driving, hotels, music

Driving and more driving today. I am typing to you from our hotel in Rockland Maine. We arrived about 12:00 AM after driving for 13 hours from Reading PA. It was supposed to be a 9 hour drive but...shit happens. I have been trying to eat healthy out here but it is not always easy. Let me back up a bit. Our gig at the turning point in Piermont NY went very well. This is a small club next to the Hudson River in a quaint old area. The club is downstairs with a restaurant upstairs. Evidently all the national touring acts play here. The house was filling up as we loaded in. Some fans helped us carry some of our crap. Many of the people knew the band members (except me). It was hard to set up as the tables are right up against the stage and the stage is tiny. We got set up and started on time. The first set was 1 hour of the songs we have been doing for a while. The second set was the songs from the new album. This was the second time we have performed them in public. It was very well received and the mistakes where minimal. Joe and Bnois where on fire during the last song. I have trouble staying focused sometimes. I am also a fan and i have the best seat in the house. The club owner treated us great and made us a CD of the second set so we had a chance to dissect it on the drive the next day.

The drive the next day was not bad at all. ( I now think a 4 hour drive is nothing). We had rooms in the hotel where our part of the festival was taking place. This is called the Berks Jazz Festival. It has been going on for a while and is a week long event. Shows are held all over town at different venues. Ours was one of the 3-4 blues shows. We got in on Friday night and our show was Saturday night. Once we got settled Paul and i headed over to the other side of town where Keb Mo (One of my favorites) was performing. We went up to the door and flashed our Smokin Joe Kubek tour laminates and the promoter was happy to find us seats(My first rock star perk). The show had just started and it was great. I got weepy when he played "Every Morning" because this song is very special to Ruby and I. I miss her more than anything else out here. We tried to get backstage to meet Keb but his tour manager told us he does not do that. I understand he is a very personal guy. Next we went back to our hotel where Bette LaVette was performing. We had no trouble getting in again. We watched a few songs and checked out the venue. Then went to bed.

The next day we had all day off till our set at 9:30PM. I went to do laundry and visit Wal Mart. I haven't been to a laundromat in years. Did you know it cost $4.00 for a load of wash.

We showed up at the backstage area around 8:30. Since SJK Band was the headliner we went on last. Deanna Bogart was on of the opening acts. She was great. I had sit in with her on the Blues Cruise in January 06. I got to chat with her and she got to meet SJK. We took a few photos with her. We are on a festival with her in June also. It was nice to have a backstage, food, drinks and people to help us set up. The room was packed and people where standing along the sides. I was asked to use the back line drum kit. I knew this would happen someday. I would have been more comfortable with mine but hey I'm a pro i need to step up. it turned out fine. I brought my snare, cymbals and throne. I wound up using their cymbals cause they were fine. Our set was one hour and Joe decided to do all the material for the new album. I was a little nervous since i was on a strange kit and the place was packed. Once we got started i settled right down. Again our set was very well received. I recorded it on Mini disc and we listened to it today. It gets better each time. The new album is going to be killer. I realize a big benefit of using the house drum kit is break down took only a few minutes. I got to go to the lobby and watch Joe and Bnois sign autographs. There where plenty of SJK fans in the house. Phyllis always has the merchandise set up to sell and people like to get their CD's signed. This was a really fun gig and it will certainly carry me till the next one. We perform here in Maine tomorrow night. Joe has played here many times and has fans in the area. The area is right on the ocean and i hope to get to look around a little.

Thanks for listening. It is comforting to know you all are out here with me. I feel better now!

Good Night,

Dave K Drums