Apologies for the delay since the last update, we have been hard at work with new tunes and preparations for the release of Mirage, due out the 22nd of September! We recently received the first pressing of the album and it looks amazing and sounds even better. Those of you who donated to the Kickstarter fund should be expecting your incentives to arrive immediately following the release of the album. We can't give out enough thanks and appreciation to all of the friends and family who donated money or gave us a house to stay in while on the road or fed us along the way.
Way back on the 13th of August, we made our first trip over Monteagle to beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tuscaloosa, Alabama's CBDB was gracious enough to host us at the legendary Rhythm & Brews after our date at another local venue fell through. The venue, set to close at the end of September, hosted countless great rock-and-roll bands that have come through Chattanooga throughout the years, including Kaitlyn's former venture, Afro. So while it was our first time playing there, the stage felt like a well worn pair of jeans as we started off the set with "Real Man," which also happens to be the first track on Mirage. That night's set can be found here. A huge thanks to Ross from Masseuse for recording and documenting the show for us. The week prior, Chattanooga and the greater world of music lost an amazing, kindhearted soul. Clark Jackson passed away at much too young an age and left a big hole in all of our hearts. No one really knows how to deal with losing someone before their time, but we did the best we could to memorialize him by playing a cut by his favorite band. "Pleas" by Widespread Panic tackles a lot of issues that everyone has to deal with as they move through this thing called life. Sometimes we all have to come to terms with the fact that to appreciate the good things in life, you have to deal with a little bit of bad along the way.
Following our one night stand with our sister city in the southeast, we locked ourselves in the woodshed and worked up some new cover tunes for our upcoming run of fall shows. Be on the lookout as we sign more dotted lines and lock down more and more shows through the rest of the fall and into winter.
This past Thursday, we loaded up our gear into Mayor-Dean and departed at the crack of dawn for the east coast. It was a straight shot, due east from Nashville all the way to Charleston and we were lucky enough to beat traffic through Knoxville, which during previous road trips has been the bane of our drives. We arrived just before sundown and were able to see the beginning of what was to become a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic ocean as we crossed over the many islands that make up greater Charleston. The Charleston Pour House has quickly become one of our favorite venues, and this late August Thursday did not disappoint. After opening for locals at our last two shows there, the venue was gracious enough to give us a shot at headlining and we took that opportunity by the horns. Local act See Water opened the night for us with their wonderful blend of ska and punk rock and jam. Check them out if they're ever in a town near you, they do a nasty cover of the Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey."
Our 8-20-15 set opened with the lead single off Mirage, "Always Want What I Can't Have," and we took it to new heights with a new jam that appeared out of thin air. That night's set also included the debut of some new covers, including Neil Young's "Wonderin'," Rage Against The Machine's "Killing in the Name," and Badfinger's "Baby Blue." A huge thanks to Jeff for the hospitality, beds/couches, and recommendations on that amazing pizza.
Friday morning found us in need of some serious recovery nutrients, and with the blessing of Sterling and Russ, Whit introduced us to the wonder that is Eastbay Deli. A minor misunderstanding about the nature of a salad bar and the merits of the pricing of a side salad couldn't derail us from the amazing sandwiches that would help us continue our journey on to Asheville.
Following the delicious brunch, we left the coast and made our way back into the Appalachians on our way towards Asheville, North Carolina. Our Friday night slot was directly following the Hard Working Americans, a supergroup featuring Todd Snider, Dave Schools (of Widespread Panic), Neal Casal (of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood), Duane Trucks (a graduate of the Col. Bruce Hampton Ret. School of Music), at New Mountain Asheville. Also on the bill for the afterparty was Autumn Attics featuring Adam Perry (Perpetual Groove) and John Neff (formerly of the Drive-by Truckers). All in all, it was quite the all star lineup throughout the bars and theaters that make up New Mountain.
Following a quick soundcheck, we hit up the Grateful Roots food truck in the outdoor amphitheater and waited for the Hard Working Americans to hit the stage. They made some delicious paninis that were washed down well with the many different craft breweries that call Asheville home. Right before the sun went down, Todd Snider took the stage and the band dropped directly into "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance," an old tune from Todd's days as a solo singer songwriter. We all enjoyed the first hour of the set from our respective spots in the crowd, until Kaitlyn realized our artist wristbands provided us with direct access to the side of the stage with an impeccable view.
After the Hard Working Americans' set, we made our way back up to the Sol Bar to catch Autumn Attics. They're gritty blend of Americana and hard driving rock'n'roll provided the perfect transition before our set. A couple moments before we hit the stage, we realized Duane Trucks and Jessie Aycock from the HWA were hanging out at the bar. The two fellows were kind enough to hang out and engage in conversation for quite a while until it was time for us to take the stage, then to our surprise they hung out for the majority of our set. It was all we could do not to freeze up out of being starstruck, but we kept our cool and played a rollicking set. Todd Snider even made his way into the bar for a split second before heading back to the tour bus. Our set from that night can be found right here. Highlights include and otherworldly "Outside World" and the newer tune "Just Be Yourself" that is finally coming into its own, like a millennial realizing their place in this fast paced world.
Another large dose of gratitude is in order for John, who so kindly lent us his guest house and homemade cider up in the mountains after the show. Also for his recommendation for the delicious Italian restaurant that helped us refuel for the drive back down the mountain into Georgia.
The end of our weekend run found us back near the Atlantic Ocean in Savannah, Georgia at the Congress Street Social Club. Unbeknownst to us at the time, CMT's hit reality show Party Down South would be filming their raucous bar crawling adventures during the entirety of our set. From what we could see from our vantage point on stage, the show seemed to be a Southern take on the Real World of MTV fame. We had quite the time watching the cast imbibe in more than their fair share of beverages and antics. That night's set can be found here.
As I said earlier, be on the lookout for more shows to be announced for fall and early winter 2015. We'll be hitting the road for North Carolina and Georgia tomorrow, so check back next week for a recap of that run
Way back on the 13th of August, we made our first trip over Monteagle to beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tuscaloosa, Alabama's CBDB was gracious enough to host us at the legendary Rhythm & Brews after our date at another local venue fell through. The venue, set to close at the end of September, hosted countless great rock-and-roll bands that have come through Chattanooga throughout the years, including Kaitlyn's former venture, Afro. So while it was our first time playing there, the stage felt like a well worn pair of jeans as we started off the set with "Real Man," which also happens to be the first track on Mirage. That night's set can be found here. A huge thanks to Ross from Masseuse for recording and documenting the show for us. The week prior, Chattanooga and the greater world of music lost an amazing, kindhearted soul. Clark Jackson passed away at much too young an age and left a big hole in all of our hearts. No one really knows how to deal with losing someone before their time, but we did the best we could to memorialize him by playing a cut by his favorite band. "Pleas" by Widespread Panic tackles a lot of issues that everyone has to deal with as they move through this thing called life. Sometimes we all have to come to terms with the fact that to appreciate the good things in life, you have to deal with a little bit of bad along the way.
Following our one night stand with our sister city in the southeast, we locked ourselves in the woodshed and worked up some new cover tunes for our upcoming run of fall shows. Be on the lookout as we sign more dotted lines and lock down more and more shows through the rest of the fall and into winter.
This past Thursday, we loaded up our gear into Mayor-Dean and departed at the crack of dawn for the east coast. It was a straight shot, due east from Nashville all the way to Charleston and we were lucky enough to beat traffic through Knoxville, which during previous road trips has been the bane of our drives. We arrived just before sundown and were able to see the beginning of what was to become a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic ocean as we crossed over the many islands that make up greater Charleston. The Charleston Pour House has quickly become one of our favorite venues, and this late August Thursday did not disappoint. After opening for locals at our last two shows there, the venue was gracious enough to give us a shot at headlining and we took that opportunity by the horns. Local act See Water opened the night for us with their wonderful blend of ska and punk rock and jam. Check them out if they're ever in a town near you, they do a nasty cover of the Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey."
Our 8-20-15 set opened with the lead single off Mirage, "Always Want What I Can't Have," and we took it to new heights with a new jam that appeared out of thin air. That night's set also included the debut of some new covers, including Neil Young's "Wonderin'," Rage Against The Machine's "Killing in the Name," and Badfinger's "Baby Blue." A huge thanks to Jeff for the hospitality, beds/couches, and recommendations on that amazing pizza.

Following the delicious brunch, we left the coast and made our way back into the Appalachians on our way towards Asheville, North Carolina. Our Friday night slot was directly following the Hard Working Americans, a supergroup featuring Todd Snider, Dave Schools (of Widespread Panic), Neal Casal (of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood), Duane Trucks (a graduate of the Col. Bruce Hampton Ret. School of Music), at New Mountain Asheville. Also on the bill for the afterparty was Autumn Attics featuring Adam Perry (Perpetual Groove) and John Neff (formerly of the Drive-by Truckers). All in all, it was quite the all star lineup throughout the bars and theaters that make up New Mountain.
Following a quick soundcheck, we hit up the Grateful Roots food truck in the outdoor amphitheater and waited for the Hard Working Americans to hit the stage. They made some delicious paninis that were washed down well with the many different craft breweries that call Asheville home. Right before the sun went down, Todd Snider took the stage and the band dropped directly into "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance," an old tune from Todd's days as a solo singer songwriter. We all enjoyed the first hour of the set from our respective spots in the crowd, until Kaitlyn realized our artist wristbands provided us with direct access to the side of the stage with an impeccable view.



As I said earlier, be on the lookout for more shows to be announced for fall and early winter 2015. We'll be hitting the road for North Carolina and Georgia tomorrow, so check back next week for a recap of that run