What a week!!

WOW! I can't believe everything that has happened this week. First of all thanks to everyone that has come out to the TOUR so far - you definitely helped kick start it into action. Perrysburg on Thursday was a huge success thanks to everyone who signed up for mocha club. You helped raise over $30,000 in one night! Enough money to build 2 wells in Africa this year. That is truly amazing! Not to mention the way the other two shows in Cinci and Spring Arbor went. After this weekend I believe people have joined together to raise over $60,000 already!!! I'm too excited to sleep because of it! AS if those 3 shows weren't enough, we were able to play a sold out benefit show for a local family in Toledo being featured on Extreme Makeover - Home Edition! Check out the Toledo Blade, and our local ABC station for details. Last night over FIVE THOUSAND people showed up for the rally. They were forced to turn people away - I don't think anyone was planning on it being so big! We even got to play a quick song with designer Paul DiMeo. HUGE! What a night. We're going to head to the demolition tomorrow and I'll try to get some pics. Thanks to my dad for these photos already ;)

Also must quickly mention - Check out TOMS shoes NOW! And check these pics too...

today we start this thing

well actually a few days ago the chaos started, but we're embarking on the big tour today. kicking the whole thing off right here in our hometown. we're pretty anxious to hit the road and see how things play out.  i'm trying not to get too nervous, but there's a lot of work to be done and a lot of diesel to be burned.  i don't think i could feel any better about the guys we'll be out with and the music we're all bringing to the table though - it should be an incredible time ;)

i'll do my best to get back into blog mode, been taking some time away from the ol laptop lately when i've been home. 

oh, i thought i would mention too you should go out and buy the new record from 'above the golden state.' you will not be dissapointed ;)

'til next time...

What?

I just saw that the new kids on the block have a new record coming out. OK.... really?

what's new?

Hey there. It's been a busy couple of weeks over here. Since the last time I wrote I think we've been in Seattle, Nashville, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, and Oregon. There were a few places there between - 4 hour layover in Phoenix (allowed for a cab ride to In N Out) and late night driving through the great state of Pennsylvania. I've definitely seen more of PA under the moonlight than during the daytime. Dominique and I decided to head north for the weekend and made it up to Frankfort Michigan last week. Her parents have a great place up there so we try to hit it up when gas dips below 4 bucks. We love to look at furniture - neat huh? There's a cool place up there we always go to called Betsie Bay Furniture. Yeah, nothing in there is too affordable so we just look. Everything in this town is on the main strip really, including an old movie theater - with one showing during the weekends. We decided to walk down and see hancock one night and it was a good little movie. Hit up the beach in Empire and talked about baby names. WHICH by the way is the hardest thing to figure out. The biggest news right now is that we found out we're having a BOY! Yeah - check him out...

How crazy is that!! We can't wait. Between shows and traveling we've been getting some things ready for the little guy around here. Took a trip to the outlet mall and got him this guy at pottery barn... I think he'll dig it. We have some awesome baby furniture coming next week too. Can't wait to put that all together ;) I might have to get Dan Gartley to help since way back when Dominique and I got our first place he helped me move all the furniture. I think it was like his first trip to Toledo - we had just met and I had him help move heavy things in the rain. Really, I was just preparing him for life on the road. So far so good. Now I just need to sell him one of my cars ;)

yeah I got an agent, and a roadie named bart...

It took me a few days to get around to writing about one of the most memorable nights of my life. For that I apologize - it just took me that long to recover! WOW. Tom Petty, 4th row on the river in Cincinnati. I mean this guy alone is just about the biggest reason I wanted to play music when I was young. And it only took me this long to get around to seeing him live. And he was pretty much right in front of me. I debated if I should bring my vinyl records in to the show to hold up and try to get his attention. I was so freaking nervous too! Haha - but it was awesome when he looked my way and gave a nod (right at me of course) when I held up my Damn the Torpedoes record during Even The Losers. And then during Saving Grace when I held that vinyl up and got Mike Campbell's nod of approval that warranted a pick throw that woefully fell short by only an arms reach. AHHH! But he made sure to shield his eyes well enough to get a good look at the skinny kid with big hair and genuine vinyl records in the 4th row ;)

So yeah - what a night...

YOU WRECK ME
LISTEN TO HER HEART
I WON'T BACK DOWN
EVEN THE LOSERS
FREE FALLIN’
MARY JANE
SWEET WILLIAM
END OF THE LINE
BAND INTRO
BREAKDOWN
SAVING GRACE
HONEY BEE
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS
LEARNING TO FLY
DON'T COME AROUND HERE NO MORE
REFUGEE

ENCORE:
RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM
MYSTIC EYES
AMERICAN GIRL

I've never had a more amateur video moment than this.... As soon as he came close I almost dropped the camera.

Schooled

It's Sunday 2:30 AM and Today - by that I mean Saturday, I woke up at 4AM in Bakersfield California in a small queen sized bed with Matt. Ok that may be too much info, but I'm still awake because I bought the new John Mayer film and it's blowing my mind right now. Don't watch it. Seriously - especially if you think you play guitar. I'm going to go cry myself to sleep now ;)

... ok, i was kidding - you have to check it out. Musically it's incredible. He plays 3 back to back sets and keeps his voice and hands flawlessly in sync the whole time. I'm not into his wristwatch preferences but to each his own. I don't know how Eric Clapton can even sleep well at night after watching this.

OK

Hey, sorry for the long delay in updates lately. WOW, I'm terrible huh? Where to start ? I guess where I left off... bought the Coldplay record on the Tuesday it came out on a drive to Kentucky. Actually bought the last copy at a starbucks somewhere in Marion, Ohio - which btw is the hometown of none other than mr. Dan Gartley. He was not there on this day though, which is probably why I was able to buy the last copy. So that was fun. Also sometime in June was my birthday! Yes - I turned 18, well not quite. But I did get some sweet gifts. I'll mention two of them; an apple TV and a model airplane my dad made. Pretty awesome. We had a good old fashioned cook out and I dropped some burgers between the grate in the grill somehow. Dominique got me a sweet Reese's ice cream cake from Friendly's. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. We played some fun shows in June. One was at stone mountain in Georgia. It's called stone mountain because there is literally a mammoth stone that sticks out of the ground at this park. It supposedly stretches miles beneath the earths surface too. We got to the top via a ski lift contraption. I snapped some pictures, but it's really hard to tell what it really looked like, plus there are two dudes in the background sporting their farmers tan. Anyways, Dan and Pete decided to walk down the mountain before showtime. I think they were pretty tired. I did get a cool picture of us flying over St. Louis. Don't remember what flight that was, probably on the way home form Texas. Anyways - it's pretty cool to see the arch from a plane.... Somewhere in Colorado we were spotted on a 'no alcohol beyond this point' sign. We all got a kick out of this. And sometime in June I had a chance to pick up some genuine Mexican Coke.