Stormcellar Band Home Page

Well I can always hit Unpublish I guess.

Howdy Folks. We're back. 

US tour #3 was almost as challenging as US tour #1 and as I sit here managing my jetlag, I wanted to make some notes. Some of which I may delete as I write. How exciting!

Everywhere Feesl Like Home

After 3 trips to the US, it's amazing how quickly we acclimatised to 

- ordering food (know what you want, otherwise there well be 800 options per meal and the waiter or 'server' will get the poops with you)

- Driving on the RightHand Side of the road. Weird but ok

- Speeding. In Illinois, 'speed limits' are more of a guideline. I'm not game to speed too much but by the time you keep up with local traffic, you find you're going faster than you intend.

- How nice Americans are about letting you merge/change lanes/ turn at an inconvenient corner. In OZ we'd have much fist waving and 'get stuffed mate' happening. American car behaviour verges on the genteel.

- the space. OZ is roughly as big as the US but we squish together here A la English Fashion.

Other Stuff

QANTAS Screwed us and left us stranded and the ANZ bank weren't as much to blame as I assumed but not innocent either.

I dish it out so I better take it. I have lodged a formal complaint with the ANZ for what I consider a failure of their duty of care and a bloody ridiculous process, that even though they knew we were being screwed, pretty much meant 'oh well, not our problem' - if I had cried FRAUD!! they would have fixed it instantly.  

QANTAS have put their hand up and admitted that it was their end that kept billing us. I've also lodged a formal complaint - we got through ok, but this nearly destroyed the tour and raised my stress levels to critical danger zone.

Without jumping up and down about it, I am going to complain as long and as loudly as I can and escalate the crap out of this.

We survived due to the generosity of Friends of the band. Imagine 6 normal travelers on holiday in the US with no funds, no petrol, no accommodation, etc and it taking a week to resolve followed by a repeat of the situation a week later.

Not to mention the actual damage it did to our string of shows.

I might be calm, but I am going to stick with this until the folks involved think 'oh crap it's that one guy again, I kinda wish we'd paid more attention'

Americans don't say no, they just don't say yes

Here's a cultural tip for all you band bookers on tour in the US. When they want you, they say yes immediately. When they don't, they don't say no, they just delay. It's classic 'keep your options open' negotiating.

I had a case where we had 3 offers for the same night where we already had a booking. When I called to confirm the original, booked-in-Australia-before-we-got-there booking, and got a 'call me tomorrow' 3 times I gently explained that we honour our commitments but if he didn't confirm within a reasonable period, I'd take the other offers. This produced a response I can only describe as 'huh?'

For the record, I'm not into bluffing, nor do I muck about. we are 6000 miles from home. Of course, then the bank and Qantas froze our assets and it was a moot point.

There are some truly great acts out there

We played with and watched some people who were Next Level performers. Something to aspire to. Wow.

SUV's Are Awesome and we love Tech

We barely (i mean, with millimeters to spare) fit the band + stage gear into 2 SUv's

Fanging it down the road with your V8 howling and 'Panama' by Van Halen pumping out on your bluetooth enabled soundsystem whilst guided by your GPS and having your ass vibrate everytime you go too near a road marking or when a car's in your blind-spot is awesome. Sorry ecosystem. Did I mention I actually listened to Dennis Leary's 'Asshole' whilst doing it. SO guilty. So fun.

I took a phone, not a laptop

One of our commercial advantages as an act is our nerdcore techness. From Google Maps to Google Calendar, GPS to Facebook, Last Minute discount sites to  Tripadvisor, there has never been a time where more data and more help was available if you just use it.

It's tremendously powerful.

I didn't need a laptop this trip, from banking to email, music to guidance, the Phone did it all. Wow.

The Map is not the territory

A three part observation

1 All those 'get a gig ' through this website sites ignore a fundamental. People give you gigs, not wesbites. People make the call. Consider that before shelling out $30 a month to 18 different 'musicians helper' sites

2 If you're an Aussie, esp a Sydneysider, you might get phone calls from o/s mates saying 'OMG you're on fire' when the bushfire/hurricane/floood/shark attack is hundreds of kilometres away. Ditto with 'omg gunz! in the US. Yeah it's an issue to consider and not to be diminished but sometimes it seems like the media wants us to be more afraid than we should be. I'm for 'not shooting each other' and as a result probaly gun control (sorry Roscoe) but it's not the wild west over there.

3. Even though we speak the same language, there are informational protocol differences, politeness differences. Rosie tells me I am more direct with an American than I would be with an Australian, meaning that I have to modify our politeness systems to engage with theirs in the right manner. It's subtle but it's important. They come to the point much faster than we do sometimes and when all else fails, especially when trying to be kind, bluntness is effective. they may simply not understand the sentence construction we use here. All you Queenslanders with a rising tone at the end of your sentences signifying that this statement is now a question know what i mean, dont youooo*

(* upward inflection, it's now a question)

We are lifted up

We're only able to do what we do because we exist in a state of love. Yeah soppy, yeah sentimental but you try not to break down and cry when someone tells you that they'd drop everything and drive to rescue you when you're 6000 miles from home. Its amazing. Its powerful. Ya gotta give it in return. 

Thinking so dont make it bad

I love being lyricallty self referential. What fun.But at least I mean what I say.

Our 'disaster' turned into an album. For almost 10 days we were Fixed in Kansas City. not stuck, trapped, just kind of...fixed in place. As if the universe had determined we would go this far and no further.

Holmesy's kindness in allowing us access to his Experimental Acoustic Lab for a week allowed us to knock out 10 songs, including getting two artists who are woefully under-recorded into the studio to do some of their own tracks. 

 We got a lot done in a short space and some of it's strong.

Dawns upon me now. Sort of. It's a cold, unusual end of winter/spring coldness and dark rainy skies. I can hear aeroplanes landing after noise curfew ceases at 6am. I think kindly of each and every traveler and for today only, forgive their noise. that was me 18 hours ago.

To paraphrase Thich Nhat Hanh, each homecoming gifts us new eyes and everything once is again is fresh and new. We do well the longer we may maintain such vision.

I am profoundly grateful to each and every one of the friends and family of the band and to Michael, Theo, Bill, Jo and Paul.

3 tours in 3 years guys, it's an achievement in itself.

Thank you

MJEB

Howdy folks.

When all else fails, make an album. We've used our Stranded In Kansas time to record 11 tracks, including 1 Ron Teamer original and three Millage Glbert tunes. Millage has just had a feature article appear in Living Blues btw.

Anyway, we're on a 'country' line up on friday so expect some mandolin action. At the All Star Bar, this friday night, Kansas City Missouri.

7210 NE 43rd St, Kansas City, MO 64117

We're back to normal after the bank/qantas sorted out their screw ups but we've been so well looked after in KC and so productive we're just staying put. WE may have another gig or two on the way through, stay tuned.

Into each tour a little rain must fall but

OMFG.

3 times ANZ/QANTAS have billed us for our airfare. Whoops, there goes our hotel room/rental car/internal flights. Our credit card where we pooled almost all our cash has been frozen Again despite having fixed this up just last weekend when they did this same thing to us on arrival, coming within a hairs breadth of costing us our first two festivals.

Up goes my stress level, yep, hello panic attack.

Ok firstly, we’re fine. So many folks have reached out to help. We’re staying with our brother from another mother, the mighty X and we’re using our time well, recording what appears to be an entire album thanks to Holmesy’s generous donation of his experimental musical lab.

That’s pretty good right?

On the downside, we wont make the last few Chicago gigs and we’re far less self reliant than we would like to be.

Also, no fooling if this happened to someone else, someone without as much support as we have had, it would be Seriously Bad.

As it is it has cost us $$, stress and opportunities. Enough for me to seriously consider whether we have legal recourse, and I gotta say, I do not take that concept lightly, but no matter who is finally found to be at fault, this screw up had the potential to be quite literally life threatening.

Far out.

BTW if you noticed our site was down? Yeah it was billing time and yep you guessed it, no funds available. I sorted that too.

I have had ot spend hours on the phone to OZ getting this sorted and although it’s a First World Problem, and yes we’re still lucky to even be able to do this, it’s bloody horrible and has caused us quite some harm. Trying to make your bones whilst not quite being able to afford petrol to get there, for example, is rather embarrassing, and not great for your career.

I have no idea whats gonna happen tomorrow but I am in the best company I could be. I fricking love these guys (and gal) and we’re together, safe, and we spent the night recording a song with Ron teamer that made Jo cry due to its heartfelt nature. Money cant buy this sort of stuff.

But it can put PETORL IN THE DANG CAR!!

Dear ANZ and QANTAS get your freakin act together.

We’re postingto Facebook.com/Stormcellar with additional pcis and rants for the time being so you can see where we’re at and thanks so much for all your emails and phone calls and offers for help.

Howdy folks. I somehow failed to get my password right since we got here so I haven't been able to blog.

So, importantly, if you want see the random stream-of-tour-consciousness we're mobile posting to www.facebook.com/stormcellarband so you can see:

-foods we eat

-places we go

- things we're not afraid to share with the NSA via Facebook (hi guys! We're still slightly suspect but mostly harmless!)

However, as usual until I get time to blog with pics and vids, I should list some highlights and lowlights.

- we couldn't do it without you

As an independent outfit, no one's picking up the tab. We're only able to do this stuff because of the sheer love and support we get from so many people, both back home and over here, at our...er...other home.

People lend us houses, cook us meals, make sure we're all-right, help us find things, keep us out of trouble.

Jeff M, Jill E, Margaret F, Jimmy C, Mark N and Susie N, Mo G, Steve and Annette, Dee and Becky among others have made our trip possible. 

Thank you.

- Discount Hotel Booking websites are dangerous

For some reason, America likes to have Multiple Towns of the Same Name..in different states. Watch out, many of these 'deals' are non-refundable.

Also, Priceline I am calling you out. Your deals were way better last year and I've been able to get the same or better rate direct form the hotels. Shatner, I am calling you out buddy. Get it together man.

- Midwestern Hospitality remains as consistent as rising of the sun.

Here's an example. 'Someone' organised a place for us to stay that was 2 beds too small. Someone had to take a hit for the team. Sadly the only place I could find to stay that night was 4 star. I don't need your pity, sniff.

Anyway, the next day Nana M sorted us for a place and we moved on. Would you believe I got a call from the original houseowner apologising because their house wasn't big enough?

I tried pointing out its not their fault if there's more of us than they knew about, that's down to improving our communication.

So, to show my (genuine) appreciation for their willingness to have a bunch of strangers stay I went and got some flowers. when I delivered them I got another apology. I pointed out that if they apologised again I was going to have to go back to the store and get a bigger bunch of flowers and maybe some balloons.

Jimmy C offered us his place immediately. We had three more offers the minute people knew we needed help.

There's an open-ness and genuine-ness that I have only otherwise encountered in Country Australia. Its bloody wonderful.

Crashing on the floor of Mark's place. Mo driving 2 hours to bring us Cd's.

The list goes on.

We love you all.

- I found a new Harp Master

Westside Andy has given me a new level to aspire to. He's the best I've seen live. They say there's better still, if so, yikes, cos Andy's the strongest I've seen in person.

- Recording in the US is AWESOME

We recorded at The Static Shack the other day under the engineering fingers of Alan Johnson and it was awesome. Mark Novak gets Executive Producer credit. The song amuses me greatly, although I promise you the lyric is 'maybe I'll simonise my van' NOT 'maybe I'll sodomise the band'. Seriously Alan. Dude. I know we're from Sydney, but...oh no...I said But..Nooo!!!

Its funnier but it wont play on radio and we're a family show here folks.

- Touring makes us write songs

Easily 6 more contenders are vying for attention. We're writing songs to record with the KC locals when we get there tomorrow. We've written 2 songs for Danny, 1 for millage, 1 for ron, 1 for KC Kelsey. We'll pitch them and see if they fly or write more on the spot.

Big ups to Brian for volunteering his studio time!

- SUV's might be the destruction of the ecosystem but they sure are fun to drive

Oh the guilt/pleasure of an SUV. Its MASSIVE. It fits all our stuff. It's got a hugely powerful Donk (lol, thats engine for our US cousins, keep it clean). It's got 55 million electronic gadgets. Adjustable seats mirrors dash pedals lane warnings bluetooth music aircon JOY.

I feel somehow as if this makes me part of a Eco Problem. 

- No sidewalks

Why walk when you have your ENORMOUS SUV!!! I dont care if its only 400 metres away dammit!  

- Jo is singing like an angel

Jo's really started to sing out this tour. Its something to behold. Getting to sing that CSNY song with her (helplessly hoping) is one of the greatest singing joys I've ever had, and she's also stepping out more and more as her confidence grows. The audiences love her, which is good, because we're in complete agreement and love her too. Thanks to Stuart, Josh, Jordan, and L, J and N for lending her to us. We know how much you miss her and we're so grateful to have her with us.

Ah there's so much happening, but right now we've got to go rehearse some of these new songs for tomorrow, and also get our game face on for our first St Louis show tonight at BB's Blues Jazz and Soup.

A reminder, check www.facebook.com/stormcellarband for blogging-on-the-fly or standby and I'll post more now that I have remembered my dang password.

BTW if you're over here and we're near and you read this, come say Hi!

Howdy!

UPDATE - we've added a show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, St Louis, MO
 

When: Wednesday 9th September

Where: BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups

700 S Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102

What time: TBA

When: Saturday 5th September

Where: Nickelplate Festival

6 Municipal Dr, Fishers, Indiana

What time: 19:05

When: Sunday 6th September

Where: Garlic Festival

331 S Washington St, Bloomington, Indiana

What time: 16:00

Head on down for a taste of the modern face of Australian blues roots n countri-fied boogie!

Cheers,

Rosie