guitar swap
Folks,
We had a ball doing a couple dates with the Pretenders, but now we’re headed out for a mess of headline gigs all over creation.
I’m not sure where the Pretenders gigs came from. I like to think word got back to Chrissie after I showed up at her vegan restaurant in Akron and in an homage to Yogi Bear and Boo Boo ordered “everything on the menu twice.”
You know the drill, sometimes it’s a struggle to find something decent to eat on the road… And, although the band was staying at some greasy motel in Cleveland, I was visiting a radio station in Akron. I knew a little detour on the way back would make me some kind of hero. Or more to the point: who doesn’t want to instantly be in Stephanie Finch’s good graces?
After they bagged up two of everything on the menu, I raced back to that motel in Cleveland and walked through that door and threw that veggie score on the bed. You know, like the guy in that Springsteen song: “She’ll see this time I wasn’t just talking/Then I’m gonna go out walking.”
I don’t remember what all I ordered, but the thing that sticks with me is the peanut butter pupusas. That was an adventure.
The gigs were a joy ride. And Chrissie and The Pretenders were on top of their game. In fact, as soon as Stephanie heard James Walbourne play guitar she turned to me and said, “Chuck! Now THAT is a sound! How is James Walbourne getting that sound? Why can’t YOU get that sound?”. I said, “I’ll take a peak at his pedal-board and see what I can do.” After checking it out I came to the conclusion that his tone was coming out of his fingers. I told Stephie as much and she pleaded, “Are you sure, Chuck? Are you sure there isn’t ANYTHING you can do?”.
After I let that soak in, I started thinking about an idea for a reality show called Guitar Swap. Imagine a cable TV reality show where cameras follow two guitarists from different bands as they trade gigs and instruments for the summer. Is that something that would interest you? The guitar players would spend the first week following each other’s detailed instructions on how loud to play, how to socialize and behave around the merch table. Things change on the second week when they are allowed to impose their own rules and run things as they please. At the end of the two weeks, the guitar players and their bandmates meet for what promises to be a heated discussion, assessing each other’s choices and the effect the experiences had on their bands. Week three might involve adultery or picking fight’s with each other’s siblings just for fun. By the end of the summer everybody’s in group therapy we find out who has decided to quit Facebook but not why.
This tour is bound to be a scorcher. Thanks for being on this list. You make it all possible, and beautiful. We may not act like it but we’re lucky.
Meet me in the ladies room, I’ll be washing my best shirt in the sink!
Onwards,
- CP
GIGSVILLE USA:
SPECIAL GUESTS: Jeremy and the Harlequins on most US dates.
7/5/2018 NEWPORT KY SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL
7/6/2018 NASHVILLE TN THE BASEMENT EAST NASHVILLE
7/7/2018 LEXINGTON KY WILLIE’S LOCALLY KNOWN
7/8/2018 ROCKY MOUNT VA HARVESTOR PERFORMANCE CENTER
7/10/2018 SELLERSVILLE PA SELLERSVILLE THEATER
7/11/2018 HADDON HEIGHTS NJ SUNDOWN MUSIC SERIES MILTON TO SUPPORT
7/12/2018 ROCHESTER NY PARTY IN THE PARK w/ G LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE
7/13/2018 HUDSON NY CLUB HELSINKI
7/14/2018 GREENFIELD MA GREEN RIVER FESTIVAL
7/15/2018 GREENFIELD MA GREEN RIVER FESTIVAL
7/17/2018 JERSEY CITY NJ WFMU MONTY HALL
7/19/2018 WASHINGTON DC THE HAMILTON
7/20/2018 GREENSBURG PA SUMMERSOUNDS
7/21/2018 CLEVELAND OH BEACHLAND BALLROOM WITH EILEN JEWELL
7/22/2018 WORTHINGTON OH NATALIE’S
8/5/2018 NICASIO CA RANCHO NICASIO
8/18/2018 DENVER CO LEVITT PAVILLION FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
8/20/2018 BLUE SPRINGS MO PRIVATE
8/21/2018 ST. LOUIS MO OFF BROADWAY
8/22/2018 EVANSTON IL SPACE
8/23/2018 MILWAUKEE WI SHANK HALL
8/24/2018 ST. PAUL MN THE TURF CLUB
8/25/2018 MADISON WI THE ORTON PARK FESTIVAL
8/26/2018 OMAHA NE THE SUNDAY ROADHOUSE PRESENTS
Chuck Prophet/Stephanie Finch Duo tour:
9/8/2018 TWYFORD, UK TOWN HALL ACOUSTIC DUO (SOLD OUT)
9/9/2018 HARPENDEN, UK HARPENDEN PUBLIC HALLS ACOUSTIC DUO
9/11/2018 LEIDEN, NL Q BUS ACOUSTIC DUO
9/12/2018 ROTTERDAM, NL LANTAREN VENSTER ACOUSTIC DUO
9/13/2018 ARNHEM, NL LUXOR LIVE ACOUSTIC DUO
9/14/2018 RIJKEVORSEL, BE - DE SINGER ACOUSTIC DUO
9/15/2018 GRONINGEN, NL LUTHERSE KERK ACOUSTIC DUO
9/16/2018 LEFFINGELEUREN, BE LEFFINGELEUREN FESTIVAL ACOUSTIC DUO
9/17/2018 BRISTOL,UK HEN & CHICKENS ACOUSTIC DUO
9/18/2018 LONDON, UK BUSH HALL ACOUSTIC DUO
9/19/2018 BURY, UK THE MET ACOUSTIC DUO
9/20/2018 GLASGOW, UK COTTIERS THEATRE ACOUSTIC DUO
9/21/2018 NEWCASTLE, UK GOSFORTH CIVIC ACOUSTIC DUO
9/22/2018 LEEDS, UK BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB ACOUSTIC DUO
9/23/2018 NOTTINGHAM, UK GLEE CLUB ACOUSTIC DUO
9/24/2018 SHEFFIELD, UK GREYSTONES ACOUSTIC DUO
9/25/2018 BRIGHTON, UK KOMEDIA ACOUSTIC DUO
Back in the USA with the Mission Express:
10/5/2018 SAN FRANCISCO CA MAKE OUT ROOM
10/6/2018 SAN FRANCISCO CA MAKE OUT ROOM
10/21/2018 NOVATO CA HOPMONK TAVERN COOKOUT SERIES SOLO
11/10/2018 DENVER CO THE GLOBE
