The Black Swans Tour Diary: Blog 10

9-20 Deja voo-doo-doo: So word has gotten back that I’m complaining too much. But in defense here’s my defense, I’m just a man, baby. This is the first tour with a booking agent and it is suppose to go bliss. Many moments are, for instance: The Taurus caravaned to the gig in Northampton from Portsmouth, NH where we woke, Noel with Lou, Canaan with me. QT, they call this at folk corporate. Love fall. Or as you’ll find shortly on Tract Records release, “Autumn, Autumn”. The show at Flywheel looked promising with 4- count ’em- 4 Black Swans posters on the main drag. But bedtime sent half the audience home before we began since school was on the rise. An all ages venue with no-no alcohol gave me my 2nd dry show in a row and another room of music fans young enough to teach me how to text message. Singing a song to a tequila bottle feels slightly wrong under these circumstances.

Scotty and Laura from Moviola fame showed up as did JK, who reviewed both Black Swans CDs on Neumu.com, and both troupes made the hour plus trek. Sweeties, all 3. This world is beautiful on a clear day. Listened to Del Shannon in the daytime, and on the doubleback ride past Portsmouth up to here in Portland, Maine we pulled that late night Time Out of Mind skull-fuck as the Tuarus and us got no rest until the Motel 6 appeared at 3am because the radio show this morning began near 9am. It is a day full of sun and shines that you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to hear all about. Oh, and the music last night?: No p.a. and I dropped plates of songs like a bad waiter. No concentration. But shit, who needs to remember what rhymes with “lotion” when 3 men carry guts and soul and really bad smells in their spirits? (rhetorical).Usually I feel closer to my music on tour, but something is astray these days. But I still know this is where I need to be. Everything I want is on this road. Chris Brokaw sent words to encourage, and that felt good, gave me perspective. Lewis and Clarke is dropping off the tour after today, and I can’t blame him.

So am I complaining still? Not really, this is just how it is. But when clubs think you’re a Black Metal band because of a silly Myspace ID you know you’re hurting (I use the internet to look at hot girls, not learn the truth!). And a couple big reviews can’t buy what label press/distro/identity can give. But I’m in a car with R2D2 and C3PO and couldn’t feel better here beside the water. It really has been great in a lot of ways. So pet my lobster and it’ll get bigger.