from:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=83810103&blogID=\
408699505

Tuesday, June 24, 2008


Winter/Spring wrap-up

No blood, no broken bones, a few flat tires, a few microphones in the teeth, a
leaky "box" on the equipment van, dead battery & alternator, no one got pulled
off stage, a couple radiator boil-overs, no one got sick and the mighty, mighty
audience that helped make it all worth it.


Fifteen fabulous February shows w/ Wilco couldn't have been better. The JD band
was, David J. Carpenter, Bryan Head & Cindy Wasserman, and though we missed the
incomparable Nick Luca, it was a nice, tight rock combo for the Wilco folks.
Though not surprising, it's reassuring to know that a band like Wilco can sell
out 2-5 thousand seat theaters in a matter of hours. What a juggernaut of a live
act, lots of interplay, listening to each other, great songs & J. Tweedy & Nels
Cline soaking up the well deserved spotlight. The band's collective focus was
inspiring & it's understandable why people like to watch that guy sing, lots of
emotion plays across his face. Also should mention & give thanks to their crew
who treated us like we were one of them, very organized & pro. The last three
drives, Houston-Tulsa, Tulsa-DesMoines, Des Moines-Austin, are the stuff legends
are made of, whew!


Dave, Bryan & Cindy went off to other gigs & home & yrs truly started the first
leg of the 13X31 anniversary w/ X . We started w/ three shows @ X's very first
SXSW. Direct TV is still airing one that we taped in the Austin Convention
Center. Then twenty shows through the Great Plains & Northwest in 4 wks wasn't
too crazy but burned us up pretty well. Best shows were; Stubbs, Austin @ SXSW,
Minneapolis, Denver, Portland (that spring loaded Crystal Ballroom floor, dang!
. . . could be the best X show in the last 3 yrs) & of course both nights in
Seattle (love to love ya baby). We came home to a surprisingly triumphant pair
of sold out shows @ the Henry Fonda/Music Box Theater. SOOO nice when your "home
town" doesn't forget you & you get to see family, friends, old & new. The
dressing room on Friday night had more empty bottles than I've ever seen on one
counter & I've seen more than my share. Plus I gotta say that both shows were
pretty smokin'.


Home for a few weeks & then X tour Pt. 2 began. Meanwhile, I played solo @ a
"Dylan Show" @ the Skirball Center in LA. All performers sang songs by Uncle Bob
& Zack de la Rocha & Lucinda Williams proved again why they are such incredible
singers & even better communicators. The entire audience hung on every verse and
melodic turn, truly stunning. So X flies to Detroit & begins a 20 show tour w/
The Detroit Cobras. WOW, those women are bad asses. I could probably take 'em in
a fair fight but most likely they would have a razor stashed in their boot or
some scary boyfriend around the corner. Kidding ! ! . . . sort of. they are an
astonishing band that delivered every night and should be much more famous than
they are. We traveled from Detroit through the east coast & south finishing up
in Tucson four weeks later. For me the stand out shows were in DC, NYC (love
Irving Plaza), Carboro,NC, Atlanta, Santa Fe & Tucson. I would guess at least
10,000 miles worth
of United States of America. Now we just have to write & record a new record
then we'll be back out on the road next year. But look for us in San Diego in
Sept or Europe in Oct & possibly LA before Xmas. Again thanks to all the
audience members w/ their enthusiasm & generous weed gifts. And thanks to all
our families for understanding that we have to travel to make a living.
See you out there.


Xo,
JD
Currently listening :
Stars Look Different from Down Here
By Cosmic Rough Riders
Release date: By 2006-05-29

11:07 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment -