NOLA Baby

Pictured: The first sign we saw in Louisiana!
Also, the rose that Mariah gave to me as we played Dante's the night before we left Portland. It traveled with us all 3000 miles to New Orleans.

Alex and I rolled into New Orleans on Sunday evening at around 8.30pm local time. It's about 530 miles from Austin, TX where we spent Friday and Saturday nights. The weather was a bit chilly (still is) and the humidity down here puts an extra nip in the air. We met my friend Nick Hasslock at his ceramic studio on the edge of the French Quarter and took a walk. We stopped into Rays Boom Boom Room to check out an (almost) all-female brass band called the "Big Ass Brass Band". We spent a few hours on Frenchmen Street checking out some local joints and caught some low-down dirty blues; the "Royal Bohemians", late-night at the Apple Barrel.

On Tuesday, JAN 13, Big Al and I got to play a very special show in the town of Alpine, TX. Alpine is located about 220 miles east of El Paso amidst the beauty and desolation of West Texas. It was dry and cold when we rolled into town a little before dusk. Nestled between the train tracks and Holland Ave, you'll find Railroad Blues; an authentic Texas roadhouse. We were greeted with open arms and a very appreciative audience. Thanks once again to Richard, RC and the gang for having us.
We left Alpine the next morning, headed for the town of Bourne (pronounced Bournie). As we moved east, the terrain transformed itself from rough, inhospitable desert to rolling hills, covered in green tree canopies. The hill country is thought of by many as the most beautiful part of Texas. It's beauty was matched only by the generous hospitality of our friend, miss Dawn Marie Cobb, who revived us and provided much needed r&r after 10 shows and 2000 miles in 11 days.

This tour was an ambitious one and thankfully we encountered little difficulty along the way. January in the Rocky Mountains can often be challenging for travelers, especially ones who have a fairly strict schedule to keep. Touring is tiring - Alex and I joked along the way that the name should be changed from 'touring' to 'loading/unloading', as often that seems to be how we spend the majority of our time. I rarely feel armed with a sense of purpose, though, as I do when I get to perform every night, especially in front of new audiences. I've had a week without a gig and I've been anxious to play for a few days now. I'm working away to make sure that me schedule fills up quickly for the coming months.