In The Market For A Sword. Issue #6

Whew, last week was lots of fun and lots of HOT. Thank you to everyone who came out to support at the Q Cafe on Friday night with TJ Sherrill and Alex Nackman. I knew it would be fun, but didn't know it would be THAT fun. I'm talking about how excited I was to play with my new backing band and getting back to the ROCK! I played about 7 songs acoustically, and then brought up the band for 7 songs (just getting started!) and some plugged in sonic chaos that I can see I really needed. It felt like I was putting on an old favorite pair of jeans that I had forgotten about and got me REALLY excited for my next show on August 15th @ The Highdive. I'm glad people enjoyed how my new solo material translated with a full band, and made me happy to see some dancing to our version of "Billie Jean". FYI, this is the full band version I will be performing under when I advertise my shows from now on unless I say otherwise!


As I had stated in my last posting, Alex and his band flew in from Eugene (via NYC) Wednesday night and stayed with Mandi and I until they flew out to San Francisco Saturday morning. I wasn't sure how it would play out with 4 strangers (minus Alex) staying at our place, but it turned out to be more fun than I could have imagined. We went to Experience Music Project, got sorbet in Fremont, Copper River Salmon burgers at Daly's on Eastlake, and caught The Justin King band at the Highdive. If you haven't seen Justin King, I highly encourage you to do so. I had never heard of them, and being friends of Alex's band, we went to check them out. I can honestly say that from the first song, my jaw was on the floor which I can say has never happened before with a local show. This guy's guitar playing (finger tapping style with crazy rhythms) was unbelievable, the kind of stuff that makes you want to give up! Not only did they have great songs, but the 4 members all took their shirts off halfway through the show. This was impressive to me due to the fact of when they did, they went into two low-lit stage ballads and not big rock. This takes balls, and was disturbingly impressive in itself. Probably had to be there...

It was also nice to get to know Alex's band as they are all hired guns by Alex who also play in many other bands and have toured separately all over the country and some parts of Europe. It was interesting and informative to hear what that lifestyle is like and how it works on a day-to-day basis. The most intriguing part of it all was in a "grass is always greener" kind of way. I marveled how it must be so fun to have the constant traveling adventure of a touring musician, and they would comment on how it would be nice to not always wonder where your next check is going to come form. Interesting, huh? All in all I had a great time with them and made some new friends. I would do it again in an instant, and would encourage you help out a traveling band as well if the opportunity ever comes up. Not staying in a hotel every stop in a strange city seems to be a big treat if that's what you're used to...

Also, I now have the first bit in a list of promo items that I will be putting out in the next few months. First off...BUTTONS! Yep, you can now get a "KS" button for your jacket, laptop bag, hat, or anywhere (Yikes!) you want to put it. These can be picked up from me at shows, or if you want to get some before the next one, send me your address at kylestevens@mac.com, and I will mail you one right away. My friend Brian who designs my flyers helped with the logo. Also, if you see it sprayed on the freeway walls and exit signs next to the SHARP-TOOTHED PAC-MAN (what is that anyway!?!) it wasn't me...

In other news, today is my and Mandi's 3 year anniversary, and to celebrate, on Sunday took a day trip to Bellingham. On the way up, we got side-tracked in Mount Vernon and decided we would stop and see one of her patients play harp at the yearly Scottish Highland Festival. Rich in Scottish culture and tradition, the festival has just about everything you'd expect to find there including a bunch of pale red-headed people who really shouldn't be out in the sun for very long (example: The "First Aid" station looked like that meant lots of choices of sun screen). It was only after walking through the festival for 15 minutes when I realized that fate had brought me to a specific vendor booth for certain realization: I NEED A SWORD.


Seriously, I need a sword because one, they look cool; and two, I don't have a gun. Personally, I've never thought very much about needing to arm myself, but I have no doubt that if someone broke into my house and I came out with a 5-foot long Viking Sword, that there would for sure be some screaming/fleeing happening. I told this to Mandi, and after she gave me a big eye roll and voiced concerns regarding me accidentally impaling myself (or her), she asked what would happen when the thieves shot at me. I felt the answer was pretty obivious: I WOULD DEFLECT THE BULLET WITH MY SWORD. Duh.