Tales from the Road Vol. 12: Summer Lovin' Part 2

And we continue our trek through the groovy summer months:

August 5, 2014 Red Eye Bar Kansas City, KS: We found ourselves back in KCK at this truly legitimate biker bar and had the pleasure of playing for the fine folks there.  They gave us a warm reception and we enjoyed visiting with the friends we met last time.  It was also taco night and we got to sign a Harley.  Bonus.

August 7, 2014 House Pub St. Charles, IL: After canceling the last few shows here due to severe winter weather we finally found ourselves back at this favorite Illinois haunt.  It's always a party at this joint and we got a hefty dose of rockin' celebration with some old friends.  Was excellent to return, totally righteous.

August 9, 2014 Three Sisters Park Chillicothe, IL: Here we had one of the highlights of the tour opening up for 311 at this beautiful park north of Peoria, IL.  It was a dream come true to share the stage with childhood heroes of mine and share an epic set with a large excitable crowd.  It was over in a flash but will be forever a favorite memory.

August 14, 2014 Hal & Mal's Jackson, MS: Our first time to the Magnolia State, it was an honor to play at one of Jackson's classic clubs.  The feel of bluesy soul abounded in this place and holy moly it was hot and humid.  We also encountered some genuine southern hospitality and I assure you it is a very real thing.

August 16, 2014 The Hangout Gulf Shores, AL: A triumphant return!  It is one of our absolute favorite towns to play.  Along with enjoying the gorgeous gulf waters and some royal treatment from the wonderful Hangout staff we had another epic performance complete with crowd mingling and dancers on stage.  Cannot wait to get back!

August 22, 2014 Mahall's Lakewood, OH: Back to Cleveland it was a mere month later for yet another energetic show.  The fact that we were asked to stop playing as it was past curfew should indicate that we were having quite an awesome time.

August 28, 2014 Crusen's W. Peoria, IL: We had a killer night in Peoria with friends Royal Bliss and Drugs Delaney in this most exemplary rock club.   A superb stage was available to be rocked and all three bands capitalized on this opportunity.  Had a hell of night.

August 29, 2014 The Afterlife Lounge Algona, IA: First time town for us, we were delighted with this exquisite club that boasted not just a beautiful atmosphere but also Nintendo 64 games on large projector screens.  It was a pleasure to meet some Iowan talent and Mike had a dream come true getting to wrestle on a professional ring next door at the wrestling school.  A very fitting birthday present.

August 30, 2014 Outskirts Macomb, IL: Amidst the corn fields and country roads you can find one of the best stages out there.  And it was here in Macomb that we held a valiant showcase of rock with friends Drugs Delaney.  We would be returning shortly.

September 4, 2014 Grand Bar Chicago, IL: Finally we return to Chicago after having to cancel a few shows due to unsavory winter weather.  Terrible weather in Chicago, who would have guessed?  Anywho, it was an appropriately grand night at Grand Bar and we were stoked to be back in the Windy City.  It was a pleasure to share the stage with Eric Tessmer Band and Sun Fallen.  Hope to be back soon!

September 5, 2014 Fat Fish Pub Galesburg, IL: Sometimes we encounter delightful surprises on the road and Galesburg provided one of these such instances.  A tiny town with a huge heart and hunger for live music.  We were treated to an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd as well some very tasty burgers.  This was also the first in a double header so unfortunately we were not able to stay and witness the massive talent of guitar player Samantha Fish.

September 5, 2014 River Beach Pub Chillicothe, IL: Round two for the night was a return to Chillicothe where we were indulged by another fantastic, intimate audience.  Much thanks to Larry and company for taking care of us and letting us stretch out on the cozy River Beach Pub stage.

September 6, 2014 The Cooler Rock Falls, IL: Once again we encountered a fantastic stage with stellar sound and wonderful hospitality.  The alcohol flowed and a fight broke out but hey, these things happen and it's a biker bar after all.  Unfortunately I didn't even get to see the action as it was handled very quickly.

September 7, 2014 Cochran's Pub Sterling, IL: A short hop over the river brought us back to Cochran's Pub to revisit some fine friends and have another champion set.  It was especially nice to see some folks who had witnessed our show with 311.  Good times!

September 10, 2014 The Ritz Macomb, IL: The small town of Macomb beckons and we were obliged to share another great evening of rock with newly minted fans and friends.  We drank a few, played some pool, and rocked the house.  Great stuff.  Looking forward to a return.

September 11, 2014 Crusen's W. Peoria, IL: For the penultimate chapter of the summer tour it was back to Peoria for a marathon evening of celebratory rock with all the fine folks that came to join us.  We got a bit rowdy and indulgent on stage; booze flowed, song lengths stretched, and mingling with the crowd commenced.  Suffice to say, we had another great night.

September 12, 2014 The Back Bar Janesville, WI: Lastly, our final show of the tour found us in Wisconsin.  Back Bar is a killer venue with a lot of history.  The walls are soaked with the music of countless great bands and the foolery of past decades.  First-rate sound and lighting systems and a rapt audience provided for a sensational concluding show.  It was the cherry on the sundae of our summer tour.

And alas, we are caught up to the present.  For the next couple months we will be rehearsing and writing material with a few shows thrown in here and there as well as some little extra nuggets of 28 North doodads and whatnot.  Keep in touch!

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Til next time,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 11: Summer Lovin' Part 1

Okay, okay.  I know.  It's been a while.

We have been busy, busy this summer.  And when one is having a SUMMAH, as is appropriate and necessary, there is certainly no time for blogging.

Unfortunately, the glorious days of the celebrated season are coming to a close.  As we left it we were in Ocean City, Maryland last.  Let us do a brief catch up in two parts.

June 4, 2014 Slippery Noodle Indianapolis, IN - A favorite venue of ours, we have been coming here for years and it was a pleasure to return.  We had a beautiful bluesy evening with a warm crowd in this stellar room.  Indy is always good to us.

June 7, 2014 Evening Star Niagara Falls, NY - First time for us in Niagara.  We had the pleasure of sharing the bill with 7 Horse and Black Heart Suicide in this old school club. Great sound and great people.

June 8, 2014 Hartwood Acres Pittsburgh, PA - This was a milestone gig for us.  The Hartwood Acres shows are a classic Pittsburgh summer pastime and it was an honor to perform on this magnificent outdoor stage.

June 13, 2014 120 Tavern Marietta, GA - Just north of Atlanta we had an excellent show with some stellar Georgia musicians in this wonderful sounding room.

June 14, 2014 Brewhouse Rome, GA - Another evening shared with some great Georgia players in this charming town.  We enjoyed walking around town meeting the kind folks.

June 16, 2014 Mellow Mushroom Oxford, AL - The classic argument for pizza tends not to include the south very often.  Well, they have some tasty pies at this joint which you'll find all across the region.  We had a very nice, cozy acoustic gig here.

June 18, 2014 One Stop Asheville, NC - Another first time town for us.  I have always heard about the thriving music scene in this town.  And sure enough, as we began to play the hippies started to turn out and turn about.  Had a very fun time getting funky with the Asheville folks.

June 19, 2014 Scruffy City Hall Knoxville, TN - We had a grand time performing in K-town.  It was fun walking around Market Square where there was plenty of action and live music.

July 2, 2014 Butler County Fair Butler, PA w/Bret Michaels - This was a massive gig for us performing for a crowd of thousands that came out to support their hometown boys Bret Michaels and yours truly.  Totally epic.

July 12, 2014 Deutschtown Music Fest Pittsburgh, PA - Another fantastic outdoor festival gig.  Cradled in Pittsburgh's historic Deutschtown on the North Side, this is a wonderful festival in its second year and we were proud to be part of it.  I also ate a burger on a donut bun prior to the show.  That's right, a donut bun.  It was everything I dreamed it could be.

July 19, 2014 Manchester Community Block Party Pittsburgh, PA - Who says you can't have an outdoor block party with live music in the rain?  Well, we say you can and we emphatically did.

July 22, 2014 Mahall’s Lakewood, OH - Our third time rocking this sweet venue and it was another triumphant evening of rock.  We have had many spirited shows in Cleveland and this was no exception.

July 24, 2014 Mainstreet Toledo, OH -  First time to Toledo at this rock club with a lot of history.  So many great acts have performed here over the years in their early stages.  Bands such as Smashing Pumpkins and Foxy Shazam.  We are proud to be included in their company.

July 26, 2014 Leilapalooza Battle Creek, MI - Cereal City they call it; essentially all the cereal you can find at the grocery store is manufactured here.  And they put on a pretty sweet summer music festival to boot.  Held in a gorgeous public park, we were initially slated to play under the canopy of massive pine trees which would have been cool enough but a last minute change put us on one of the larger main stages.  An excellent time was had by all.  We were also introduced to new friends in Drugs Delaney with whom we would be sharing the stage with for several shows in the near future.

July 30, 2014 Whiskey Dixx Des Moines, IA - Back to Des Moines, we had the pleasure to spend some time with one of our favorite radio dj's Ron Sorenson at KFMG before heading to Whiskey Dixx where we had a rocking show with Drugs Delaney in this classic, appropriately whiskey-soaked rock club.

July 31, 2014 Cochran’s Pub Sterling, IL - Next we found ourselves in the small town of Sterling, IL where we had a great time with some wonderful folks that took care of us very well.  We would be returning soon.

August 1, 2014 Freakster’s Roadhouse Pontiac, IL - A few hours south brought us to Pontiac, IL at this remarkable venue.  It was a memorable night of incredible music as we shared the stage with the superb talents of Dory Drive, Crobot, and Drugs Delaney.  We look forward to returning to this marvelous club.

We will take a quick respite at this point and finish off the remainder of the summer tour dates in the next installment.

In the meantime, check out our latest single "Los Angeles" which is gaining steam on the radio all across the country!  Check it out here and request it at your local radio station!

Til next time,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 10: Back to Ocean City

It wasn't long until our return to the East Coast for a flash bang visit to the Ocean City, Maryland area.  Specifically for the Mayday Playday Festival in America's coolest small town: Berlin, Maryland.

We had a hell of a good time hanging out with the lovely folks of Berlin, participating in their quaint local activities and mercantile offerings.

Fortunately we got our set in before the weather got too bad.  Big thanks to DJ BK and Ocean 98 WOCM for sponsoring the festival and supporting us!  Check out a video from our previous visit to the Ocean 98 studio for the Live Lixx performance series:


After Mayday Playday we made the brief drive back to Ocean City for our second show of the day at Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon.  It was a pleasure to play at the Pittsburgh themed venue and we had a great time.  It was nice getting to stretch out with a couple of sets, and we ended up rocking a few people to the point of exhaustion.

For now it's back to writing and rehearsing in preparation for our summer tour.

'Til next time,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 9: Ala-BAMA!!

First off, my apologies for the tardiness of these blogs.  Yes, they are coming in a few weeks late but nonetheless comprehensive and I promise to improve upon my immediacy.

Anywho, let's catch up.

Alabama.

Or as my favorite movie character did say with flaunting emphasis, "Ala-BAMA!!!" (Forrest Gump obvi).

It was a legitimate pleasure finding ourselves in the Yellowhammer state (Wikipedia).  Our first stop found us in what has historically been called the "Pittsburgh of the South"; Birmingham.  It was dubbed so for its strength as an industrial town; producing a lot of steel amongst other products in its time.  (Too many semicolons?).

Birmingham fit like a cozy shoe for us rust-belters.  We were hosted by the excellent Birmingham Mountain Radio for an intimate interview/acoustic performance prior to our show at The Nick with The London Souls.  A righteous night it was of grungy, gritty rock and roll in one of America's great dive bars where attitude will eternally thrive.  Sharing the bill with a true blues rock revival outfit in The London Souls was certainly a thrill.  We hope to repeat the experience!

Following Birmingham was a stop in Auburn where we visited our old friend Wild Man Steve to perform and chat on his wonderful radio program: Wild Man Steve Radio!  Without a doubt it is always about the music there which gave us some solid inspiration for another greasy night in Jacksonville, Alabama where we rocked Brother's Bar.

From here we had a very welcome, extended stay in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  All I can say is, "When do we come back?"  We had the absolute privilege of rocking the glorious outdoor stage at The Hangout, part of the Countdown to Hangout Music Festival series sponsored by Mobile's WZEW.  And what a time we had.  Little did we know coming into this gig that we would be performing an hour and a half past curfew due to the crowd's intense demand that night and the following three days as well.  We felt right at home in Gulf Shores and enough thanks cannot be given to The Hangout staff, especially Chris Swinney,  Tim Camp at 92 ZEW for making it all possible, The Southern Rambler, and Stephanie Drake Photography for their fervent support.

Read more about our experience in Gulf Shores here: Southern Rambler Interview & Stephanie Drake Blog

On our way to the final stop on tour in New Orleans, we had a quick visit to WZEW 92.1 in Mobile, Alabama for a very pleasant performance and interview with 92 ZEW's own Tim Camp.  After a necessary chow down session at Mobile's famous Dreamland BBQ, we were on our way to The Big Easy.  As always it was a magnificent occurrence just being in the city that birthed jazz and boasts a funky character unlike any other in our great nation.  Our show at Checkpoint Charlie's was certainly a treat.  Although the visit was unfortunately brief it was utmost enjoyable.  Until the next time through I shall have to be content to dream of gumbo and brass bands.

But for now, it is time to make our way back to our temporary homes until the next run.

Til then,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 8: Southern Ramblin'

From Towson, Maryland we had a brief intermission in Virginia Beach on our way south for some rest and work on new songs.

Afterwards we continued to Columbia, South Carolina where we visited 92.1 The Palm WWNU.  Mike Allen was a very gracious host to us and executed a splendid interview.  A class act for sure and we appreciate all the spins we have been getting from The Palm.  We look forward to a return visit!

In Columbia we also had the pleasure of experiencing the classic Southern staple of "Meat and Three".  For those of you that aren't hip to the aforementioned, Meat and Three refers to a portion of meat (who saw that coming?) and three sides of vegetables.  Nowhere like the South to get yourself a  robust meal.

Following Columbia was a stop in Atlanta, Georgia.  Good ole Hot 'Lanta, always a great place to be.  We did an exquisite in-depth interview at East Atlanta Village Radio with the lovely Margot Chobanian.  They were kind enough to accommodate us for an hour long program in which we were interviewed and performed a number of acoustic renditions of songs from our new record World On Fire.  Thanks so much for having us EAV!!  You can check out the program here.

Our trip to Atlanta was completed with a rockin' show at the legendary Smith's Olde Bar.  It was a thrill to play this classic venue once again and we were fortunate to share the bill with the wonderful talents of Alex Guthrie and Hoosier Daddy.  Great stuff gents.

Next up it's Alabama baby!!

More soon,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 7: East Coast Extravaganza Continues

Next stop from Ocean City on our Spring Tour was a very pleasant visit to the studio of WRRW Revolutionary Radio in Williamsburg, Virginia.  It was a treat to be featured for a full hour of 28 North, quite a rare circumstance and we are very grateful for the opportunity.  You can check out the show in Podcast form here at 102.5 WRRW's website.  Much thanks and appreciation to Ed for hosting us.

Afterwards, we jetted up to the Baltimore area where we had another fabulous in-studio experience at Towson, Maryland's 89.7 WTMD.  It was truly a fantastic privilege to be featured on WTMD's Live Lunch concert series at the station's handsome state of the art facility.   Much thanks to Scott Mullins for having us!  And ye citizens of Towson should relish in the benefit of this beautiful studio which the station so generously puts on free lunchtime concerts weekly.  Also, it was delightful to share the bill with Baltimore's own Super City who performed a fabulous set.

Our visit to Baltimore was capped with a superb sandwich experience at Potbelly's.  Delicious.

This then concluded the East Coast portion of our Spring Tour and from here we will be traveling southwards.

More soon,

Ty

Tales from the Road Vol. 6: Ocean City Baby!

For the initial portion of our Spring Tour we spent some time on the East Coast.

The first stop was lovely Ocean City, Maryland where we had a wonderful visit to the Ocean 98.1 WOCM studio.  They took us in and gave us the royal treatment straight away, drinking beers and chatting it up like only the beach towns know how to do.  DJ BK welcomed us in a very lively interview and let us rock out live in the studio.  And a beautiful studio it was; directly upstairs from the bar and displaying a beautiful view of Chesapeake Bay.  Looking forward to a return visit for sure.

We then proceeded to play a show at the elegant Fager's Island which boasted a magnificent sounding live room and marvelous food to boot.  Crab cakes, crab cakes, crab cakes.  In the word's of The Who's Roger Daltrey, "The best I ever haaaaadddd!".  That's one thing Maryland undeniably has reign o'er... Okay enough with The Who ref's.

Fortunately it won't be long before our return to the Ocean City area as we will be performing at Ocean 98 sponsored Mayday Playday on Saturday May 10!  Cannot wait to have a blast at this killer festival in America's coolest small town of Berlin, Maryland!

We shall continue the adventure in the next installment.

'Til then,

Ty