Where Did The Month Go?
with Jon Timlin in Cozumel, Mexico earlier this month.
When the calendar page flipped to March 1st, I was at sea on our first Castaway Cruise, an extension of our 6th Annual Florida Gulf Coast Dulcimer Retreat. We had about 35 people from the retreat sign up to continue our musical adventures with workshops and jamming in our very own conference room on the Royal Caribbean ship Brilliance of the Seas. Were there hijinks? Oh, you bet. A lot of hijinks. You'll be able to see some of what went down on the April 6th episode of Dulcimerica, but suffice it to say that all had a blast and we're already organizing next year's cruise. Here are the two episodes that will lead up to April 6th:
It seems like spring really kicked into high gear once we got back. I picked up a new gig at the Marguerita Grille in Homosassa, Florida and began doing shows there this month along with the other new gig at McGinnty's Irish Pub in Edgewood, about a five minute drive from the house. Well-meaning folks often ask me why I still play bars, clubs, pubs and lounges when I could play more festivals and large-venue concerts. The easy answer is, I like all of the shows. Big shows are fun, exciting and scary with all of those people tuning into you. Small shows are fun, easy-going, laid-back and scary because there's a larger chance that you're playing to new ears, not your long-time fans. They may not be into you, so it's a challenge to feel a room and see what works and what totally bombs (nothing like total set-list miscalculation to inspire your "B" game.)
And, I can work in new material to see what sticks. That and hearing people shout "PROST!" several times a night always makes me happy. So, yeah, there's a special place in my heart for the true-on pub show. It's an art-form and it's shaped my live shows forever.
That's not a lot of gear. It could be much worse.
On that subject, I'm currently on tour in Texas (having a freakin' blast) about to meet up with Terry McCafferty, who will be building my mountain dulcimer Holy Grail. With the Boss SY-300 Guitar Synthesizer, I've been able to explore it during shows and it's given me a glimpse of the possibilities when Terry finishes this beast. I'm looking forward to getting the process underway again.
When I come home, a week of April will already be gone with a busy May rapidly approaching. Come June 1st, I'm gone through the first week of September, so all of these twiddly bits of dangly projects need to come together, like now, so that everything's ready for summer tour, which will be the craziest one yet. Many thanks to all of you who appreciate and support my art. You help make it happen!
Heading to Winnsboro in a few - check the schedule for the latest info on tour dates, I may be coming to a town near you!