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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:14 pm    Post subject: Home from tour Reply with quote

Thanks everybody who came to gigs on the Europe tour!
As usual there were some ups and downs, some gigs felt particularly good, others less good. When I feel like a night was a good one, it's a combination of the sound, the audience, and my choices of what songs to play, in what order, and how well I was able to play and sing them with the band. On good nights I have the feeling like everything works great (or at least most things), the right combination of new songs and old songs, and everything sounds good to me. But then on other nights I feel like I made bad choices, or I messed up certain things, or the feeling wasn't quite right for some reason. Or maybe I feel like the sound was terrible and I felt like we were torturing the audience by playing all this bad-sounding stuff. But the way it feels on stage is often different from how it might seem from out in the room.
I think some of the top best nights were
Schaffhausen Switzerland
Barcelona
Namur Belgium
and Amsterdam!
Anyway nice to be home, and I was worried there might be problems at the airport with the virus fears, but it was all fine and pretty normal. : l
There's still a missing box of comic books that I had mailed to myself in Spain that never arrived! : (
And now I get to listen to some of the music that I got along the way, mostly at some of the record shops where I did little in-store solo appearances along the tour.
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am very glad you guys made it back home well. Seems like you made it back in the nick of time - flights cancelled now, and just now in the Netherlands all events >100 people are requested to be cancelled.

It was great to see you again and see the band grow. Sad I didn't get to buy Fuff 9&10 but I'm sure another opportunity will come. The T-shirt is beautiful by the way!
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes lots of flights are getting cancelled everywhere, luckily you missed the worst of it or you’d be stuck in Europe now. The people of the U.K. have been busy buying random things to make them feel less panicked for a second, I walked round the supermarket laughing earlier today as there was very little in there. I think when things are going well people can concentrate on the higher levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs but when it comes down to it, it turns out people need the comfort of buying toilet roll and pasta. The grabbing hands are grabbing all they can alright.
I’m quite looking forward to self isolating though, that’s heaven for me! Hell is other people and all that. I can catch up with my to be read pile of books and maybe do some jobs around the house.
I’m glad you had a good time at the gig, did you buy the same tshirt as me with the hands on? I actually wore it yesterday. Talking of band T-shirt’s, I have a lot of retro ones that I can’t bring myself to throw away but are past being wearable that I have been making into cushion covers. It’s one was of recycling them anyway or they’d sit in a drawer for years.
I hope everyone is well and happy xx
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1485

PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MHC, can you post a photo of those re-purposed old shirts? Bet it looks awesome!
Yeah, we were super lucky that the whole European tour wrapped up when it did, I think if the tour had been just a few days longer we would have run into problems. Problems of travel, and problems of people not wanting to come out to gigs, and who knows what. Adam Green's tour this month has been cancelled (along with everybody else's tours). I would like to think that my May USA tour will proceed as originally planned, but my hopes are not very high. It takes a lot of work to book a tour, many hours and days and weeks of emailing and messaging clubs - it would be a shame to put all those work-hours into "planting" and then see the whole "harvest" wiped out. But it could be worse - For example I have not yet printed or mailed out any of the posters for the May, and as you can imagine I am not putting any time into that activity at the moment! AND of course it really "could be worse" in any number of ways, we have no idea how bad it will get in the coming weeks and months. It seems likely that the entire western world - or the entire world - may be shut down, one country at a time, maybe for months! This is quite surreal. Life, as always, comes up with infinite variable ways to surprise us with unprecedented events.
I remember the Y2K panic... I remember the Sept 2001 terrorist attacks... I remember the election of Trump... and someday, hopefully, we'll look back at this current time and remember this also, one more unexpected and stressful time that somehow eventually came to and end and became another remembered chapter in the story of our lifetime...
Hope you're all well! Maybe staying indoors for a few months will be fun...? Err... Well, I'm sure humans are creative enough that there will be all sorts of new forms of art and communication and clever ways to turn the new situation into new ideas. Artistic, political, social, etc.
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I would love a photo of that too!

Yesterday I watched a livestream of one of my favourite musicians, who decided to play for all their fans stuck at home. You can see it at https://youtu.be/sq6se7Mu-bk They were surprised that people could actually donate money for the livestream (those comments would then show up more visible). That may be one of the ways you might be able to compensate for missed shows, Jeff...

I also love the videos from Italy with people playing from balconies and fitness instructors on the roofs. The Netherlands is now also pretty far into the home quarantine thing, but the government just announced they won't be doing a full lockdown. However, the next 3 weeks at least, schools and universities (including the one I work at) are closed and anyone who can, is working from home. I'd already been pretty much at home for the past few weeks - overstressed and my body didn't agree with me sitting at my desk anymore. The corona panic really isn't doing me any favours.

I've found new solace in Jeffrey's songs. They're so perfect for anxious situations like these. It's great that there's so many live shows of different musicians on youtube. I'm so glad we have the internet in these times.

Stay tight everyone! Jamming to "Wait it Out" by Jack now, that's exactly what we'll have to do!
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’ve never quite worked out how to post pictures here since I don’t host any photos online anywhere. It’s not too taxing to buy cushion inserts, make the right size cushion shape and sew around three sides and fix fasteners to the other. No one else has a cushion that says ‘the last time I did acid I went insane and other favourites’ I reckon! Or ‘woke up again today, realised I hate myself, my face is a disease’. My cushions have a sense of humour.
I hope everyone is still well and managing at home. I’m only really going out to the shops and library, keeping contact with others at a minimum. Britain is strange with no cars on the roads hardly and still a lack of stock anywhere as people keep buying. I understand that to make anxiety lessen, being prepared helps, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to make a difference how many tins of baked beans and soup you have, if you get it you get it.
One thing is good though, many of us will have more free time to post on here. I know we are all far apart but we can still keep an eye on each other and support each other.
Sorry work has been tough for you Lauragek, I hope the time away allows you to wind down a bit and feel better. It won’t be long before the worst of this is over and businesses will put pressure on the government to reopen and everyone will go back to normal. Fingers crossed before May so the band can tour! I guess we can only wait and see. Comedy still seems to be happening here but I’m not sure about bands with smaller audiences or not, I think big arena tours are out for the time being. X
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christian



Joined: 08 Jun 2015
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad to hear everyone is doing well! I went to the Luxembourg gig, I thought it was quite good - the sound seemed good to me and it was a cool venue. The audiences in Luxembourg are always a little reserved, though it was a decent turnout for a Wednesday night. I was surprised by the opening band "Autumn Sweater", and it was nice that Jeffrey played a cover of that song towards the end of his set.

I wanted to write something about it soon after but didn't get around to it, and now we are also on self-isolation. It's all very strange, but what can you do.

I was very happy to hear "Alphabet" as one of the first songs, it's an all time favorite of mine and very fitting for these times. "Slogans" (another all-time favorite), "Sad Screaming Old Man" and "Have a Baby" were crowd pleasers of course. I think it was the first time I heard "Back to Manhattan" live and also quite liked it, "Time Trades" also struck a cord with me at this time. "WWPRD" is such a great song, but it seems to lose a bit of its power in an all-male line up.

I need to listen to the new album some more but I liked all the new songs as well. Which is the one about the couple always falling asleep during movies?

Thanks again Jeffrey for coming to Europe, I was very glad to be able to see you before all this craziness really began. Hope to see you again soon!
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like a great one, what a set list! I’ve never been to Luxembourg but I am pretty sure it’s a fairly cool place. I’m sorry you’re all on your own and I hope you’re all well and have support from friends and family if you need it.
The sleep/sex film song isn’t on the new album, maybe a future one?
I have been hoarding a few library books (worth doing since they shut indefinitely today) and one of them is Read and Riot by Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot about activism, looking forward to that one xxx
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How is everyone? Managed not to kill the people you live with yet? In these grim times I have turned to music, books and podcasts to feel like I fit in somewhere and help me find my voice.
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christian



Joined: 08 Jun 2015
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doing well so far, just taking it day by day (but it's a lucky coincidence....)!

Focussing on small goals, but happy that I managed to finish a book that I started 7 months ago, plus two others so far.

Can you recommend any good podcasts? I have been browsing a bit but haven't really found any that grabbed me so far.
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Dav
Site Admin


Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 2890
Location: Rennes, France

PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad to hear you guys are okay. My wife, daughter and stuck at home for 10 days now. I got a lot of reading to catch up, some movies. Having the daughter entertained without being in front of a screen is the trickiest challenge. stay safe.
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regained new respect for artists. They're really dragging me through right now. Lots of livestreams giving me hope, and older recordings of live shows.

Art gives hope and consolation, and that is what we all need right now.
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Dav
Site Admin


Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 2890
Location: Rennes, France

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bob Dylan put out an end of the World song a couple of days ago, so beautiful
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lauragek



Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 165

PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not much of a facebooker, don't know about you guys... But I decided to check out Jeffrey's facebook page and was happily surprised! Couple of livestreams (not live anymore), and in general some nice stuff in these quarantine times! Go check it out if you haven't yet Smile
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misshelenc



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 943
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2020 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome, I will if it lets me as a non-facebook user. I am hoping Jeff and his family and friends are well, I hear NY is quite germy. Me and my family are all doing okay so far, virus wise at least. Been thinking of you all and wishing the best for you all.
While I'm at it I must get around to that Bob Dylan track too.
Thanks for letting me know this is all out there. You can always get a sound recomendation from this message board.
At the worst of times I am still turning to art in many forms to get me through. I'm half way through the Pussy Riot book which is good, and I've been writing myself a little bit. I've been listening to A Stab in the Dark podcast where crime writers chat and it's inspired me to make a bit of a start on a book i have been allegedly 'researching' for about 3 years. I've also listened to podcast wise The Immaculate Conception, All Killa No Filla (hilarious) and The Shrink Next Door. I doubt my odd tastes will be too inspiring but you did ask! A lot of the podcasts I listen to are specific to my autistic obsessions, some of which remain most of the time and others come and go. I really like writing instruments so the Pen Addict works for me but won't for everyone!
I really like German fountain pens but it's a bit obscure for most people to talk to me about so i get some comradeship there. So I say search your interests and spend some time settling in to a place to fit in. Wondery do some good American ones and BBC Sounds here in the UK covers pretty much every subject under the sun. Happy listening! I find it's handy that I can get them on a portable device like a phone so can carry it round the house while cleaning. It is so much more enjoyable to be laughing at a comedy podcast during bleaching a bathroom than not.

Sorry for long post, you can tell I haven't spoken to anyone for ages. Be safe all xxx
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