Wednesday night and went over well. I played too and people actually shut up. That’s a good thing…really…
TT
A couple of years ago, a musical acquaintance of mine joined several other acquaintances of mine and departed on a month long tour of Germany. That’s right, Germans willingly listening to American Folk Music. It’s big over there.
This operation worked fairly well, except that from all reports, all the guys who’d toured together had pretty much had enough of each other once the tour was over. I can understand that.
However, about a year later, one of those guys asked me if I’d be interested in touring Germany. Having seen what had happened that last time, and not really savoring the idea of spending four weeks – let alone four HOURS – with a couple of the guys he was asking, I said no. Besides, I write funny stuff. English language humor don’t go over so well in Germany. Just ask Monty Python.
But it did put a little bug in me that is still bugging me to this day. I’ve never really been on a tour. Heck, I’ve never even booked a gig out of town that required more than two hours driving.
I’ve played open mics all over the place – Richmond, New Orleans, Portland and other places. But I was just thinking: where would be a good place to play out of town?
It would have to be a place where I know enough people to help generate a crowd.
Well, for one, there’s Tucson. But I tried that once and everything got screwed up. The posters I sent to the venue never arrived, everyone I actually knew in Tucson was out of town that weekend and while the coffeehouse where I played was very nice, it was kind of out of the way. Although everybody seemed to know about it.
Then, there’s Seattle. Through choice, fate, luck and the internet, I would venture to say that my wife and I know enough people in the Seattle area that, if they all brought friends, I could fill a small room. They’re people we know from all kinds of places and all kinds of reasons: college friends, post-college friends who moved, people we have something in common with via the internet, filkers (that’s sci-fi folk music people) and more.
Tucson and Seattle. That’s not much of a tour.
Which brings up another problem: Travel. A drive to Tucson I can handle. But paying my way to fly and stay in a hotel in Seattle would pretty much negate any kind of money I would make for entertaining my Washingtonian pals and their friends.
I’m thinking about looking into Western folk festivals for next year. Just one or two, provided this new job doesn’t fly away (or maybe BECAUSE the job flies away). I like performing and I’ve played in front of enough perfect strangers to know that I’m funny. True, it might not be touring, per se, but the change of scenery might do me –and my act – some good.
------
You may not like Facebook – and there are a whole bunch of things I don’t like about it – but I do have to say this. If you want to reunite with someone you used to know a long time ago, it’s not too hard to find them if they’re on Facebook.
I like catching up with people I used to know. It’s fun to see what happened to them, what they’re doing now and what their interests are.
Plus, if you have a good reason, you can get a few famous (or at least marginally famous) people to be your “friend.” For example, since I have an internet radio show (“Zappa Universe,” Every Sunday at 6 on radiofreephoenix.com, but then you KNOW that because you listen EVERY WEEK, even when it’s RERUNS like right now, don’t you?) about Frank Zappa, I have one former member of the Mothers of Invention on my list, and two other members of FZ’s 60s entourage.
Their occasional comments are always interesting.
All I can say is that even though it’s confusing as hell at first, and badly laid out, Facebook has some ups.
------
No gigs this weekend, but my lovely wife Jan is part of a huge dance show this weekend. I’d tell you about it but it’s sold out, so there you go.
-------
Thunderstump, the best band that ever sprang 2/3 of its members from my loins, played another open mic Wednesday night and went over well. I played too and people actually shut up. That’s a good thing…really…
TT
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