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7k BLOG
First and foremost, Jeff, David and I would like to thank all of you for coming out to the shows last weekend, clearly you had as much fun as we did. You may have noticed cameras everywhere at both shows, and then again, you may not have noticed since our new HD cameras are literally the size of an iPod. Film director Sam Lembeck offered his expertise and vision to help us test different camera positions for use in our next music video. We plan to shoot many hours of performance footage on our upcoming US Tour. Who knows, maybe even a bit of footage from last weekend will make the final cut.
We've officially shifted gears into tour-prep mode, although preparations for this tour should be a bit less intensive as our last experience taught us SO much. We're adding a few more songs to accommodate some of the longer shows and I'm determined to completely overhaul the 40 song set list we took on tour last year. We're also excited to be taking out a bigger, newer bus this time. We've got quite a few dates booked at various university campuses and we're stoked about being able to play in places we've never been. In about a month, the rubber meets the road as we depart April 6th. Again, we'll be playing all the way to the East Coast with our last show of the tour in New Britain, Connecticut. Click 'tour' for a complete list of dates.
When we get home in May, our plan is to have a big, fun summer filled with lots of shows!! We had so much fun playing at Back Alley and were overwhelmed by the crowd and management response. Currently, a regular gig there throughout the summer is one thing being discussed. Another branch of that discussion involves doing many other similar shows in venues throughout Orange County. So, bring your sunscreen for your summer days on the beach and your thirsty singing voices for your summer nights with us at the shows.
Last weekend's power-packed shows also marked a few milestones for us. In back-to-back nights, we played 49 songs!! I can only think of maybe ONE other time we've done that in Orange County (just before the last tour). Two milestones within that, though, really made last weekend special for us. One, was that we were joined onstage by our dear friend Carlos Rivera, Jr. for an improvised funk jam and blistering version of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. It was a heartfelt blast as each of us sported Cheshire Cat-like grins. The other was, I performed a dueling drum duet with comedic twist, alongside my good drummer friend Charles Wiley to open the Spark Lounge show. It was truly a thrill for me to think outside the box and explore some new sonic territory. In doing the drum duet, my total for the two nights jumped to 52 songs. That was certainly a first for me in Orange County and Spark Lounge added another diverse opening act to its list of performers. Incidentally, you can watch the 3-part drum duet video by clicking 'video'.
Seeing all the familiar faces along with all the new faces, it's obvious the 7k family is still growing. As per usual, we had a blast and again, we have YOU to thank. We're so glad you all had fun and we look forward to doing it again this summer!!
Love and rock music.
Til next time,
Corey, Jeff & David
SETLIST FOR 7k's MILESTONE WEEKEND:
-fri-
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
I KISSED A GIRL
THIS LOVE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
LET'S GET IS STARTED
BEVERLY HILLS
STARLIGHT
DISTURBIA
TWIST & SHOUT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER
I WON'T BACK DOWN
ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL
IMPROV FUNK JAM (w/Carlos Rivera, Jr.)
BILLIE JEAN (w/Carlos Rivera, Jr.)
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
HOLIDAY
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES
BROWN EYED GIRL
HOT IN HERRE
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
LOVE SHACK
WHAT I GOT
SWEET CAROLINE
-sat-
DRUM DUET SONG 1
DRUM DUET SONG 2
DRUM DUET SONG 3
LITTLE BIT MORE
CALIFORNIA IS THE END
WHAT YOU DO
MY HIGH LIFE
SOLID WALLS (acoustic)
WRONG GIRL
DISPENSE WITH THE PLEASANTRIES
TURNIN' IT UP
TAKE IT OFF
STARLIGHT
THIS LOVE
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
HOLIDAY
WALK THIS WAY
WHAT I GOT
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY
HOT IN HERRE
SWEET CAROLINE  Posted on 4 March 2010 | 8:37 am by Corey from 7k
4:40am my alarm went off one week ago today. I admit it, I had no idea where I was at first. Then it hit me, I slept in David's living room, on his beautifully modern red, surprisingly comfortable couch after Jeff and I arrived late the night before. The three of us zombies scurried around gathering our luggage and gear, then darted for LAX. After checking luggage and a few flight cases with gear, we made our way to Starbucks for some much needed caffeine. After spending $14 on a cup of coffee and a water, I believe I began talking in complete sentences for the first time that morning. Anyhow, we hopped on the plane and were pleasantly amused by the comedic delivery of the usual emergency exit, seat belt mumbo-jumbo. The three of us drifted off into iPod land and ripped through a few free snacks. Although I've seen 'Fletch Lives' upwards of 40 times, I watched it again on my iPod and laughed almost to the point of an accidentally empty bladder. It was spectacular. As the landing gear touched-down at Chicago-Midway, we knew our adventure was JUST beginning.
We met each other at the Baggage Claim (a little 7k humor for ya) and grabbed all our stuff. We flagged down a large taxi van and were ready to head for the van rental place. Interesting that a large taxi charged more...for fuel apparently, as the driver stood there and WATCHED me load and unload the entire taxi. We got our big van, plugged in our GPS (which we now officially despise) and made our way into downtown Chicago where S.I.R. is located. They've got locations all over the country and they rent gear to bands. When Muse comes over from England to play one TV show, Saturday Night Live for example, S.I.R. provides all their gear. We got there and each of us nearly drooled 8 gallons as we looked around to see all the immaculate, cool and vintage gear. Thankfully, the only thing preventing us from drooling was the temperature in Chicago....it was freezing cold, so each of us had a big icicle hanging from our lower lip. A staging area had all our gear in road cases. We initialed the invoice, loaded the van and set-up our rental gear return drop-off time.
Tempted as we were, we didn't smash the GPS to bits. It continued 'acquiring signal' convinced we were near Disneyland, so we wisely switched to Google Maps on Jeff's Blackberry. We headed down the same highways we did late last year on tour and all agreed it was nostalgic. The skies were cloudy, but dry, as we made our one hour trek to Valparaiso, Indiana. Arriving at our hotel around 5pm, about 5 minutes from the Valparaiso University campus, our stomachs rumbled simultaneously with hunger. Luckily there was a Red Robin in the same parking lot. We each went to our own rooms to freshen up, met in the hallway and went to dinner. After enjoying a great meal, relishing in smooth travel and a couple beers, all the exhaustion caught up with us. Personally, my head hit the pillow well before 9:30pm.....I know, I know....very UN-rockstar.
Friday morning we all slept-in, a very rare occurrence for we three lads. I flipped on the TV to catch the local forecast...gulp...snow was on the way. After a flurry (pun intended) of text messages, we headed for a local favorite breakfast spot (thanks to a tip from our waitress the night before). We ate a gloriously-Midwestern meal that totally eliminated the necessity for lunch and then ran some errands on the way back to the hotel. One stop was at the Harre Union where we were scheduled to perform that night. We walked through the Union and saw lots of 7k fliers for the show, located the HUGE ballroom where the show was to be and then found the ever-important freight elevator and loading dock. At this point, the sky was no longer dry as a light snow began.
We drove back to the hotel frantically making phone calls to adjust our load-in, sound-check and dinner times in preparation of potentially dangerous driving conditions. After shuffling times around, we returned to the hotel for a couple hours before load-in. While in my room, my eyes ping-ponged between Law & Order: SVU on TV and the snowflakes continuing to fall outside my window.
We walked out to the van for our quick but snowy drive and load-in at the Union. At this point, Jeff was boyishly fascinated by the snow, shuffling his feet to make that winter sound and gleefully giggling with wide eyes. He looked at us, David glared back with an almost-puzzled smirk and I simply growled like a caged badger.
Our load-in went beautifully as we set-up on the largest stage any of us had ever been on. Rental gear is always a challenge due to lack of familiarity, so everything took a bit longer, but after everything was set-up we were pleased. The sound company arrived and set-up a gigantic sound system. We ran a sound check, made some tweaks, ran another check and were floored by how epic everything sounded. The wonderful Valpo (that is what the students call it) staff took us out to dinner, where we enjoyed some warm pasta. It was a fitting meal, as the snow continued to fall. Grrr. Then we briefly returned to our rooms to shower and change. One hour til showtime.
We arrived back at the Union, stepped onstage and plowed (pun intended) through 23 songs. The students sang along and danced their hearts out. It was truly a sight. We challenged the students to see how many of them would get onstage with us to sing the last song of the night. Much to our surprise, nearly 30 students came up and joined us, making it impossible for me to see Jeff or David. With all visual cues out the window, we played the last chorus multiple times and every time the students cheered more loudly..."Sweeeet Caaaroline.....Bah, Bah, Bah...." After the show we signed autographs, took tons of photos and hung out with all our new Valpo friends. In short, everyone had a blast...Oh my!! We hope to see our Valpo friends again soon.
Saturday morning, we started our journey home. For details, start with the second sentence of the third paragraph...and read backwards. Well, that's how it felt anyway. LOL.
Til next time,
Corey, Jeff & David
VALPO SETLIST
little bit more
california is the end
what you do
my high life
dispense with the pleasantries
turnin' it up
take it off
i kissed a girl
this love
pour some sugar on me
let's get it started
beverly hills
starlight
disturbia
twist & shout
life is a highway
livin' on a prayer
authority song
billie jean
are you gonna be my girl
hot in herre
love shack
sweet caroline  Posted on 11 February 2010 | 8:46 am by Corey from 7k
A week ago the 7k tour bus rolled into its resting place and we arrived in a place previously referred to as 'home'. The fact is, it is still home but it seems foreign at first.
There was much work to be done before the three of us could begin to settle into our 'old' routines. We unloaded the trailer at Spark Lounge which in itself was a jarring experience. It still smelled how it did at our last show before we hit the road. There were 7k pub coasters, matchbooks and cocktail napkins with a thin layer of dust littering all the tables. The stage was empty. The trash was full. It felt post-apocalyptic. After stacking road cases and other gear in the center of the room, we motored to Jeff's house where our vehicles were parked. We moved our cars, unhooked our newly-empty trailer, scooted it into the side yard and made our way to the bus.
Through 7 weeks, our personal items had found their way into every nook and cranny in the bus. We filled everything from trash bags to milk crates with all our belongings and made piles in our cars and on the sidewalk. It felt sad. It felt like moving out of your Freshman dorm room. I remember mumbling out loud, "DVDs, socks, gum, hats, magazines, beef jerky, toothpaste" as I tossed each item into the same bag. I'm not sure there has ever been another time that those assorted items ended-up in the same Hefty bag, except for maybe the dorm room move-out scenario. After all our things were off the bus, the time had come to clean it thoroughly. Again, through 7 weeks, our personal 'stuff' had found its way into every nook and cranny. We meticulously cleaned every square inch of the interior of our beloved bus (which we rented and had to return, by the way). An hour went by and everything was gleaming. We stepped back and admired our efforts before stepping out for the last time.
The bus was clean and fresh, while we were dirty and not-so-fresh. The bus was empty, and so were we. The three of us stood there beside our bus, beside ourselves. Honestly, we didn't know what to do. We attempted to shake hands and wish eachother well, but ended-up in a loving but smelly three-way man-hug as if we had just won the SuperBowl. We each mumbled a collage of mostly vowels and looked up as we separated. We wept.
Forty-nine days straight...I'll let that sink in.
We spent forty-nine days together. We saw things, heard things and experienced things we'll never forget that shaped us as a band, as friends and as individuals. We'll all say, "WOW! The shows, the people, the places, the food, the conversation, the laughs..." and we'll say it with verve. With fondness (even more than before) we grinned at eachother and parted company.
Hopping into my Toyota 4Runner, felt as though I was squeezing into a Mini Cooper. Darting in and out of traffic was as much dreamy as it was nauseating. It was weird. I kept searching the dashboard for the back-up cam to check on the trailer. I kept marveling at how small the steering wheel was. Again, the word 'weird' is really the best I can think of.
When we left for tour, so many 'lasts' collided with so many 'firsts'. I remember my 'last morning' waking up in my bed. The mental snap shots of our room, our bed, her hair and stepping into the shower are still vibrant to me. The 'first night' on the road, the 'first movie' on the bus, the 'first meal', 'first show', etc. are all still so fresh. Getting home, though, felt like a dream. It was wavy, like Deja Vu on NyQuil. I kept wondering when I'd have to get back on the bus and if it weren't for the Thanksgiving Holiday I certainly wouldn't have known what day of the week it was.
Now here I sit, days later pecking away at work reflecting on the whole thing. I don't know where to begin when people ask me "Was the tour awesome?" or "Isn't it great to be home?". In a word, YES. Yes, the tour was awesome, and yes, it is great to be home. In two words, YES BUT. Yes, the tour was awesome, but I can't believe how little time we actually spent onstage performing. Yes, it is great to be home, but we can't wait to go on tour again.
Frankly, we spent more time driving (more than 8,000 miles to be exact) and more time sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots than we did onstage. That's the part of touring that we never realized. No matter how many shows are booked, we'll always spend more time loading-in, setting up, breaking down, loading-out, driving, eating and sleeping. And honestly, it isn't 'home' we miss; it's all the people and the little things...
We missed our beds.
We missed our showers.
We missed our loved ones.
And, we missed YOU.
Now that we're here in our beds, in our showers, with our loved ones and visiting with you...
We miss tour.
This is life.
Life is good.
Til next time.
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 2 December 2009 | 12:19 pm by Corey from 7k
I write this from the most familiar of settings: a Wal-Mart parking lot. We're in Elyria, OH just outside Cleveland although the 'where' is less important to us these days than the 'when'. Each of us can vouch that Wal-Mart parking lots look frighteningly similar no matter what city you're in. We're particularly fond of the 'Supercenter' variety since they're generally open 24 hours a day and allow overnight RV parking. That way we can shop and use the facilities at any hour of the day. If you're wondering why we're 'just outside Cleveland' the answer is simple: we happened to find the ONE Wal-Mart Supercenter that doesn't actually allow overnight parking of any kind. We were, in fact, kicked out. The security guards were nice enough, but seemingly over-equipped sporting what looked to be holstered firearms and bullet-proof vests. Maybe we mis-judged that area of town, or maybe someone's on a very serious power trip...either way we find Elyria quite suitable. We may also be heading back into Cleveland to rock a show tonight. While we await word from our contact, we plan to sit here, enjoy the rain and watch a movie or three.
I suppose being asked to leave that parking lot in Cleveland could be considered tribulation, but our challenges and adversity has come in all shapes and sizes on this tour. Our bus trouble has been well-documented. Our hearts all ache equally and long for home. We've all had the sniffles, sore throats and what we've lovingly referred to as 'tour cough'. Financially, touring is a challenge to say the least. Trying to fund a home life and a road life simultaneously is daunting. Each of these tribulations, though, has given way to triumph. The three of us have learned more on this tour than we ever imagined and admittedly many of the triumphs were unexpected.
Watching our fanbase grow has been both pleasing and surprising. Hearing people's reactions to our music was almost completely shocking. Those who've purchased our latest record have been verbal and effusive. Some people have claimed that 7k is their new favorite band. (gulp) Wow! Another unexpected triumph was having to re-route the end of our tour to include another performance at Scatz in Madison, Wisconsin. Many of you know how special Madison is to me, being my hometown and all, but being asked back ON THIS TOUR is huge. Rick, the owner, enjoyed our performance there last month and asked us to fill the opening slot for a national act (Midnight to Twelve) this Friday. Establishing a relationship with a guy like Rick at an AMAZING venue like Scatz will have impact on the rest of our career. As I've said before, Scatz is essentially Madison's answer to the House of Blues. It is a venue we WILL return to dozens and dozens of times. Talk about unexpected....WOW! Another genuinely unexpected triumph came in the form of wide-spread interest. We interfaced with over 200 colleges during our three NACA conferences on this tour and dozens have already started drawing up contracts to have us perform at their school next year. We're already slated to open for another national act (Safety Suit) at a number of Spring shows on the East Coast. Each of us has been greatly impacted by this tour and it is certainly time to return to our beloved California. Fittingly, it will mark '...the End' of our tour (just a bit of 7k humor for ya).
Heading through upstate New York, through Erie, Pennsylvania and along Lake Erie into Cleveland we realized that for the very first time on this tour, we were traveling West FOR GOOD this time. Every other time the compass read 'W' we knew we'd eventually be retracing our paths to find ourselves in another Eastern city and then another and another. Well, not this time. We are inching homeward. The only steps we retrace now are the steps we took to get this far from home. Our smiles widen while we lick our chops, ready to rock Madison again and hit the road trekking Westward. We'll be home to enjoy the holidays with our loved ones and then it'll be time to plan the next tour and the next. 7k has changed forever but we're still the same, I promise.
Until next time...
Love,
C, J & D
PS- A few other unexpected triumphs:
1. Laughter from Ren & Stimpy DVD box set.
2. Satisfaction from the best coffee on Earth made by Jeff & David.
3. Appreciation for folks in the service industry who are actually good at their job.  Posted on 18 November 2009 | 8:37 am by Corey from 7k
Well, here we sit in the Boston/Cape Cod KOA campground and I thought it would be fun to post a few favorite things. Obviously, with 5 weeks under our belt we've enjoyed lots of stuff on the bus...
WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO:
Rush
Muse
Led Zeppelin
311
Third Eye Blind
Queensryche
Dredg
Disturbed
Metallica
WHAT WE ARE DRINKING:
Coffee (weak)
Coffee (strong)
Coca-Cola Zero
Jeff's berry-banana-protein-peanut butter smoothies
Diet Pepsi
Water
An occasional beer, usually Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra or Sierra Nevada Porter
Four Roses (a gift from Kentucky for very special occasions)
WHAT WE ARE EATING:
David's soon-to-be-famous Oatmeal
Jeff's bad mofo chili
Summer sausage
Fruit
String cheese
Raw almonds
Turkey wraps
Soup
Delivery pizza (who knew they delivered to campgrounds?!!? BOOO, there goes the diet)
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING:
Music DVDs- Rush, John Mayer, 311
Movie DVDs- 300, Transformers 2, Transporter 3, Waiting & Joe Dirt
WHAT WE CRAVE DAILY:
Long, hot showers (individually of course...LOL)
High quality coffee
WHAT WE DO BESIDES DRIVE & PERFORM:
Talk & laugh
Search for Wal-Mart (one of the best places to park this beast)
Spend time on our computers catching up with emails & following up with show booking
Organizing & uploading photos/videos
Spend time on our phones catching up with life & loved ones
General bus maintenance & cleaning
WHAT WE ARE USING REGULARLY:
Febreze
Caffeine
Duct tape (the good stuff)
I suppose that's a brief and accurate glimpse inside the bus....until next time.
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 10 November 2009 | 12:56 pm by Corey from 7k
Okay, I'll attempt to pick up where I left off, although it feels like we watched Transformers 2 about 8455 days ago.
Honestly, we enjoyed some 'down' time in that beautiful KOA campground in East Sparta, Ohio. We cooked, we did laundry, we cleaned, we plotted, planned and laughed. Frankly, that is the part of this whole thing that has surprises me most- the three of us are (still) getting along famously. Sure, there have been some tense moments, but each of us understand the exhaustion we're feeling. We may get upset, but those instances have never lasted longer than 5 minutes. Mostly we disagree about what day it is, where we are, how many days it's been since we took on fresh water in the holding tank of the bus or our last satisfactory shower. We are blurred. This past weekend actually marked the first stretch on the tour where we didn't have any shows booked. We ended-up in Worcester, Massachusetts and enjoyed the company of some of Jeff's close friends while hiking at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation. It was nice to get out of the bus and get some exercise for a change.
Later this week, we head to Hartford, Connecticut for the final NACA conference and then we'll be cruising through the Midwest to rock Cleveland, Chicago and Madison before make the trek home. We are looking forward to Hartford as all the NACA conferences thus far have helped to shape 2010 in terms of touring and the growth of 7k. Returning again to my hometown to rock Scatz will be another treat as the last show of the tour.
Before I continue, I must clarify the goat reference. The bus holds X gallons of fresh water for washing dishes, washing our hands, flushing the toilet and lastly, showering. All the water that goes down those drains is held in a holding tank that holds Y gallons of used water. Since human beings generally eat more than they shower in any given day, washing dishes, washing hands and flushing the toilet are unavoidable priorities. Since emptying the 'used' water tank can only happen in designated areas (usually truck stops or campgounds) and we've been driving A LOT you can all now safely assume the 'used' water tank is full. Before you get grossed out, just think of it as mostly cold soapy water. It's not really gross and we wisely made a rule on this tour before we even left: ONLY #1 IN THE BATHROOM ON THE BUS. So, now you can see...it's really not smelly or gross......BUT it's also obvious that showering has nearly disappeared from the priority list. All in all, it's a pretty simple equation and it's result is easy to understand (especially after a long hike)- the three of us smell like goats.
The ripple effects of being out here are amazing. We've watched our Facebook friends spike, our MySpace friends spike, our 'High Life' music video views jump over 1100 and tons of comments about all the photos and video blogs we're posting. The acoustic video version of 'High Life' from the bus is up and it caught fire....65 views in 2 days! I speak for Jeff and David when I say that 7k has the greatest fans ever. Thank you all for everything you do and every person you pass 7k along to. Our fans inspire us each and every day in the most unexpected ways. Again, we thank you.
One last thing before I go: We miss home. We comfort each other while being this FAR away from home. A couple days ago we saw the Atlantic Ocean while crossing a bridge in Connecticut and it hit us like a ton of bricks how far away we actually are. Our homesickness isn't sad most of the time. The best way I can describe it is we're ready. The three of us are ready to return home, to our routines and to our loved ones. There have been some genuine sad moments when one of us is thinking about someone special (just typing that brought tears to my eyes) but we all know that this is what we 'signed up for'. Furthermore, the three of us know we'll need to get used to emotions like these and how to deal with them. We love you all and couldn't do this without your love and continued support.
Our plan is to win over one state, one city, one venue, one song at a time.
Until next time...
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 9 November 2009 | 9:28 am by Corey from 7k
I know, I know, it's been too long since my last blog. A thousand apologies.
Since our last episode, the rain has actually stopped from time to time, we've played a few unbelievable shows and rocked another regional NACA conference. All that is fine, but first things first...
If you're in the driver seat of the tour bus, it's certainly the point position. You wield all the power because you can see the mirrors and the back-up cam. Although it takes a lot of getting used to, it is one of the preferred seats in the house while moving.
If you're in the passenger seat (the 2nd captain's chair near the dash) you're clearly in the pucker position. There's nothing quite like going over a suspension bridge, sitting in pucker position while David drives and happily asks the question "How is the view over there dude?" Little does he know that from where I sit it appears that our tires are a nanometer from the cement side and our side mirror is casting a shadow on the river 700 feet below as it reaches over. Seriously folks, pucker is an understatement. Driving through construction and narrow one-way downtown streets (or God forbid, BOTH simultaneously) is a nail biting, breath holding and eye squinting fest just as you see the guy trying to get out of his car which is parallel parked just ahead. The scene is quickly transformed to silent Hail Mary's and hopeful wincing. Yeah...PUCKER.
If you're on either couch or at the table, chances are you're trying to work (while moving) you're in the puking position. As you might imagine, attempting to read a laptop screen while landscape whizzes by sideways is a little queasy to say the least. Now add rain, construction and a GPS unit that we're all ready to skip across the next lake and things are very nearly vomittus maximus.
I wish I could've blogged more since my last posting, but I must admit, thus far the tour has been an endless exercise in exhaustion vs exhilaration. We've all consumed more coffee and more BAD coffee on this tour than ever before in our lives. We've all experienced some pretty serious pangs of homesickness. The three of us miss our loved ones and think of home...and of the little things like our cars, our beds, our pets and our electric toothbrushes. Oh...and the beach. Oh...and the gorgeous California weather. Oh..and..........I could keep doing that for hours.
The shows have simply been AWESOME. South Bend, Indiana was an absolute blast as we rocked the Wander Inn Tavern on the owner's birthday. He insisted that we play our original set twice and the packed crowd loved every second of it. Madison, Wisconsin was a treat as we rocked the stage at Scatz (the equivalent to House of Blues, Anaheim). I had family there and the owner FLIPPED OUT and demanded we re-route the end of the tour to enable a REPEAT ROCKING. Obviously, we'll oblige. I lovingly played the last two songs of our set 'Dispense' and 'Turnin' it Up' in my Green Bay Packer jersey (no, not THAT jersey). We hung in my hometown with family for a couple days and then headed for Bloomington, Indiana to spend time with dear friends and the King family. Our show at Max's Place positively WENT OFF and featured the youngest and most talented 7k dancers yet. All of the King Kids and their pals rushed the stage and romped around...a true delight. After Indiana, it was time for Louisville, Kentucky. One of the most FUN and unique shows in 7k history, we were set-up on an Oriental rug spanning two BOWLING LANES at the Vernon (America's 3rd oldest bowling alley). Imagine the late night rock n' bowl that you've all done at home, but with the music provided LIVE by 7k. It was awesome and our QSC sound system sounded simply ARENA-LIKE. Interestingly enough, the bowling alley is connected to a 4 story historical mansion, which the owner lead us through room by spooky room. WOW! And, before I forget, Sergio's. WOW and WOW and WOW!! Sergio's is a little place a couple blocks from the Vernon. My Godfather, a Louisville resident and huge 7k fan took us there for a pre-show meal and a beer...or 4. Sergio's has over 1400 beers. Yes, you read that correctly. The owner (fluent in at least 3 languages) had a story for each and we sampled dozens. It was the most amazing exBEERience of our lives.
We now sit at a KOA campground in East Sparta, Ohio and just like clock-work, the rain has resumed. We're getting comfy and ready for tonight's movie: Transformers 2.
Will blog again soon...see all the pics on the Facebook page.
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 2 November 2009 | 3:24 pm by Corey from 7k
Hey All,
Well as usual, I don't know where to begin. I am sitting in our hotel room in Lancaster, PA about to check-out which signifies today is Sunday morning. I'll rewind the tour log to share how we got from my last update til this one, and I'll fast forward a bit to give you a glimpse of the week to come.
I wish I was kidding when I mention that the days run together and that it genuinely takes several minutes to figure out what day it actually is. That said, I don't remember when what will undoubtedly be called 'The St. Louis Fiasco' truly occurred. Monday and Tuesday, or Tuesday and Wednesday is by best guess. The St. Louis Fiasco involved a 27 hour repair to some electrical weirdness on our bus. Previously, I suggested the fix to the intermittently flashing dash and lights would be easy. I was unbelievably wrong. So much so that we ended up sleeping in the bus overnight, locked inside the RV repair place only to have another group of mechanics troubleshoot and attempt repair the next morning. Needless to say, we were all feeling a little 'grrrr'.
When we finally did hit the road after getting everything worked out, we had essentially lost 2 days. Luckily, we hadn't booked shows so we didn't have to exacerbate the fiasco by having to cancel shows too. Knowing that we needed to be in Lancaster, PA by Thursday morning, we had A LOT of ground to cover. We all consumed a bunch of coffee and hit the road. We took a break and slept at a truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana (that is really what it was called) and woke up VERY early to continue our Eastward trek. It was very cold and persistently rainy when we woke (and hasn't stopped even as I sit here days later). We topped off our fresh water, emptied our waste tanks and fueled-up (none of which were fun in the freezing rain) and hit the road. We drove through the rest of Indiana, Ohio, the tip of West Virginia and into Pennsylvania. Personally, I've never seen such beautiful farms, streams or fall leaves. I was clicking photos through the window constantly to try and capture the reds, oranges and yellows. I'm not sure if I was successful, but will upload the photos anyway.
As my driving shift started I had the (insert sarcasm here) utter delight of driving through a half dozen tunnels entering Pennsylvania. That might not sound like a big deal, but when the tunnels are 3 miles long and you're still getting used to driving a 34 foot bus with a 10 foot trailer...and you really feel like driving 28 miles per hour but the truckers behind you would rather do 80.........uh...........YIKES. The first tunnel alone, I think I gave birth to 33 purple twinkies and possibly doubled that number with each tunnel that followed.
Arriving in Lancaster was great as it marked the first time we've checked into a hotel on this tour. I'm not embarrassed at all to admit that each of us took 47 minute showers. We did that, partially because we were grimy, but mostly because we have a limited water supply on the bus and the hot water heater has been renamed 'the thing that attempts to heat the water to a temperature of hot but falls quite short to offer tepid showers at best'.
After our lengthy showering and such, it was time to get set-up for the trade show. We've traveled with a booth and as many of you know, is the purpose of this tour. I suppose I could blog for days about the inter-workings of NACA, but I won't. I'll encapsulate the experience by saying that we met representatives from over 70 universities on the East Coast and garnered SERIOUS interest from a dozen or more. Oh, and by 'serious interest' I mean actual contracts. As of right now, we're slated to be back here on the East coast in April of 2010 and will be rocking on many college campuses. We've also relished in the opportunity to meet and network with other artists that are quite literally at the top of their game. When not at our booth (that area is only open during certain blocks of time) there are showcase performances happening along with networking banquet-style dinners. I can certainly speak for the three of us when I say we've made some connections that are sure to impact our future, and we've added some new friends and fans.
This week holds a few question marks. For me, the biggest is 'WILL IT EVER STOP RAINING?' We've agreed that today is football and laundry day. We're going to find a place to watch our teams and then burn....errr.......wash our clothing. We'll also need to top off fuel and fresh water on the bus and will likely resume travel tomorrow morning. We perform in Madison, WI, my HOME TOWN this Friday night and have just firmed details for our Bloomington show. We will also likely be picking up a show in Chicago and South Bend this week.
As per usual, each of us is missing home and our loved ones. We feel victorious and exhausted, and it's only just begun. We wish you the best and thanks for reading.
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 18 October 2009 | 7:05 am by Corey from 7k
Dear Readers,
Jeff here. Just want to take a minute to acknowledge Corey, who has been a faithful and prolific blogger and I am so grateful for him! We all have different responsibilities on the road, and mine have prevented me from making direct contact with you all and I have missed you!
That said I'll attempt to give you a peek into our world on the road. Physically, it has been a roller coaster of exhiliration and exhaustion. You know those press releases that say "The members of Oasis cancelled their show due to dehydration and exhaustion?" I totally understand that now. The physical challenges of being on tour have been the most surprising. First, lack of sleep. Time just effing disappears on the road. It takes twice as long to do anything. Showering, getting clothes out, brushing teeth, making coffee - this part of touring is more like camping than staying at a hotel. One drive is 9 hours, the next is 3 - the schedule changes every day, with merciless disregard for our need for sleep, relaxation, or food.
The effects are not all negative! Having a kitchen in our bus has been a BLESSING. I am the tour chef, and I've been making the healthiest food we can muster on the road... lots of low-carb low-fat turkey wraps, chili with fresh ingredients, chicken breasts and broccoli, etc. We all love greasy burgers and fries - but since that's quite literally ALL that's available outside this bus, whenever we have the chance we load up on fruits, vegetables and lean protein. I've been making smoothies every morning while David makes the coffee and Corey transforms our bus from a bedroom to a lounge/office. The division of labor creates some routine and we take great comfort in these. Yesterday I found my pulse slowed down about 20 bpm when I had a chance to wash dishes and wipe down the counter. The little veins of domesticity that run through this bus have become oddly comforting to me. The bus has become literally our home away from home - and it has been very nice to walk out of venues in 3 states and head upstairs to our "home." The scenery changes, but it remains the same.
Another physical challenge? Unloading & setting up a full battery of light & sound equipment ON TOP of all our amps & regular gear... THEN playing a four hour show... THEN tearing it all down, packing it up, and loading it into the trailer. In Albuquerque the venue was across the street and up 2 1/2 flights of stairs from our parking spot. From start of load in to the time we were finished packing up was 9 HOURS. That was after a 7AM wake up call for our TV appearance. So yeah, physically, I have NEVER EXPERIENCED such exhaustion. And I was worried about where to find a gym? My shoulders & chest are bigger and I'm losing weight. And there aren't even drugs involved!
The shows have been INCREDIBLE. As I meet dozens of people from all these places I've never been, it is transforming my experience of being an American. In "Turnin' it Up" I wrote, "We're all the same and we just want love." I was speaking about my friends and family... but as I meet hundreds of strangers, and we turn them from indifferent or hostile audience members to partying friends, I realize how true that is for EVERYONE. Listening to David's incendiary guitar playing while thumping away on my beloved p-bass in time with Corey's bombastic, unstoppable drumming, I get to wail away on a microphone while leading crowd after crowd of strangers in a celebration of love, power, and community.
The other ultimate highlight has been spending time with two of my best friends in the world. David Neil Black is one of the most sensitive, insightful, intelligent people I've ever met. Corey's perceptive wit continues to impress me, and both of them leave me laughing so hard my sides hurt multiple times a day. I'm not kidding when I say that my ab workout has become obsolete. I've had two spit takes - one beer and one water.
I miss my family, my friends, my dog Zeppelin, my cats Knack, Six and Dottie, but mostly I miss my BEAUTIFUL WIFE. Every day I'm gone I become more and more aware of what a wonderful life I've been blessed with, and what a privilege it is to just get up and be with all the people in my life. I'm also feeling very fortunate to spread that happiness across the country.
With love from the tour bus, currently parked at a truck repair shop in St. Louis, Missouri,
Jeff :P  Posted on 13 October 2009 | 10:07 am by 7k
Okay. Wow. Geez. I don't even know where to begin...really.
Road blur has already set in and we've almost argued over the concept of what day it actually is. As I type this, I'm listening to Rush on my iPod in the bus. We're parked in an alley behind tonight's venue in Tulsa, OK called Jo Mamma's. Nice stage, our name on the lighted marquis and our posters...uh...well...posted. Yay! So, since I'm here in Tulsa, it must be Saturday and that means I'm a bit overdue for an update.
Thursday morning we showed up at Channel 4 in Albuquerque to tape a segment for a show that is set to air later this month. We had a blast. During the interview, we also performed an acoustic version of 'My High Life' that had everyone smiling. Afterward, the host Mary Anne took us and our AWESOME PR gal Bianca out for a lovely lunch in old town Albuquerque. They're known for their green chilies and we couldn't help ourselves...YUM. When we get our copy of the video, we'll post it.
We headed to the venue and found parking to be an all-out NIGHTMARE. A major rookie mistake really proved to be a challenge: we didn't properly scout the parking lot we pulled into. It was a narrow parking lot with what looked to be an outlet driveway at the opposite end...UH...WRONG!! In case anyone is interested in the math- narrow lot plus long bus plus one driveway plus the simple fact that this thing is nearly impossible to back-up equals A REALLY LONG AND FRUSTRATING AFTERNOON TRYING TO GET OUT OF A JAM. And to say the least...that's what it was.
That night we played at the Monte Vista Fire House grill. The crowd was more energetic than we were after the parking fiasco and a two hour load-in up three flights of stairs. But, we fed off their energy and everyone had a blast. There was a gaggle of students from Kentucky in town that promised to catch us again in Louisville later in the tour. Honestly the crowd was singing louder than I've ever heard and judging from the looks on the faces of the bartenders the bar did well....very well.
Leaving Albuquerque, and very tired, we noticed our lights blinking intermittently again....oh yeah, we were pulled over for that somewhere between Flagstaff and the New Mexico border. The Officer was very nice and helped me trouble shoot the issue...although we were unable to fix it. "Drive with your hazard lights on from here on out," he said as he shook my hand and left. Just one more thing for us to deal with on our upcoming couple of days 'off'. On the way to Oklahoma we saw lots of dead things on the road, a lot of construction (not fun in a long bus with a trailer and blinking hazards) and...........wait for it............THUNDER NUGGETS. Earlier in our drive, David had mentioned to Jeff and I that the thing on the shoulder of the roadway is called a 'rumble strip'....ya know that annoying noise your tires make when you get over too far. Anyhow...the tour bus has encountered the rumble strip quite a few times in getting used to the width of everything and later, when trying to recall that term, Jeff said "Geez the road here is so narrow, I keep hitting the....the....uh.....what is that thing....uh......THUNDER NUGGETS." We all laughed until we nearly peed our pants....only furthering our continual tire contact with the thunder nuggets...er....rumble strip.
Last night we pulled into Norman, Oklahoma to rock Mooney's Pub. The drive from Albuquerque to Norman was our longest on the entire tour. It was roughly a nine hour drive and guess what? We forgot about the SECOND time zone change of our tour which actually made it a ten hour drive and made us an hour LATE for our show. Yikes. We loaded-in quickly after getting to pull the bus into a FIELD next to the club. It was a welcomed change from the weird narrow lot in Albuquerque. Anyway, we loaded-in and everyone in the place ended-up onstage. One of the owners actually shook her money maker and SANG a few songs with us. We have tons of great photos and plan to upload them soon, we promise. After the show, we stayed in the bar to discover the ultimate lethal raddness of their signature shot called a 'So What'. It has recently been trademarked or patented or whatever you do with a drink...it is Southern Comfort, Watermelon and Red Bull. Needless to say, we slept very well. We woke up, in the bus, in the field, loaded-out and rolled onward to Tulsa.
Both clubs are already begging to have us back. Let's see if we can keep that streak alive.
More to come soon...I promise. Now...shower, dinner, sound check.
Love,
C, J & D  Posted on 10 October 2009 | 4:10 pm by Corey from 7k
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