Le Trianon

There are shows and then there are shows.

There are shows, and then there are shows.

I’ve been lucky to love most all shows I’ve ever played. My band over the years, though often shifting, has always been so talented and the audiences are almost always very wonderful, as well. I’ve also been blessed to play some pretty iconic and beautiful venues, too (and all those dirty clubs that smell like urine I also love of course). Through all these factors, I’ve enjoyed, I’d say, 95 percent of the shows I’ve played.

Recently I was talking with my friend Justin about the lifestyle of touring and being in a band. We were discussing how touring gets harder as you age, but if the shows remain good, then that’s the secret sauce - the flame that keeps the whole engine running. Good shows are essential to want to keep coming back for us artists, and saying it outloud now, I suppose the same is also true for the audience.

My UK / French run I just returned from was a lot of fun. The whole thing was really only booked because I got an offer to open for the National in Londons Crystal Park (thank you, The National!) and we thought, if we’re gonna travel all that way for a support slot, we may as well book a few headlining shows around it. So we did just that - four headlining shows in the UK with the full band, and three “solo” shows in France.

And what conspired is what often conspires abroad; I couldn’t get over my jet lag and was exhausted. We got stopped three times trying to cross the UK border and confined to fluorescent lit room. I got sick and had to pump myself full of meds and do vocal rest during the day. But, as always, the moment we stepped on the stage all of those hurdles seemed but a tiny part of something much bigger and in the hour and a half we played music I felt like I was flying and every night as I went to sleep I felt incredibly satisfied and lucky to be able to do this, lucky to be alive.

For reasons beyond me, my music has always seemed to resonate in France. My solo shows there this time around were a thrill, to say the least. I was accompanied by my longtime friend and collaborator - and Kansas City native - Hermon Mehari on trumpet, and Uwade, who did the whole tour with us (and makes absolutely incredible music), was kind enough to sing some songs with me. In Paris, Liam, who had just done the UK portion of the tour with me as a part of the full band, was kind enough to sit in, as well, during his vacation.

So each night felt something like a variety show. I’d play songs alone, at the guitar and the piano, and then different players would rotate in and out, adding some color to my songs, each beaming in their own way.

Playing solo is essential when you’re first starting out and can’t afford a band all of the time. And so you end up striking out on your own - opening for other bands and trying your best to give a performance that will sell your songs above the chattering of the crowd that’s not paying attention to you. All of this leads to some sort of PTSD when playing solos - but of course, playing solo at this point in my career means something very different than it used to, but it will never not be a thrill to take the stage completely alone.

And though, like I mentioned above, I love most all shows I play, there are of course those special ones that rise just a bit higher than the rest. Those shows where - if, once at the pearly gates, god tells you that you can relive one night of your life, you may choose that one show because everyone was there, and it was perfect and all you ever wanted with your time here on earth.

My show at Le Trianon was one of those nights and I am eternally grateful to my audience in Paris, who keep showing up. It was my third time returning to Paris on This Is A Photograph and each show there since then has been increbly special; Bataclan, La Philharmonie and now Le Trianon. All of this time spent in France over the years has made me adore the country, of course. The food, the culture, the life style. I’d love to do a summer over there, and maybe write or record some music. We’ll see.

Anyways, we hired the wonderful photographer Ines Ziouane to shoot the concert, and she did such a wonderful job at capturing some magic from the evening.

Thank you to everyone who came out in both the UK and France - not only on this trip, but always. I probably won’t see you again until I have a new album,

til then…

XOXO