Dispatches from the Road: Washington, D.C.

 

7.21

With Joshua sick, Antonia exhausted, and Chris in Portland, I headed up the 95 corridor alone with my guitar, my face all scratched to hell, and listening to Mazzy Star. It was hot. Damn hot.

Smooth sailing landed me in D.C. at load-in time. Bella is a nice little Ethiopian restaurant right across from the 9:30 club. The upstairs space is a lovely room with a slight stage, good lighting, tables, chairs, a bar, and a PA. Nice and simple–something like this would be perfect in Richmond.

The show was set up by Megan of Fuzzy Logic in collaboration with Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie (or STPP). They’re a great bunch of folks with their hearts in the right place: the music–and making a difference in the D.C. music scene.

I opened things up and explained that my face had recently been used by my cat as a launch-pad. I brought out some 10 year old songs, some Ophelia tunes and a few from ‘Signs and Wonders.’

PJ Sikes caught up with me in time to see a sublime set by Small Sur. Always a pleasure to hear those guys.

Locals: Kindlewood closed the evening with a set of songs featuring members playing guitars while kicking drums, singing while playing harmonium, accordions, shakers, tambourines–an impressive orchestration. I can’t even brush my teeth and hair at the same time.

After the show we all exchanged pleasantries, loaded up, and headed out. I listened to the new Small Sur record, Tones, all the way home.

Dispatches from the Road: Fleetwood, PA

Down a torch-lit path past an armored knight and a handmade foot-bridge lies the Moonlight Forest–AKA, Scrappy’s place–the site for the biannual music festival organized by Raph of Hezekiah Jones.

This was our second invitation. We played the ‘Rise and Fall’ fest last October, and this July we had the privilege to be a part of ‘The Duchess & Duke’ fest. Each installment is named after a song on the headlining band’s newly  album. In this case, it was Griz –reggae, grassroots soul rock.

On Saturday morning, Antonia, Joshua and I headed up through traffic to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania to the sounds of Shearwater. Once arrived, we unpacked our instruments, set up camp, and settled in. The stage this year was dressed in blue lights. Standing on either side were white candelabras with white candles casting orange flame. The bonfire, a ways back from the stage, backlit dancers, dogs, and children running round.

We saw some great sets by Griz, Ron Gallo from Toy Soldiers, The Spinning Leaves, and Jessica McDowell, saw some good friends like Phil D’Agostino and Chris Kasper. We played a set of new songs and tracks from our latest record: ‘Signs and Wonders.”  Antonia got hit on afterward.

Cowmuddy, Wissahickon Chicken Shack, and Hezekiah Jones serenaded us while we slept in our tents.

Sunday morning we woke up to a song circle and a smoldering bonfire. We packed up the car, said goodbye to some very tired friends, and headed out back down to Richmond in time to perform at the St. Thomas Bluegrass Mass.

Stills from a Film for Music

photographs by Gabriel Duke, taken during the filming of ‘Turn to Face the Wind.’