Almost there

We’re about forty minutes out of Raleigh, NC now. Alison and the girls are staying in Durham with Alison's folks this week, and they're going to meet us at the venue when nap time is over and I can’t wait. It’s been too long.

Thanks to everybody who came out to the Jammin’ Java show last night. What a great crowd and fantastic time. It was one of those nights that makes me thrilled to do what I do.

Who doesn't love Dubuque, IA?

That's my question to you today, folks. I mean, how can you not love this place? I played a concert yesterday afternoon at Wartburg Theological Seminary, facing the back side of a giant Martin Luther. That was a first.

It was a beautiful day to play songs outside, and we followed it with some great food at a place called BrickTown, I think (which, of course, ought to contain numerous brick houses which meant I couldn't stop singing that song to myself in my head) and we finished it with a trip up a rickety old cable-car. You could see Illinois and Wisconsin from the top. It was pretty fun.

And now I have to hurry up and post while I still have free internet in the Dubuque airport. Who couldn't love this place?

(Also, major thanks to Jeff, who brought me in and took me around, and to Josh who basically pulled an all-nighter with me after the Derek show in North Carolina so he could get me to my 6 am flight TO Dubuque. You fellas are awesome.)

The Not-So-Great Commission

Ok, so I’m out on this tour with three other singer-songwriters, Derek, Sandra and Alli Rogers. Everybody’s selling cd’s and they’ve all got great professional posters and price thingies. I’ve got two cardboard boxes full of cd’s and a cool, fuzzy table cloth that I found somewhere, but that's it.

SO… I’m asking you, faithful AndyLanders, to help me out. If anyone has any artistic skill in any sense, and has fifteen minutes to spare, and will be at any of the upcoming shows this next week, would you want to make me something?

I’m thinking some sort of sign, or banner, or painting or ice sculpture or popsicle stick creation. Something that says “Andrew Osenga� and possibly also says “IlikeAndy.com� and also “CD’s - $10�. I would be grateful.

This, my friends, is independent community-based music at its finest, eh? Thanks guys. Gotta go play some songs.

In a van in North Carolina

I’m sitting here in Andrew Peterson’s eternally borrowed 15-passenger van with a pretty great crew of friends. Paul’s driving, Cason’s riding shotgun and reading a book about The Band. We’re listening to the Arcade Fire’s new record, Neon Bible, which is easily one of the best records I’ve heard in the past few years. It’s like Roger Waters singing Springsteen songs, sort of. I just love it.

Last night’s show was pertty good. For a first show we didn’t have too many bumps and no trainwrecks, so we’ll consider that a success. It was a large room and we were on in-ears, so we had to work extra hard to feel like we were playing together and to feel that there were people into it. The crowd was really great, except for one guy, and I got to chat with some cool folks afterwards.

We’re pulling into the venue for tonight’s show right now, so I’ll go ahead and post this. If anybody has any pictures of any of these shows, please send them and I’ll post them. I’ll write more after the show tonight.

gearing up for the road

I'm not sure which is more stressful, packing instruments and gear for a tour and hoping you don't forget anything important, or packing toys and clothes for a family trip and hoping you don't forget anything. I'm doing both today, though, so I'll let you know.

I just left rehearsal for Derek's tour. It's going to be a fun show. His new record is a lot more free-spirited and the songs are really a blast to play. The band is great, the Webbs, Paul Eckberg, Cason Cooley and me. I'm doing two songs in the show as well, which will be nice. If you come, please bring some cash and buy some cd's!

Alison and the girls are going to stay with her parents for a couple weeks, while I'm on the road or super-busy with the Caedmon's Call record. We're playing a show in North Carolina, just a half hour from her folks, so I'll get to see them about midway through the trip. That will help. I'll fly out once everything is over and spend a few days out there, then help drive back.

Today we'll be leaving, hopefully in an hour or so, to start the nine-hours-without-babies drive to Durham. We'll see how that goes. I'll let you know. Thank you guys for being awesome and patient in this crazy season. Good, good stuff is on the horizon!