4/12/14 day 5: Ebeltoft, DK

Chris and I had a quick lunch in town and then hit the road to Ebeltoft. Nice quick drive today. Drove past the scene of the infamous "Robbery in Ebeltoft" Hotel and quietly extended my middle finger in its general direction. Our hotel this time was a little past downtown up the hill a bit. Apparently the building was designed by a famous Danish architect. I'll have to find out who. Didn't really have the time to get a proper nap in before load in. Got to the venue sound checked, and then enjoyed some dinner; fish, couscous, roasted peppers... Spanish inspired. I came all the way to Denmark to eat Spanish food.

My set went great tonight. I dig this venue (kulturhus); it's like a little vibey community center with hard wood floors and candles. Every one is so stinking nice too. Love it. One thing I noticed tonight and now I realize I seen it often. The live music consumer in Europe is older, like, 50+. There are younger folks too obviously but when is the last time u went out to see a show and you were sitting next to a 65 year old. And she isn't sitting quietly, she's rocking out?? I dig it. Live music, the great age leveler. And they aren't scared to come out and enjoy brand new music and mix it up w the kids.

Chris and I both agreed that we wanted to see something of the city so after the gig we ventured out. It's such a super sleepy little town. No one was out; the streets were empty. It was a little Danish ghost town. We found a local bar with some locals and chatted. Chris has stories for days. It's very informative and insightful and obviously very entertaining. He is a born story teller/entertainer.

After the beer in town we made our way back to the hotel. I think we are the only people here. It's eerily quiet. I might just sleep in tmrw and skip breakfast. It's been such a long crazy weekend and I'd love a nice long sleep in. I'm bummed this part of the tour is over. Chris has been a real sweetheart to me and it's been so fun getting to know him. We are gonna do this again, for sure... Night people.

4/11/14 day 4: Fredericia, Denmark

Chris and I grabbed a coffee in the sun before heading south to Fredericia. Easy drive. Talked music. Listened to some of Chris' new blues album w The Spin Doctors. It's good stuff. Go check it out.

Hit the hotel first and dropped off our bags and then walked around a bit. Grabbed a Durum which is basically a Döner that is wrapped in a soft pita. It hit the spot! Walked by the venue which isn't far from the hotel.

Grabbed about a 14 second nap before heading back over to the venue for sound check. Love this place. Such a cool venue for acoustic music. It's an old textile warehouse with wooden floors and huge wooden beams. The sound system is usually the best on any DK tour, but it has amazing natural acoustics.

Homeade chili con carne for dinner at 7 with Tomas the sound guy and Chris. Then we found out the show started at 9, so we had some time to kill so Chris and I headed back to the hotel, crushed a nap, and then got back to the venue at 830 feeling refreshed and ready to rock.

The set went well. Love playing cuts from the new album. I feel like I have a pretty deep repertoire of tunes to draw from which makes the set fun and unpredictable.

Chris rocked it. Chris has this uncanny ability to disarm the room and get everyone laughing. I feel like a young Jedi taking lessons from a rock and roll yoda. And his tunes are diverse; some jazzier numbers, driving rock tunes, tender love tunes. I mean it's awesome hearing the hits but I am getting into his new solo stuff.

After the set, Chris and I and like 8 of Chris' friends went to the green room and had a little acoustic sing along jam session. Once the refrigerator was emptied, we went down the block to the English pub. We ran into some of the staff from the venue and some of folks that went to the show. There was a guy playing rock tunes in the corner of the bar and I had flash backs of my tour last year. So glad to NOT be playing in pubs. This guy was into it tho. I'm just glad it wasn't me.

4/10/14 day 3: Thisted, Denmark

Up at 5. Got a pretty righteous 6 hrs of sleep. German TV at 5 am is a wondrous mix of programming; news, nature, soft porn, tv evangelists and sponge bob.

Spent the morning bombing through the Danish countryside, on the road at 8. It's farm country mostly. Fields and little groves, rolling hills, small farm houses with red roofs. The occasional cow or horse.

Pretty chilly in Thisted at noon when I arrived. It's on the water so there is usually a breeze. Not too many folks out downtown. Little cobblestone pedestrian walkways and shops with racks out front. I was stopped on the street by a gentlemen who works at Plantagehuset, the venue tonight. He recognized me somehow. I must be famous.... Or look like an American. Maybe I am the most famous, American looking dude in town right now. I'll take it.

I went down hard for a nap after my walk about. I was surprised they let me in the room early. This place is notoriously up tight. On the first tour in 2009, they found out we were musicians and told us at check in to keep it down. At check in. They were concerned that we, being musicians, were gonna throw the furniture out the window or something. Meanwhile, we left at like 5 am the next day for the Hamburg airport. "No partying" I remember them saying. Whatever.

I met Chris Barron and his buddy Drake at 4:45pm. Could've slept all night probably but I forced myself up. We had set a time to meet at the hotel and head over to the venue together. I walk out of my room and he pokes his head out the door and yells my name. "Hug it out, bitch" he says... That's pretty much Chris in a nutshell; a cursing sweetheart.

Venue load in. Recognized a bunch of the guys that volunteer at the venue from the first tour. Good dudes. Happy to help. I ran a quick sound check while Chris napped in the green room. Nap, sound check, and then dinner; ham, potatoes, vegetable quiche, salmon, red wine. It was a really nice dinner, arriving on a three wheeled bicycle. All the venue volunteers and the musicians. It's a nice moment of worlds colliding. Chris regailed us with stories. It was fun, as a fan of his music, but u feel like it's really genuine and not some show; he is what u think he is, a jovial, fun loving dude with a sharp wit and a New York attitude.

The show was great. A smallish turn out but everyone there was completely in it. After every song was a resounding applause. And Chris nailed it. His stuff is diverse. Not all rock and roll. And his wit and charm are amplified on stage. That's his happy place. He rocked through "little miss can't be wrong" and "two princes." It was a trip to hear those tunes like that. I think my old band OPM did "little miss." I told him my favorite song of theirs was Rosetts Stone (thanks James) and he was impressed. But anyway, he's a cool dude with great stories and so that validates the tunes and my connection to them somehow in my mind.

We hung after chatting with fans and volunteers at the venue. Until one of the locals suggested we all go back to her place for "evening bread" or something like that. So we all walk over and hang out at her place and eat and laugh and tell stories and have a proper Danish experience. It was awesome. We ate Rugbrød and Krydderfedt which is basically rye bread and spreadable pig fat (think saving the pan full of fat after cooking a pound of bacon and spreading it on toast), sausage, left overs from the dinner at the venue (potatoes, ham, quiche), and a selection of local beers and schnapps. It was a treat. A glimpse into Danish hospitality and culture. We sang a traditional Danish song, talked art, movies, history, music. Got home late. I mean like 4. Still made breakfast at 9 though. And I have to say, it wasn't the sexiest spread I've ever seen. For all their huff and puff, this hotel ain't all that. It's nice and all but still....Headed to Fredericia today. Looking forward to another night.

4/9/14 day 2 London>Flensburg

London Heathrow > Hamburg. Can you imagine the audacity of this trip were it to take place in 1945?

Flight was cool. Was asleep before the end of the movie. Had the chicken curry and then promptly passed out. You know, I'm just gonna say it, I don't mind airplane food. Don't hate. It's like TV dinners...

Quick layover in London. Grabbed a Starbucks and poached some wifi.

Short hop to Hamburg. Hoped in the rental car and headed north. I brought a GPS unit from PHX which took a while to get online and then there is a French GPS in the car... There was about 20 minutes of an English woman telling me to drive north and a French woman demanding I return to Hamburg airport... I was so fried that I just let them duke it out for a while. English woman won.

Had plans to drive straight to Thisted, but I bagged it in Flensburg. Stopped by my favorite brewery for a bite and a beer.

I had to scramble a little to find a room, but snapped up the last room available at this little hotel down the road. Watched the tail end of the Man U v Bayern soccer game, then finished Anchorman 2 in my room. Funny flick. Loved all the cameos.

Hit the hay at 11.

4/8/14 Day 1: PHX>HAM

5am wake up calls are never particularly pretty, but Id like to think this one wasn't all that bad. The city is quiet at this hour.

I get to the airport at 6 and find out the plane needs a part... A part. Like, this part is busted, we need a new one. We are flying it in from ATL. Huh? Not exactly welcome news.

They were able to rebook me on a BA (British Airways NOT Bad Ass) flight to Heathrow and then on to Ham later in the evening. This way, I have one less stop but I get in later to HAM which means an even later arrival in Thisted. Fingers crossed my checked bag even finds it's way, the hotel does late check in, my GPS works in the car....And I thought I had good travel karma...

I did have a nice relaxing morning/afternoon! Had breakfast w my buddy Alex who rescued me from the airport. Napped. Rethought my packing strategies. Continued reading the Keith Richards memoir by the pool. Had one last American chicken schwarma at Pita Jungle, one of my favorite downtown eateries... In a matter of days, I will be stuffing my fat face with scharma and falafel and rot/weiß Fritten other delicious treats in Europe. Alright, I'm ready to get the hell out of here.

I'm gonna miss this view though and this amazing weather. Don't change Phoenix! I'll b back soon.

9:38PM

15 new movies to watch on the plane. And what do I watch?

Lord Of The Rings

4/28/13 day 27: Fribourg>Copenhagen

Up at 7:45 to pack, catch breakfast and get to the Stuttgart airport. No time to even take any pics of the city. It was rainy, foggy and cold as we threw our things in the car. Without Peters stuff, we didn't have to Tetris the thing like we had been doing. With three people, luggage and instruments, there wasn't much more you could have fit in that rental car, or the "five star edition" as it came to be called. It was a trusty stead though and it got Jeff and I to Stuttgart in 4 hours. Peter was probably sleeping soundly as he was taking a train to Geneva to visit friends for a few days. We said our goodbyes the night before but we felt his spirit in the car as he left a mess of cookie crumbs and trash in the front seat... Just kidding, baby! We love u brother!

Once I dropped off Jeff, returned the rental car, and checked in, I had four hours before my flight so I spent some quality time with book three of Game of Thrones. Exciting stuff!! Don't worry, no spoilers.

Flight to COP was easy. Was concerned that Lufthansa was going to charge me an extra seat for my guitar... the woman at the self check-in kiosk intoned as much but the ticket clerk made no mention of it and even put me in an emergency aisle... must be a player himself. Free shuttle to airport hotel for one last night in Copenhagen was super easy.

Made a quick trip to the nearest Döner spot for dinner (thinking this will be the last for at least a year) and brought it back to the hotel to go over all the numbers from the tour and chill. No crazy last night in europe. No train trips into downtown... Quiet. Reflection. Game planning.

It seems as though the tour ends much as it started; flying solo here in Copenhagen. Although, there have been some huge changes in my life since I left. I am a little overwhelmed with how to approach them at the moment and while I would love to be 'present' I catch myself consumed in the "what's to come." And although I am so proud of peter, Jeff and myself for all the hard work (and heaven forbid the fun and camaraderie) melting the minds of numerous european music fans the past two weeks, I return to Phoenix with an extremely heavy heart. Highs and lows like no other...

I am grateful for Peter and Jeff, my brothers in musical arms, without whom this tour would not have happened. I am grateful for all of our amazing hosts and venue workers who welcomed us and treated us with respect. I am grateful to all the music lovers who sat attentively at our shows, applauded and sang passionately, and supported monetarily. I am grateful for a renewed faith in my art and in the power of music to bring people together. I am grateful to my friends and family who continue to lend support and love and check in to see how things are going. I am grateful for so much. But there are always two sides. And I guess for every fulfilling and satisfying experience, there is an opposite experience of equal value. Maybe it's to keep you humble and modest. Maybe it's to remind you life and relationships are fragile...



See you soon Phoenix.

4/27/13 day 26: Freiburg>Fribourg

Peeled out of bed at 9 to catch the tail end of breakfast at the hotel. The weather outside looked gloomy; rain was misting down and light grey clouds covered the top of Schlossberg where just yesterday we sat in T-shirts and looked out over this great and cozy city. The weather is fickle. Not sure if its ready for Spring. Ray told us last night that the rain helped attendance at the show. He feared a beautiful night would force everyone outside. Apparently, the people HAVE decided what they want; spring, sunshine, warm. Good for us though.

We asked for a late check out to take advantage of our last hours in Germany. I broke out towards downtown over slick cobblestone streets and quiet passageways. I was looking for nothing in particular; maybe something to bring home for loved ones. Maybe something for my family. I ended up enjoying a fresh squeezed juice (celery, carrot, apple) which reminded me of mornings in Phoenix with Kim. I turned up my collar and stepped back out onto the street looking for nothing in particular.

We hit the road about 12. It was a pretty painless two hour drive south, except for the 40 Swiss franc toll we had to pay... Ouch. Thanks Switzerland!

Checked into hotel, sound check, all done by 5:30. Had time to go back to hotel and get some rest before the show. Had no energy to explore. Was feeling a bit zapped overall and decided it would be for everyone's benefit to lay low. We had our last supper at an Italian joint next door.

The venue was very cool; comfy couches, nice bar, cool lighting... We played two sets to a rambunctious crowd. It was a fun way to end the tour. I was super excited to see my friend Marla Moffa show up with her roommate. They came all the way from Milano, Italy! We had a mini-1994 south Hadley high school reunion and we all hung out and caught up after the set.

We said goodbye to Peter tonight as he is gonna spend a couple days in Geneva before he goes home. Jeff and I are to be on the road by 8:40 headed to Stuttgart, Germany to catch flights.

Can't wait to spend some time on my post-tour wrap up tomorrow. Nacht, leute.