We left our hotel in Clarksville, TN and made the short, 45-minute drive to Nashville for the first of our two gigs today. We pulled into town and stopped at Carter Vintage Guitars. Brett asked the repair guys to smooth out his guitar saddle so he wouldn't break strings so often (although he still broke one later at our first gig). While he were waiting, he tried a few Collings guitars and a Martin, and Mikey played a couple high-end banjos. I borrowed an old Kay bass to provide a little low-end thump to the impromptu jam session.
When we were in Nashville a year ago, I had gotten a cover-up done at Lone Wolf Tattoo. I was hoping to get it touched up, and it was only ten-minute bike ride away, so I headed over on Shadowfax while Brett was waiting on his guitar. I talked to the tattoo artist about the touch-up, but I was unable to get it done without my ID (which, along with my wallet, was sent to my place in Jacksonville since it had been lost and found at FloydFest). Apparently, the tattoo laws are currently being strictly enforced, so perhaps I'll try again when we return to Nashville next month to record. I was glad to get out on Shadowfax, even if it was only a short ride.
Our first gig today was on Broadway, which is the main strip in Nashville lined with various shops and music venues. We arrived at Layla's a couple hours before our gig. The woman sitting outside encouraging folks to come on in also makes and sells her own leather wristbands. Patsy said she'd bring 'em in, and I told her we'd keep 'em there. She took it upon herself to fit me with one of her "tuffcuffs" (tuffcuffsleather.com) that matched my boots and gave it to me as a gift. My experience at Layla's was off to a good start.
I enjoyed our first gig in Nashville. As expected, there were enough tourists coming in off the street to have a decent turnout for an early show (4pm to 6pm). There was an old hillbilly, complete with overalls and a long white beard, clogging along to our music. While his rhythm was a tad distracting, the novelty factor added a fun energy and brought some folks in. I enjoyed being a part of the Nashville tourist entertainment machine for a couple hours. I felt like I was right in the middle of the action on stage with Broadway behind me and the front door to my left. Ironically, we actually made more money last night, but the crowd reaction was much better this afternoon. We didn't have much time to hang around; not wanting to cut it too close, we started the hour-long drive to Christiana, TN and our gig at Hippie Hill.
We arrived at Hippie Hill, and it lived up to its name. Just getting Mini Pearl up the steep, rocky driveway was a challenge. After we rolled backwards on our first attempt, Brett backed the van up and charged forward again with more momentum and a lower gear. Upon conquering the slope, we were transported to another world, a utopian hippie community and campsite existing off the grid, as well as a charity dedicated to helping homeless and hungry kids. We were greeted by our hosts and got the grand tour. Before we had run out of daylight, we set up the tent that would be our room for the night.
It was a pleasant night for an outdoor concert. The stage lights made it difficult to see who was watching us unless they stepped into the spinning, psychedelic lights on the grass. This fact, combined with the thought that we were on top of a remote access mountain, created a feeling of otherworldliness. Though they were hard to see, we could still hear the small crowd, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the music. It was a fun night playing for nice folks.
Today was a day of contrasts. It was quite surreal to go from the touristy busyness of Nashville's Broadway area to the laid back counterculture of Hippie Hill. The uniqueness of the juxtaposition was precious; I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to experience it. There were frustrating moments to be sure, but I tried to remember they are just part of the adventure. Today closes out our Tennessee run, and we're off for the next few days. We've been invited to stay with our friends at Goose Lake near Perry, GA. It's a magical place. We're eager to spend some time working on the tunes for our new album amid the serene surroundings. I'll let you know how it goes!
Peace, friends!
- Jon
Looking forward to the next stretch in your journey!
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