Day 4 : Detroit

            Willie and I woke up after an all-to-brief 4 hour nap to make our way back to Akron. It was a chilly, overcast day that actually made for very pleasant driving. We would have loved to have hung out with Chuck when we got back to Akron. Alas, we had to book it back to New Baltimore right away to get Ron and head to Detroit. We got to watch some epic weather form in the distance, wondering if we’d get to see a tornado. We didn’t.

            Gary and his awesome girlfriend Amy had a wonderful breakfast waiting for our return. We had a lovely time hanging out with them and Amy’s son Landon. He is an absolute, 3 year old firecracker who can already hold a full sized guitar and was banging out songs like the king himself, including a killer new number, rock and roll sleeping bag.

We had to leave them all too soon. The weather was turning fast and we had to get to Detroit. 

            The drive was under two hours, it went by like lightning. Detroit has a gorgeous skyline. It’s always a thrill to drive into. We also saw this beautiful rainbow.

            The last time we came, our lovely host, Kari, took us all out for Mexican. This time she, Risk, and her mom grilled up burgers, bean salad, potato salad, and cake with ice cream. It was such a feast! And such a delicious one that we all ate way too much.

            We regretted that time was tight. We had to head over to Corktown right after eating. Corktown Tavern is a really great bar on the other side of the old abandoned train station from Donovan’s Pub, where we played last time we were in Detroit. It looked like an old rustic house but it was standing a line with its brick façade. The people running the bar were extremely nice, as was Hobo-Gangbang, the awesome Hard-core band we were playing with. 

             

We played first. The crowd wasn’t quite sure what to think of us at first. They were used to something a little heavier. But they stuck with us and we won them over by the end. The super-sweet bartender traded us whiskey for a T-shirt, which is always a great trade. Hobo Gangbang played next. They were a great blend of punk and metal with some Kiss influence thrown in for some good measure. They were loud and awesome! We had a kickass time dancing to their set. We met the lead singer’s fiancé and siblings and they were as nice as they could be. I did a shirt swap for one of their killer shirts. Check out the awesome design. It was drawn by a local tattoo artist that the whole band goes to. We also met members of Hobo Gangbangs bassist’s other group, the Precious Few. Check them out.

            We would have loved to have stayed at Corktown until dawn. Alas, our hosts had work in the morning and we were facing the long trek to Chicago, so we loaded up and headed out. But we would love to go back someday. It’s a great place to hang out and hear some good music. All of you Detroiters should drop by and check it out.

A Day in the Life

Today we:

-recorded the Punctual Drummer (my bottle-cap leg shakers), -remastered all our tracks to include the PD,
-uploaded new and improved tracks to all our websites... check 'em out!!! (facebook, reverbnation, myspace)
-recorded vocals and the PD for a recording-in-progress of Helen Morgan,
-emailed venues from Maryland to Missouri about our March tour
-encountered the following bands through our booking research: Rootstone Jug Band, The American Freedom Machine, Dangerbird, The Bloodroots Barter, and many more
-got some sad news: RIP The Key Note Speakers and temporary r.i.p. A Melodic Horizon
-set up Grooveshark and BandCamp accounts
-ignored Tommy Boy, Good Night and Good Luck, Spaced, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Labyrinth, Doc Martin, and other stuff we noticed even less while we worked worked worked
-made delicious turkey soup and rolls (with yeast!  so proud!)
-practiced tin whistle and uke

I know we did more, but we're in a sofa daze.
This is what we do!  Hopefully it will someday soon be mixed in with more driving and wild shows and drinking...

September tour blog day 3

Day 3 : Bowling Green OH

 

The Drive to Bowling Green was beautiful and smooth and we got into town around 1:30, leaving us with a whole afternoon of free time. We wandered around town for a while, checking out the courthouse and all the local shops. 

Then we settled into a city park and finished writing our zombie song, The Piper< inspired by Dan Eliss’s amazing flyer. We also finished the first song of our Renn Fest act and got half-way through another. We also met a sax player who we hope to play with the next time we are in BG.

            We made our way back to Howard’s around 8 and hung out on the stage, taking care of some computer business. The awesome sound man, Maurice, got us dinner. They were some killer sandwiches from a local spot called Mr. Spot’s.

            It wasn’t until we started to unload that we caught some bad news. Willie’s strat was gone. Tracing our trail backwards, we realized it had to be at Dancin’ Chuck’s house, where we stayed the night before. We got a hold of him eventually. As soon as we knew it was safe, we could put it out of our mind and enjoy the show.

             We were thrilled when local musician Harry Mel showed up with some friends! We met Harry at Howard’s last may when he performed as Harry and the Hood.

Harry and his friends were a real party. We had a killer time drinking some beers and talking with them. We were totally honored that they came out to our show. A couple of other cool people we met in May came out as well. A huge thank you goes out to all of you who showed that night.

We got to play with a few local musicians that nice.  A nice guy named Tim open the show with a huge voice and a set of covers. We played a very loud and fun set next, to an appreciative crowd. Harry and co. were a riot and there were also some pirates in the crowd! The bar was full of super-nice people. We got to talk to a lot of them after our set, and sincerely hope our paths cross again. A very sweet lady even got us a couple of rounds of shots! I had my first Jager-bomb in years, and Willie sucked down some Jameson. Howard’s was Glorious.

            It’s just the kind of bar. It’s full of laid back, but enthusiastic, people getting their kicks playing pool and just hanging out. Howard’s is like go to a party at a friend of a friend’s place. You always leave feeling good and meeting some new buddies.

            Also that night Marianna played some soulful singer-songwriter tunes with interesting rhythms and some big notes. The night was closed out by Zach Wilson. We played with him in May also. He plays some Neil Youngish styled stuff with a deep voice and tricky guitar parts. It was a nice way to simmer down for the evening. Alas, then came time o bid good night to our buddies old and new.

            We made our short journey to North Baltimore where we were staying with Gary Jackson, another clever songwriter that everyone should check out.

            We woke up the poor guy at 3 am, but being the wonderful guy he is, he let us in and we hung out and watched TV before we all passed out (me first, as usual).

Another Kick ass day on the books.

Coverage!!! THANK YOU Gaithersburg Patch & The Appalachian Independent!

Fun news:
We played two shows this week and we got a review for one and a promo spot for the other!

A HUGE thank you to Jack Edwards, journalist extraordinaire for Gaithersburg.Patch.com and Jeff Henry, badass writer for The Appalachian Independent in Frostburg, MD.  Jeff also very generously gave us some plays on his stellar radio show.  We'll let you know as soon as he streams his awesomeness online!


Our Patch Review: The Galt Line at Chloe's Coffee

A preview:
...

 "The Galt Line displays their energetic style with a bit of a bluesy, old-American dance hall style and sound.  These talented musicians masterfully wield their instruments to bring a finely crafted blend of music to their listeners, and it really is hard not to dance to."

...

"They have an exciting and rhythmic style, and exercise a real passion in the music they make. Creative chord progressions are one of The Galt Line's strong points. Listening to and watching The Galt Line perform, the music seemed to flow effortlessly."

...
-Jack Edwards 11/17/2010




Our AppIndie Spot: The Galt Line at The Bar Monkey

A preview:

...

"The Galt Line is a two-piece band consisting of Willie Gammell and Blythe Crawford and their unique blend of Americana music fused with punk, folk, and blues.

The combination may sound noncomplementary, but it works. Blythe's snarling yet on-key vocals and ukulele playing are complimented by Willie's proficient guitar skills."

...

-Jeff Henry 11/17/2010



Jack and Jeff, you guys are the greatest.  THANK YOU!!!

 

September Tour Day 2: Tasty Jones in Akron, OH 9/14/2010

Day 2 – Akron

           

It started out a beautiful Tuesday. We were enjoying a sunny drive through he green Ohio hills. Gradually we noticed a repetitive clunking noise. “Is that the road?” I ask. As soon as the words leave my lips, I see a bolt fly out from the front passenger tire area and the Dirty Yeti starts rumbling and grinding, forcing us over to the shoulder.

            

We go on a brief quest for the bolt, but no one likes walking through broken glass and road kill, so we gave that up pretty quickly. We try driving the van again and it sounds worse that ever, so we pull back over and call AAA.

            The Tow Truck arrives in about an hour. It was actually  a gorgeous day for hanging out on the highway. We load up the van and within a few miles, the tow truck starts overheating and has to pull over. After a brief phone call, the driver decided to take it easy and go on ahead to Akron.

            Go figure, the place we found in the GPS was all the way across town, so we had a long, nerve-wracking ride full of crossed fingers, wondering if there would be a tow truck for the tow truck. But, we got to service station ok and the people there were super nice. We got to see the cab of the tow truck flipped up and steam billowed out as soon as he added water. It would’ve been awesome if it hadn’t foreboded ill for the poor guy’s truck.

            But in the end, all we needed was a bolt. All the truck driver need was a radiator cap. We were all back up and running.

            We went to the venue and had a couple of hours to spare, so we hung out in the grass by the train tracks and rehearsed our new songs. 

Tasty Jones is an awesome Akron bar, complete with giant Jenga set, rock fountain, and bocce court. It’s casual and understated but really unique. They also have a big screen TV that lifts into the ceiling. We got to play on the floor by the front window, just part of the party. It’s our favorite way to play.

            General Riot and Monkey Day Parade showed up before long and we were so happy to see them! We met the guys from General Riot on our last tour when we played at Old Glory in Canton and they blew us away with awesomeness.

            MDP opened up the night with a rich and beautiful set full of clever lyrics and heartbreaking harmonies, killer riffs and solos. It was some of the greatest live playing we’ve seen.

            We played a short but intense set, sweating and screaming at everyone- Too Much Fun. Spider joined us on drums for the middle of our set and just like Mark at Bar Monkey, seemed like he’d been doing it for years. Man, do I love playing with a drum kit. It really gets my blood boiling.

            The Akron Crowd was “all in” all night. They’re definitely music lovers. We had so much fun playing to them.

            General Riot came next. They do my favorite kind of straight punk, a power trio and everyone sings. They’ve got tight sections, fun riffs, and lyrics that make you want to growl and fight.  They were too cool for school up there, relaxed but intense.

            We really enjoyed talking to people after the show. It seems like there are so many talented musicians in the Akron area. I really wish it were closer to home.

            We got a lot of lowdown from Dancing Chuck, who has been in the Akron music scene for a while in various jobs, but now mostly filming bands and pressing CDs. He’s done almost all of the videos for Simeon Soul Charger, who we highly recommend. Ick and Spider from MDP cover bass and guitar in SSC and they’re all heading off to Germany in March.

            Chuck was grooving through our whole set, suggested lots of helpful venues and contacts, and then very kindly put us up for the night, which we appreciate more than we can say.

             We slept like the dead after a pretty crazy day. This morning, Chuck showed us some of his awesome footage from SSC and Waterband, another project Rick used to be involved in.

            We had to go back to the car place, but the van was OK, so it was all good news.

            It’s been a bright smooth trip so far. Can’t wait for Howard’s tonight!

           

           

Sept. Tour Day 1: Bar Monkey in Frostburg, MD 9/13/2010

We couldn’t have asked for a better first day of our tour. We had a beautiful drive out to Frostburg, where the leaves are just starting to turn.

We got to Bar Monkey around 5 pm, with plenty of time for a slow and easy set up. The weather was crisp and cool, perfect for an outdoor show on Bar Monkey’s awesome patio. We were thrilled when Mark Penny from National Road showed up with brushes and a snare drum!

It was a little empty at first, so we hung out for a while with Jimmy, Bar Monkey’s kickass owner (and prospective mayor of Frostburg), and an awesome painter named Steven. We were having a ball but were also eager to play, so we dove into our set, while people started showing up. Mark fell right in, seamlessly spicing up our tunes with his bitchin’ rhythms. He had never even rehearsed with us and it felt like he’d been with us for years. It was great, we can’t wait to play with him again.

The Galt Line went for about an hour and then Captain Ronzo took the stage. Bar Monkey turned on some awesome yellow, green, blue, and pink stage lights for him.

We were happy to see some of our favorite Frostburgians. It was so cool of them all to come out on a Monday. They are all such hard working folks.

Before we hit the stage again, local potter extraordinaire Josh Brown traded us t-shirts for his gorgeous hand made chalices.

 It seems like we would have had to trade him for our whole bag of shirts for it to be even close to fair. They are incredible works of art. He makes them in 3 separate pieces, then binds them together and adds his breathtaking glazes. Truly spectacular.  We were drinking beer from them for the rest of the night and will be doing so for the rest of the trip.

We played a second Galt Line set until our crowd had to retire, it would be Tuesday soon after all. But Frostburg, like many of our other favorite places, is just as much fun after the show. A few more familiar faces showed up, as well as some wonderful new people.

Our bitchin’ booker and barkeep, Jes, made us mind-blowing banana nuts pancakes, which we greedily devoured while sipping some more beer in Bar Monkey’s upstairs bar. We got to see their full sized monkey suit, complete with oversized bejeweled crown.

*Can't find the picture!!! AAACK!*

When the bar was ready to close, we headed over to Dante’s across the street.  We sipped Magic Hat with all the killer people hanging out there.

(Dante's is the place with the yellow sign.  My phone wouldn't take a good night shot.)

They’re going through renovations this month, basically doubling in size. We can’t wait to see the new place.  (Update from date of typing-11/11/10, the new space is DONE!)

Eventually Dante’s hit last call and we made our way back to Bar Monkey to sleep on the outdoor stage. The breeze was fresh and the stars were out. It was a beautiful night.

We heard about all sorts of awesome local artists (one metal worker has a bunch of amazing pieces in Dante’s) and some great bands to check out, including Brent Amaker and The Rodeo, The Black Diamond Heavy’s, The Bambi Molesters, Elf Power, Ghost Finger and the Incredible String Band.

Overall, yesterday was a very chill and extremely enjoyable way to start off the tour. It sounds cliché but Bar Monkey, and all of Main Street, really, is so homey and wonderful. The people really know how to have and show us a good time. We can’t wait to go back.

Mini-Tour Part 3: Common Grounds and Lexington, KY

We pulled into Lexington around 4 with a few hours to hang out before the show.  Our buddies Tara and Rick have recently moved in with Mark and Kristi, who we had met before and were thrilled to finally get the chance to get to know.  They were even more awesome than we had anticipated AND they have the coolest dog ever:

Her name is Cheeseburger.  She likes getting her butt scratched and has the softest armpits we've ever felt :D  She also sits up like a person while regally surveying the room with her droopy face.  She loves pawpaws and is terrified of corn husks.  Needless to say, we had a blast hanging out with this crazy dog all weekend.

The Common Grounds show was wonderful, as usual.  Melissa and Katie were the coolest baristas ever, making us delicious lattes including an Almond Joy (chocolate, almond, and coconut) and a Honey Bee (vanilla and honey).

We had the honor of playing with Jerry Belsak that night, who moved us all with his warm, heartbrakingly glassy tone and stunning arrangements.

It wasn't the biggest crowd ever but those there were as nice as they could be- we always vote quality over quantity.  We also met a great guy who happens to be best friends with another great guy that we met at our Salisbury shows- and guy 1 came out on guy 2's recommendation!  Thanks, guys!  Can't wait to see you both again :)

Ricky Lewis from The Key Note Speakers sat in with us on djembe and kicked some serious arse (no surprise!).  We're eager to play with him again.

Ron killed with some pirate songs to a happy late-night crowd.  If Common Grounds hadn't been closing and we hadn't had somewhere to be, we would have stayed there all night.  It really is a fantastic coffee shop.  It's in an old 2 story building that we still haven't properly explored.  It's full of chess boards and cushy sofas, warm-colored walls and pretty lamp fixtures, rotating artwork on display and it's always buzzing with that particular breed of nice, laid-back Kentuckian that we have yet to find anywhere else in such concentration.

We made our way back to Tara and Rick's after the show where Mark had cooked up an incredible meal of ribs, bacon & greens, black beans, and rice.  It was so rediculously delicious, it's a little hard to think about!

We stayed up way too late with a wonderful group of people telling stories, playing music, and enjoying a few adult beverages.  It was a great night.

We woke up to rain, which was a little sad since we had planned to go camping in the Red River Gorge.  But it worked out great because there was an art fair in town we got to prowl around.  We saw all sorts of beautiful local work and heard a killer band called Prefab Rehab who is definitely worth checking out.

After the fair, Mark made us mouthwatering soup beans & rice so good that my tastebuds almost mass-suicided, resigned to never having a better meal- but then Mark said he'd make pork loins the next day and my mouth found renewed purpose :D

That night we went to see our buddy Byron's band, A Melodic Horizon in nearby Richmond, KY.  They were AMAZING!  Curse Childers writes the wonderful lyrics which he sings with his smooth, willowy voice.  The arrangements are rich, the sections complex, and the musicianship is through the roof!  It is music that you can fall right into the groove of and each song is like a present- all different and all full of surprises.  I can't wait to see them again.

A Melodic Horizon kindly offered us time to play while they took a break.  The crowd was in right away.  We played The Worm and Curtis Turner to a rockin' house.  Alas, the bouncer was not diggin' the tunes, so we skipped Chopo.  We were thrilled to get a chance to play- especially because it broke the ice for us to meet some of the awesome people hanging out.  I sincerely hope we cross paths with all of them again.

A Melodic Horizon's second set was just as incredible as the first.  It flew by before we knew it- I would have listened to them all night.

We made our way back to Tara and Rick's for a relaxing and even later night than the first.  It's impossible to crash early when there are such great people around. 
A few hours of sleep later, we had an easy morning, sipping delicious French press coffee and soaking up all the wonderful company.

That afternoon, we went to the Red River Gorge and were blown away by all the epic scenery. 

We saw Skyline Bridge, Tara and Rick's regular campsites, 

 and a huge spider that I hope I can forget about.

Tara and I went for a dip in the river before we headed home for another chill night of good people and tremendous food.  Mark made more of his amazing greens and a porkloin that melted in our mouths, smothered in mustardy BBQ sauce that I'd chug by the gallon if I could.  He also grilled corn on the cob, which Cheeseburger fled from.

We also picked up supplies for Ricky to make panang, an incredible Thai dish that he masterfully prepared.  I think I had three helpings by the end of the night, not counting Mark's dinner.

It was sad to say goodnight and even sadder to say goodbye in the morning.  We had such a fantastic time.  I'm just glad we have another Lexington show booked, or I'd be plunging into unbearable Kentucky withdrawal.

We had a smooth drive home full of epic weather that I thoroughly enjoyed from the passenger seat.

Now the September Tour looms on the horizon.  We're feeling a little overwhelmed and that much more eager to hit the road.
I just posted brand new tracks that we'll be releasing this trip as a preview of the final CD, which we'll have remastered with nice packaging for a CD release tour we anticipate for December or January.  We also have a brand new T-shirt design coutesy of Ron, which we've turned into a screen and are going to print our first shirts with this very evening.

I'd say goodnight but sleep is nowhere in my very near future...

8.2010 Mini-Tour Part 2: The Acoustic Coffeehouse

We woke up the morning after our wild romp at Shenandoah Pizza in the George Washington National Forest.  Our free campground book had led us slightly astray- we followed the directions faithfully but they only led us to this random gavelly patch of flat ground by the side of a forest road so backwoodsy that the gps couldn't detect it.  We're not convinced was an actual campsite, but we made an early getaway, thus avoided any undesirable confrontations :)

We slept well enouhg after a late night of delicious pizza and stargazing.  Mars was SO bright that night- it cast shadows on the ground!  The "site" was also scattered with glow worms, which I've never really seen before.

We packed up and set off on a cool, beautiful, rainy drive to Johnson City.  Thelonius Monk provided a perfect soundtrack.  We passed all sorts of crazy places in GW Forest, including Whiskey Creek on Thundering Herd Road in Churchville, VA and this unfortunate home near Dire Wolf Lane:

We rolled into J.C. a few hours early and had a lovely walk around town, stopping at a couple music stores, one of which had a decent uke selection.  I got to play my beloved bass uke again and fell in love with a mango Kala baritone.  It was so pleasing to play that it got me thinking I might try picking up guitar again, because baritone ukes are truly like little guitars- the sustain, the rich, warm tone, the body that hums against you as you play, it was awesome.

We made our way back to the Coffeehouse, cutting my foot on a piece of broken glass along the way- flip flops were not the brightest idea.

There was actually a 6pm band scheduled at The Acoustic Coffeehouse that day called The Mudbugs and I'm SO glad we got to see them!  They played a very relaxed but lively set of old New Orleans-y pop tunes with killer harmonies, sax solos, super-slick drums, piano, bass, and charming between-songs-banter to boot!  And they were as nice as they could be- total pros.  We were very impressed.

We hung out with a few familiar faces, including Steve Strawberry and all his slick dance moves :)  We feasted on an AMAZING reuben and bbq chicken burrito, sippin' chai tea, Fat Tire, Star Hill Amber Ale, and Gaelic Ale (which we ended the night with- I think it was my favorite!).

Feeling a little sluggish from all the good food, we had a great time rockin' out to Captain Ronzo.  He played more new tunes, including I Need My Gun, Spirited Voyage, and I'm Not a Psychiatrist.  Some folks weren't quite sure what to make of the punk-rock pirate at first, but he totally won them all over, including a dancing man wearing these crazy toe-shoes and a groovin' little girl who danced like the house was on fire.  It was awesome.

We weren't lucky enough to have dancers for The Galt Line set, but we did have the trumpet player from Demon Waffle join us for a bunch of songs, which just rocked our world.  We had such a blast jamming with him- he especially killed on Chopo and Chinatown Special.  I'm so bummed to have no footage :(  We also had the drummer from Existentia join us on hand drums for a tune or two- such a treat!  We played loose and easy to an appreciative crowd that we thoroughly enjoyed. 

The glory of Acoustic Coffeehouse is that we have just as much fun hanging out afterwards as we do playing tunes.  We always meet so many wonderful and different types of people there.  We hung out with a financial planner and an arborist right along with musicians and professors, as well as a super-sweet couple that just moved to TN and are working towards starting a goat farm!  How cool is that?
We also met the awesome artist who drew this (while wasted!  Totally amazing!), who was a joyous and charming interior designer with very nice friends :D:

We didn't leave the A.C. until after 4am and only because we absoluely forced ourselves to go- we just couldn't get enough of all the awesome people!  But it's always like that at The Acoustic Coffeehouse.  It's such a crossroads for all kinds of people from all walks of life and you can't help but love it.

We finally made our way to Morristown, TN as the sun came up, pitching our camp at Cherokee Park- a beautiful lakeside campground in the Land Between the Lakes region. 

We saw a bit of the sunrise over the water as we collapsed in our tents...

...then were roasted into wakefulness about 5 hours later.  We were under several huge trees but somehow still ended up in a fully-sunned oven.

Ah well, we were eager to get to Lexington and sleep is for chumps, anyway.  The following drive was all neon sky and glowing green hills- breathtaking to say the least.  And we were en route to some of our all-time favorite people in on of our all-time favorite places.

To be continued.... DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNN!!!

8.2010 Mini-Tour Part 1: Shenandoah Pizza

So, Shenandoah Pizza is one of our new favorite places.  We arrived about 3 hours early and it's a good thing we did because even that wasn't enough time to really soak up the place.

You walk up to their charming stone storefront where they had very kindly posted a sign for our show that night.

You enter into a sparkling clean room full of bright green tile, gleaming wooden tables, colorful posters speaking of Staunton's lively music scene, and one of the friendliest staffs we've ever encountered, all of whom are either musicians, music lovers, or both.

John and Cheryl, the owners, are as warm and accomodating as they can be, recognizing everyone that walks in the store.  They are organizing all kinds of musical events in the area, including a big Summer Blues Fest this past Saturday that we sadly had to miss (although Lexington was a thrilling substitute :D).

Right away, we got all giddy when they told us we could order any pizza and beer!  They have over 200 varieties (!!!), all bottles because the building is from the 1800s and it's near impossible to drill through the thick concrete floor to put in taps.  And anyway, you can have more variety with bottles.  We tried all sorts of amazing brews, including Pyrat, Baltika Russian Lager, Starr Hill Jomo Lager, Stone IPA, Old Peculiar, Legend brown ale, Blue Mountain Classic Lager and more.

Our awesome waitress, Brooke, kindly chose all my wild flavors for me.  (She also left us the biggest compliment ever on a note in our tip jar:)

*Seriously, Brooke, if you only knew how much that made our life!  They are our favorite band!!!*

All the beers were incredible and the perfect compliment to their gourmet pies!  In fact, gourmet doesn't even do it justice- their pizzas are some of the most delicious food I've ever eaten!
Meet Pizza Gypsy Hill (tomato, mozarella, avocado, feta, & sunflower seeds):

And Pizza Margherita (tomato, basil, fresh mozarella, wheat crust):

The wheat crust is made with local wheat ground at a mill just a short drive from the shop.

So, bodies full and satisfied, we dove into a smooth, easy set.  No need to push that night- we were feeling good and enjoying every minute.  The time flew and then it was the good Captain's go.  He turned heads with a bunch of awesome new numbers, including Pirate Jesus, I Stole Your Beer, and Robot Housewife (very jazzy!).

The crowd was appreciative, laid-back, and very fun to play to.

We got to meet some awesome local musicians from killer bands like Secret Ninja Death Squad and JD & the Shenandoahs.  And John told us about a great Charlottesville group, The Judy Chops, who've been playing at Shenandoah Pizza for years.

We're checking out The Staunton Music Guild  to find more Staunton bands and we highly suggest you do the same because that valley is hopping!

We can't wait to go back and any Marylanders are welcome to hitch a ride- everyone needs to go to Shenandoah Pizza as soon as they can!