Virginia

We made the long drive yesterday from Knoxville to Norfolk VA, for our first show in the area in a few years. Along the way we were sad to have yet again reached the end of our podcasts, and eastern Virginia had a shocking abyss on the dial where an NPR station should be. But, what was lacking in good listening material was compensated by the landscape of Virginia, and especially by the I-64 tunnel (which we love), that led us under the Atlantic water and back up again into the city of Norfolk.

It was dark by the time we pulled up to The Boot, a romantic restaurant and bar with a great vibe and incredible food. We got to relax for a little while before setting up and meeting the very fun and talented Sarah Carter, who opened the show tonight, brought a great crowd out, and made us feel so at home with her hometown. :)

This morning began of course with news about Ike's encounter with southern Texas -- Please go to redcross.org to make a donation for efforts to assist its work among victims left in Ike's wake --

We arrived in Charlottesville VA today with enough time to walk along the very cool Downtown Mall, a walking street lined with great shops, cafes, restaurants, and beautiful trees. Very much like Church Street in Burlington VT, but more trees and less Lake Champlain.

Our show tonight at Gravity Lounge was part of a lineup of artists organized to celebrate the 2nd Birthday for 106.1 The Corner, a great Charlottesville radio station. We were enormously happy to reconnect with Gravity Lounge, and with Brad Savage of 106.1, who we originally met in Ann Arbor during our Lying Awake release tour.

Our last show at Gravity Lounge was in 2006 with Lucy Kaplansky... It was one of the shows we recorded with hopes of including a track or two on the live CD that came out in 2007 ("What I've Said Out Loud"). And Gravity Lounge was where Justin totally knocked his head on his microphone (with great gusto, btw) during the very quiet and intimate beginning of the song "Arizona."
(You can listen to his awesome gaffe on our Media Player; it's listed under "Blooper.")

So -- I was wondering if we might see a repeat performance from him at the show tonight, and I was at least somewhat satisfied with the accidental crashing of the neck of his guitar into the cymbal on the drum set behind us. (Not nearly as dramatic as the mic-beaming, but it'll do for a sense of pattern.)

A trio of Charlottesville singer/songwriters opened the show with an in-the-round set, and after Ellery was Alberta Cross, playing their first show in the region after spending time in Charlottesville recording their next record. (They were truly great; they just signed with Red Light Management and they'll be opening for Oasis in Europe later this Fall.)

Our huge thanks to Bill and Gravity Lounge, to 106.1 The Corner, and to Brad Savage for having us... And to Mariana, Joia, and Helen, to Alberta Cross, and to The Hill and Wood for sharing the evening with us.
And yet more thanks to the chef at Gravity Lounge for making what Justin has officially named "The Best Food He's Had All Year." (For Charlottesvile-ians, he heartily recommends the fajita chicken wrap.) :)