TOUR DIARY: AD in DC

Last night I joined up with Rhett Miller for the first time in a couple years, and it was one of my favorite shows in a while. We played at The Hamilton in Washington, DC, which is an absolutely gorgeous venue with great sound and even better food. It's located about a block away from the White House, so I went for a walk around the neighborhood before the show. I stopped by the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, and The Lincoln Memorial, which proved to be a welcome chance to reflect on what folks who have sacrificed so much for the ideals of this country might have to say if they were around today to see them chipped away at on a daily basis. It was also a reminder how privileged we are to live in this country, warts and all, and the responsibility that comes along with that. Heavy stuff. The show must go on, though, so I opened up with a spacey version of "If You're Gonna Build A Wall" using my new MXR reverb pedal and got a lot of those feelings out right at the beginning. It was a big, quiet, attentive crowd of real music lovers (Rhett fans are the best), the kind you hope for every night. I sold out of all the charity EPs I brought with me, which means there are only 10 more left before the entire project is done forever!

Up next, I headline the 30th Anniversary season kickoff show of New Jersey's legendary Outpost In The Burbs in Montclair on Saturday, Sept 16. Can't wait to come home to the Garden State!