America... Folk Yeah!

So we are nearly ready to jet off to the U.S.A! We have our working visa’s, International driver’s licenses, itinerary, new hair cuts and colour, and stacks of merch and promotional material for the Folk Alliance Conference including Little Stevies business cards, flyers and 4 track CD’s. We have been rehearsing like crazy both electric and acoustically. Half our shows over there are electric with proper PA’s, but the other half are acoustic hotel showcases. The top three levels of hotel rooms at the venue where the conference is at are transformed into small live music venues where no drums, mics, amps or anything loud can be used. So to practice for this, we played a mini concert recently for our biggest critics and fans (parents and siblings) in the lounge room and got a critique for our acoustic set. You might have called it character building in some ways, but never the less, the acoustic set is sounding great now.



There is definitely an art to packing for this kind of trip, especially when there are weight and space restrictions, and especially when you have to think about ‘stage’ clothes as well as ‘everyday’ clothes. A typical suitcase for going on tour would include: underwear to last a week, thongs for the shower, tiny travel towel, sheet to sleep in (to avoid any nasty beds we may come across), one pair of jeans, trackies and jumper for the plane, boots for stage, cons for day wear, bunch of tops, maybe two outfits for stage to alternate between, couple of cardigans, coat, selection of jewellery, toiletries and grooming products, charges, tuners, leads, spare batteries, guitar strings and of course guitar or required instruments. For the plane, a backpack full of trashy magazines, a book, I-Pod, journal, neck rest and eye patch are also essentials, along with scarves, gloves and beanies to survive the weather we’re heading to. Try and fit that all in a suitcase, weigh it on the bathroom scales, and if all goes well you’re then ready to go to Memphis!



We are over in the States for two and a half weeks, doing shows on either side of the conference, spending our time in Nashville, Memphis and LA. If you had of asked me a year ago what I thought I’d be doing in twelve months time, I wouldn’t have guessed I’d be going to America with my band. I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to do this and could think of no better bunch of people to travel with. Keep your eyes and ears out for I’m sure some hilarious and ridiculous video blogs which will appear over the next couple of weeks while we’re are away, and a massive online photo album which will document the entire trip.



Farewell Stevie peeps, see you upon our return!



Beth