Wednesday, March 31

NOLA BOUND

from frogstour.com:

Last night was our final stop of tour and we're now headed down I-85 toward Atlanta. The crowd in Greensboro, NC was super responsive and and a nice way to end a tour of varied crowds in lots of new venues and markets. There's an adjustment all musicians have to make when they leave their comfortable home pond for other lily pads. The crowds will always be smaller and less receptive than your good people back home. We miss Colorado most on nights when the creepy sound guy, over sized door man and randy bartendress are the only three souls in the club, most likely peeved they have to work at all with such poor attendance. It's not your fault... March Madness, rain, certain other jam bands who seem to follow your every scheduled stop on the road, all compete for people's attention. More than likely these people have never heard of you, so you make sure and treat the ones who have as best you can.

But there are those nights... Dayton, Chicago, Charleston, Greensboro.. when people get DOWN! The crowd dictates how you play, they even play you. Even when just a few people are dancing hard, it can be better that a packed room full of sedentary listeners. And watching four girls dance makes it easier to play than a whole room of dudes who just want to know what kind of Monster Cable you use, trust us.

Other shows... Nashville, Milwaukee, Aimes, Cedar Rapids... are for friends. Some of these people have supported us unconditionally from the beginning and show up, rain or shine, competing John Mayer concert or not, and give us hope. Hope sounds like strong language, like we are in a life or death situation and this is just music, people. But making that adjustment from comfortable regional musician to striving touring artist takes a commitment to rejecting attachments like knowing exactly where you'll fall asleep that night or where you'll be in three day's time. Fans and friends really help that process along and make the whole ride fun.

So, in addition to friends and fans, we'd like to also acknowledge all the beautiful freaks we've met this time around the nation. You make touring REALLY interesting. Whether it's walking into a house filled with sleeping bodies all over the floor, dreadlocks and patchwork pants everywhere, or rowdiness that only college parties can really accomplish, thank you, funky freaky people of the USA.

Tour isn't technically over just yet, because it's that time of year again, time for our yearly residency in the musically epic city of New Orleans. Last year we finished up with a gig at the historic Maple Leaf Bar on Oak St., uptown. Since then, we threw a 10-band festival at Red Rocks and Trevor even sat-in with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Now we are kicking off our NOLA stay with two Wednesdays in a row at The Maple Leaf and returning to CO in May with a gig alongside the Dirty Dozen Brass Band! That will all correspond with the release of Actual Natural on Mountain Size Records which was just mastered by two-time Grammy winner David Glasser and is being pressed as we speak with artwork by TRIPP, the psychedelic poster czar of Colorado himself.

New Orleans is always a productive time for us and new songs are always learned and written. There is so much to pick up down there, both musically and otherwise. The colors of the flowers and houses are even visually overwhelming. We look forward to playing with our musical friends , as well. The level of musicianship in NOLA is unparalleled in most parts of the nation. For now, keep your eyes peeled for the release of Actual Natural in a couple weeks and come visit us in New Orleans. Yeah you right...

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