Youtube Finds

Here are some interesting clips I found on Youtube featuring us or our music.

First, a trip across South Korea with a floating head set to "What I Wouldn't Do":



Now, a little kid rocking out to "He Loves Me," probably the cutest thing ever:



And then, just us, playing the Redstone Room in Davenport, IA.




This is great, people. Keep this kind of stuff coming. We love it. -Troy

Cory and Jess are Gettin' Hitched!!

Don't they make a lovely couple? That's right, friends - Our own Cory Canny and merch gal Jessica Middleton are now engaged. It happened at the Middleton family Christmas, which I had the honor of attending. They're looking at dates sometime in 2011 for the wedding.

Of course, we'd all like the wedding to happen sooner, but Jessica insists that she "plan" the thing. Congratulations, Cory and Jess. We knew it was just a matter of time. -Troy

Oliver di Place - Wasted Love Songs Review

She Swings, She Sways is a six piece band. Between them, they can top the usual drums and bass with twin acoustic guitars plus electric guitar and piano. Or acoustic guitar with two electric guitars and trumpet. They can add in a mandolin or harmonica. And guests on the album bring fiddle, pedal steel, and French horn into the mix. The bass player plays a stand up bass, but sometimes he bows it instead of the usual plucking. So She Swings, She Sways can use a lot of different musical textures. They do so, but with great subtlety, and the whole thing holds together beautifully. But Wasted Love Songs is an album that rewards repeated listens, because there is so much going on musically. Some songs are mostly acoustic, while others rock out. Sometimes both things happen in the same song. There is even the occasional waltz...

Continue reading the review at http://oliverdiplace.blogspot.com/2009/11/she-swings-she-sways-wasted-love-songs.html

Tour in Pictures and Perspective (Troy's that is.)

Photos, recollections, and reflections on our S4 Outing of '09.

We do this when we leave; we do this when we get home, and we do this a whole damn lot in between. Cory and I take loading seriously. We think our first trip with a trailer was a clear success. I open with this photo because it sums up how I see the tour. I kinda even love the labor. According to the cheesily titled "Rock Bible," "You don't get paid to play in front of people. You get paid to sit in a smelly bus or van with your bandmates' collective body funks, listen to your bandmates snore in hotel rooms, eat at Waffle Houses and Mexican Joints, load-unload-setup-and-tear-down equipment . . . and drive all night to get back home to go to work the next day. It's a privilege to play in front of people."

At the Fourth Street Theater, Des Moines, IA

We gave a recital. Imagine more strings and horns.



We brought a little guitar for in-van entertainment.

Captain Jimmie Lee Dalton during our mid-tour sailing expedition on Lake Erie

And we often sang this song:

"Jimmie is the captain of our ship (OF OUR SHIP!)
Jimmie is the captain of our ship (OF OUR SHIP!)
The ship is a tanker, and JIMMIE IS A WANKER!
Jimmie is the captain of our ship (OF OUR SHIP!)"

We changed the name often, of course.

At the Uptown, Minneapolis

John likes to channel the Holy Spirit through the acoustic guitar his wife gave him for his birthday. That bright smear of light there is the spirit. See! It exists, and we have photos to prove it.

Restringing his Guitar, Unknown Stage

There was much less string breaking on this trip. Cory and John finally got some decent guitars.

At the River Music Experience, Davenport, IA

We played with some kids in loud rock and roll bands. Then they all stuck around for this mad accordion drama.

At A.K. O'Connor's in Des Moines

Well, this doesn't happen often. But when it does, I turn red because I'm so full of awesome. John actually held his own on the bullfiddle. I'm thinking a side project is in order.

Our photographer, Jessica Middleton

 

This is Jess, our merchgal and band business generalist. She loads equipment, sells our stuff, manages the streaming of shows, does on the road finances, and takes photos. We love her dearly.

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Summer Tour is Over, and I Don't Like It

A roundup of our final summer shows:

Kirby's Beer Store, Wichita, KS - This is the tiniest most magical place in Wichita. I described it to Jimmie like this: "It's a bit bigger than the van, no - It's like two vans!" The walls, the ceiling, and I'm sure even part of the floor are covered with old posters. Ask Paul the Bartender anything about the bar, and he'll pull down a photo album from the shelves and give you the full illustrated story. Also, it's one of the few bars I've been to where the regulars are real, rabid music lovers. This show was different from past performances there: with some creative engineering, we were able to fit all six band members on the stage. Everything sounded fantastic. Two shows left, and we'd finally hit our stride. Played with Wichita's Chime Owls. They kicked ass. Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/thechimeowls.

Barn Yard Beer, Lawrence, KS - Barnyard Beer is a home (for now) brewery run by a couple guys named Heath Hoadley and Mike Hummell. Heath (a supercool guy) went to brew school in Germany and has been plying his trade all over the country only to settle in Lawrence. Turns out both Heath and Mike attended IHCC, where I work. This show was supposed to be in Mike's back yard, in front of the barn. Unfortunately, it was raining. Having dealt with that once already, we couldn't afford to set up all the electrical stuff, so John, Cory, Diana, and I jammed acoustic when the rain let up. There were tons of people there, and it sucked to not be able to play full force. Hopefully, we'll get to go back soon. According to Mike, they're going to be doing a lot of these parties and hope to move into a full size bar in the Kansas countryside. We can't wait, Mike. I got to try the Porter and the Golden Ale. I usually prefer whiskey, but this beer was fantastic.

Check out Barnyard Beer: http://www.barnyardbeer.com/. Also, add them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/barnyardbeer and find them on Facebook.

Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, IA - Last show of the trip - an Authentic Records showcase on the A&E stage. We sailed the van through a shit ton of people to a spot behind stage near the air conditioned trailer (yeah, swanky. Complete with meat and veggie tray). Being the last day of tour, I was broke, and the smell of all that food on sticks was torture. Luckily, Jason Walsmith treated me to a porkchop and the stand near the stage (The Birds Nest) treated us as well. Thank you all. Got to watch Mike Butterworth try to unstick the Nadas' van from a muddy hill. Turns out the parking break was on the entire time. I'd laugh, but that's something we would do. Watched Benjamin Wagner, Mike Himebaugh of Hello Dave, and Fat Andy play some great sets. Our set was the best feeling of the entire trip, and the sound was excellent. After the show, there were hugs all around for a tour well done.

Now we're home. Back to work/debt control. Making big plans. I can't wait to do this again.

Home always looks so good to me until I'm there.

-Troy

Yay!

Last night we got to play music and feel like a band again. After spending three days in Houston, dealing with van wreck bullshit and getting awfully snippy with each other, we were able to remember why we're out here.

Let me back up a bit. We had two problems in Texas: a broken van and a broken trailer. We ended up getting the trailer fixed. Mark and the guys at Trailer, Wheel, and Frame replaced the bent axle on short notice for us. We spent all Tuesday at Tennison Collision Center while Jason and Cory looked for a van. They found one: a 98 Dodge conversion thing they found online and then bought from an old Lebonese guy. Shady maybe, but effective. Diana was able to find us a place to stay with Michelle, mother of Ty, one of Diana's college friends. She got us pizza, let us shower, and even asked what kind of cereal we liked. We annihilated her boxes of Lucky Charms and Cap'n Crunch. Wednesday was spent waiting for the trailer and getting the ac in the new van fixed before driving to John's brother's house in OKC. Big thank you to Marvin and Darrell at Tennison for helping is out and making us feel comfortable in their shop.




(That's them on the left. The green machine *sniffle* sits, dead (RIP), behind.)

So, we have a new van:



It's pretty cool. They ac is still a little wonky, but it keeps us cool, pulls our stuff, and got us to Tulsa yesterday. Ah yes, the show in Tulsa: we played at the Agora Coffee House. We played there this winter on New Year's Eve. Needless to say, last night's show was much better attended. It's a big room and has a good Bose pa. Jason ran our sound, and we sounded glorious. Then we sold a bunch of stuff. Love it. A woman doing a project for a class called American Song as Literature even interviewed some of us. We stayed with our friend Stephanie Kellog and her uncle, and she made us pancakes this morning.

Round up of thank you's: Marvin and Darrell at Tennison's. Mark at Trailer, Wheel, and Frame. Ty and Ty's mom Michelle. The ladies at Super 8 for looking the other way while we packed seven people in one double room, John's brother Chad for letting us arrive so late and his great dane Riley for slobbering on me while I slept in the kitchen, Stephanie and her uncle, all the people who electonically expressed sympathy for our plight, and all the venues and fans affected by our having to cancel shows. We love you all.

Tonight, Kirby's Beer Store in Wichita.

-Troy

Shit.

Two days ago we were on the freeway into Houston. It had been raining; the roads were wet. The semi in front of us screached to a stop, forcing us to do the same. The van skidded on the wet road, giving us three options: veer into a lane of traffic, collide with the rear end of the semi, or take it onto the shoulder and into the concrete guard rail. Our sensible driver chose the guard rail.




The result is three bent axles, two bent rims, and a bunch of other broken stuff: in short, a totaled van.




(It doesn't look like much, but the tire is bent out and the wheel assembly and axle destroyed.)

A passing tow truck was kind enough to stop and help us out.





We, thank the gods, are all fine. We've spent the last two days holed up in a Super 8, dealing with all the complications of the mechanics' shop and insurance company, becoming very familiar with Whataburger (a "Texas treasure"), watching too much tv, and smoking way too many cigarettes. We've had to cancel three shows so far, and this makes me the saddest of all. I hate that. Right now, we still don't know what we are going to do. We wait.