Sometimes I feel like this schedule I'm following is almost too much. Then I realize that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else doing anything other than this, right now, in this moment. That doesn't mean I don't look forward to taking my time at home and with friends in Portland, making new music and new video projects. Projects. Projects. I have so many ready to be realized. The winter will be fruitful, for sure.
FRANCE BLEW MY MIND.
The End In France (FIN)
(17.3 MB - VIDEO MP4)
I stepped off the plane in Chicago. Amelia and I parted ways in Paris and I headed to the midwest to meet up with my new tour-mates and my new tour. We're calling it GIRLZ NITE OUT and here's a short rundown on what's happened so far:
I flew from Paris to Chicago and I was greeted with this sign. I had two days off before Khaela and Anna trucked hard from the west from Portland to Chicago, so I hung out deep with David Sampson, his fictional (but now real) wife Lisa, and their two nice dogs Simon and Henry. I didn't take any photos of the dogs! AH! While David and Lisa worked in the daytime I finally got the chance to hang out with James Voges, THE ULTIMATE BLOGGER, after he made a special trip from Grand Rapids, MI with his friend George and they took me around Chicago and showed me some radical stuff, like this incredible toy/junk shop called
Uncle Fun. James and George are really amazingly nice and interesting dudes and I look forward to hanging out with them in Grand Rapids in a couple weeks with Bobby Birdman and E*Rock.
Check out my new necklace. David Servino (my childhood best friend) totally favored Donatello over the other turtles, so this necklace is a wearable shout-out to you, Dave.
Then I met up with Khaela and Anna and formed The Greatest Packing Team of ALL-TIME with Khaela. Who knew it would all fit? We knew, that's who. After ripping a last-minute super-awesome show in Chicago (thanks to Maia & Micha) with Cains & Ables we headed to Ohio for three totally Ohio shows; one in Antioch at Antioch University, one in Columbus at a place called Little Brother's, and one epic show in Oberlin at Oberlin College; probably our favorite college to place in the entire USA.
Here's a photo-shout-out to our new Columbus homies, a Blow stage-view and a YACHT-shot
from Oberlin.
Who are these GIRLZ? What are we about? WATCH THIS:
Girlz First Look
(16.1 MB - VIDEO MP4)
Next up Canada gets its own entry, as per usual. We're in Montreal headed to Burlington, Vermont; a place I've never been or played! Thanks one ton to Greg Davis for getting us there. We're really excited for Vermont. Keep your eyes peeled on the LIVE section for tour updates and last-minute show additions and stuff.
it was great to hang out with you jona!!! don't worry, i'd never believe for a second that you were from salem...
looks fun! keep truckin, dude. sometimes i think the world is sort of balancing itself on the few who are as dedicated to doing what they love as you.
JONA!
thanks for beta testing burlington vermont. i think we will be able to upgrade it to release candidate now after your show. it was a really fun show and i know that people were really happy about it all around. it was great to hang out with you guys. sorry i had to work. i wish we had had more time to lamp. know what i mean? oh by the way, you left your hot dog hat and santa beard at my house. or was that someone else? i dunno. thanks for the records. and hopefully ill see you soon. oh and next time you come to burlington, set aside a full week and we will go to PIZZA PUTT everyday. you know it!
peazza love,
greg
Hi Jona! It's me, the zine girl from Phoenix! I don't know if you got my email but I emailed you to tell you to tell Devendra that I would be at his show in Tucson but would not be able to get in since it was 21+. Well he brought us underage kids onstage for a song so we could be inside for at least a little bit, which was stupendous. Anyway, I met Devendra and Noah and dropped your name like crazy so they'd think I was important. Cool! See you in Phoenix! I need some googly eyes!
hey jona mcjonarson. i was just curious, what are the stars for? i saw you, khaela, and anna with that boardpaper putting stars under each persons name. is this a contest of some sorts?
love,
colin
oh yes sarah, oh yes
JONA
it sucks that I missed you when you were in chicago. I was suffering from an amazing medieval death cold.
see you on the 30th.
I danced my ass off to you in bloomington. All three of you are absolutely adorable. Good luck with the rest of the tour!
hey jona
so bummed that I didn't get to hang out with you that week you were in chicago, but it was the same week I was horribly ill. well, see you tomorrow maybe? hopefully!
I'm also very proud to hear of the origins of the "girlz night out" name. I'm glad you didn't pick "as cool as AIDS" instead.
Been quite a long time. I saw Dave (Mr. Donatello), his wife and their two kids about a week ago. They are great. Glad to see things are going well. Take care!
Kevin
i hope that you like VT. say hi to all my peeps!