we've been in the studio for the past 3 weeks ever since we got back from nashville... we're working on the new ep.. release date is set for sept. 22nd... that's actually the day we open for starfield in seattle! so we're planning to release our cd that night. this cd is a lot different.. hope people like it.. i like the songs though.. each one has its own little story of how it came to be on the cd... heh..

took a break from the studio to come down here to oregon for a few days for a couple shows from now till saturday... had a show earlier tonight.. a full day off tomorrow.. to sleep in... play golf.. hang out and just rest.. finally... =)

arrival

took a red-eye flight from seattle last night. made it to nashville 745am local time here. got our car rental.. drove to a starbucks... then got lost trying to find a chik-fil-a.. then went to visit a friend who works at a different record label in franklin, tn..they've some good artists coming out in the fall..then.. found a different chik-fil-a... then came to our friends house and relaxed.

we are resting today. day one of writing starts tomorrow with Allen Salmon (starfield, this beautiful republic, seabird, etc).. should be funn... will take lots of video footage and make some video blogs in the next couple days

writing

got back home to seattle today. long flight from boston with like 2 delays. what a drain.

but andy, our producer, picked me up and we wasted no time. got some chipotle and went to the studio to work on some of the songs for the new cd. i think the songs are turning out really good. we actually finished one in terms of structure and melody today. i think it's called "over my head"... but seeing as how the fray already has a song called "over my head".. we might have to change the title.. haha.. we'll see. actually.. i think starfield has a song with the same title as well.

we leave for nashville monday night. im excited.

NashVegas

got my flight. we leave the night of June 1st. so excited. so lucky to be set up with some amazing writers and producers. allen salmon (produced Starfields cd), steve wilson (jonezetta, above the golden state), jonathan howard (played in the band dizmas), nick departee (plays in Kutless), mark hammond (producer for Disney), chad chates (writer... has written 5 #1 hits)..

oh Lord... pour some creativity onto me... soon... please. haha

big things happening

im so sorry i havent been updating.. i guess i just feel like no one read this.. ahaha.

but i guess that shouldn't matter right? haha.

well.. got some good stuff coming up for us. we're going back into the studio to record another cd. should be out by August when we go back out on another US tour.

also.. we'll be going to Nashville in the early part of June to do some writing some amazing producers and writers. it's an amazing opportunity brought to us by sparrow records and we're excited to see what we can cook up with these guys.

will update soon!

apologies

well, it's safe to say that i definitely did not keep my promise in updating a lot on tour. so sorry.

but the tour is coming to an end. i should be home by saturday night. can't wait to go back to my home church.

tour was incredible. we met so many great people and saw God work in our lives and bless us more than we could have ever asked for.

there's a very good chance that we'll be opening for Starfield in concert in Seattle in late september. will keep you guys posted as things get confirmed soon, hopefully.

go to my facebook to see the most recent video blog i did for the band. "midwest" episode.

i started making video blogs on this tour and it was my first time ever doing it... and i've definitely been putting my macbook and iMovie to good use. it's become a really fun hobby for me. other than songwriting, this seems to be another good creative outlet.

until next time.

Texas BBQ

Before the tour started, once we confirmed we would be playing in Texas during the tour I got really excited.

Was it because we would be playing an important showcase? No.

Was it because I've never been to Texas and was looking forward to seeing it? No.

Was it the fact that we would be in the sun rather than the rain? No.

Was it because I would be on a hunt to find the best BBQ ever? Yes!

We've been in Texas since Tuesday night now. Lucky enough to have been put up in nice hotels since; which means clean showers and comfortable beds to sleep on (for the most part). So much for "roughin it." But coming to Texas I knew I would be on a adventure to eat as much BBQ as I could and determine where the best BBQ place was.

First stop: Rudy's (picture below) was a place I had heard about from a friend months before the tour even started, so I was definitely excited. The hype was met with a lot of smiles. The place definitely had me doubting as when our GPS finally got us there we saw that the restaurant was connected to a gas station. But once we saw the sign that said "The Worst Bar-B-Que In Texas" we knew it was going to be amazing. I had the extra moist brisket and it was probably the best brisket I've ever tasted.

Second Stop: Salt-Lick. This place had the best baby back ribs. Nothing compares. And they had good bread that was really soft as well (was good for making sandwiches with the brisket). The brisket was pretty awesome as well.

Third Stop: Vans BBQ. My last stop for BBQ was on our way down south near the border of Mexico today and was near a rest area. It was a hole in the wall but the brisket sandwich was pretty great as it comes in a close 3rd. A VERY close 3rd, I might add.

The Winner: Salt-Lick. Overall, the best BBQ this mouth has ever tasted. I'm satisfied. But I've had enough of Texas. I can't wait to move on to another state tomorrow night. All night drive to Arkansas for a show Monday night.

The Journey Begins

Our treck around the country began today. Started off getting picked up at 9am (not to mention I slept that 4am cause I started packing at 1am...had to go on a wal-mart run for tour things at 2am...). Then we drove down to Olympia and stopped at my parents restaurant for free food before we went down for a 6 hour drive to Bend, Oregon. Our set just ended...the amazing band, Elliot is performing now. Please, take like 5 minutes of your day and check them out, you won't regret it. www.myspace.com/weareelliot.

It's our first show of the tour tonight (excluding our tour kick off in Seattle) and we couldn't have asked for a better way to start it. Picture time!

Here's our ride

Soundcheck/setup at "Oneighty"

Crazy kids.

Tour Starts Tomorrow

After 6-7 months of planning, our first ever nationwide U.S. tour starts tomorrow. That has a nice ring to it. It's a bit surreal because it crept up so fast. I'm anxious and excited.

I'm determined to update this as much as I can while on tour so that friends back home...if they wish..can see what I'm up too. And I'll try to include a picture taken from my phone every post.

Watch

HAHAA...

remember my previous post about going to the Tim Hughes live cd/dvd concert recording?

this is the trailer for it...and you can see my face..hahaha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWBV9CNaEKQ

press pause at 31 seconds and my face is the one on the lower right corner of the screen. can't miss it. hahahaa. 

Oh Happy Day!

I'm pretty excited for the new Tim Hughes Live CD/DVD (recorded live in London) to come out. Actually, I'm really excited for it. Mostly because I'm in it. Haha. Well, parts of my face and maybe a hand or two lifted in the air in the front row. I was ecstatic to find out 2 days before I left for London that Tim Hughes would be recording a live CD and DVD during my trip there. Not to mention only about 15 minutes from where I would be staying. So I bought my ticket. Only 5 pounds. About 10 US dollars. That is ridiculously cheap. I think just the experience of a live CD/DVD concert recording was something that I thought was awesome. I never knew they re-did songs at the very end of the concert. The concert was about 10-12 songs, then they said "good night!" as if the concert was over for DVD purposes. Then about 5 minutes later the producer came out into the microphone and goes "okay folks, we'll have to re-do about 5-6 songs because the band messed up on certain parts" haha. So blunt. Tim was a bit embarassed and said sorry as he laughed it off. I remember when they were doing the re-do's, Tim was like "okay, let's just worship more and get into it..." then they started the song, about 1 minute into the song the producer ran out onto the stage with his hands in the air and yells "STOP! STOP! Do it again" haha. Priceless.

Seattle life

Yesterday we went to this rad viewpoint at a place called Kerry Park in Seattle. Whenever I show people around Seattle who have never been here, it allows me to fall back in love with Seattle.

Today I gave up and had soda. Two times, actually. Yes, pathetic that I only lasted one month. But, I will still vow to not drink nearly as much soda as I used too. Maybe like once a week? If that. I like water now.

Things I did this weekend:
-ate the best fried chicken of my life
-ate pho
-played music
-updated my blog (well, I'm currently doing it)
-went to the first Starbucks ever established in Seattle...for the first time...

What I will do tomorrow:
-make credit card payments
-go to work
-buy a triangle scarf (I will look at urban outfitters for a good one)

Here's my thing with wearing a trinangle scarf. I really want too, but because I never have, I feel like if one day I just start trying to pull it off people are going to be like "...why are you wearing that?" haha. But the way I see it is...we'll be going on tour in about a month...and since no one on tour knows me, I can wear it everyday and since people don't know me they won't know that I never used to wear it in Seattle. So I'm not really a poser.

Or...I can just wear it around Seattle too. Maybe I'm overthinking. I mean, it's just a scarf, right?
Plus, the way I see it is...if you're wearing it...then you're pulling it off.

Jon Foreman is playing his solo stuff in Seattle tomorrow (Feb.3rd). I'd like to go but I have work at night.

...Okay I just checked it out and looks like the show starts at 9pm. I get off work at like 9. It could work. But it's 17 dollars.

My wisdom teeth on the top (I already took out the bottom ones) are starting to really kick in. One side on the top is pretty much growing at a furiously, fast rate. I must get it out before tour. I MUST GET IT OUT BEFORE TOUR.

Okay one last thing before I end this painfully long blog post.

What I am looking forward too on this upcoming US tour.
-seeing our friends pushpushpull (a band) in norcal
-hanging with ken and ed from the ken oak band in LA
-eating authentic texas bbq
-visiting and hanging out at EMI-CMG
-getting to see some great friends on the east coast
-getting to see the US (a lot of it, at least)
-new york...if we get to make it up there
-boston...if we get to go there (as of now the only show we have in massachusetts is in Amherst...about an hour or two from boston)

March 9th is the official kick off for the tour. Little over a month left. Crunch time.

Portland

We're here in Portland, Oregon at the band, Brightwood's house. Been here all day and will be here till tomorrow night. We're just tracking two new songs for demos. It's reminding of me of this past spring when we recorded for a few months straight. There is something so tiring about the process, but so satisfying at the same time. 

I was trying to install windows vista today on boot camp on my macbook..but once again, my bad luck..and just pure stupidity on my part...I accidently deleted the harddrive where was I was supposed to install vista on..and installed it somewhere where I wasn't supposed too..and then it completely took over my computer and only ran windows whenever I started my mac. So bad...so I was on the phone with mac phone support for two hours and finally got things figured out...agh...haha. You can only just laugh it off. That's what I did. 

Hopefully the songs turn out good. 

This is one of my favorite pictures. Once again, our drummers kids. Joshua, on the right, looks like the Michellin Tires baby. =)

bittersweet

a picture of my new macbook. i really am too poor so i am financing it and will be making payments all year. this is actually my second macbook. my black macbook got stolen from my apartment last month. it really is bittersweet for me right now. i feel so... i can't really put a word to it. but so unfair. i feel like i am having to work extra hard right now in order to pay off something i just had one month ago. i swear, i had the worst luck in 08. my car gets stolen, my guitar gear gets stolen, my car broke down probably 3 times, i hit my friends car so i had to pay for that, and then lastly to top off the year in december, my black macbook. bad luck, i'm telling you.

i got a free printer though today. maybe my luck is changing.

plus, i went to costco and had a hot dog for $1.50 (thanks, anita!)

Showtime!

Two of my favorite things about playing the Showbox in Seattle.

1. The venue is legendary.

2. The cream cheese hot dog stand right outside when you walk out of the front entrance. Its immediately to your left. I walked outside while the show was still going on and stood there by myself about 10min ago in the freezing weather and just ate one alone. It was amazing.

Anyways, I took this picture during soundcheck today. I love blue lights. My favorite.

The Shack!

So I have always had a problem with the desire to buy a lot of books..but never finding the time to read them. I love the idea of going to a bookstore and finding a good book and buying it..but I can never seem to actually read it. Its ridiculous and a bad habbit. I heard about this book from a lot of people so what did I do? Yup. Bought it. I've had it a few weeks. I'm on page 25. Its a start..I suppose.

I'm thinking you..whoever is reading my blog..should buy this book and we can read it at the same time. Yesh. Very good idea.

What's it about?
Buy it!

Work!

Me at work. Right now. 6:34pm. That's one of my co-workers, Sarah.

I usually work at the theatre across the street, but for the rest of the year I think I'll mostly be working the student center instead. Steady hours = Steady money.

This concept of taking a picture with my phone, texting it to an address, and BAM! it's on the net on my blog. It's genius! I love it. I want to do it everyday. Hopefully people will actually uhh...read my blog. Haha.

a new year

Here's my attempt at blogging for 09'.

I've been thinking a lot about my resolutions this year. Here's what I have so far.

-Read 12 books (that's a piece of cake for most I'm sure...but very challenging for me...)
-Be debt free by the end of the year.
-No soda for the whole year.