Photo courtesy of WJW Photography
Here it is Wednesday the 13th and we’re leaving a day early to start this May East coast tour. I’ve been looking forward to this tour cuz’ we go almost as far as one could go up the East coast. Maine being the most northern point then we come back down and do another taping for Don O’Dells Legends show. It’s a full complement of playing. So first up is Johnathan’s Landing in Magnolia, DE. A little community located just a tad south of Dover. Craig Coffield, the owner and proprietor, has helped bring in music to this part of Delaware for a while now and the locals are glad for it. It’s actually on a Golf course and it doubles as the Pro shop/club house/event center. It’s in the event center that we play in. There is a large room with an upper section that lines 3 sides of the room’s square configuration. If I’ve written the descriptions of the building in a previous blog then I apologize. The people that frequent the events here at Johnathan’s Landing are enthusiastic and loyal and the Central Delaware Blues Society has a large part in keeping the locals informed and exposed to new artists coming through. We set up and we get ready to do our thing. So, I know I’ve written about before, I’m not the best at first gigs on the tour cuz’ I fall out of ‘playing shape’ when I have time off. While on the road I do toughen up in a lot but when I’m at home not in my ‘road routine’ I become soft so to speak. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to leave a day early so I can get some kind of rest and practice in.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Beene
We start off good and things are feeling OK so far. We’re all listening to each other and I’m feeling it’s going to be alright, plus having the Marshall there to bolster me really rounds out the spectrum of my guitar tone. It just seems like the Chicago Blues Box will be a bit dark and some stuff isn’t cutting enough out there but the Marshall is taking care of all the high end frequencies with a touch of the sublime Marshall bottom end and it wasn’t very hard not to have a good time with that kind of tone. It just seems like everything was jumping out and I could hear great. I know every venue on this run cannot accommodate my two amp set-up but I’ll enjoy the times I can play them. Wow that was fun!
We finish up and take care of the fans at the end. We pack up and head back to the hotel. It’s been a good beginning for us. Let’s try to keep it rolling.
Chris – thanks to you, Dustin and John and of course Karen for all you guys do! On the road, you meet a lot of people, and its a gift that you guys share bringing great music to all of those people. In case no one has said it lately, its as much a gift, how you guys treat the people, when you are out there, in the streets, in the rooms, and giving your time is giving your heart and soul to the very people who feed the energy back! I am pretty confident in saying, We love you guys, and thanks for giving so much to us!
Kenny – @central De Blues