27 Ain't So Bad

It's been a Heaping good time, in fact. My birthday was on Sunday, but I'll work backwards because I am still buzzing from the Imogen Heap show last night at La Zona Rosa in Austin. I don't recall what led me to Imogen in college, but I've had her "Speak for Yourself" album for several years, and she just recently followed that up with "Ellipse"...hence she's on tour again. I saw her at La Zona Rosa in 2006, and it was a momentous show for me. That kind of technology onstage is rare in my folk world. Also she wore a pink feathery dress and had crazy hair and hopped around a lot. I was right up by the stage so I got quite the eardrum pounding. It was awesome. So "Ellipse" is out and I love it though have not internalized it all yet because Imogen is complicated musics (while outwardly very fun and accessible...smart), and luckily Austin was a stop on the tour. This time I got there kind of late to be in the front without being one of those jerks I hate at shows who nose their way up to the front even though they just walked in...so I scouted out the highest point in the back of the venue (which was still small enough for me to see facial expressions and everything). It was a great vantage point compared to my last show, because this time I could see the whole stage, her multiple gear set-ups, the band, etc. Good choice. She rocked it. I won't go into glowing descriptions of individual songs. She managed to get the audience involved in 3-part harmony in a round for the encore on "Just For Now." Impressive and always a crapshoot with audience participation. She explained to us that she had microphones strategically placed everywhere, like ON HER WRISTS, so she could play all her percussive doodads and not have to walk to a microphone. She played the KEYTAR. Heck yes. Afterwards I walked all the way to my car, said goodbye to some friends, and then had a flash of groupie-dom and went back over to the front of the venue where the tour bus was parked, and where about 30-40 people were hanging out. After 10 minutes of standing, Imogen came out and I decided to get my iPhone cover signed because her music lives on my iPod...and I had no CD cover with me, haha. And someone took a dark and slightly blurry iPhone photo. The least prepared I have been for a celebrity encounter EVER. Which makes sense because I was pretty good at that stuff in high school and college -- meeting the artists and having a photo taken and all that. And then somewhere in the past 3 years, probably after the privilege of some of my favorite artists becoming my good friends, I stopped caring about the autographs and the tour busses. This was neat, though...a tiny unremarkable chat amongst a sea of people (she apologized for the rude girl who had cut in front of me moments before...haha), a signature, a photo with one of my Top Fives. I guess we all need to be a fangirl sometimes (or fanboy...you can be a fanboy too). I'll value the show and the interaction, though already the signature on the iPhone case is rubbing away, and I don't think I'll shellack it on. It was there and it will be gone but I'll have the picture to remember it by, and the mp3s to blast through my stereo on the many more miles of road to come. A face to a name is always nice.

I Can't Forget the Alamo

I got to accompany my buddy D.C. Bloom the other night at Ruta Maya as part of Webb House Concerts Songwriter night. Great fun! And as you can see, D.C.'s tunes are always guaranteed great fun. Check him out at http://www.dcbloom.com

porterdavis rocks.

So I don't mean to rub it in or anything, that maybe I have a copy of the new porterdavis CD and it's not out until September 1st. But I mean, if I were gonna rub it in, I'd point out that it is fantastic and you should pre-order yours. So you can have one too. Look how pretty it is. Dan wrote some great tunes and picked some great tunes..."Grass Growing Through Concrete" below is on the record. Czech it. And Eliza Gilkyson sings background vocals on a track, too. Yay! So proud. I hope Dan still produces my records when he's busy flying around being on Letterman and playing at Bonnaroo and stuff. Don't forget us little people!

Joys of the Song Circle

That post title sounds a little...counterculture, haha. So raise your hand if you know what a song circle is! I'll wait. This is part of a circle. It is a full circle. You just see the semi-circle. Time for school. The folk singer scene has this thing called a "song circle" that I've become uber familiar with since moving to Texas. I had taken part in "jams" in college, though they seem to differ a bit. Song circles are pretty acoustic and folk based. I had the fun of hanging out in two of these circles this past week -- one after the Jpo Trio's fun gig at the Thursday Night Music Club at the Faust Hotel in New Braunfels. It was our first time there, and from the minute we drove up to the awesome old hotel I knew we were in for a good time. The folks at the TNMC (because I'm a lazy typer) were generous enough to have us play last week, and then after the festivities they turned off the PA, circled the chairs, and we all went around the circle with our guitars and played tunes. Some were covers and some were originals, but usually by the 2nd chorus we were all singing along with the words regardless. Then on Sunday after our outdoor house concert in Fort Worth (for which, might I add, the 105 temperature of Saturday cooled down to a lovely, cloudy, high 80's for us which seemed like the ARCTIC and we loved it)...we circled yet again and had us a time. I have grown from an absolute fear of these situations to a true love for them. The first few times you play these you're worried about impressing or picking the right tune or whatever. And it's scary to jump in with a solo on someone else's song you might be hearing for the first time. However, I've learned there's no better place to learn and experiment than a song circle...people are generally just there to share music they love with kind folks. I've gotten a lot of chord theory practice done over campfires and song circles in the past year, some on the fly soloing training (and might I add, I am STILL so in the training stages), and as evidenced above, I even get to play drums sometimes. Badly, I'm sure...but now I really want a fancy box to hit. Guilda seems to approve, since she remained sitting next to me and didn't remove herself from the percussion next to her. So let's review the benefits of song circles, shall we? 1. Nice people. 2. New songs heard. 3. Low pressure place to try new musical things. 4. Good times. Try a song circle! Just follow a singer-songwriter around for a while and you'll find one.

Joy

These are shots from the Red Leaf Show at the Gibson Showroom last month. My Monday Night Songwriter's Group ladiez, Emily and Melissa, are so fun to play music with. I was just thinking that I hope I always portray my joy and gratitude for music when I play.

SXSW Doneness.

Well that was fun. The festival is over (thought I'm sure there's still plenty going on today because hey, it's the weekend). I took it easier yesterday though still packed in just about everything I wanted to see. The one bust was Rachel Ray's day party...because yes, she hosts a day party during SXSW. I wanted to see what the food would be like at a shindig like that and wondered whether she indeed made it all in 30 minutes or less. But when I got downtown the line was wrapped around the block and had to extend for two more. Popular, she is. It was then I decided to take in part of the Film Festival at the Alamo Ritz right across the street. Stand in line for 3 hours for a party I might not even like or see a movie in a comfy seat? Right. I ended up at a screening of Luckey which was good but sad but good. I emerged into the brightness in time to see Melissa Ferrick as part of the Mpress Records showcase. Whoa. As a singer-songwriter girl, of COURSE I had heard of Melissa...but I had never seen her live. She amazed. Her guitar playing was kick butt. He songs were real. I liked that. So much that after a trip home and a nap (see, I also felt a cold coming on. Nice of it to hold off for the last day), I joined some friends for Melissa Ferrick's official showcase at the Hilton. And was blown away again. I like it when that happens. Then we trucked it over to Stubb's to see the Indigo Girls. I had never seen them live either, which is probably a mortal sin in the world of singer-songwriters, though I am certainly familiar with their material. Great show, lots of new tunes from their new record. And who DOESN'T want to sing along on "Closer to Fine"? So that's that. My cold is in full swing. Real life awaits for the time being. I learned -- or re-learned -- a couple of things this weekend. 1. I love live music. (Duh). To be honest a lot of performing artists get really burned out on seeing other people play, and standing in loud venues, and the fact that it is a "conference" and everything. And there's a difference when you're watching a peer play versus someone you've put on a pedestal as a performing artist. Some people just get over it. I hope I never do. There's too much powerful stuff held in a person on stage with a presence and a message. 2. There's room for everyone if the performance, the music, and the presentation serves the song. Tori Amos walked on stage and kept us all rapt for an hour with a piano. Melissa Ferrick channels an energy with a guitar and her crazy strumming. Lisa Hannigan and Justin Townes Earle channel the same thing but in completely different ways. That's nice to know.

South By WOOHOO!

Day two is done, and I should be getting ready to go plod around again for day three...but blogging comes first. Rule number one for being Jana: blogging ALWAYS comes first. I guess it all started Wednesday night when I ended up at the Gibson Showroom for the Austin Music Awards after party. Porterdavis is Best Roots-Rock Band...because they are...so there was celebration. Deadman, Slaid Cleaves, and Hayes Carll played among others and them were good times. Yesterday got off to a good start when I turned in my notice of not renewing my lease on my apartment. Now I actually have to start packing and throwing stuff out for reals because it's...REAL. Eek! I made my way to 6th street, found an excellent parking spot, and wandered in to Waterloo Records. I was there early to see Justin Townes Earle. Luckily there's lots to look at. I did not buy anything, though, as tempting as it was. The weird part was the I, the CD junkie, had the thought many a time of, "I'll just download it." Poor brick and mortar. Part of it is probably the thought that anything I buy will have to be moved down 3 flights of stairs in a month. I digress... The only thing I knew about Justin is that he's Steve Earle's kid and he's a legend in the singer-songwriter parts so I thought why not? I was so impressed. Justin's a great musician and his songs are great and his presence is charming. Charmed! Then I had a couple of options and they were on 6th Street so I trekked quite a few blocks East from Waterloo. The weather was perfect and there was already so much going on for 1:30 in the afternoon. I knew Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines were doing a Gibson showcase, but I had no idea what time they were playing...so I decided to try that party first and just see. Lo and behold I walk up the stairs at Maggie Mae's and Terri and Lloyd are sound checking. SCORE. They did 4 songs and I was thrilled because it's been months since I've had a Terri show fix. Afterwards Brandon, the manager for porterdavis who also works for Gibson, hooked me up with this sweet wristband. Dear Brandon, you are my favorite. That got me into the VIP lounge where Terri and Lloyd were being interviewed. After that Randy Rogers and Mark Jungers played followed by Bruce Robison with my buddy and Red Leaf teacher Kevin Carroll on guitar. Bruce is a great songwriter and the likes of the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, and George Strait have covered his stuff. Then it was over to Artz Rib House for Elizabeth Wills and a Diet Coke. And some photo fun. And THEN...then...Elizabeth and I headed over to La Zona Rosa to see about some Tori Amos. We cruised in with good parking karma and there wasn't a line to get in. We found a spot on the left side of the stage and planted. Perez Hilton introduced her which is maybe my first encounter with a blogger celebrity in real life. And there was TORI. I got to see Tori in college and she converted me into the type of fan that will forever buy her albums on the first day of release. My shortlist of artists like that is well...short. The thing that I love about Tori is her stage presence and musicianship. She's a classically trained pianist and an impeccable singer and when she's in the room, you're watching her. Her command of the audience is one of the best I've ever seen from anyone. Always observing. We got to hear 3 new tunes from her new record and also some classics like "Crucify" and "Cloud On My Tongue" and "Silent All These Years." Yeah. And I went home and went to bed and now I need to do it all over again.

T-Minus One Day

...until I score my SXSW wristband. All right, so I've been reading and it seems like the panels are not be accessible with a crew wristband for SXSW. Which is what I am getting, I think. I'm new to this whole "paying attention" thing, haha. There is quite the slew of different badges and wristbands and platinum things and such. Which is totally fine because: a) I plan to spend all of my Thursday waiting in line to see Tori Amos if I have to dangit. I assume there will be a line. Tori. Amos. b) Susan said, "Um...shouldn't you be teaching the panel on Merch?" Haha one day. One day. That does not make the music-seeing planning any easier...I hope to maybe try to fit in Joe Pug and Lucy Wainright Roche and Nellie McKay and Lisa Hannigan and John Gorka and oh yeah Tori Amos. Part of me just wants to wander around and see what I see, though. Scheduling makes me itchy because I do it for a living.

It's Done. And other random updates.

Well...we have a mastered version of The Early Year that is going to be the one that everyone gets in their mailboxes, email boxes, on their computer speakers, and on their turntables. Ok, no turntables. We're not doing a vinyl release...yet, hehheh. I am proud of it. With a capital P! And there's the cover...woot! What is holding me up right now is that I am a little slow to comprehend the embedding of ISRC codes on the tracks, still...so I did not realize I needed to register with the RIAA before this could occur. So I am registering, and then we'll get the codes, which get embedded in the master, which gets shipped to Oasis for duplication. I hope this goes fast. Today is busywork day so I can get my PO box set up (as much as taking orders from my home address via the internet is appealing, haha) and file our paperwork for Bourn Records. And send a fax to the RIAA. Who has a fax machine these days? Oh, that's right...business people. (And Kinko's! Woot!) I am still all happy from last weekend at Threadgill's. Jamming on stage with Terri and Lloyd and Glenn was pretty much a highlight of my...forever. It's neat to think about the things I've been fortunate enough to do in my two years of living here. A lot of the above paperwork and business stuff is thanks to Terri and Lloyd and their never-ending sharing of smarts and experience. From the Life's A Song workshop last October to Terri letting me harass her and pick her brain all the time throughout this past year...it's good to have people who have your back. Dan and Suz and Terri and Lloyd are all really insanely integral parts of me as an artist and of this record...I hope it does them all proud. Thanks for the chance, kids.

To the Top of the World

This is one of the most gorgeous versions of this tune... (If you squint you'll see Lloyd in the background behind Emily!) I'm driving to New Mexico, y'all...see you on the flip side in the Mountain Time Zone.

Girl Crush on Imogen Heap

I'll admit it...I have a girl crush on Imogen (don't worry, the NYT says it's cool). I watched her latest video blog just now and my mouth kept dropping at each new bit of sound-making genius. From the swirly tube thing that we all had as kids and never quite knew what to do with except annoy the crap out of our parents...to using the Gameboy start up sound on her song...sheer genius. SHE PLAYS THE GAMEBOY. ON HER RECORD. And I thought I was all cool playing the banjo. Imogen, if you need someone to play the Diet Coke bottle, or flip flop around the studio loudly, or perhaps type with 3 fingers on a keyboard really fast...I'm your girl.

Friday Randomization of Text

Greetings from my mechanic's waiting room, where they are cool enough to have wifi. No problems, just new belts for the car before I go to New Mexico in a week or so. No breaking down in the middle of somewhere! I think I'm dehydrated as I feel my face shriveling up while I type. That's interesting. To me, anyway. We're busy getting mastering of the EP all set up and ready to do, the artwork is coming along nicely, and I need to get some paperwork in line today. Filling out forms is ok if it's for something fun, I have decided. I am currently enthralled with Sugarland's new CD, "Love on the Inside." As I have mentioned before, they are one of my guilty Nashville pleasures, and they did a great job with this new record (please do not judge by the first single...it's summer fun but the rest goes a lot deeper). Jennifer Nettles' voice is fantastic. It's also neat that they released a version with bonus material FIRST, and will release the "normal" album in a few weeks. Usually artists release a record and then a year later you can buy the "Bonus Track" version which just makes the diehard fans buy things twice. This is the way forward, methinks. Don't mess with your fans.

Sesame Street Goals

My friend Mary pointed this out to me, and it is awesome: Feist put out a lovely record last year, and "1 2 3 4" was in one of the iPod commercials...but as a kid raised on Sesame Street, there's no cooler remake than something that involves Muppets and counting. I don't know what song I'd re-do. Maybe "paper beats rock and rock beats scissors" could turn into an order of operations math song about "parentheses beats exponents beats multiply and divide beats add and subtract." Hmm, not quite the ring. Oh well.

Good times and fire ants.

Terri Hendrix and her band played in San Marcos last night, so of course I made the drive down for a great show. I spent the first set sitting in the grass with some good friends, and even though I have been through this "concert on the lawn" thing countless times, I still forgot a blanket or a chair. My buddies kindly offered my some blanket space, but I thought...what the heck? It's just grass. Grass with a bunch of ants in it. Fire ants, too, apparently. I got a nice stingy bite in my hand and by the drive home my finger was swollen. I'd show you which finger it was but I don't feel like flipping off the internet, haha. The good news is my buddy Richard had a spare chair and I got to sit above the wildlife instead of in it for the 2nd set. Thanks, Richard! Terri and the band sounded great and based on the new songs we have been hearing lately, I am super psyched for the next record. I think she must be superhuman, based on all the traveling she's been doing, hanging out with the Bhutanese and such in Washington, D.C., and still putting on a great hometown show at the end of it all. Props! Also, a lesson: just because you're all comfy and ant-free in your lawn chair does not mean you will not called up to do a little singing sometimes. So much fun! Thanks, Terri.

Day 3: At the Crossroads!

Thank goodness. After surviving the night at the haunted hotel no worse for the wear and very well rested, I got up, explored the streets a little bit, and found breakfast at a Czech bakery. We picked up Susan's guitarist and made our way to Winnsboro. As of midnight I had shifted my official title to "Opening Act/Merch Girl," so it's good I didn't make a name tag or anything, cuz I just would have had to make another one. Right. Job One: MERCH TABLE! I am getting dangerously efficient, haha. Pleased. Crossroads Music Co. in Winnsboro hosts a plethora of shows in their awesome venue, and I felt really honored to be able to play there and be in such good company. My good buddy Kate met us there and I handed her the camera...she did an excellent documentation job! Kate also rocked my set by agreeing to sit in on "New Mexico Boy," so there were tasty leads and good times for sure. Kate rocks. Unfortunately, both of us were onstage during that song so neither of us took a photo, haha. Shifty. We stayed up late hanging out by a lake outside of Kate's house...I want a lake. I bet you have to get lake insurance or something. And a boat. Maybe I'll get a lake later, after I get a cat and a puppy. Order of operations.

Day 2: Long Roads and Haunted Rooms

Well, as you can tell by now...no internet access for the past couple of days. Luckily I kept taking photos over the weekend and I'll just post in some time warp continuum. So...welcome to Friday, July 4th. Happy Independence Day! The view when cruising. After a great time in Davis, (and a lovely sleep in the swanky hotel followed by breakfast with some great new friends from OKC), we trucked out of town to Freyburg Hall, located outside of Schulenburg (somewhere between Austin and Houston...see kickbutt map below for exact routage, haha). The Ginn Sisters opened for Susan, and it was my first time seeing them live. Very cool, amazing harmonies, great people. The SG band was rockin' and I did my thang with the merch table all evening... See the evolution? See it? Also, there was the biggest bowl of cole slaw I have ever seen present at this hall. I apologize for not taking a photo of it. Think of a big bowl of cole slaw, and then think of something BIGGER. That night due to some miracle of generosity on the part of Susan and perks of her being a rock star, I got my own hotel room in Schulenburg. Susan was going to camp with her family, so she just dropped us band peeps off at the Von Minden Hotel. Discussion prior: Someone at Freyburg Hall: "It's haunted, you know. The hotel." All of us staying there: "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Susan: "Have fun! See you in the morning! Hahahahaha! Boo!" Thanks, Suz. But it was pretty dang cool. The Von Minden Hotel was built in 1927, and is supposedly haunted by a woman who roams around asking guests for directions. She wears a polkadot dress. The lobby...you can check in and dear Lord please let us check out... Down the hall to our rooms. No ghosts yet. Awesome staircase. My room...number 7. I ain't afraid of no ghosts! Repeat. Sleep well. I'll admit I was too tired and passed out so completely that if a ghost poked me in my sleep to ask where the bathroom was, I never knew it. But we took some cool photos when we got there, and the next morning I got some more shots before we got picked up. Very neat place. Less creepy in the morning. Still creepy. So this crazy musical life has lead me down many interesting paths, but a haunted hotel was not even on my radar of possibilities. So much fun! And it was onward to Winnsboro...

I'm not gonna lie...

...I'm kind of an awesome Merch Girl. We drove ourselves up to Davis, Oklahoma (well, Susan drove and I made snarky comments about dumb signs the whole way...sorry, Susan) and made it with a few hours to spare. Susan went and did a set for a group of Veterans because she's cool like that, and I stayed behind at our gorgeous hotel and concert venue, the La Ville Inn in downtown Davis, and sorted the goods. And sorted. Because Suz just put out a record. she's got all kinds of good merch to go with it. It was in tubs, so I started out by scattering it everywhere. My mind works better that way somehow. T-shirt? Koozie? Sticker? Frisbee for your dog? I got ya. Then I got to work. Jana's Work Smirk (TM) By the time the show started, the Merch table looked like this: Sell! Sell! Sell! The show was amazing. Susan played banjo (the first time I had ever seen that live) and did "Wayside," an old Groobees tune. Loves it. Banjo! Then she lead us all in a sing-along of "America the Beautiful." Indeed. We get to see some more of our beautiful America today as it's down to Freyburg (between Austin and Houston) for a show tonight, where hopefully the merch juju will be just as good. Did I mention our hotel is awesome? We walked into the bathroom, which I swear has separate halls and wings unto itself, and looking in the ginormous shower stall Susan says, "Janapo, this shower is bigger than your last apartment!" This morning when I was taking advantage of the dual showerheads, I had to pretty much agree. See you all at Freyburg Hall!

Winnsboro Gig+Merch Girl Duty

Well...I am hopefully all situated and ready to hit the road with Susan Gibson for the next few days. Can I say, I LOVE traveling with Susan? Adventures abound, and good music is the soundtrack. And her sweet dogs are usually along for the ride. Woot! I'll be acting as Merch Girl (that's an official title, mind you) and then move into Opening Act designation when we reach our final gig in Winnsboro, home of Crossroads Music Company, who are some of my favorite people ever. Can't wait! We'll be heading up to Davis, OK for a show tomorrow, and then it's to the Houston area for a July 4th show at Freyburg Hall, and then back up to Winnsboro, outside of Dallas for our gig on the 5th...and home to Austin. It kind of looks like this: In fact, it looks exactly like that. This is the finest piece of graphic illustration I have ever done. Thank you. Of course, a proper Merch Girl needs to wear the merchandise. Spiffy, it is. dork. I'll do my best to update from the road, and if you're in Davis/Freyburg/Winnsboro...come say hi!

I love this song.

Stones in the Road - Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Mixology

Dan and I spent a good chunk of Tuesday mixing a tune with George, who is a most excellent dude and a really cool mixer. He took "Blonde on Blue" and brought out some neat aspects of our recording (what I like to call "hairy piano" now) while we watched and soaked in the mixing process. Mixers get the fun job of getting the picture of what the artist and producer want/aim for while giving their own touch to the project. I suspect we could give "Blonde on Blue" to 5 mixers and come up with some pretty different sounding tunes, even though it's all the exact same set of tracks I played on. Cool. "New Mexico Boy" is mixed to the point that I smile like a dork when I hear it, so I call that a good finished product. Yay for growly, sweaty guitars! That night we saw Girlyman play at the Cactus, who pretty much rocked the room and were a joy. Dan produced Girlyman Nate's solo record so it was neat to see Nate play. Go see them. Actually, they're in Albuquerque tonight, for you Albuquirks. P.S. Here's Mixer George playing bass on Letterman a couple weeks ago with Jakob Dylan. Cool.