Today’s the day my Dad died. Beautiful weather, much like today. Dramatic clouds with sunbeams that my mother used to tell me were like God looking down on her. I should call my brother – but probably not my mother. My mother doesn’t like reminders.
It really HAS been forever since we’ve been down south. And I don’t mean DOWN SOUTH – just even a little south. The feeling of nostalgia that comes with the first couple of South of the Border billboards as we work our way down North Carolina’s leg of I95 catches me off guard. The sun is setting through the pine trees of central NC and the weather’s simply beautiful.
This little run was initially initialized by encountering a folk dj at NERFA who really Loved us. He was based out of Florida and we had initially planned to get all the way down to America’s penis to take advantage of that new-found support – but as we worked on putting the wandering together it simply… wouldn’t. Come together that is. I figured we’d flesh out the edges of the trip with well-known and easily-found spots in North Carolina, make sure the money was there and then work in a couple of connections here and there in South Carolina, Georgia and finally a date or two in Florida, centred mostly around shoring things up with the DJ.
But the gigs wouldn’t come. As I tried putting things together emails bounced or were replied to with encouraging “great to hear from you guys!” emails that unfortunately ended with “sorry, I sold that place – but good luck!” A huge number of the musicians we used to know down here have moved away, venues have closed or ceased doing Live music. Slowly the window for pushing deeper south swung shut as I struggled to make things come together in theoretically easy territory.
And it never came together.
Good thing it’s a pretty day or I’d be in danger of being discouraged!
Wow – last time we were here I didn’t feel TOTALLY ignored simply because we didn’t do praise music. This time though… yeeeeah, bad choice. Only three performers… four if you count the girl who sang along (well) with the CD she’d happened to have in her car. It’s such a great stage and last time this place was just FILLED with talent and an appreciative audience. Tonight, people avoid our eyes….
