Occasionally on driving days, I stare out the window, and think about where we’re going, and where we’ve been. Life on Razzle Dazzle becomes normal, even comfortable to us, by this point in the tour, yet I imagine that to outsiders, it is unimaginable. So, I thought maybe I’d sit down and pass some time giving a peek into life on the road.
Today is the 21st day of tour, and as we drive through rural Georgia, I am seeing fall colors for the first time in a long while. It is always a bit surreal to travel through so many states in so little time. We’ve felt the extremes of very cold nights in Aspen, to sunny days spent swimming in the bath-water ocean in Florida. The climate is not the only widely diverse element. Observing the many different cultures in the US is fascinating, and I must remind myself (and occasionally others) that we are the strangers here. I enjoy the encounters with fascinated truck drivers and store clerks at the various locations we pass through, it seems we are the most bizarre thing to happen to some of these small towns in ages. We are really far from Portland.
Seeking out the local flavor, literally, is a good way to break up the monotony of bus-made sandwiches, grilled sausages, and cold cereal. It seems many people in the band have their favorite food quest in the cities we’ve been to: pizza in Chicago, Po Boys and beignets in New Orleans, Cuban food in Miami, or a box of crisp organic Colorado apples. Eating out gets expensive though, and on a tight schedule, we cook “at home” often. Today Alex made stir fried veggies and rice for twenty people, a time consuming task for sure, but many days, we have a lot of time. I admire the continued innovation of food preparation on the bus. I am researching the rice cooker revolution, which brings the potential for making soups, pudding, cakes and breads- imagine the possibilities! The newest appliance is the “magic bullet”, a single serving blender which enables smoothie making. People have gotten pretty creative with their ingredients, not always with the best results. But I am happy to say the requests for fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nutritious foods has increased, and we are buying less junk food on our shopping trips. This has proven challenging in some places, I am amazed at the limited and often wilted produce selection. I miss Portland grocery stores.
So often, we are asked how we survive life on a 40’ bus with 24 people. That ratio just seems impossible to imagine. Perhaps if we toured third world countries, where many people often live together in small dwellings, it would not seem so strange. One guy asked me if there were a lot of orgies on the bus. I laughed, as that is about the furthest from the truth. I responded that we cultivate a family-type experience here (though not necessarily family-friendly), including all the challenges that come with family relationships. The occasional spats and annoyances have an almost oppressive quality, but fortunately most moods pass. One important thing I have learned, and have actually gotten pretty good at on this tour, is holding my tongue. Very little good comes from complaining, and in such a small space, it can be incredibly invasive. “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” really is helpful. But I am continually impressed by the love and concern people show for each other. Lately I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback, encouragement, and gratitude. Positivity is essential, and has dominated the mood on this tour. For that I am thankful.
We use an online scheduling service called Team Cowboy, designed for sports teams (it’s cute that the gigs appear as M4 vs. Athens, GA, etc.) to juggle the touring roster. The analogy is actually pretty fitting. Much of what we do requires teamwork. On stage, there is no one personality that drives the show, everyone does their part. And behind the scenes, it takes a lot of work to keep the machine running. In the early years of touring, those responsibilities often fell on just a few people, but I’ve noticed tremendous improvement in cooperation and willingness to engage in the tasks at hand. One remarkable day was November 1st. We left New Orleans in the early afternoon, after a late and wild Halloween night. Before the long drive to Florida, we had a lot of chores to do. While half the band shopped for groceries, the rest cleaned the bus in the parking lot. Then we stopped at a rest area to empty the grey water, do the dishes, and take out the trash. Everyone did their part, and despite the low energy post-New Orleans, spirits were high. I think even the former slackers have learned there is something really satisfying about participation.
This is the fourth year of touring, and by now we have cultivated a lot of relationships with host families. It is such a pleasure to visit people we know, in the places we’ve been. I think most of our host families get as much out of our invasions as we do. New friends have put us up too, sometimes on the spot, like the haunted house we stayed at in Rock Island, IL. We met our hostess at the merch table, and she left immediately after the show to go home to clean up, set up the bar, and order pizza. Then she made a mountain of pancakes for us before bus call in the morning. These people make touring possible for us, and allow us to form real connections in the places we go. The road family keeps growing.
One consistent thing I hear, from all kinds of people, is how moved they have been by our show. I love that this band gives their all, whether there are thirty people in the crowd, or thousands. There is enough energy on stage to fill a room, no matter how many people come see us. This tour has included stops in a lot of new towns. I like stepping in to the unknown. Some nights, like Jacksonville Beach, where only two people had paid when the opening act started, and I counted twenty-four by the end, might seem disappointing. But even at the small shows, the people that are there are enthusiastic, and want us to come back soon, promising that next time their town will know about us, they’ll spread the word. In the towns we’re returning to for the second, third or fourth time, have seen growing crowds and growing support. I love looking in the audience and seeing people wearing marching band attire, even when it’s not Halloween. I love hearing people request a favorite song, even if we haven’t played it in two years. This kind of enthusiasm and support keeps us going.
As we pull up to the curb, and prepare to load in to another city we’ve never played, I’m filled with optimism for things to come. We are doing good work out here in this huge land, and I can honestly say it is worth the effort!
