“It’s not where you are, but who you are with,” so the saying goes. And I was lucky to share a set of shows last weekend with some amazing folks, Frances Luke Accord and Chris Dupont, as well as visit some cool places.
If you haven’t heard Frances Luke Accord’s new EP, Queen for Me, stop what are doing, and download it for free on Noisetrade right now:
I have to say, traveling with others is way better than traveling alone! I did 5000 miles by myself last fall, which is how I met FLA in Chicago at an open mic. We hit it off, traded numbers, and said, “We must do some shows together next year!”
Welp, it happened, and it was a blast.
One of the best parts of the tour for me was when I carpooled with FLA from Chicago to Flint. Brian and Nick asked if we could listen to their EP in my car, that they hadn’t heard it through a car stereo yet. (They don’t own cars in Chicago!) As a super fan, I got to listen to their record with them and talk about the inspiration of the material. The theme of “Queen for Me” is a motif for Chicago, and trying to find success in the city.
My friend Chris Dupont was equally incredible, and it was great to finally share the stage with him. His new album Anxious Animal has been on repeat on my iPod all year, and Chris and FLA became quick friends. Contrary to Seinfeld’s warning, I love when my worlds collide!
Here are some candid videos and photos from the tour. Thanks to everyone who attended our sets in Chicago, Flint and Ann Arbor.
FLA playing to a fine crowd at the Elbo Room
The Elbo Room in Chicago: WWLD?
David Stanley joined us in Flint and got along with FLA immediately, sharing Notre Dame jokes and talking about songwriting.
Nick and I setting up the stage at LIVE in Ann Arbor
Brian and Nick from FLA and I enjoying lunch and spring's weather before our Ann Arbor show.
Big thanks to Betsy for running the door! Aren't Chris and Betsy the cutest musical couple?
My set at LIVE. Photo credit: Alisa Bobzien
Checkout some soundcheck videos and song clips from the tour:
Free Music from my April Tour Mates!
I’m going on a weekend tour with Frances Luke Accord from Chicago, and they shared a new song from their upcoming release, Queen for Me. Take a listen to “Over Your Roof.”
We will be playing the Elbo Room in Chicago (April 10), Cafe Rhema in Flint (April 11), and LIVE in Ann Arbor (April 12)!
This morning, I read this fun challenge from Graham Wright (of Tokyo Police Club) to “try to love the music you hate.”
One of my favorite quotes from Wright is, “Do you have a friend that loves the band?…[G]et them to talk about the band – enthusiasm is contagious.”
This is the curse and blessing of teaching guitar lessons.
I like to teach my guitar students songs they like, to hopefully get them hooked and encouraged to practice. I don’t care what a student likes, and I don’t get critical. And after hearing the song ten times, I usually enjoy the song, too.
Here are some songs that have been fun to teach that I now find myself singing-a-long to on the radio:
* * * Taylor Swift * * *
Last night, I was hanging with Kalamazoo songstress Carrie McFerrin at my gig, and she was joking about the current curse of being a woman holding an acoustic guitar a bar or club: dodging requests to play a Taylor Swift song.
I started strumming the chords to “You Belong with Me” and making up lyrics to the song, and we laughed. Carrie then asked, “Why do you know that song? Been covering it for gigs, Mike?”
“Awe shucks, guitar lessons! I just taught it to a student,” I said.
I failed to share how much I enjoy that song now after teaching it.
* * * One Republic * * *
A few years ago, my sister-in-law Brianna asked me if I liked One Republic. I gave her a total hipster/musician “too cool to like radio songs” answer.
Last month, one of my students wanted to learn the chord progression and strum to “Stop and Stare.” It took me 30 seconds to hear the interesting chord change in the intro to be hooked. (That E to Emaj7 change is fun to play.)
I owe Bri a huge apology; this lead songwriter is awesome.
* * * One Direction* * *
Last weekend, during a 12 hour road trip to North Carolina, One Direction’s “Story of My Life” came on the radio. My wife said, “Oh, keep that on the radio. I’m embarrassed to admit I like it.”
I responded, “Oh, I taught this guitar riff to a student last month. I already like it!”
[I’ll add that both my wife and I saw their performance at the Grammy’s and exclaimed how “terrible” this song is.]
* * * Conclusions * * *
My students’ excitement for music has rekindled my own excitement.
Last week, I went on a William Fitzsimmons’s music binge and listened to all of his releases on my iPod for hours, and then picked up my guitar and started learning the songs for the sheer enjoyment of learning them! (Learn a song to simply learn it? I haven’t done that in years!)
OK, I admit, these experiences share a hint of this comic, but so be it.
I’ll be traveling a bit this spring and road-testing some new songs. I’m super excited to share shows with new friends, and introduce you to some great musicians I’ve met last year: Frances Luke Accord, a duo from Chicago who I met in fall 2013, are releasing new music for the tour! Chris Dupont made the top-downloads front page at Noisetrade last month.
SPRING TOUR (Mike Vial is performing solo acoustic.)
March 20 – Davidson, NC Summit Coffee with Rob McHale and Todd Hoke! (8 PM, no cover)
March 27 – Kalamazoo, MI OLD DOG TAVERN (8 PM, $5)
March 28 – Owosso, MI Wrought Iron Grill (7:30 PM, no cover)
April 3 – Lansing, MI The Great Lakes Collective‘s songwriter night at Reo Town Pub (7 PM, no cover)
* * * Weekend Tour with Frances Luke Accord * * *
April 10 – Chicago, IL The Elbo Room with Frances Luke Accord & Chris Dupont (8 PM, $9)
April 11 – Flint, MI Cafe Rhema during Flint Art Walk with Frances Luke Accord & David Stanley! (6 PM, $3-5 suggest donation)
April 12 – Ann Arbor, MI LIVE Ann Arbor with Chris Dupont and Frances Luke Accord (6 PM; $5)
* * * More Travels * * *
April 18 – Festival was cancelled – East Lansing, MI Middle of the Mitten 6 Festival at Michigan State University
May 15-17 – Montreat, NC for South East Regional Folk Alliance
May 18 – Marshall, NC Good Stuff Marshall (3 PM, no cover)
May 18 – Johnson City, TN The Acoustic Coffeehouse (10 PM, no cover)
May 23 -Angelica, NY Black-Eyed Susan Acoustic Cafe (7:30 PM, no cover)
June 23 – Eaton, OH – TAFFYs (8 PM, no cover)
