As we were winding down our tour we landed in another city we've never played before; Buffalo, NY. We arrived early to the gig so we took a stroll around town. The area was filled with cool shops and friendly locals. It reminded me a bit of Newport, RI and Cape Cod, MA. 

The venue we were playing at was a very nice restaurant / bar called Merge which regularly features live music & comedy shows. The venue was an intimate setting so we decided to try out a simplified version of our set using acoustic guitars and a modified percussion setup. 

The result was very fun for us. We got to really connect with the audience and play different versions of our songs for the first time. After the show we stayed local as we were heading to 90.5 WBER in Rochester, NY for a radio show the next day.

It was only fitting that the DJ who invited us to the station goes by the name Boston Erik; us Bostonians need to stick together! We had a great time hanging out at the station, answering questions and playing a couple acoustic tunes. Of course we can't forget our favorite part of doing any radio show; recording station ID voice overs. For this one we gave our best over the top Boston accent in honah of Bahstahn Erik.

We've got a big weekend coming up back in New England with us playing the 95.5 WBRU Summer Concert Series in Providence RI and then back in Boston at Tommy Doyle's.

Cheers,

Ross 

On the road there are some cities you always know are going to a great time; Chicago is one of them. I don't know if it's the deep dish pizza, the breeze off of the Great Lakes, or the ghost of Muddy Waters but there is something in the air that always makes Chicago fun place to be. 

We had our show at the Elbo Room; the same place we performed last time we were in town. The Elbo Room really is a fun place to play. It's two floors of music with the rock club in the basement. It has an excellent vibe with amazing sound, lights, and of course the quintessential rock n roll product; the fog machine.

The night couldn't have been more fun. We had a mix of new fans, old friends, and even one of our favorite Boston music reporters; Hilary Hughes was in town and at the show. I think setting the record for most distance traveled by a non-family member for our shows; Boston, Austin, and now Chicago.

theWANDAS at The Elbo Room: Chicago, IL. Photo Credit: Hilary Hughes

We had a whirlwind of a time after the show traveling through the city with a pack of people made up of performers, friends, and fans who gathered throughout the course of the evening. We ended up closing down some hole in the wall pub that had to be packed 2 times over capacity; followed by diner-breakfast and briskly walking back to the RV in order get to bed before the sun comes up and turns the RV into a sauna.

Luckily we always seem to schedule a day off in Chicago to recuperate and enjoy the city. Now I'm off to hit up our favorite taco joint in the country for the 3rd time this trip.

Cheers,

Ross

Prior to touring my knowledge of Cincinnati was limited to Pete Rose and the Cincinnati Reds. Well I can't say I've learned too much more about the city but I can say we had a good time and it was fun seeing a new place. One of the highlights was pulling up the RV right next to the club where there was an awesome record store. Record stores have been a dying breed for some time now; so it's always cool to find a new one, especially one that is embraced by the local community and still thriving. I knew it was a good sign when I walked in and the first CD's I saw were of artists who we played two of our favorite shows with: Justin Townes Earle (in Worcester, MA) and The Duhks (in Atlanta, GA). 

Brent picked up some tunes by Dylan, The Pink Fairies, and Lou Reed. Albeit it was Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music which was purchased primarily for comedic purposes to annoy us while we were driving in the RV. The show was in a dingy rock and roll tavern; needless to say we felt right at home. Keith caught up with an old friend who has since moved to the midwest and a good time was had by all.

Two acts theWANDAS have played with 1,000 miles apart; together at the record store. Justin Townes Earle & The Duhks

Next up was the Vollrath Tavern in Indianapolis, IN. Last U.S. tour this was our second to last stop and by the time we finished up I was so burnt out that I don't think I ever got to write about our time in Indy. The bar we played at is famous for being one of John Dillinger's hangouts/underground getaways from the police during his heyday. The owner gave us a tour of the basement (which the locals say is haunted) and it did not disappoint in it's creepiness. Getting back to last tour; the bar had completely cleared out towards the end of the night when a group of people came into the bar. Keith and Brent decided to put on a private acoustic show for them; seeing they missed the night's earlier festivities. We ended up keeping in touch and they came back to see the full band this time.

It's always fun to see familiar faces especially when you're on the road. It gives you a feeling of community; even when you're a long way from home. Adding to the mix was a good friend of mine from college who has since moved to Indy as well. Talk about a trooper; this guy donated blood right before the show, drank Narragansett beer with us all night and had to wake up at 6am for work; definitely a true UMASS alum.

The show was a blast. We shared the stage with some great local acts and another awesome band called Humdrum from St. Louis, MO.

Tonight we're headed to one of our favorite cities to play, Chicago, IL!

Cheers,

Ross