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Friday, 11 September 2009 19:36 |
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Today is a work day. Shopping for and arranging flights and rental cars . . . Is it more economical to fly into Seattle and take the ferry to Seattle and drive into Canada? Where should I drop a rental car? In the past, I’ve done most of this with my computer on the couch, but I find that no matter what, I’m left feeling that I’ve just wasted my time. So now I’m moving to the desk in the spare bedroom, off of which my husband and I just cleared 3 mountainous piles of CD jewel cases. It’s far more professional feeling here, plus there is a cool breeze.
Today the weather is cooler, so I think of fall, and fall makes me think of going back east, and traveling back east in the fall makes me think of IBMA. The International Bluegrass Musician’s Association, for me, was like a sort of bluegrass camp . . . only in a hotel. The first time I walked into the IBMA hotel lobby when I was 12 or so, and I saw the Nashville Bluegrass Band just standing there, like they were just normal people, and I did a 180, and walked right back outside the and consider what I had just seen. Some of my favorite players, everyone’s heroes, just standing there, trying to figure out where they were going to eat lunch. That’s one of the best things about bluegrass - the accessibility. Its priceless.
I was home-schooled in high school, and the IBMA award show was the closest I got to prom. Many people, myself included, dressed up far fancier than feels comfortable an go out for a special night. There’s the gossip of who’s going with whom, where’s the best party/jam going to be after the prom/awards? I miss it! Maybe I can sneak back this year for a day or so of the convention. It would be so great to see all the familiar faces and get a good solid bluegrass hang in . . .
There is much touring to look forward to this fall too! I’m going back to the Chicago area in Sep with The Greencards, and then re-joining WPA for one last run with them. (They’re going to tour lots more, I just won’t be joining them for a while.) Instead, I’ll be going up to be in the midwest some, and in late Oct I’m going Canada to open for John Prine, and play some shows with the Stringdusters in Nov. Sounds like a good excuse for some new boots . . .
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Last Updated on Friday, 11 September 2009 21:26 |
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Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:07 |
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 I'm out on tour with Works Progress Administration for the next week. Today we were to play an out door show in Exton, PA near Philly. It was free for the community, and there was a good crowd gathered, but round about 7:30pm, when we were scheduled to begin, a storm blew in, and the show was called off.
SOOOO we told the crowd that remained to come over to the Grille across the street, and played there for a while.
The restaurant was pretty chatty (after all, we did invade their dinner space) so only the first 40 people could hear, but we had fun, anyway :)
It's super fun being part of WPA every once in a while. I will not be playing with them after October because I'll be touring behind my record, but for now, its nice to be part of a band and not in charge. Plus, I get to sing and play with Luke Bulla, Glen Phillips and Pete Thomas in addition to Sean and Sebastian who often play with me.
All in all, this year has shaped up very nicely.
I'm looking forward to being in New York City again tomorrow. We play Joe's Pub and then I hope to go out and catch up with friends.
The summer has be really fun. There has been a good balance of touring and LA shows and home time. I will be much busier this fall however, including a trip to the UK in November. Hooray!!
More soon!
Sara
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:18 |
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Sunday, 28 June 2009 21:15 |
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Summer is here and I think it goes by even quicker now than when I was a kid on summer vacation.
It’s been a busy year for me so far. When my record came out in April, I was on tour for seven weeks, and since then its been stop-and-go traffic. A week ago I was lucky enough to do two of my favorite things in one weekend. On Friday I flew out to Chicago to play on A Prairie Home Companion, where I got to play with the Guys All-Star Shoe Band and actually do a sketch with Garrison Keillor. Thanks to everyone there for being such gracious hosts. I am such a fan of the program and had a ball.
After the live radio broadcast, I hopped in a car to the airport and headed to Denver where I spent the night so I could get on the first flight to Montrose - on my way to Telluride. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is gorgeous. It’s so important to get to hang with other musician friends. To hear what they are playing these days, how they are growing and changing, its inspiring and energizing and exciting.
. . long story short - I got dropped off back stage 30 minutes before the set. Fortunately it wasn’t my show, but rather a WPA set. They could have done very well without me, but I was definitely relieved to have made it.
Though I was only there for a day, I got a good dosage of the Festival including a super fun Crooked Still set at the park stage, a walk along the river. I got to sit with a host of musical friends in the poser-pit; each of us with eager eyes and ears, delighted to be taking our medicinal dosage of the Tim O’Brien Band - (Tim, Stuart Duncan, Dennis Crouch, Bryan Sutton). Sean, Luke and I were so happy to get to share our favorite parts of this festival with our non bluegrass band-mates in WPA. Later that night Brittany Haas, Tatiana Hargreaves along with Sarah Jarosz opened for the Punch Brothers. They killed it. It was a great night.
Stayed up till 6:30AM hanging out and playing tunes. Walked back to my room in daylight. I hope Telluride invites me back next year.
Last Thursday in the Little Room was real fun. Sebastian brought his upright bass, Jon Brion and Fiona played and sang some. . .
Yesterday I got in the ocean for the first time in a while. It felt so good to be in the wave - a beautiful clear day. The water is up to about 68 degrees now. Pretty warm for June!
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Wednesday, 27 May 2009 16:40 |
Sorry, I haven't written in a while! I was sort of tour managing for the first bit of the tour, and had precious few spare moments early on. I HAVE, however, become more active in Twitter though, so, when I don't have time to sit down and really share what's happening in journal form, you can hear all about the stupid things going through my head on Sara Watkins (SaraWatkins) on Twitter.
Or you can find it under the Journal menu on my website!
Thanks to everyone who has written me with encouraging lines throughout the tour of the record release. Many thanks also to everyone who came out for the shows!
It was a varied and successful seven week tour that included opening for John Prine, flying to London and retrieving the wrong piece of luggage (many bags look alike) going BACK to Heathrow for the suitcase swap . . . some chats with the charming folks at BBC, opening for and sitting in with Old Crow Medicine Show. My first headlining show was in Minneapolis - back to New York, Jimmy Fallon show with Sean, John Paul Jones and ?uestlove!! What the crap!
Don Heffiington and Sebastian Steinberg joined, Sean and me for a few shows including World Cafe in Phili and then we toured up the east coast as a trio (myself, Sean, and Sebastian). We ran out of gas (9H blog) on the way to a radio staion in New England and then went on up toward Woodstock. After our show at the beautiful Bearsville Theatre we were able to make it over to Levon Helm’s to catch the last three or four songs at the Ramble. The perfect Nightcap.
Over to the Midwest, we were joined by a tour manager who relieve me from the extra duties. In Ann Arbor I ate at Zingerman’s twice and got to see our friend Glen at the Ark with Toad the Wet Sprocket, Chicago was a blast, Madison, super fun. Then up the west coast. Sweet sweet home. Friends Don Heffington and Benmont Tench drove down to play with us at the historic La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas and then the next night in LA was AWESOME! A full band! Greg Leisz joined us, Benmont, Sebastian, Don, Sean, Glen Phillips sang beautiful harmonies and Lisa Germano made Bygones even spookier! Sooo Fun! It felt really good to be back.
In the final stretch of the tour I was starting to ache with homesickness but it helped to see friends in each town. Salt Lake City and over to Portland, OR, Alex and Tatiana Hargreaves sat in with us. What sweet, sweet music they make.
Seattle was a dream of a way to end the tour. Matt Chamberlain brought a few drummy things down to the Tractor Tavern, the audience was absolutely on fire! Our good friend Jenny Anne Mannan brought her fiddle down as well. I always forget how good it feels to sing with her. What a great night. The audience gave us a ridiculous three encores. Thanks guys for making me feel like a rock star for a couple hours!!
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Last Updated on Monday, 15 June 2009 20:43 |
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screeeoot, scabba, maaaaa |
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Wednesday, 06 May 2009 18:52 |
Milwaukee, WI:
I am now in the sixth week of touring and it is becoming apparent by the perpetual flow of purposeless noise coming out of my mouth. I noticed it a few days ago but it has undoubtably been going on for at least a week. Its a common condition: saying anything and everything that pops into your brain. Stories with now point, fragment thoughts... words you see on a plaque in the elevator suddenly beg to be read out loud. Holes begin to wear in the brain-to-mouth filter (which was in poor shape to begin with). And if there are no words in mind? No problem. Any untranslatable sound or gibberish will do. bledle-bledle-bledle-blaaaaa.
I have a week and a half left on tour but the last bit will be on the west coast and make a stop in my own home for a night or two in there.
Some hotels have a waffle iron and batter dispenser as part o their continental breakfast, and it occurred to me that this is as close as I get to cooking when on tour.
I'm not a good cook, but I do enjoy it. If its still chilly at home, I plan on making a vegi soup. yum yum yum!
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Minneapolis breaky list and first 3 headlining shows! |
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Monday, 20 April 2009 15:53 |
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Three days ago in Minneapolis I played my first show as a headliner at the Dakota. Actually, I played my first two nights there. I asked the audience at the first show for breakfast recommendations, and left that night with this list scribbled with a sharpie on the back of a flyer (please forgive any misspellings): French Meadow
Grand Cafe
Crepe Place
Victor 1954
Uptown Bar
Bryant Lake Bowl
The Chatter Box
The Taste of Scandinavia
Tempted as I was to journey out to Bryant Lake Bowl or Victor 1954, I just couldn’t bring myself to get in an other cab, so I walked with Sean down to the Crepe place where I had a savory egg crepe breakfast. yum. The weather could not have been more pleasant, and I was glad to have a chance to be at one hotel - the Ivy (awesome) - for a few nights and get some work done. Everyone at the hotel was super accommodating, and, get this, if you stay there and asked for a wake-up call, they asked if you’d like complimentary coffee or tea delivered to my room then as well. Talk about luxury! Yesterday we flew into Chicago and drove down to a springing suburb called Naperville to play The Union. Its a cool little room I played earlier this year while sitting in with my brother’s band Fiction Family (fictionfamily.com) and, on the day of that show, the temperature was -10 degrees. The band van froze. Despite the cold, I remembered the FF show had a really fun audience, and they lived up to that memory for me last night! The kids were full
of life, excited and interactive. It was awesome. We played for a long time!
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Sunday, 05 April 2009 14:31 |
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Home from England now. I spent two days talking to some very nice people at BBC about my CD . . . which coming out THIS Tuesday! I can’t believe it’s actually happening. I'll be in NYC for the release and then it's off on tour! It was an exciting time to be in London; it felt like the whole city was sort of bracing itself for the G-20 summit (and the marches, protests and riots it promised to bring). On the eve of the summit, on our way to the BBC studios my very gracious hostess had to check the progress of the protest marches to make sure our route was not blocked off. As the man behind the counter at a convenient store told me, “when Londoners get rowdy, they get proper rowdy.” My friend mapped, and then went out in search of the "rowdiness." But after I finished my work, I was feeling a little too chicken try to find and join him, so I journeyed to central London for just some night air, dinner, and a gift or two to bring home. While walking along Covington Garden, police officers on motorbikes were leap frogging the length of Kensington Rd, asking the cars to pull over to the side of the road. Drivers and pedestrians waited for a few minutes to see which of the G-20 folks was coming our way, and soon flew by a German motorcade. In Soho I saw one, and then three more men walking down the street in a tuxedo. I’m sure they were involved in the pre-summit activities somehow, and my first thought was to follow them. My second thought was to ask them where they had been, but I did neither. I’ve never seen men in tuxes look so natural and comfortable. They made the tuxedo seem like perfectly appropriate strolling attire.
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Monday, 30 March 2009 14:41 |
Hey guys! Just a quick hello from London. I'm here to do a couple days of promotion and play a few songs for a few people - but today I have a bit of the afternoon off so I'm going to run around town. But wanted to say hi first.
I opened two shows for John Prine this week in North Carolina - what a great songwriter. His show is full of classic song after classic song, and he wrote them all. Thanks to them for being such gracious hosts.
Sean was out playing with me, he'll be joining me on most every show this spring, and we're going to try and recruit an other as well for some shows. Fun Fun Fun.
Okay! HI from London! Sara
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