Highway Liverpool Revisited

Welcome to Melbreck Road in South Liverpool. It's Friday morning at Peter and Gabi's house, there's a train occasionally rolling through not far away, and I'm going to pause to go put some coffee on. Be right back.

If I remember correctly I left last time just a bit late to get to the Amberley Folk Club in Sussex. Well, the show was great and I was joined for a few tunes by Sussex fiddle guru Jonny Wigg. It's quite likely Jonny and I will be playing some tunes together again soon and I'm pretty....amped(as the kids say) about the idea. Sussex was also a reunion for us with Suzie who is a great friend we met last year who also has an awesome VW van.

October 18, Brighton, awesome. We had a show at a venue called the Basement which is aptly named as it is in the basement of a building next to some amazing graffiti of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Joe Cocker. I opened up for Sam Baker and Carrie Elkin and had a brilliant time. Not going to lie, I'm totally OK with the opener playing an encore.

Song From The Shed. So what would you say if I told you I played in a garden shed along side garden tools in a guy's back yard? Then what would you say if I told you Alabama 3, Fairport Convention, Deer Tick, Richard Shindell, and Charlie Parr(just to name a few) had also done the same thing? Songs From The Shed is what happens when a few friends are out at the pub talking music and one friend says to another friend jokingly, "hey, you should record a guitar player friend of mine in your shed." The friend takes him seriously and does it, has a few more people play in the shed, then a local journalist writes about it, the BBC does a feature on it, then the New York Times writes about it and the next thing you know....whoa.....1.3 million views on Youtube.  You need to check this out. www.songsfromtheshed.com

not bad for a garden shed

Would you like to know what happens when you have a night off and find a random pub/B & B with a live band in the back room? Otis Mack and the Tubby Bluesters happens. I suggest preparing yourself however you need and watching some of these videos. The recording of Hush is epic. Just stroll through the website and enjoy.

Typically to get from Bath to north London you'd spend maybe an hour and 15 minutes. Unless of course your electronic navigation lady sends you through central London at 3 in the afternoon. This little maneuver then allows you to spend 2 hours to go 8 miles.  My patience lets just say was tested and I'm sure many of the CCTV cameras in London caught images of my reaction to this little detour. It was all worth it, however, to see one of the coolest people in all of London, Barry Marshall-Everitt at the House of Mercy.

  "the Snake Pit"

Last thing: BBC Merceyside in Liverpool!!!!! This station is the biggest of the BBC radio stations as you may know a few bands have come out of Liverpool. Here is a link where you can listen to the interview with Freddie Connor (it's only up for one week though!).

 where the magic happens. . . 

 Alright. Tonight with the Good Intentions in Liverpool!
take care
Josh

UK. Week #1.

Hello Folks,
Welcome to Arundel, West Sussex, United Kingdom where it's currently 61 degrees with a 17mph SW wind and 78% humidity....all in all, not too shabby. Arundel is located in the South of England 49 miles southwest of London and just 18 miles to the west of Brighton. Arundel is home to Arundel Castle which is which is the Seat of the Dukes of Norfolk. I digress.....
 We arrived in the UK 7 days ago on a pretty uneventful Delta flight #38 with only a two day touch of jet lag. After the usual 2 1/2 hour Tube ride we were in Walthamstow at our good friends Alex and Vanessa's who have now begun to refer the October as Josh and Jess season. 

The first show of the tour was in Camden at the Green Note, a great acoustic spot right in the heart of the borough. The Green Note was recommended to us by our good fried Rod Picott whom we met in Sheffield last year. The show went great and it was also an opening slot for Eric Taylor! You may recognize his name as being the fellow who penned a tune called If I Had A Boat for Lyle Lovett and well as countless others for several other musicians.

Next came a day off in London, a fair amount of walking(a lot), the British Museum, double decker buses, and the new rental car. We did turn the car back in though as it really wasn't economical at all...and it was orange!

                  I couldn't get my guitar in the "boot" of the Mclaren

Day 3 we picked up the next rental car. We had reserved a Vauxhall, which is much like the Panda we had last year. Refer to previous posts for photos and further information. Dollar Thrifty had mistakenly given our car to someone else so we were forced to take an upgrade at no extra charge. Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2012 tour machine....The Silver Bullet.  This thing has leather interior, something like a 29 speaker stereo, 6 speed transmission, and a big ol diesel engine that still manages about 55 MPG...and it's hard to drive slow. Apparently this is what all the starving musicians are driving these days.

     The Silver Bullet

We then flew the Silver Bullet to Worth Matravers in Dorset for another visit to the Square and Compass, exactly 363 days after our first. The Square and Compass is one of the best places on the planet complete with lodging, housemade cider (3 varieties), endless miles of hiking, and a fossil museum...and it's a great place to play. And we were able to hook up with David, Nicola, Bev, and Beck! Again, refer to previous tour posts for more information. Thanks so much to Kevin, Jean, Charlie and Kath for a wonderful time!

    Best audience ever!

    They weren't bad either.

Oh goodness, I forgot the Railway Hotel and Freehouse! So the night before the Square and Compass it was cold and rainy so we decided an inn above a pub with a fireplace was what we needed. We decided for no particular reason to pull off the motorway at Ringwood and pulled up to the very first of such looking places we came across. The bartender/innkeeper showed us one of two rooms upstairs which we took and then proceeded downstairs for a bite. We started chatting with Tricia and Keith, the proprietors,  and a  few others. Eventually, the music subject came up and the next thing I knew the guitar was out for an impromptu show. This led to our only night off this week (Friday) getting booked. So we'll be returning to Ringwood in a couple days. Not that I'm complaining. . .

                                                   Didn't have time to fix my hair.

That brings us to last night and the Amberley Folk Club but that's going to have to be included in the next post.....I'm late.
take care and thanks for checking in the tour!
Josh

So yea, this week happened....

Well hello everyone,
It's Monday, October 8th, approximately 1:54pm with 26 hours and 6 minutes until departure to London Heathrow via Hartsfield Jackson (ATL). Typically getting ready to head out on tour isn't a big deal at all, unless you're getting ready to be out for a little over 9 weeks....and then another 9 months. Biggest issue today is packing the smallest piece of luggage and to put a strap on the guitar case as to accommodate carrying a cup of coffee in the airport and through the Tube in London on Wednesday. For those of you having to face such stuggles I suggest looking into www.strapsey.com for a fashionable fix to some of lifes little curve balls.

On the easier side of things we received some great news today in the form of an invitation to perform on BBC Radio Merseyside in Liverpool October 25th!! We've also nearly confirmed a new show on the Cumbria Coast which will be either November 4th or November 7th so I'll keep you updated as any news comes in. There is also some exciting news coming in from Ireland which I'll have to hold onto for just a bit but.....stayed tuned.

Another reminder that the best way to keep up with the tour is, of course, these wee little emails, the blog at www.joshharty.blogspot.com, and the best of them all is the Josh Harty Road Club. Just click on Membership at www.joshharty.com and all the details will be at your fingertips.

In other news I spent a reasonable amount of time this past week working on the Previa (extreme tour vessel) and with a little less work than I had anticipated she's up and ready to go. We have two months to decide on a name with which to christen her so suggestions are welcome.

before....

 after. . .

In other, other news prior to reviving the Previa Blake Thomas and I ....after years of threatening, recorded a duo record in an undisclosed attic in the Minneapolis greater metropolitan area. 7 hours, 10 songs, some first take keepers and bam...done.  I will also mention that engineering the record was none other than Mr. Jeremiah Nelson.

Oh wait, then we went to South Dakota and my sister and Dave had themselves a wedding....
I'm tired.
That's all for now. I'll keep in touch and you do the same....find me on the Facebook.
take care
Josh

Join the Club

Hey everyone,
I'm thinking about how fast the summer has flown by now that we're less than a month from leaving for the UK tour. As many of you know we've started the Josh Harty Road Club where you can join the tour for the UK/European leg as well as the following year in the States. Just head to the Membership Page and check out the subscription levels and all the benefits that go along with them.
Also, if you're planning on coming to the Farewell for Awhile Show at the High Noon Saloon in Madison, WI next Wednesday, September 12 you should know that membership has its perks....FREE TICKETS at level two in the Road Club.

Alright, there you have it for now and I'll check back in with you soon.
take care
Josh

Homeless. . . by choice.

It's official. We have recently moved out of our apartment and will be hitting the road in a few short weeks!  In October and November we’ll be heading to Europe for our second overseas tour. Check out the tour schedule on the website and please relay the info to all your European friends/family/ancestors. When we return from Europe in December we’ll move into a refurbished Previa van and start our year-long tour of the US.

Starting in the Southeast, we are planning to spend approximately 2 months in and around several major cities, including Atlanta, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Austin and Seattle. The idea is to get to know the music scene in each region of the country, while playing at as many venues as possible and meeting as many musicians and music-lovers as we can.

Here’s where you come in. We hope to see all of your smiling faces on this trip, but before we even set out we must plan financially and logistically. How can you get involved? Well I’m glad you asked. Here are a few options:

1.     Donate.  Any amount is helpful. Just click the paypal "donate" button

2.     Stay in touch.  During our travels, we’ll be keeping extensive blog postings, videos, photo journals, etc. Some of it will be available to everyone via Facebook and the website (www.joshharty.com). But if you want the real behind-the-scenes look at life on the road (if you’ve ever wanted to be a roadie for your favorite band and have all the best stories to tell friends at the next cookout) consider membership in the new “Josh Harty Sub-Continental Road Club” at one of these levels:

a.     $15/month (or save 10% & get 6 months for $81):

-Free hand printed poster when you sign up(while supplies last)

-Weekly email with videos, photos and updates

-Access to our Podcast featuring stories from the road, live songs

            and more!

b.     $20/month (or save 15% & get 6 months for $102):

-EVERYTHING from the previous level plus

-Monthly digital mixed tapes featuring music from our friends and    favorites

-2 free tickets to any show around the country

c.      $25/month (or save 20% & get 6 months for $120):

-EVERYTHING from the previous 2 levels plus

-Free t-shirt when you sign up

-Bi-weekly postcards from the road

d.     Name Your Own Price:

-We’re open to suggestions!

 (check out the Membership page to sign up!)

3.     Host a house concert. In the last year, these have become our favorite types of show to play because they’re intimate, always fun and we get to meet new people. So if you have at least 15-20 friends who like music, and a space big enough to accommodate them, we can put on a great show and make you the coolest kid on the block! Not sure you’re house concert material? Trust me, it’s easier than you think. Basically a pot-luck party with music. If you’re curious, here’s a great resource on house concert basics: http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/

4.     Host a couple of professional road-weary travelers. That’s us! We’ll be looking for places to stay all over the country.  So if you have an extra bed, couch, beach house, loft apartment in Manhattan. . . we’d love to stay for as long as you’ll have us. And in exchange we’ll cook for you!

Hope to see you on the road!

take care,

Josh

Careful...we've been thinking, again.

Welcome back to Madison for a Friday night with no show or rehearsal and not too much planned. That would be not too much planned in the short term...very short term. I say this because we spent a great deal of time this week planning out the next 12-14 months. It looks as though this may be one of the last times until my late thirties that I'll have the opportunity to sit and wonder "what will I be doing tonight". In fact, in no way should I be sitting here wondering what I'll be doing tonight. On page 2, paragraph 3, line 6 of our manifesto to conquer the hearts and ears of music fans across the globe it states exactly what I should be doing on the evening of June 22, 2012. However, in the line 5 of said page it also states that I should write a blog entry and update the website and like Meatloaf so wisely once said..."Two Out of Three Ain't Bad".

This will be where I let you all in on a few parts of the scheme, or plan, as it will now be referred. As many of you know we've been traveling a great deal the last couple years. We've been across the USA countless times... mostly in the winter time with blizzards and sub zero temperatures, or the summer time with monsoon like rains, raging flash floods, and tornado warnings. We've had shows in almost all of the continental United States with the exception of a few of the southwestern ones. We've been to England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, and even to our "just a little northern neighbor" Canada. We've grown to dislike the company of semi trucks on small mountain pass roads and found that the TSA can never quite be satisfied with only ruining your day a little bit. We've learned how a grumpy New Jersey traffic cop doesn't care that you're not from Newark and didn't know to not take a right turn on a green light from Main St. onto Broad St. but did care to issue a $106 citation for performing the maneuver. Also, we've grown to know that it's best to carry a cooler and to pack a weeks worth of lunch and not indulge in the fine truck stop deli delight also known as a microwave burrito. So with all of this knowledge and an acute ability to way the pros and cons of the decision at hand, we've decided to move out of the Chandelier Shack (our apt.). In just a few short months,  this show is going full time.

Well....in October we'll leave for a two month follow up tour of the previously wild and successful "Josh Harty Storms the UK and the Subcontinent Tour". The last tour was absolutely great and this time amidst the assistance of an already groomed relationship with the English Breakfast and a firm grip on roundabouts the Wisco invasion is heading back to the British Isles, the Netherlands, and wait.....drumrollllllllll.....Spain.  After this excursion we'll then embark on a 12 month residency tour of the USA. What this means is that we'll move into a chosen city/region and plant roots, make friends, get established, and play as many shows to as many people as humanly possible for 2 months and then move on to the next destination. We'll begin in and around Atlanta, GA in late December and then head to New York City and New England. After that, Austin, Los Angeles, Portland, Vancouver, and as many other points we haven't yet thought possible. For this, we whole heartedly welcome any and all suggestions anyone has as to where you think we should go. We'll likely already have gone crazy so feel free to leave that suggestion out.

Now I don't want to spoil the excitement or not leave you wanting more so I'll leave further details for later. I would also say that this whole thing past, present, and future is owed to everyone that loves music and supports those playing music, and for your previous and continued support I am immeasurably grateful.

take care,
Josh

So here's the tour recap according to what we remember on location, in Snohomish, WA. We're currently making a breakfast which consists of potatoes, brussel sprouts, and bacon trying to prepare for the inevitable drive to Boise, ID. We'll start with May 25th in Fargo, ND at Ecce Yoga and Art.
Ecce is a wonderful yoga studio and art gallery in downtown Fargo just steps away from my old apartment. Downtown is also much cleaner than it was when I lived there and hosts a much nicer, and wider, variety of activities than it once did. As it wouldn't be a Fargo show without Brooks West, he joined me for the show and we had a great time. I'll post a few photos from the show as soon as I get them.
This tour marked the first time in about 5 years I'd gone on tour without my manager, the first in 12 that I'd taken a road trip with my dad, and the first in 18 years that I'd had a music adventure with my dad.  Our first stop was was Lemon, SD...not for a show but to check out the petrified wood museum...pretty awesome. We continued to Billings, MT where I hooked up with Parker Brown, Trevor Krieger, and Clay Green for a show at the Yellowstone Valley Brewery. As you may know, these are also the guys I recorded "Nowhere" with a couple years ago. As always it was great to play at the YSVB and great to make music with great guys. The next night we moved on to Missoula, though this time, just me, Trevor, and Parker. Here's a video of rehearsal at Trevor's house...note the random Dylan and Olivia appearances.



Missoula at the Top Hat was fantastic. Trevor and Parker were on the show and I'd be lying if I were to say it wasn't pretty awesome. After the show we had tacos from a taco truck around the corner, punched Trevors car until the headlight started working, and went back to the cabin we were staying at on Bonners Avenue.
The following night, ironically, was in Bonner's Ferry, ID at the Pearl Theatre. Up until 2 years ago it was still a church.
Spokane was my first rooftop show and a benefit for KYRS. Great show and one of the best polenta dishes I've ever had.
Let's see.....a few days off and then Portland at the Alberta Street Pub. I've often wondered what happens to the show bills that are put up in the men's room and left for two years. Now I know. Note my hit song.

We'll finish the trip in the morning. We've moved on since the beginning of the blog post and are in a motel room in Baker City, OR having some avocado and some trail mix.
Talk to you soon
Josh