Mike’s Tour Blog: Vol. II Issue III

Yes yes, I’m acutely aware that this update is already pretty antiquated.  It’s important to put pen to paper, or pixel to screen as it may be, to remember these things though.  In fact I think I’m enjoying recapping these events the more I’m distanced from them.

I believe the last time we spoke we were on our way to Nashville.  Driving through Memphis was everything I wanted it to be.  We stumbled upon a local station that was pumping blues covers of the Beatles all afternoon.

“Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner
But he knew it wouldn’t last.
Jojo left his home in tucson, arizona
For some california grass.
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged”

Not quite yet.  It was in the mid 20s when we got to Nashville, we still didn’t miss Florida.  Loading into the club we got to say some quick hellos to the good men in the Lonely Hearts.  I met Josiah and Will about 2 years ago at Cornerstone in Illinois.  I was there with Gasoline Heart, they were gracious enough to play with me for two songs.  The EP has just been pressed.  It was one of the highlights of my time playing music and I look back on that day very fondly.  Anyways, I’ve talked about Cornerstone since but what it boils down to is that there are very few rock n roll bands playing at that festival so we immediately gravitated towards the Lonely Hearts.  More on them later…

The club was nice, 12th & Porter, it had good sound and seemed very much like a ‘showcase’ venue, where people play for important people to see them.  We had never played in Nashville, it was great to meet the dozen or so people that had waited for us to come to town for a year or two.  There’s a line in a song on the new record that goes, “I heard good things about Nashville Tennessee but I can’t trust a man who looks just like me”.  We did well in Nashville a town flooded with talent and songwritters, I was greatful for that.  I imagine most of the audience had been in a band at one point, probably good ones too.  It’s a lot harder to enjoy a magic show when you know how the rabit is pulled out of the hat but you gotta hold on to that enjoyment I think, it’s pretty sad if you don’t.

We played a good set, solid and steady but the night went to the Lonely Hearts in my humble opinion.  They write great wide open songs with classic songwritting elements.  I highly recommend their new EP “Born in the Dark”.

After the show the brothers Hearne split off to spend some time with some friends and we met up with my old friend Stephen Belin.  Stephen used to sing in Hillside.  I played bass in Hillside my first couple years in college.  Hillside had a lot of things right, the guys band were all my best friends, we hung out a lot and Stephen is a great songwritter.  Mr. Belin is definitely a character, he’s a bit of mad scientist.  He builds amps, sings 8 minute songs about Halloween and has a half-wolf named Odetta.

We decided that instead of opting for cheap drivethru food we would do it right and cook some steaks.  We drank Yeungling, told stories and traded songs.  The steaks took forever to cook.  By the time we ate around 3:00am we were ready to crash in the potatoes.  Steve told us about how Odetta, the sweetest dog I’ve seen in a long time, would “go wolf” on other dogs if she felt threatened, I thought I might be halucinating.  Buzzed on steak and black and tans we headed to bed.

Mike and the infamous Stevie B

We picked up the brother Hearne in the morning, got some donuts and headed back to home base, Atlanta, Georgia.

“Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged.”