@ Meadowlark.
Woke up in a hotel room! The first, and probably only, hotel room of the tour. It was a good call. We scooted out of town a little bit later than planned, and were soon barreling through Nebraska. Valerie found Nebraska very appealing, describing the state’s unpretentious manner, backed with a reliable honesty, as the embodiment of what the Midwest is. I had similar feelings about Iowa, actually. It just seems real and practical and representational of what is good about the word “American”.
We discovered that we will have been in 19 states when this tour is over. It’s rather overwhelming to consider how much ground we’ve traversed in such a short time. This blog, an attempt to capture it all, is insufficient, but I’m doing what I can.
I’ve never been to Denver before, and was hoping to see some of the city, although that wish is not destined to be fulfilled, I’m afraid. Because Logan, Utah is so far away, we already are planning to leave town right after the show tonight in order to gain some ground.
The Meadowlark is a terrific venue for any band to play, with the bar being indoor and underground, and the stage out in the back yard. It is large and airy and feels very much like a really great party setup, rather than a more formal venue. Meghan remarked that it reminds her of the outdoor stage at Boundary Bay Brewery back in Bellingham. (Boy!) The locals hung out casually, sitting at tables all night long. It looks like this:
Connecticut Four was placed 3rd in a 4-band lineup of locals, which made us very happy – local bands draw better than touring bands do when they’re on the road for the very first time. Rooster Brothers were up first, playing a jovial brand of rootsy rock. Not entirely my thing, but damn did the crowd love them. Lots of dancing. Also, we learned later that their lead singer likes to party a lot after he plays a set. So friendly!
Tantric Picasso played next, and they were probably my favorite band that night. They’re one of those experimental pop acts where all the members trade instruments and sing lead on different songs. They clearly are having a lot of fun up there, and I was too watching them.
CT4 looked great on that outdoor stage, and killed it. Again. I know it must seem repetitive for me to say ‘hey they played another great set!’ but...that’s what’s going on! I don’t mind seeing them play these songs over and over, either. I was reminded once again while watching them that this band is great.
Cristina literally got bit by at least one mosquito during the set. This brought her total to over 35 mosquito bites since we started the tour. She has constellations on her leg. She's can handle it of course, but we all feel pretty lousy since we've managed to escape her fate.
One of the things we’ve been discussing here at the latter end of this tour is the role gender has played. CT4 are all women, and they love that fact, but they did not form because they are all women. They formed because they are friends who like playing music together. They are good musicians and songwriters, as all good bands are, and as a result people dig them. But often the compliments they receive from other bands or audience members usually go like ‘hey you rock for girls’ or ‘you play like a man’ or ‘you’re so little but you sound so big!’ or whatever. We know people mean well, but they really don’t realize how unnecessarily focused on gender they are. We see the trend; they see the band.
On top of this, as a dude observing them handle the social aspect of playing a show in a different city every night, it’s fascinating to watch guys interact with them. They see me and wonder if I’m “with” one of the members. They are verrrry friendly in a way that goes beyond natural curiosity, and I know what I’m talking about because I am a guy. Eventually the word “boyfriend” gets dropped and things move forward. But frankly, when stuff like ‘how am I going to fit a dollar bill into those tight pants?’ is said, you don’t need to be a guy to know that’s pretty fucked up. We’ve even come up with a code word we use for an uncomfortably creepy guy, so we know to rescue that person.
Of all the nights on tour so far, Denver was the most tense in terms of testosterone. In that way, it was awkward for all of us to navigate. On the other hand, it was my personal favorite night of the tour for a number of reasons – and the band members agree it was at least a winner, if not the winner. The space was great, the crowd had a lovely vibe, the promoter was generous, the animals have the ability to speak, the streets are paved with gold dubloons, it rained jellybeans, and I’m pretty sure there’s a spot on the corner of the basement bar where magical stuff happens. The bartender was named Gandalf, so.
The last band Pop Rehab were a total piano pop combo, as you might imagine, and they were not shy about showing their Elton John influence by covering “Bennie and the Jets”. We also heard “Werewolves of London” in the mix with their Ben Foldsy originals. Thumbs up!
Overall, it was a weirdly intense but really fun and interesting show. Afterward we mingled with the locals a little bit, thanked the promoter, and packed up. We drove into the darkness in the wee hours.
On top of this, as a dude observing them handle the social aspect of playing a show in a different city every night, it’s fascinating to watch guys interact with them. They see me and wonder if I’m “with” one of the members. They are verrrry friendly in a way that goes beyond natural curiosity, and I know what I’m talking about because I am a guy. Eventually the word “boyfriend” gets dropped and things move forward. But frankly, when stuff like ‘how am I going to fit a dollar bill into those tight pants?’ is said, you don’t need to be a guy to know that’s pretty fucked up. We’ve even come up with a code word we use for an uncomfortably creepy guy, so we know to rescue that person.
Of all the nights on tour so far, Denver was the most tense in terms of testosterone. In that way, it was awkward for all of us to navigate. On the other hand, it was my personal favorite night of the tour for a number of reasons – and the band members agree it was at least a winner, if not the winner. The space was great, the crowd had a lovely vibe, the promoter was generous, the animals have the ability to speak, the streets are paved with gold dubloons, it rained jellybeans, and I’m pretty sure there’s a spot on the corner of the basement bar where magical stuff happens. The bartender was named Gandalf, so.
The last band Pop Rehab were a total piano pop combo, as you might imagine, and they were not shy about showing their Elton John influence by covering “Bennie and the Jets”. We also heard “Werewolves of London” in the mix with their Ben Foldsy originals. Thumbs up!
Overall, it was a weirdly intense but really fun and interesting show. Afterward we mingled with the locals a little bit, thanked the promoter, and packed up. We drove into the darkness in the wee hours.
