The podcast is still happening, we're just trying to work out some hardware logistics so as to bring you our voices in as high quality as humanly possible. We'll also be doing quite a bit of jammin' around at random points throughout the podcast, so be prepared to hear some new tunes, old tunes, and tunes written by our many multi-talented comrades from across the globe.
We're doing some sort of Kubrick-esque private party tonight (at least that's Biggie's theory) in Tulsa, then heading on to a very public performance at the Royal Theater in Fairview, OK. Dr. Peaches (@shmignasty on twitter) has already gone ahead and made a place for us, so be sure and come see us if you're one of our fans in Northwestern Oklahoma. I've still got quite a few buddies around Fairview and the surrounding counties from my time in Lower Middle Class way back when, so I'm looking forward to seeing some of the old LMC crew around the Royal on Saturday night.
Next weekend, we're heading back to Austin for another show at the infamous Antone's nightclub. We had a blast last time and doing our damnedest to pack the house this go-round, so do us a favor and spread the word about the show to your friends and family. This band was founded on the fact that fans are our lifeblood, and simply chatting up your buddies about what kind of plans they've got on August 2nd and kindly suggesting they blow them off in favor of coming out for a debaucherous night with us at Antones instead is the kind of thing that truly helps us out the most. Throw up a status update on Facebook, Tweet it to hell and back, blog about it if you feel it's deserving of a place in your writing, anything to help us get as many bodies as possible through the door and getting their ears folked. Get your tickets early here...
After Antones, we're heading out to Conroe, TX (about 30 minutes north of Houston) to play Dosey Doe, so tell all your Houston peeps to come catch the show. We had an incredible time at the Firehouse Saloon last time we came to Houston, so here's hoping you folks don't mind a short drive up to Conroe to hang out with us again.
Once again, I have to take a moment and thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to read the BS I come up with when I can't sleep or when I just feel like typing out some of the odd little details about our adventures since the last blog. Speaking of which....
I'm just going to make a little list of some things that have happened since the last time I blogged...bullet points and such. Here goes.
- We rocked the hell out of our gig on the 4th of July at Gruene Hall and especially at our show at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth on the 5th of July. The turnout at both shows was fantastic and we really needed a weekend like that to keep things positive. We had Cody Angel (@gitsteelca) sitting in on Pedal Steel, pictures were being flashed, and the people danced like teenagers at a high school prom. Fort Worth was the first market we hit way back before "Down the Hatch" came out and we were just beginning our foray into the great state of Texas. Texans welcomed this ragtag band of Okies with open arms and we are infinitely appreciative of every single one of you. In particular, our friendship with the incredible staff, on-air talent, listeners, and Wall Bangers at 95.9 The Ranch played a huge part in inscribing us in the hearts and minds of people from the Red River all the way south to Hillsboro. 95.9 The Ranch is living proof that it IS possible to be successful with a Texas Country/Red Dirt/Homegrown/Anything You Wanna Call It format and we're so glad they put up with our insanity. Thanks to everyone that made it out to Legendary Texas Venue weekend, we're looking forward making the same parlay again sometime.
- @JeffDuckley, our little feathered friend is alive and well and growing like a weed. He can't make every show, but keep an eye out for him around the feet or general vicinity of @jonknutz from show to show.
- We're still writing and messing around with tunes for the next Damn Quails record, so make sure and keep an ear out for some new songs at upcoming live shows. We still have a ways to go before we can get the follow up to "Down the Hatch" recorded, but we can assure you that it's going to be well worth the wait. We're tighter as a band than we've ever been before. Which brings to mind a story...
- A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...We played this gig at this place where we had some stuff happen during our soundcheck that, in spite of our best efforts, had us a little bit shaken up when it was over.
- It happens to the best of us.
- We finished sound check, ate some stuff, smoked some cigs, and watched Biggie play some impossible PC War Game that Napoleon Bonaparte himself couldn't win. When it came time to take the stage, we did so with a force and fury that was a few steps beyond other performances. It was one of those gigs with the fabled "seventh man" that symbolizes the band as a whole being absolutely and totally in sync with one another. When the set was over, a fan that had witnessed the events earlier in the day approached a few of us and was astounded at how well the show went. It almost didn't make sense to me that he pointed that out, until I stepped out of myself a bit and looked at it from an audience member's perspective.
- Since you can never really know how a thing appears to someone that isn't you, this little bullet point is completely and totally irrelevant. I have absolutely no idea how we appear to an audience member. We're an insane collection of insane people that make insane music in an insane world that just gets crazier by the minute. Lord only knows what people think of us. I mean, have you met Biggie? Basically, itt seemed like the audience member had this idea that bad vibes and negative experience would logically have a negative impact on the show. However...
- As a band, we've always had a unique ability to tap into nearly any one emotion and wring every single drop of life from it during the course of a 45 minute or a 90 minute or 240 minute set. We're a band that was born on feel, raised on groove, and are constantly growing and changing based on the things we go through as a band as well as on a personal level. Knowing how to turn emotions inward and use them to our advantage is how we turned a potentially shaky and distracted show into one of the most intense and well-played nights of our career. Adversity breeds tenacity, and tenacity breeds character. We're plowing through our fair share of adversity over the past several months. Things are still a little nuts for us right now, but they're getting a little better every day.
Thanks for helping us build this thing and thanks for your patience with all the craziness. It's a long road, but we're still a band and we're still making shit work. Come see us when you can.
Regards,
Bryon White/The Damn Quails
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