America March '09
My first stop on the American tour started 1pm Friday 13th March at the luxurious “Daystar TV Studios” in Houston, Texas. We happened to meet life coach Anna McCoy in the Green Room, she had just been interviewed. Her assistant Shonna was with her and is a great singer. We busked out one of her songs. It was impromptu and spontaneous but we caught it on film and it was amazing. A small team consisting of six people were there with me. I performed five songs for future shows in a wonderfully large studio with three sets. It felt strange and somewhat funny with no studio audience but hey you do your best! A fantastic start to the tour.
A smallish crowd gathered on day 2 at West Columbia but it still proved to be a magnificent night. The venue was called “The Firehouse.” It had great lighting and PA. We filmed this performance along with most gigs from this tour, highlights to be shown soon. Sunday Morning meant an early start for us. Performed seven songs at “C.O.O.L.” in Houston. This was really special. They reach out to ex prisoners, addicts and homeless people. Somehow the songs seemed to connect and resonate more with the listeners. This touched us all. I played again at this venue the following Saturday and felt very well received there. I played a 16 song set on Sunday evening at “Capone’s,” an Italian restaurant / bar. It was an informal night and all the better for it, folks meeting friends and listening to music, a special night. I was invited back after this to a party in a beautiful house with authentic Russian and Polish music and dancers. I really felt like I was on tour, a late but highly enjoyable end to my first weekend.
Monday evening I sang to my biggest crowd, approximately 400 people at “The Venue” then played at the after party gig. This was in a different part of the huge auditorium. The previous evening I had met a percussionist and he kindly offered to play for me at this gig. It went so well you would have thought we had rehearsed together. Then something very special happened. There was an after, after party. Singers and musicians asked if they could borrow my guitar when I had finished my 50 minute set. One by one they played and wowed the remaining crowd and my guitar became the star as these people took to the stage and sang their songs. It was truly a wow moment and they are now going to start an open mic night from what happened their spontaneously.
Tuesday night I played in “The Magnolia Room” performed seven songs and later played a five song set at “Capone’s” on the St Patrick’s Night Extravaganza. Did a U2 cover which went down very well. It proved to be another late night and we were up early to go to “TBN TV Studios” on Wednesday morning. They recorded eight of my songs for future shows in what turned out to be a wonderful, memorable morning. Wednesday evening I played to a smallish youth group called “Fire”, no PA system, with stunning acoustics in the room, just me and my guitar. Met some terrific people that evening.
Had Thursday off to go to SXSW Festival in Austin. That was truly awesome. On Friday evening I played a five song set at “Springboard” another very good night. As previously stated I played “C.O.O.L.” Saturday evening. Sunday morning I played four songs at “Triumph” to approximately 500 people. It went incredibly well. Completed the tour on Sunday evening at “The Kelvin Arms” a fitting end to this incredible time, a full concert in an informal setting and a chance for me to say thanks and farewell to my friends from Houston who came out and supported me so well over these 12 days. I sold CD’s, made new friends and loved every minute of this trip. Till the next time!!
Scott.
