Wow, what a whirlwind. I just drove about 3,500 miles to perform some shows in Western Arizona, California, and Oregon. I got to see a bunch of people I hadn't seen for a while and play in some new and old venues. I kicked off the new album tour with a show at The House in Show Low, AZ, which was awesome. Tons of people came out and it was a good send-off and confidence booster. Here's some more info about the tour stops. Skip ahead if you just want to see some photos:)
The first stop on the road was in Kingman, AZ at a sweet little spot called Diana's Cellar Door. It's a great wine bar and performance venue, and the town was having a "First Fridays" celebration, so the streets were full of families and party-goers. The people were great and I ended up performing and interviewing for a local news outfit on their Facebook live feed. The audience was super receptive and supportive, and after my show I went across the street to the brewery with some locals to check out an awesome bass player before going back to my tent to crash and get ready for the next show.
The following day I drove about 550 miles to Carmel, CA, where I played at The LAB, which is a great performance space in what used to be Carmel Visual Arts. It's a great space to play in because the acoustics are great, a big wide room with sloping ceilings, all wood walls and floors with heavy carpets. Plus, Carmel is just a beautiful place.
The next day I drove another 450 miles or so to Ashland, OR. I was born in that town and it's great to go back and see it from time to time. I played a show at Oberon's, a Shakesperean-themed pub with a great stage and colorful cast of rotating characters. I got to see some friends and family, and play for some new faces, and try their delightful twist on the Moscow Mule, which is made with some sort of elder flower liqueur.
The following day I drove up to Washington to see some family, then turned right around and went back to Portland, OR, where I played a show at the Hawthorne Hideaway. That was one of my favorite shows of the tour. My good friend Chris, who I went to high school with and made music with in North Carolina, played a set, and then I got up to play the new album. I was then accompanied by my other good friend, Slade, who I used to play in a band (The Brighter Still) with in Arizona. You can see some of those pictures below. I also got to see some good friends and family at that show. Good vibes all around.
Then I made the short trip down to Eugene, OR, where I got to spend some time with my dad, Steve, and his partner, Morgan, and play a show at Sam Bond's Garage. Bond's was always one of my favorite spots to play when I lived in Eugene. I played a set, then Tom West played a set. He's a great singer-songwriter from Australia and I recommend checking out his music. I also got to just spend a day relaxing and checking out some of the town, which is perfect in June.
The next show was in San Luis Obispo, CA, but to break up the enormous drive down, I stopped in Redding, CA. I didn't have a show there, but I spent some time wandering around and ended up at a club where I saw a band called Water Seed. They are a funk/R&B outfit and they totally slammed. The next day I played a show at Linnaea's in SLO, and got to play my new stuff for some people who have been following my music for years. It turned out to be a really great last show before heading back to eastern Arizona.
The reception for Kaden Hollow has really been great and it's awesome to see so many people connect with it. The rest of the summer will be packed with shows as well, most of which will be in various places in Arizona, including some awesome festivals like the Flagstaff Folk Festival, the White Mountain Beer and Music Festival in Pinetop-Lakeside, and the White Mountain Musicians Festival in Alpine. Here is a little smattering of photos taken on the road by people other than myself:) It's a tour documentary of sorts: