On the road again, and again

I've been playing in the same band for six years now. This means six falls, winters, springs and most notably summers of sweaty practices and concerts. Every so often we gather up enough new material, energy and money to go on an excursion in the name of friendship and feedback.

A couple of summers ago me and the troops set out for our second U.S. tour. As accomplished as that makes us sound its really more of a self organized slew of shows spanning the nation. We would spend days driving, evenings listening to local bands from New York, Illinois, California, Florida or wherever we were tearing it up before we went on, and late nights hanging out and partying with the local showgoers.

It's always fun to use an excuse like art or music to make friends with perfect strangers from different areas. It's also really touching to see how young people all over the place are willing to lend a hand booking a venue or putting up a group of strangers for the night. Especially when our van dies for good in their driveway and we have to haunt their living room for a few extra days before we can rent a u-haul.

Either way the experience of traveling with a few of my closest friends and letting loose every night for a month or so is not one I will soon forget.