Hello from Norfolk, VA. I tried to write after the show last night, around 3am, but I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. David and Lauren have friends in Norfolk so we’re all feeling better after some sleep, a hot shower and some good local food. (I am a fan of crab cakes and free wireless internet, so this is a good place to be.)
We had a wonderful night last night, opening night in Charlotte. All the bands were super kind and played great sets. This really is an amazing lineup – four talented bands. It was super good to reconnect with Anberlin, and we became fast friends with the Jonezetta guys. Dia stopped by and said hello before their (Meg & Dia’s) set. She spent a couple minutes with Lauren and Trisha and checked out the story before taking the stage. It was really cool to get to see Meg & Dia after hearing so much about them recently.
I spoke briefly before Anberlin and I must confess that I hadn’t been that nervous in a while. It really surprised me how quiet and attentive the crowd was while I spoke – that really surprised me. I talked about the last year, how this began with Renee’s story and an attempt to meet her needs, and how it’s grown into something bigger. I shared some statistics about the issues, shared some of our 2007 goals, and then it was time for Anberlin.
It’s safe to say everyone was looking forward to hearing the new songs. The Unwinding Cable Car was a highlight, which was a great surprise considering they weren’t planning to play it. Stephen dedicated Paperthin Hymn to TWLOHA, and the grand finale was Dismantle Repair, which is my early favorite off of the new record. Deon was sporting an All-Blaque Deon, which we made just for him for this tour.
We met a bunch of people, and saw a few familiar faces as well. Everyone was so kind. It really meant a lot. After the show, we hit up Waffle House for what I’m sure will be the first of many late-night dinner breakfasts. All in all, it was a great opening night.
One of our goals for this tour is building a network of people in places where needs are being met in each city we visit. Here’s a few of those in Charlotte / NC: (if you have more, for Charlotte or other cities on this tour, we would love for you to send those to [email protected]
Charlotte / NC Resources:
GREATER CHARLOTTE AREA OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS
24 hr. Helpline (704) 366-8980
http://www.charlotte-na.org/index.htm
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETINGS IN CHARLOTTE
http://www.charlotteaa.org/meetingschedule.cfm **
TEEN CHALLENGE ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTERS:
http://www.teenchallengeusa.com/locations_print.asp
Peace to you from the Norva.
jamie