Hey Guys.
i am sitting at the coffee shop where i come when i’m home, the one that’s not Starbucks, the one that plays good music and makes the town feel almost like a city… i have a theory that people go to coffee shops – well, i’m sure we go for coffee – but i think we go to feel less alone. i could write this in my room but i choose to drive across town to sit among the people. i might not talk to anyone but somehow it’s better to be here…
It’s been a busy week, a busy few weeks really. We’ve got lots going on, getting ready for the summer. Lots of design happening, lots of ideas and getting ready for Warped Tour…
i’m actually just writing to share some cool news and also to invite you. In the Spring of 2007, we were part of Anberlin’s Cities tour. We were on the road for close to two months, all across America. On that tour, we got to know the guys from Bayside. Bayside is a rock and roll band from New York City. Growing up, i thought they were from my tiny town in Florida because they played here so much.
After the Anberlin tour, Bayside invited us to be part of their U.S. tour and then after that they invited us to spend the summer with them on Warped Tour. It’s safe to say we spent most of ’07 with them and it’s no small thing for a band to share their stage or bunks on their bus. That’s where they make their living and that’s home.
Bayside’s singer is Anthony Raneri and Anthony played our first “Heavy and Light” night at the Social in 2008. He came back to play it again this past January at House of Blues Orlando. And then we spent a couple weeks together in Australia, for Soundwave… All of that to say, Bayside has been incredibly generous and supportive, and Bayside has become part of the TWLOHA story. Anthony has become a friend and we take none of it lightly.
This brings us to now. Anthony is hitting the road for a short solo tour w/ Andy Jackson (Hot Rod Circuit) and he’s invited me to speak at his solo shows in Gainesville and Orlando (Florida) next weekend. i’m honored and excited, and if i’m honest, a little bit nervous. Saturday night (6/20) we’ll be at 1982 Bar in Gainesville and Sunday we’ll be at Back Booth in downtown Orlando. Back Booth is special because i went there with Renee when i first met her, to see Band Marino. We took a photo in the photo booth that night and that photo made ended up on NBC Nightly News a few months back.
So Anthony is part of our story and Back Booth is part of our story and then it turns out that Sunday is Father’s Day. As a lot of you know and remember, Father’s Day is a day that matters to us… It’s a day we’ve thought and talked a lot about. And then on top of all of that, there’s this other thing. There’s this other story that’s bumping into ours and it’s a big one. This other thing is a surprise and it’s a weird one because it’s connected to Sunday but we can’t explain it until after Sunday… (You just sort of have to trust me that it’s big and it’s cool and eventually this will all make sense.)
Anyway, this is me inviting you to these two shows. On a certain level, they’re small and on some other levels, they’re huge and i suppose that’s the case with almost every story. Anythony has a stage and he believes we have something important to say and so he lends us his stage and we go because there’s going to be people in the room and people are the most important thing on the planet. (And then there’s this other thing, this surprise, perhaps another stage…)
It would be really cool if you could help us spread the word and it would be the best if you could come. Beyond the speaking, some folks from our team will be hanging out and we would love to meet you…
Thank you and please have a great night.
We hope to see you soon.
: )
jamie
PS: Here’s a really cool photo of Anthony’s band Bayside at Bamboozle last month. Thank You to Jered Scott for sharing this photo with us.