Travelin' Down an Irish Road

Although I love to travel I have always avoided going on a group tour.  What if I didn't get the chance to do what I wanted to do?  What if the others on the tour were boring or whiney or obnoxious?  However, I love Ireland and I love Switchback!  And really, could other Switchback fans actually turn out to be boring, whiney, or obnoxious?  So this year for the first time I decided to travel down an Irish road with Switchback.

Clearly my fears were groundless.  Right from the beginning when meeting my fellow travelers at O'Hare Airport, I knew that this was going to be a fun group of folks to spend a week with.

Our tour guide Mick met us at Dublin Airport.  This was Mick's fourth tour with Switchback.  As we traveled down those Irish roads, Mick was a fountain of information.  He told us not just
about the countryside we were seeing but also about Irish history, Irish sports, tinkers and fairies, complete with pictures and written information.  No guide book is needed when you have Mick telling you about Ireland.  To quote him, "Gee, Mick, fascinatin' stuff!"  And really it was.  Would I have known about fairy circles and fairy trees if I had been driving myself around Ireland?  I think not.

Our tour base this trip was Kinsale, a lovely town in southwest Ireland.  Our hotel was right on the harbor with all our rooms overlooking the water.  From there we made excursions including a drive to Waterford on a beautiful sunny day (yes, the sun shines in Ireland!), a full day excursion driving through the lovely lonely countryside of the Beara peninsula, and a trip to Blarney to kiss the stone.  Because nothing is required on a Switchback tour we were free to be as busy or lazy as we wished.  Want to do absolutely everything offered and pack it all in?  Go for it!  This was my style.  Want to stay in town and stroll the streets and shop or relax in the pub with a pint of Guinness and a good whiskey instead?  Feel totally free to do so.

Of course no Switchback tour could possibly be complete without some Switchback concerts.  We enjoyed three wonderful concerts.  The first was in Cobh, a historic coastal town which was the center of emigration for thousands of Irish.  The entire tour group was joined by some local Cobh residents for an evening of music.  Our second concert was at De Barra's Folk Music Club in Clonakilty, a fascinating pub and performance venue, and a great time was had by all.

We finished the trip with two nights at Cabra Castle, about an hour north of Dublin, with the chance to spend a day and a half exploring the fair city of Dublin.

Cabra Castle was a lovely place full of atmosphere including Oscar, the resident Irish wolfhound.  Our last evening concluded with a group dinner which included the prize winners of the yearly limerick contest (I am proud to claim 2^nd place!) and a final concert by Switchback.

All too soon we were back at Dublin Airport boarding a plane for Chicago.  It truly was a week of good times with excellent food, excellent beer, great whiskey, fabulous music and the camaraderie of new-found friends.  I can't wait until next year when our base of operations will be Donegal.  Come enjoy the north of Ireland with Switchback and friends.

Michele Shubutowski

Switchback Team (STeam) President

Caving In to Fame

Recently Brian and I attended the Midwestern Arts Conference out in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was an opportunity for performing arts center directors from around the country to meet artists hoping to play those centers. Luckily, we have had the chance to perform at a lot of them and have made some outstanding friends of those who direct these bastions of live music.

One such friend, David Fink, director of the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan, delivered a remark that really got me thinking. Saying that people are not really truthful when it comes to what would get them to a live music show, he remarked, “You either have to offer someone famous or have a burlesque show to get people to come out." I looked at him to see if he was joking. He was not.   

If one looks at burlesque as the need to arouse the forbidden curiosity in people, I would say David is right.  The runaway popularity of reality television shows certainly provides proof that most people lean toward titillation.  And he’s right about fame.  Merriam Webster dictionary defines fame as a) widely known and b) honored for achievement.  Facebook and YouTube are certainly rife with examples of people searching to be widely known or honored for achieving something, even if it is posting a video of their cat flushing the toilet.  A person who is acknowledged to be famous and has a following of the masses, even an association with something famous, such as being in a movie or play, gets a following.  

So what is a band like ours to do? I pondered this as we started setting up for the cave concert at the Natural Gait. We had no idea how many people would show. Certainly they would not be coming out to see any burlesque. Thank God! As Herb started the tractor to pull a basket holding Nick’s drums on a rope and pulley system up the hill, I thought about fame.

Being famous was never part of the agenda for Brian and me. But why do people come out to see us play? How can we assure festivals and performing arts centers, who are literally looking for “the bottom line,” that we have the draw to bring people in?  It is a dilemma.

Walking up the steep hillside to the cave, I thought back to one evening in the early days when Brian and I played a very empty coffee house in Oak Park. The owner looked at us with something just short of contempt as we started to play to no one.  Finally, three people came in the door after I fervently prayed to God to please get some people to come to the show. The three came in, sat down and started doing sign-language to each other. God does have a sense of humor.

However, being a musician is always about playing for people, touching their souls. That is what matters most no matter what size the crowd. I never really thought about fame, but I did hope that people would come out to hear our music and be moved enough to come out again and bring “twenty of their closest friends.” So the WayGood World came into existence, based on the truth that anyone who believes in our music can certainly help us get it out to others and share in the adventure of music and community. You can play music in an empty room, but you are really making music when you share it with others who complete the necessary circle.

Natural Gait owner Howard Bright had started a fire earlier that day up at the cave and now it was down to red coals with a thin wisp of smoke trailing up and out of the cave and through the woods. The trees were starting to change color and the air was cool.  I thought about the Native Americans who once lived in this cave. Was their best hunter or best moccasin maker “famous”? What was being "widely known" like back then? Did it matter?  

People started coming up the hill. Some had seen us play at other venues and others were there to see us for the first time.  Pretty soon, about 80 people were in the audience waiting for us to start playing. The ages ranged from youngsters to several older folks who made the amazing climb to the cave. Howard got up and addressed the people about the history of the land and the cave.  We began to play and as the evening got cooler, we worked into one set after another, feeling warmer with each note produced. People got up and danced as a whole musical community was created for that night.  There, Iowa stars danced above magic made not just by us, but by our audience joining us at the concert.  

I realize that “fame” is a word with many meanings. With today’s media, being famous can be wholly manufactured by a good PR firm and enough money. For myself, I feel that having fans who believe in our music and share the journey with Switchback is reward enough. I understand though, that one can’t just have talent and succeed. That there is the business side of music and that side demands that you have a big following.  

At the end of the concert, when talking to people who come from miles away to share an evening of their time on earth with us, I can’t help but express the gratitude for friends who believe in our music. I am totally blessed by those who help spread the word about Switchback. If we are to be “well-known” and “honored for achievement,” if we all have to cave in to the business demand of fame, it will only be through the magic that is forged between us all at a concert.   

Change in the Air

“Look at that,” said Keith Riker, who is part of our Rocky Mountain Combo, as we drove along Upper Bear Creek, just north of the town of Evergreen, Colorado. “The cottonwoods are already starting to yellow at the tops.”  Sure enough, alongside the rushing waters of the Bear, we looked up and saw the trees in passing, yellow tipped against the pure blue sky.  Fall had announced its return and even though Labor Day hadn’t occurred yet, a slight feeling of cold and the inevitable snowfall on the Rockies betrayed the warm day.  

Change. There was a time when I did not like the word, mainly because I would confuse it with growing older.  Change always signified something unsettling to me and yet, over time, I realized that there is the gift of growth in there, too.

We’ve certainly been going through a great deal of change in Switchback.  Our songwriting is becoming more solid and the number of shows continues to grow.  By the time you read this newsletter, we will have performed Falling Water River with the Grand Pops Orchestra in Dubuque.  It certainly marks a historical milestone for Switchback and one that hopefully will see us taking the stage with more symphonies around North America. (Click here to listen to a sample of music from the orchestral debut).  Those fans of ours who saw us playing at the Irish Times of Brookfield, Illinois on a late Sunday evening back in the 1990’s certainly will appreciate that change.  

Another change has been the growth of participation in our tours to Ireland.  We have over 40 people joining us for the tour to Kinsale this year and already are starting to take names for next year’s visit to Donegal.  Since 2004 we have conducted a yearly tour and sometimes even two tours in a year.  All in all several hundred fans have now walked the fields and forests of Ireland and shared a pint in a pub with Switchback.  

Another change has been the growth in collaborations with renowned artists.  On October 16th, Chicagoans will have the chance to celebrate the return of WayGood Presents, the series that brings unique artists and Switchback to perform an intimate concert.  The first concert will feature Alyth McCormack and Triona Marshall, who currently tour with our friends the Chieftains.  There are plans to introduce a similar concert series around Memphis.  Stay tuned.

The change of the seasons used to be something that meant a slowing down for Switchback, but Brian and I are starting to play through the winter months, too. January and February will see Switchback roam from Canada to a few miles north of Mexico. We’ve also taken to the air quite a bit as Labor Day weekend saw us move from Chicago to Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, and back to Minnesota and Iowa all in five days!

This February will bring us the arrival of the album Kanoka, which will once again feature the producing and stringmaster talents of Lloyd Maines as well as the heavenly harmonica of Howard Levy.  These are stellar musicians to be able to play with and we feel truly blessed.

Through it all, we attempt to keep focus on our mission with Switchback:  to touch as many souls through music and to reach out to those who need a little music in their lives. Yes, the leaves are starting to change, but it doesn’t signify anything sad for me anymore. I now look at it as a reminder of the blessings of music and our gratitude to have traveled this trail with our fans.

See you at a show!

Marty (and Brian)

What I have learned about Dubuque, Iowa and its great history

A note from the Fan Club President

 

Dear Switchback Fans,

 

I was honored to attend Switchback's orchestral debut of Falling Water River in Dubuque, Iowa on September 8. For this month's newsletter, I thought I would share with you my thoughts about the debut as well as what I have learned about Dubuque  and it's great history.

Day 1

As it was only our second time going to Dubuque, I wanted to make it special so my husband David took an extra day off so we could make a mini-vacation out of it for my birthday, which is September 11.  The first day we were there we asked Marie FitzGerald, the innkeeper of Four Mounds, about places to go. She always has great recommendations.  Of course we went to Potosi, Wisconsin to see the brewery and winery which are right across the way.  And of course I did recommend Switchback to both places and even got some good contacts for the guys that evening. Let me tell you, if you have never stayed at Four Mounds you really should. It is breathtaking, and it is a great place just to take in the nature and relax.

Day 2

We woke up to the sounds of the birds chirping and the wind off the Mississippi River.  It was so melancholy that I wished I could wake up to those sounds every day. So we went off to the gray house at Four Mounds for one of Marie’s fabulous breakfasts, and then we went to this place called Eagle Point Park.  It is one of the most outstanding parks in the Midwest with 164 acres overlooking the Mississippi River and Lock and Dam #11, providing a spectacular tri-state view of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.  It reminded me a lot of Starved Rock in Utica, Illinois.  You could stay there and enjoy the many nature trails.  You could see two states from the River, Wisconsin and Illinois.  After that, we just took advantage of the beauty of Four Mounds where I took pictures of the property that day. That has rather become a hobby of mine.  When we are on trip I like to take different shots of whatever may catch my eye. My husband David is getting pretty good at it himself if I may so!  He took many great shots at The Grand Opera House that evening.  Before we went to see Switchback premier their new symphony Falling Water River, we went to dinner at the L. May in downtown Dubuque.  I do have to say it was excellent.

The main reason for going on this trip was Switchback’s debut of Falling Water River with the Grand Pops Orchestra and Chorus directed by Paul Hemmer. We went on Saturday, September 8^th.   My review of this show is it was a wonderful blend of the orchestral sound and woodwinds.  I think that really made the difference overall. The special effects were just right too so way to go, Switchback!  I cannot wait to see the next performance!

Since my husband and I have only been in Dubuque twice, we wanted to do things and learn things about the town. One thing I have noticed is the pride Dubuque takes in its history.  Just look at Main Street in downtown Dubuque and how they have restored most of the buildings. The other is the architectural significance of a lot of the buildings.  You can tell the builders in the early 1800’s took pride in what they were doing and how they did it. There are a couple buildings I have noticed in Dubuque that have clock towers.  I would love to read up on the history of clock towers because I am sure there is some meaning for having so many in Dubuque.  The next thing we do will be an architectural tour when we come back to Dubuque. We always learn something when we come here.

Day 3 

We still wanted to see a little more so at breakfast we were talking to The Duves, very nice people and great Switchback fans, and they were telling us about the Spanish Mines where we learned about Julien Dubuque, who was the first permanent settler in Iowa.  We also learned Dubuque was a town of many firsts. Then on the way home we made two stops.  We first needed to eat so we went to the Galena Brewery, and while there we got directions for the Galena Cellars, which would take us back toward home. It was worth it just to see the scenery.  If we could live out this way we would.  On one side of the River you have Galena and the other Dubuque. For a person who loves nature, there is so much to do.   We look forward to our next trip to Dubuque and staying at the Four Mounds Inn.  It is the most serene place you can stay.

Melissa A. Kotrba

Fan Club President

 

Review of the Falling Water River Orchestral Debut

By Kay Shelton

On an early September evening, an audience in Dubuque had the opportunity to experience a masterpiece in progress.  Before artists began shifting away from producing complete albums and instead creating one song at a time for MP3 downloads, the duo Switchback produced “Falling Water River” as a tribute to fallen soldiers in 2005.  Since then, conductor of the Grand Pops Orchestra, Paul Hemmer, orchestrated the complete album, performed last weekend with Switchback and the orchestra.  This orchestration involved transforming music for two lead singers and two guitars (or a mandolin) and a couple of background instruments into music for a small orchestra and chorus, totaling over two dozen performers. (Click here to listen to a sample of music from the orchestral debut).

I hope the audience had a sense of how brilliant the orchestration was for this work. Orchestration is an art, a craft, and a science all rolled into one. Not even Beethoven got orchestration right, according to Richard Wagner who re-orchestrated significant sections of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. (In Beethoven’s defense, the technology of brass instruments changed by Wagner’s lifetime.)

Orchestration takes knowledge of all the capabilities of the instruments and what happens with the sound when they are blended together.  It takes knowledge of how to write the notes for the various instruments because they are not all the same. None of that is as easy as it may seem. What bowing should the violins use? Should there be solos for the melody and which instruments should play them? There are dozens of different percussion instruments, which ones to choose? Those seemingly simple questions are not so simple.  Then, add in a chorus; a celeste; and the lead voices, guitars, and mandolin of Brian and Marty. When should the chorus sing, and when should they not sing? Everything becomes a choice, but based upon extensive knowledge.  There are literally thousands of different choices to make in orchestration.

The Grand Pops Orchestra is smaller compared to a full-sized symphony orchestra and that is more of a challenge, too. There is only one flute, one oboe, one trumpet, one trombone, etc., etc., etc. One wrong choice could result in a very exposed sound with the size of the pops orchestra. There were no wrong choices in the orchestration. The celeste, known mostly for the iconic “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Tchaikovsky can easily become abused and turned into a gimmick—not so in this work.  Instead, the celeste added beauty and dignity to an otherwise tragic event, the death of a soldier.

Probably the best section of the work is “Requiem” The sound of the violins was ethereal, like it came down from Heaven itself.

Overall, however, despite the theme of the music, “Falling Water River” is not overly dramatic.  There are some bright spots in the music.  Usually performers remain motionless, stoic, and seemingly uncaring when they are sitting on stage, waiting for their turns.  The performance in Dubuque shattered that mold, too.  A couple of the women in the chorus tapped their feet and nodded their heads in time with the music in between their singing parts.  It was refreshing to see the performers not hide their enjoyment of the music.

It was difficult to absorb the sheer genius of this work in just one performance. There was a second performance of “Falling Water River” the next day but my work schedule was a major barrier.  Otherwise, I would have grabbed a hotel room in Dubuque on the spur of the moment and heard the work again the next day. 

A few years ago, one of my co-workers got sent to Iraq in the National Guard.  He returned two years later.  The first time I saw him again, I gave him a hug but he held me more closely and tightly than I ever expected, and he rested his warm cheek against mine.  It was a sense of touch that I cannot forget.  Now I understand.  It was as though that former soldier understood how lucky he was to return, unharmed, and he conveyed his luckiness in one short embrace.  When I hear the brighter places in “Falling Water River,” I can almost feel him holding me tightly.  I cannot, however, imagine what it must be like for those whose loved ones never returned, and they will never feel that kind of a touch from their soldiers again.

Falling Water River -- The Orchestral Debut

In a few days we will be performing what is probably going to be one of the most important concerts of our careers.   We will be debuting Falling Water River with the Grand Pops Orchestra and Chorus of Dubuque.  The dates are Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 9 at 2 p.m.

This concert is important because it marks a dramatic shift in our playing.  We have come a long way from bars and are about to present an interpretation of our original music that we want to be repeated by symphonies throughout the United States and Canada. This music is touching something that continues to be very real, and that is the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the sacrifices it takes.  That the date of the debut falls close to the anniversary of 9/11 is no coincidence.

We have received some wonderful endorsements for the project.  Rick Kogan of WGN Radio, whose program reaches some 8 million listeners, interviewed us and has told his listening audience as well as his readers that this will be "a stunning and remarkable achievement. Not only does Falling Water River tell a sweeping and moving musical tale, it touches the heart and mind and soul in ways that are real and unforgettable."

This album more than any of our others was influenced by friends and especially by those in our WayGood family who had members serving in the armed forces.  Brian's nephew was in the Special Forces early on in Iraq and was involved in the Jessica Lynch rescue. Jayn Lando's son-in-law Rodney was also in Iraq with Special Forces.  Diane Vance's son Will wrote us a beautiful letter from Iraq, telling us how much of an impact Falling Water River had on him and wondering if we were veterans.   Col. Cameron Ross of the Canadian Armed Forces had two sons deployed in Afghanistan and served there himself as well.  And there are many others, such as the elderly man who came up to us in Fort Madison after hearing Falling Water River and said that his grandson was in Iraq and thanking us for the song, tears in his eyes.  It has been a powerful album that endures beyond any release date.  We are realizing that it is a timeless album, something many artists only dream of making.

Needing a Switchback Fix

It's been a while since the Switchback boys have been to Memphis so my husband Rich and I decided it was time for a road trip up I55 to St. Louis to see the show at the Focal Point. The Cardinals were in town too so we made it a long weekend.

St. Louis has a fantastic public transportation system that makes it easy to get to and from the stadium. After the game Friday we were waiting on the Metro platform for our train and started talking to some young adults that were also waiting. When we told them we were in town from Memphis they asked if we had come just for the Cardinals game. We told them that we had also come for a Switchback concert. One girl's face lit up and she said that she had heard them and really liked them. It turns out that she had recently moved from Columbus, OH and had seen them more than once at the Hey Hey Club there. She would have loved to have come to the show but unfortunately had to work the next night. That was pretty awesome, to run into someone random from another city who knew and liked Switchback.

Saturday we took in some St. Louis activities and then met Brian and Marty and Helmut and Sarah Koch for lunch. I had met Helmut and Sarah at the Haybarn Rendezvous (the Rondy) several years ago. It's a WayGood family thing. It was fun to have time to visit, talk about old times, and catch up on what is happening now. Marty and Rich are big Civil War buffs so the three of us went to an exhibit about the Civil War in Missouri for a quick visit before going back to get ready for the show that night. 

The Focal Point is a wonderful venue, a small facility run by dedicated volunteers who love and care about music and work hard to present it in a setting worthy of the music.The adjacent cafe, The Maya, has both food and beverages, including what has been voted the best margarita in St. Louis!  Switchback put on an incredible show as always, mixing in old favorites with new songs. The second set was open to audience requests. It was a show full of laughter and fun, with From The Road stories and stories about the backgrounds of some of the songs. Of course, the music was superb, from Marty's always mesmerizing a capella rendition of "Danny Boy" to the haunting strains of "Right Then" to the signature rocking tune "Ain't Goin' Back."

Having driven five hours from Memphis to this show, it was quite a coincidence to find ourselves sitting next to a couple who was originally from the same vicinity of Memphis and knew the area where the shack is that inspired the song "The Has Been That Never Was."  When the boys first saw the shack and took their pictures of it, it was beaten up, abandoned, and partially covered by invasive kudzu vines. Rich had never actually seen it so we stopped on the way home. It is now so overgrown that unless you know where it is and are looking intensely for it you will never see it. More about that and pictures, both original and recent, another time.

There is something about Switchback music that calls to you like a siren's horn, bringing you in and keeping you in its spell. You can't get enough of it and find yourself needing that Switchback fix every so often, and that's what brought us to St. Louis last weekend.

Last night we went to a concert here in Memphis and more than once Rich turned to me and said, "Switchback is a lot better than they are!"  And they are!

Jayn Lando

Oshkosh Irish Festival

 “Coming Home to a Place We’ve Never Been Before”

As I sit contemplating the summer on this, our last day of school, I can’t help but look back on our first Fest of the season, The Oshkosh Irish Festival.

 

Nick wasn’t especially happy about our getting there hours earlier than we needed to, but of course he never complained a bit.  I wanted to be there with plenty of time to get everything under control before Marty and Brian made it in from Door County, Wisconsin. Funny, but my sense of timing reverted back to southern Michigan time, and it felt that to go all the way up to Wisconsin must take ages, although Google and Garmin both told me different!

What a wonderful surprise to find such a well-organized and friendly festival!  I encouraged Nick to get a little nap in while I went exploring- finding our key contact people, talking with the merchandise ladies (who are now friends and fans!), finding out meal times, where the dressing rooms are, and any last minute schedule changes.  While this could have taken hours, it took less than one, so I had time to look about the grounds and become reacquainted with vendors I’ve known from other festivals, and making sure everyone knew what time they should take a break to come down to the main stage to come see Switchback!

 

Brian and Marty had a smooth check in, and played to a good crowd and got fantastic reviews!  I met my own little fan club, four Vietnam Vets who joked a lot, shed a tear or two, and even opened up a bit about their war experiences upon hearing Falling Water River from the stage.  When I gave them each a copy of the CD, then Switchback came off stage to sign them (and I signed them too!) there were not many dry eyes in our little circle.  I was so moved by these men who lived their lives fully while carrying grief and hurt with them every day.  I’ll never forget my “Christine’s Fan Club”

. 

That evening we went to hear our old friend Seamus Kennedy play for a bit and made an early night of it.  The next morning it was up early and at the festival by 8:30 to prepare for the premier of Switchback’s Hibernian Mass.  The choir was wonderful, the music was a joy, and there was much Glory to God at the festival Sunday morning!  After the mass, we had free time to enjoy the music and relax until Switchback’s 4:00 performance.  I fell asleep to the sounds of the Pipe and Drum Corp as my lullaby. I woke up to find I’d all but slept through lunch.  Then it was show time, again to rave reviews of the crowd.

 

We packed up with that “summertime feeling”, well satisfied from a successful weekend, happy, and a little tired.  Quiet conversation and comfortable silences on the way home, and the hopes of returning to Oshkosh again next year.

~ Christine Pardee     

Kissing Ten Women

Takeshi Horiuchi has toured over the years with Brian and Marty.  Originally working in the US, he has since returned to Fujinomiya, Japan.  That hasn’t stopped his love of music and frequent trips back to join Switchback on stage.  Brian and Marty respect Takeshi-san’s’ mastery of the Irish drum called the bodhran and announce him to audiences as “the greatest bodhran player in all of Asia,”  to which Takeshi replies..."As far as we know.”  Below are his thoughts on the Prairie Tour last month that covered travel over five states with 17 shows, in just a day shy of two weeks.

This was the first tour I was to do with Switchback.  Brian and Marty are good friends of mine that I have known for eight years since we first met in Rochester, Minnesota, at the pub Whistle Binkies.  In the past when I came to visit and play with the band, usually for Th’ Gatherin’ in WaKeeney, Kansas, I would fly into the country, rent a car, and drive to meet them.   This was the first time that I would travel in the van and play 17 shows with the band in two weeks.  So I was a bit worried about our relationships at first. How would we be able to get along without a collision of personalities?   We survived and I found that we only had minor collisions of personalities.  We could handle those and we did have a great time.   I am happy to say that we ended the tour still friends and that my traveling with Marty–san and Brian-san did not result in the end of Switchback either!

The biggest surprise on this tour was Th’ Gatherin’.  This year, unfortunately, Th’ Gatherin’ was cancelled.  In its place we had a private “Baby Gatherin’.”  We had a house concert at the home of Seamus Cleland in WaKeeney.  I asked Marty and Brian what was happening with Th’ Gatherin’ as we headed out toward Kansas.  Both of them did not know what was to be expected and so I was feeling pretty sad as for six years I had made the trip from Japan to this place of wild weather and nice people.

I thought I wouldn’t see so many of the friends I had made over the years.  Happily for me, the Baby Gatherin’ was almost everything I expected.  My friends, like the Harveys, Dave from Hays, and George and Margaret from Scotland all came!  I realized that Th’ Gatherin’ was not about the Highland games or the bonfires.  It was like Thanksgiving or Christmas in that the people would come together once a year, enjoy music, and have a great time.  And we did.

We played what Switchback calls Community Outreach Programs.  Almost all of these gigs would have us traveling to a small town and playing at a local retirement community.  Our aim was to give such people some happy times and an enjoyable show.   Some of the places were extremely interesting to play as I discovered that some residents had very little reaction to the music.  Usually playing music is fun and enjoyable, but in this case, the music was more of a challenge.  I felt sorry that it seemed to me that these elderly people really need our music to remind them of the enjoyment of life.  We would play several Community Outreach Programs a day when traveling.  I had never felt that physically tired before.  Giving these people a good time was rewarding though, even if it meant looking for a tiny reaction.  It meant my music reached them and I was glad.

We played one place on my 50th birthday.  Marty mentioned that it was my birthday to the audience and all of the sudden the people started singing “Happy Birthday” to me all by themselves.  They even said my name right, which was a big surprise.  It was very much a gift from the people and I was very happy.

Because I played so many of these gigs with Switchback on this tour, I think I can tell what the energy will be, even before a show starts.  When I mentioned this to Marty he said, “Takeshi-san, now you are truly a musician.”  So it showed me that Switchback knew about energy and how to play these types of shows.

I also experienced how dangerous traveling on a tour can be.  I was driving the Switchback van about 80 miles north of Kansas City and with our speed at 75 miles an hour when I heard this strange noise.  At first I thought it was a motorcycle rider coming up on my side, the noise and vibration were that big.  Soon after I knew something was wrong with the van and I tried to stop on the side of the road.  Marty helped by reaching over and canceling the auto drive and told me to take the foot off the brake and let the van roll to a stop.  When I got out of the van, I found the right rear tire had blown out very badly.  

I didn’t know what to do, but Switchback was able to call for help and two hours later we were back on the road.  We had left at 5 a.m. and so our arrival in Chicago was going to be right in rush hour.  But I also thought perfect timing happened here, as we had the accident on the day when there were no shows.  We also didn’t leave after the show the night before and travel through the night.   If we had lost the tire on a curve in Kansas City that morning with all the traffic, it could have been worse.   So we were lucky.   I think it shows how important keeping the van in good condition is.  Perhaps many fans do not realize how hard traveling is on a vehicle as well as on Brian and Marty.   We laughed about it, but I also felt that we could have not been laughing, too.

On this tour, I had the chance to listen to the rough tracks of “Kanoka.”  I enjoyed these very much and I think people will love this new album.  I also found that playing JR’s Down Under in Buffalo, Minnesota, was extremely fun as the people were very nice, we made new fans, and I had to play on top of a table!  One man asked me when was the last time I had to play on a table, and I told him this was my first time! But I was surprised that the next week at a concert in Great Bend, I was back again on top of a table so people could see me play the bodhran.

I was also very surprised at Oak Center when Steve (who runs the Oak Center) didn’t make his usual political speech before the show.  I told our percussionist Nick, who had never been to Minnesota, to watch Steve as he was about to give a big political speech, and here he was, talking about planting vegetables.  I was actually disappointed that Nick didn’t have the chance to hear Steve go on and on about American politics!  That’s a tradition at the Oak Center.

Nick wasn’t able to go to Kansas with us because he said he had work to do.  But I was thinking he may another reason as he mentioned that he just started dating a girl.  Brian joked in front of Nick that I was the most reliable musician he has ever worked with because I show up on time all the way from Japan!  I think Nick is a great musician and we had a good time riding together through Minnesota during the tour and having some beers at the Buffalo Tap.  But I think when we were drinking together his mind was on a very special lady.  I saw her picture and she’s very pretty.  I told Nick she looks like a fairy from the woods.  Good for a city boy from Chicago!

One thing I can’t understand about Switchback is how they eat.  For example, we ended up eating twice on the same day at the same restaurant in Great Bend at a place called Treaders.  I also thought it funny that they didn’t drink alcohol, but instead drank coffee and were very picky about what coffee to drink.  They even brought their own coffee maker!

Not all the tour is working.  We managed to get to the Sternberg Museum in Hays for a very quick visit.  However, we only spent about 20 minutes there before we had to leave.  Later, I went back to the museum (Switchback was taking a nap in the van before a show) and talked to the cute woman who was charging admission.  She allowed me to tour the museum for free as it was near closing time.  Or maybe she liked me, I hope.   I was really happy when Brian and Marty gave me a shirt from the museum that had an image of a fossil fish that had eaten another fish on it.  That fossil was found near the museum from a time when Kansas was an ocean.   It was a great birthday present.

Finally the best part of the tour (and I mean this with sarcasm, a word Brian taught me) was the daily harassment from these two guys!  For example, they took funny pictures of me and put them on the Facebook site, especially the one with me holding two bags of cookies.  I didn’t get to eat any of them.  Also, they made me sing “Sukiyaki” at the retirement homes.  I am a very shy guy, I mean it!  A big harassment was at the Baby Gatherin’.  Marty and Brian had me take a solo and then left me on the stage alone.  I had to solo a very long time before I realized they were not coming back!

And the biggest harassment was when Marty announced to the audience, “Takeshi is turning 50 years old and has never been kissed yet.”  I was then met by ten women who came running up to kiss me.  I felt harassed, not by the women, but by Switchback.  All I can say is when the day comes that Switchback tours Japan, I will make all the women kiss them!

2012 Songwriters Weekend Recap

Last month, my husband David and I were lucky enough to attend the Switchback Songwriters Weekend.  Not only did we get the benefit of being part of such a rewarding weekend, but we got to spend it at the Four Mounds Inn in a secluded area off in its own little world near the Mississippi River.  Switchback fans, if you have not been there, I would strongly suggest you attend next year! It gets your juices going, and for those people that think they cannot write a song, you will find that you can do it! I have firsthand experience with that. I actually participated this year and came away with my own song called Butterflies and Flowers. 

The assignment was to 1) pick a movie you have seen quite recently that just stuck with you for some reason or another.  Well, I happen to love the movie My Cousin Vinnie.  2) Pick something that represents you. I picked butterflies and flowers:  butterflies because I like everything, and flowers because gardening is something I love to do! J  The ironic part of this whole story that no one from the weekend knows is that one other idea I had written down is the leather jacket that has just been calling my name at Starved Rock. I feel it represented me and would have fit into my song, but I ended up not including it.  I guess if I wanted to, I could try to rewrite it somehow.

Day 1

Being first time travelers to Dubuque, Iowa, David and I decided to take the scenic route to Apple River Canyon, and it was so beautiful! We may go camping there sometime in the fall. On Highway 20 to Galena we found a neat little restaurant in the business district called Dirty Gurt’s. I would give it four stars.  We would definitely go back there again.

Once we arrived in Dubuque, David and I decided to go off on our own and seek out the best dinner spot in the area. It was the Dubuque Star Brewery right on the Mississippi River.  Again, another great place to tell our friends about!  After dinner, we arrived at Four Mounds Inn where we enjoyed a wine and cheese reception with a “passing of the guitar” with the other guests.  This was intended as a way to get to know one another.  Each person played some type of song or was asked to sing whatever they wanted. 

Day 2

David woke up before I did and had already written three songs. I decided to go for a walk before breakfast, and it was so beautiful that morning. What a gorgeous sunrise it was! It is so beautiful around the Mississippi River this time of year. I ran into Kay Shelton, another musician attending the seminar.  We were talking about bird watching, and that got me thinking about writing another song and how to go about it. I have the idea but for now it is just a work in progress.  After breakfast, we all sat around the breakfast tables as we were given our assignments.  Then we were able to go off until noon and if we needed any help, we could ask any of the four songwriters who would be available for consultation.  I took full advantage of that once I wrote my first draft.  I showed Marty and he told me to talk to Scott who gave me a different perspective on how to write a song.  You have to end it somewhere and then write at least three pages of ideas because those are your foundation even if you do not use them.  You then have them for a song composition later. They will always be your ideas!  I felt as if everyone had a different idea for my song as I was going through this process.  I wanted my song to be about a gangster who had a soft side and asked for forgiveness because she liked butterflies and flowers, and in the end her friends had to make amends. 

Later that day we scheduled consultations with the songwriters. My time was with Marty and he had me take all my papers and put them in my room, and then he asked me what I wanted my song to be about in my own words. He asked me if I had written the top part of the song which would become my refrain about butterflies and flowers. Then the first verse had to be about me, the gangster in Riverside.  Then the second verse had to be about my peeps (refrain), and the third and final verse had to be about going to St. Mary’s to ask for forgiveness.  I even asked James for help and he put some words in there that really did not reflect my concept. I asked Brian if he would play it with me, and he said this did not sound right and not to come back to him until it was more my song. I had to work on that until it made sense in my own words so that I could sing it and feel comfortable. That is what writing a song is about. One thing I have learned is never to work with someone that is too close to you because that person may have a different way of thinking. This is not a bad thing -- it just sometimes does not work if you do not have the same thought process.

Day 3

I showed Marty my song and I told him I know that is not how to write a song. Marty asked how do you think you write a song?  I responded it is by writing with spaces in between as my husband does.  He said that everyone is different and that sometimes you have to take a step back from your partner, meaning David, because no one writes a song the same way as anyone else.  Then we were able to perfect our songs if we were not already done and we each performed in front of the group at 9 am. It was a round robin concert with no set order so everyone just volunteered to go and it was nice that way. It is really a rewarding and relaxing weekend as a whole, and I am glad I attended as a participant because it was a completely new experience for me. Thanks to everyone that made this weekend happen, especially Jan Hoag, our Booking Agent, who was on site to help with anything that came up. 

Being first timers in Dubuque, my husband David and I decided to go sightseeing at the Museum and Aquarium of Dubuque. We went into an actual steamboat that is a historical landmark. There is so much fascinating history in this area that we both decided we would have much more to see when we go back.

Well, it just makes me look forward to more traveling to Iowa, which brings me to my next subject, The Mayfly Dance “Dance” on June 22, 2012.  We want to fill the dance floor at TJ Hunters in Lansing, Iowa so let’s get those dancing shoes on and I hope to see you out there!  Then the day after the dance is the Mayfly Dance Cruise on the evening of June 23.  If you are interested, go to www.waygoodmusic.com for all the details. What a great way to travel down the river, listening to Switchback while looking at the beauty of nature!

You will also want to mark your calendar for September 8-9, 2012 when Switchback will debut the orchestral arrangement of “Falling Water River” at The Grand Opera House of Dubuque. Arranged and directed by Paul Hemmer, the music will be performed by the 30-piece Grand Pops Orchestra!

Best Regards,

Fan Club President of Switchback

Melissa A. Kotrba

Looking Ahead

Depending on where you are in the WayGood World, you may be enjoying summer like our fans down in Australia or still battling the last bits of winter like Sir George Philip and Switchback fans up in Scotland (Hang in there, George!).  Here along the upper Mississippi, we have experienced a little of both.

Mother Nature seems a bit confused, and that was best illustrated as we drove south of Lynxville, Wisconsin, on our way from some shows in Minnesota. Outside that town a big pond adjoins the river and half of it was frozen. On this half were crammed about 20 or so ice fishermen, all sitting patiently on pickle buckets, holding tiny fishing poles and watching their holes in the ice. The other half of the pond was ice-free and on that side were about three john boats, each with about two fishermen working together. The temperature was fairly warm and we wondered what the fish were doing on either side of the pond. From the look on the fishermen's faces, the fish must not have been biting.

It's a funny part of the year. We stoic Midwesterners reluctantly bid farewell to winter and accept the greening of the land. And with that comes the restless anticipation that summer will not be too far behind. For Switchback, it means our schedule starts getting busier. We have some excellent opportunities in April for people to see us in some very interesting destinations.

For the first time ever, we will play at a yoga studio. We're calling it a "Holistic Hooley" and it takes place at the Dancing Cranes Studio in Forest Park near Chicago on April 13. The room has great acoustics and we promise to rock everyone's chakras with an extremely intimate, somewhat unplugged, performance.

On April 14, the Steyer Opera House at the Hotel Winneshiek of Decorah, Iowa will be host to a benefit for that amazing radio station KPVL, the "Voice of Postville." Postville is a very historic city, known lately for its amazing cultural mix of South American, New York Hassidic and "Iowa-wegia."  Eating at their restaurants is a trip around the world in itself! The radio station's eclectic mix is perfect for this part of northeast Iowa. We're on board to help raise some funds for them as we continue to support stations that promote live, local music.

We have arranged a unique concert for just 50 people at the beautiful Four Mounds Inn in Dubuque, Iowa on April 21. You can still purchase tickets, but they are going fast. This will be a Nashville-style songwriters in the round program with James McCandless and Scott Momenthy sharing guitars and reaching into their song-bags for some amazing tunes. This is part of our Songwriters Weekend and we have only a few slots remaining for the workshops. We limit attendance to 16 as we create a very hands-on, exciting, and music-filled weekend for our participants.

The annual Spring Planting Concert at Oak Center, that great mercantile music destination in the middle of Minnesota, takes place on April 28.  For us, it means spring has officially arrived. Anyone who has climbed the narrow stairs to that wood-paneled room will attest to it being one of the best listening venues in the Midwest. On break, one can open the fire escape door and take in the smell of freshly turned black soil. It is a smell that is every bit as invigorating as the smell of the ocean or a mountain forest.

We will next head toward Des Moines and a new venue for us called The GrapeVine on Sunday, April 29th at 7 pm. This too is an exclusive show with only RSVPs being accepted. Once the room is filled, that's it. We haven't played central Iowa in a while and so we anticipate a great response. You can lock in your RSVP by emailing afinetime4wine@aol.com.

We keep heading west and onto the high plains of Kansas for some other new venues to play. We will appear at The Barton County Arts Council gallery in Great Bend, Kansas after we present a master class for college students on songwriting.

These are just some of the highlights and by no means the only shows we have coming up for you.  Please check our schedule for the full list of concerts and shows.  Also, please check our Road webpage to see where we've been.  Throughout the season, we continue our mission of reaching into communities and presenting outreach concerts at various churches, retirement homes, and schools.

~ Marty and Brian