26 Feb - And so begins the tour

The tour starts with an overnight in Calgary as Sam and I make our way to the coast. It’s comforting to share this adventure with another musician, and I’m excited to perform the shows as a duo with Sam. There’s a bit of business here to take care of here, preparing for the show in Calgary in ten days. So the layover is busy, but without a show to focus all this energy. So at night, I toss and turn, with an alert edginess that hasn’t been worn down yet. Our clothes are still fresh. Our instruments tuned. Get me to a stage before I bust.

It’s like getting my sea legs back again, being on the road. There is turbulence and a beautiful queasiness in my stomach, as we launch ourselves onto the prairie, with a car strategically stuffed full of gear. It’s been awhile since I experienced this aching sadness in my heart. I don’t bother reminding myself that I’ll see you (for a couple days at least) in less than two weeks. I simply indulge the longing, let it wash over me, and feed it equal parts of long prairie vistas, Mavis Staples, and conversation strategically directed at picking apart Sam’s life.