Home- And Everything is Different

And here we are home again...

It all feels different.

I believe that we are all new people every day- even every moment. Yet returning home after just a week feels much different than coming home after one day at work. A week isn't that much longer than a day! So what's the difference? Is it the experience? I think it definitely has to do with doing something out of the norm every day for a longer stretch of time. It's also all of the incredible people we came across... The people who let us sleep on their couches and beds, who fed us, who spent time with us. Traveling is like putting on a new pair of glasses that are tinted differently. I definitely view our band differently than I did a week ago. I view what we do and who we are differently. I view musicianship in itself differently. Last week I learned a lot about what it means as a musician to be a part of the music community, and I'm very excited about it.

The last night of our tour was at The Pleasant Corner Schoolhouse in Stockholm, Wisconsin. It was a small and intimate night, warm and full of friendly music lovers. It was the cherry on top of the trip. The DitchLilies also played and I eagerly watched and listened (as did all of us.) We also played around a condenser microphone for the first time (at a live show) which was interesting. It felt very natural.

Thanks for reading, folks. Stay tuned until next time! This Friday we play at The Riverwest Filling Station in Milwaukee with Miles Coyne. Click here for the facebook event link.

When the Sum Becomes Greater than the Parts

The IDS Center is where we found ourselves yesterday afternoon. Located in downtown Minneapolis, it's the tallest building in Minnesota and has stores, offices, a hotel, and a 105-foot cascading water fountain! We rode the elevator up to the 20th floor to meet with a lawyer we've been in contact with regarding some of the legal things we would like to take care of before we release our next album.

We met in a conference room that looked out over downtown Minneapolis. We talked about boring legal stuff, history of some of the buildings in the area, and of course, music. The lawyer, Paul, was sharing some of his music experiences and recalled a small handful of times when "the sum is greater than the parts." I would think that anyone who regularly sees live music or plays music understands this concept. I think it's one of the most fulfilling aspects of being in a band. It's energy, it's eros, it's spirituality, it includes everyone in the room from the bartender to the bass player to the guy sitting quietly on the bar stool. It happens in theaters, at festivals, at bars, and on the streets.

And here we are now back in Wisconsin. We played at The House of Rock in Eau Claire last night with our friends, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. The cold weather is certainly back! Tonight we are playing in the village of Stockholm with a duo called the DitchLilies. I'm definitely excited to see them and to share an intimate night in a beautiful building, the Pleasant Corner Schoolhouse- a one-room schoolhouse built in 1867.

And then back home we go.

You can't fall off a mountain

It seems to be the dead of winter.

Frigid, frigid, frigid.

Wow, we got to play at the Minneapolis Children's Hospital and KFAI on a program called Women Folk. I'll put a link at the bottom so you can listen to both. Later that night (Tuesday) we were busy watching Wild China and Into the Universe with Stephan Hawking when we got a last minute request to play at a place called Harriet Brewing Company. We showed up, (several layers of long underwear intact,) did a quick sound-check, and played for a couple hours. After a day of trying to stay warm, I welcomed the warm lights and warming beer they supplied us with :) The vibes were high and friendly.

It's interesting being away from home and away from many of the things that daily make up our lives.

It's interesting watching different ways that we all learn to function a little more efficiently while traveling.

It's interesting.. the way we interact with each other being so close every day.

It's absolutely lovely the way the sets start going when the "meat and potato" to every day is playing music together. An even higher incentive to make the time special.


Last night we played at Ed's (no name) Bar in Winona with The Last Revel. They really got things rolling. I'm really excited for their new album which they will be releasing on February 8th. We'll be playing a set for their album release which is at The Turf Club in St. Paul.



Check out our interview and a couple new live tunes on KFAI by clicking here.

Check out our debut at the Minneapolis Children's Hospital here.

Day Two: "Peace of Mind" Tour

Here are some ideas for the name of our stint in Minnesota this week:

"Peace of Mind" Tour

"Subway at Every Exit" Tour

"Don't Slip On the Ice!" Tour

"Flowers for Vinny" Tour

It's been a good couple of days! We got to see Pert Near Sandstone at the Cedar in Minneapolis last night and then played the after-party with a cool band out of Duluth called Tin Can Gin. Lots of energy rolling around, a warm bonfire outside, familiar friendly faces as well as new. Nate Sipe of Pert Near Sandstone even joined us for a song. 

Today we made the three hour trip to Nevis, Minnesota, to play at Terrapin Station. Our friends The Last Revel played with us as well. This place is awesome! It's a "Music, Art, and Wellness Center." 

Here's a picture of Eugene, ginormous rabbit who we are staying with for a few days.

A note of gratitude

"The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Last week Tim took the back of our set list and made a list entitled "Dead Horses Is..." It was a list of all the musicians who have played with us throughout our time as a band. It was fun to travel back through time and think about the different phases we have gone through and the different experiences we have had. From Thursday nights at the Brookyln Bar and Grill to Waterfest to barn weddings to farmers markets to busking on the streets to bars to the UW Oshkosh recital hall to Mile of Music to just this last weekend at the Majestic Theater in Madison to a sold out crowd anxious to hear their favorite Wisconsin blue grass bands. It has truly been an honor. I can say personally that I feel so much gratitude to be able to work with Dan, Pete, and Tim as musicians and as human beings.

I think I can speak for all of us in extending a very warm gratitude to all of those who have been with us as musicians or listeners, singing and dancing along- for just one show or many. You are why we get to do what we do, and we love doing what we do. You are our friends and you are our family.

We are psyched to leave tomorrow for a week in Minnesota of playing all different types of gigs. Stay tuned!!

-Sarah

P.S. We are mountains!