Go Pelicans!

4/21, 11am: Greetings from Canada! We’re here in Rama, Ontario, at Casino Rama, just an hour or so from Toronto. The casino & hotel is on a lake and has a mountain lodge/Indian motif that is in keeping with the picturesque setting in which it is situated. I’ve got a beautiful room here replete with fireplace, sitting area, large glass-enclosed shower, and a nice big bed. Of course, no casino experience would be complete without the requisite buffet and they’ve got it! It may please those close to me that, while I continue to make several trips (no true buffet-lover can do any less!), I’m coming back with smaller portions. I read an article a few days ago about why French women are so skinny. The reason?...they eat what they want but in smaller portions than us Americans. Makes sense.

Monday, back in Myrtle Beach - where we spent the better portion of last week - Jeff and I took in a minor league baseball game. It was the Myrtle Beach Pelicans versus the Winstom-Salem Warthogs. The Pelicans are a Class A affiliate of the Braves and The Warthogs are a Class A affiliate of the White Sox. For $8.50 each, we had two box seats just a couple rows back from the 1st base dugout. It was fantastic! When you’re that close, you really get a sense of how fast the action is when there’s a ball in play. First of all, the pitches look like they’re being shot out of a cannon. The balls coming off the bats seem even faster! Jeff & I were in foul-tip territory, so we definitely had to pay attention. A few went in our general direction - one lady got cllipped and required minor medical attention - but all we got our hands on were the many hot dogs and peanuts we consumed. Final score?...Warthogs 4, Pelicans 1. So, as we exited the stadium along with our fellow forlorn Pelican fans, we hit the pro shop for souveniers and tucked away a memorable & enjoyable evening in Myrtle Beach.

Musically speaking, I would say that things have settled into a nice groove. The band is in fine form and spirits are high among all concerned. My bass is showing some small signs of the wear & tear of so much travelling and, while it still plays & sounds great, I’m wondering - after almost 15 years - if another one is in order to share the load. It would be tragic if something happened and I had nothing to fall back on. Sometimes, though it’s rare, the airline will not let me take it as a carry-on. I’ve seen the way some of these baggage-handlers toss it around andit makes me cringe every time. Thank goodness I spent the extra money and got a good case!

That’s all for now. We’ve got two more here in Canada, then a show in Connecticut, and home! It’s been a most enjoyable trip and I’m looking forward to Vegas and Atlantic City in May.

Stay tuned music fans!
--Adam

Ahhh, Florida! Brrr, South Carolina!!

4/15, 3:23pm: Just finished lunch - a delicious turkey wrap w/ fries (Beth loves when I go into detail
about my food) - and decided it was time to update the old journal. Right now we’re in Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina where, I must say, it’s beautiful but rather windy & cold. However, the sun is out and as soon as I finish this I’m going to take a walk to the health club and hit the weight room. I can finally move without my skin feeling like it’s being rubbed with sandpaper (more on that later).

We kicked off a week in Florida at West Palm Beach where it was incredibly warm, sunny, and quite tropical (as you might expect). Had a good show and then took off for Naples. Naples is Florida’s version of Beverly Hills but near the beach and without the plastic surgery. We stayed at a luxurious hotel called The Inn on Fifth where the sliding glass door in my room opened up to a lovely courtyard & pool. Yup, I could literally take 10 steps and be basking in the sunshine next to a perfectly heated pool. I don’t know about you, but I like it when the water is around 78 degrees; just cool enough to cool you down, but not so cold as to cause shrinkage.

Anyhow, first day there I laid out by the pool to get some sun & fun. I don’t know, it must’ve been around 2pm; had a mag, my shades, and some lotion. A slight breeze was blowing from the southwest (actually, i don’t know where it was blowing from or if there even was a breeze, but it sounds good doesn’t it?) and all the pieces were in place for a slice of paradise. Fast forward to 2 hours later. I’m in my room, red as a tomato and wondering where the time went. Oh boy did I get nailed! Plus, I was wearing my sunglasses the whole time (don’t want to get wrinkles around the eyes!) and so I had this reverse raccoon look going on for the next 4 days. Oh, and did I mention it hurt like hell? Aside from that, Naples was great.

Where next? Clearwater! Not the beauty of Naples, but equally great weather and, thankfully, places to eat after 10pm as well as a decent-sized mall within walking distance from the hotel. I had left my cellphone charger in a previous hotel room and was grateful to find a Radio Shack where I could by another.

In Clearwater we had truly one of the best shows ever. Not only did the band sound great, but Humpy was clearly enjoying himself. I noticed he was having fun with the music; playing around with the melodies a little bit and even throwing in alittle scat here & there. (FYI: “Scatting” is a term for vocal improvisation). Also noticeable was his inclusion of some very funny and perfectly timed jokes I had not heard before. When he gave Jeff (our MD) a high-five as he exited the stage, I knew we had hit one out of the park.

And so, as I sit here in the comfort of my room in the Hilton Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC, I contemplate - among other things - how perfectly I trimmed my goatee this morning, how fortunate I am to know the love of a terrific woman, how grateful I am to be doing something I love in such beautiful surroundings (no...not napping!), and to have my Dad - whom I love - happy and healthy and continuing to win at poker.

Until next time...
--Adam

Raising the curtain in Arkansas

4/5, 10:47pm: Hi music fans! I write this from my hotel room in Arkansas; Fayetteville, Arkansas, to be exact. We’ve kicked off another leg of the tour and despite what was a grueling 5 weeks in Europe, I was looking forward to seeing everyone and doing the show again.

Yesterday, JD (piano), Jeff (MD), and I flew out of LAX together for Arkansas via Cincinnatti. I arrived early Monday morning at LAX at 7am for my 8:30 flight to be confronted by; not one, not two, but three different (and long!) lines before boarding my flight. I have come to the conclusion that there is no longer such a thing as being too early for a plane. Think you can waltz in 30 minutes before boarding that quickie to Phoenix? Forget it! Those days are over. We should bomb the shit out of...I don’t know...somebody, just for forcing us to go through this song & dance now. Oh how I long for the days when you’d walk through the terminal in your suit & tie, fedora tilted to the side, and mosey out onto the tarmac where the prop job and a pretty lady in a crisp stewardess uniform would be waiting. Ah, how I miss those days.  <cue “As Time Goes By”>  Wait a minute, I wasn’t even born yet! In any event, I do recall at least a slightly simpler time when people weren’t so scared. I wonder if we can ever regain that trust & peace of mind.

So, we had a show tonight at the Walton Performing Arts Center. Now, a quick note about the name “Walton”. It’s the last name of Sam Walton who is the founder of the store we have come to know and love as Wal-Mart. Yup folks, I’m here at ground-zero of one the great American retail success stories. Will I trade in my burgundy turtleneck for a blue vest & name tag? Only time will tell. For now, I still have a gig.

Anyhow, tonight’s show went beautifully. We have a couple of new faces in the band and they not only nailed it, but they brought in a fresh element to the overall sound as well. I look forward to getting to know and working with our new drummer and backup singer as they are both friendly & talented people.

So, with what seems like a band of refreshed and newly exuberant musicians, I am optimistic about the weeks ahead.

And Mr. Walton, just in case, I wear a large.

Until next time...
--Adam

I love Paris in the Springtime

3/21, 11:27pm: Well folks, we made it! Closed out the European tour in grand style at Olympia Hall in Paris. I am not exaggerating when I say it was one of the best - if not the best - shows we played. E-Hump had not played Paris in 14 years and the turnout, as well as the response to every song, showed it. I think it must’ve given me a boost as I played my best solo of the tour too. It was just like it must’ve been in the old days with women rushing the stage and security guys literally lifting them up and ushering them back into the crowd. Unbelieveable! Someone even rushed me and then when she got close, I realized it was the gal from the front desk at the hotel saying I hadn’t paid my bill.

Had the day off yesterday to explore Paris and took in two of it’s most notable attractions; The Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. There’s even a version of the Statue of Liberty here, but with armpit hair.

Anyhow, Paris lived up to and exceeded everything I imagined it to be. There’s just too much to see & do to do it justice in one day. I must...no, I will!...return to this beautiful city someday.

Music fans, this is it for a couple of weeks. We kick off again in April in the good ol’ USA. Until then, stay tuned and I shall return.

I remain, your friendly neighborhood bassist.
--Adam

Aunt Twerp

3/19, 10:51pm: Played the something-something blah-blah-blah Hall in Antwerp tonight. Fun, fun, fun! The band played like the intensity knob had been turned up just a notch; firey, but not reckless. Interesting audience. They were nuts about the music but, either because of the language barrier or comedy is appreciated about as much as a Snickers bar around here, the jokes fell flat. No problem. In three days I’ll be back in the good ol’ USA where the food is good, the cars are big, and you can see the air you breath.

Tomorrow we leave for Paris. I should have most of the day, once we arrive, to explore a bit.  Top of my list, even though it’s so “touristy”, is a visit to the Eiffel Tower. After that, I look forward to sampling the local food and the anti-Amercanism.

We’re at a really nice hotel in Antwerp that, unlike most of the hotels in the UK, actually has bathroom facilities from the 21st century. In other words, a decent shower and a sink with one faucet with hot & cold controls together; not the pre-WWII setup with one on each side. Either you’re shocked into a coma by the cold faucet or you burn the shit out of your hand with the hot one. No wonder everyone in that country walks around with a miserable look on their face. Well, that and the fact you can’t get a decent sandwich.

Anyhow, they also have a nice gym here which I availed myself of earlier this afternoon. I got in a good workout so I’m going to allow myself a few drinks in the bar with the guys. What the hell, we’ve got the day off tomorrow anyway.

Folks, this will be my next-to-last entry for the European tour. I’ll probably have something to report on Paris and perhaps the journey home and then that’s it. Of course, there’s much more to come and write about as we hit the States, Asia, and - much later - Germany. But for now, I want to say how much I appreciate those who took the time to read my words, take in my thoughts, and share my experiences. I’ve tried to be sincere. I’ve tried to be informative. And, even in my criticism, I’ve tried to inject a little levity. I hope you found the humor in it and recognized that it was rarely, if ever, mean-spirited. Perhaps, through me, you’ll find the desire to visit other places in the world, learn to appreciate them for their own uniqueness, and ultimately, recognize as I have, what a great country - flaws & all - we truly have.

Until next time...

--Adam

On the Road Again...

3/18, 8:20am: Played the final show of the UK tour last night. It was Engelbert’s hometown of Leicester. As expected, he was embraced by the audience like a son returning home. We’ve added some new tunes to the show that have provided a nice taste of past and a bit of the current wave as well. Overall, there’s a nice musical variety that I think would make just about any listener happy.

On a personal note, it’s been disappointing to observe the sound on stage morphing from what, for me, had become a live and vibrant entity, back into what I’ll call the “fish bowl” sound. Remember the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”? That doesn’t seem to apply here. The “drum aquarium” is back up, my headphones are back on, and my beloved monitor - with it’s warm, punchy bass tone - is gone. It really affects my ability to interact with the music around me, although, I wonder if it’s as much of an issue to anyone else.

I’ve decided to ask one of our band members if I could interview her and she’s graciously accepted. Lacey Sisco is one of our background vocalists and a warm, generous woman.

Where are you from?
I was born in Tampa, Florida and I currently reside in Nashville, Tennessee.

How long have you been with Engelbert?
Since August 2003.


<Don’t worry folks, it gets better.>


What’s your most memorable experience being on tour with Engelbert?
Getting a free pair of $1800 Jimmy Choo shoes and going to Malaysia.  

How did you get started in music?
My parents were both musical - My Mom played piano and my Dad played the trumpet.
When I was little, I began singing in church. In fact, when I was four, I would sing with this Little Orphan Annie contraption that had a battery-powered transmitter which allowed your voice to come through the radio. And I used to sing in front of the mirror acting out scenes from “Fiddler On The Roof”.

Were you ever in Fiddler On The Roof?
Yes. In fact, I did a lot of musicals, dinner theater and other things while in college. In Tampa there’s a company called the Musical Theater Project run by Ann Reinking who is known for her role as Grace in the movie version of “Annie”, was in “All That Jazz”, and was an original cast member of “Chicago”.  It was a great experience in that people come from all over the world to audition for what is essentially a summer workshop. Some great names in theater donate their talents and give master classes for the people who pass the audition. People like Bebe Neuwirth, Vanessa Willimas, Gregory Hiines, and Savion Glover. They offer a scholarship for who they deem the most promising musical theater artist, and I won! Yay! I’m a mean tapper.

How about your educational background?
I went to college at the University of Miami where I was a jazz vocal major. I actually started as a musical theater major but found the curriculum wasn’t challenging enough. So, one day I opened up the course book, closed my eyes, and put my finger down. It landed on Studio Music & Jazz Vocal Department. I learned about improvisation, how to write my own arrangements, singing jazz standards, and other things that helped me as a working musician. In fact, the reason I got the job with Engelbert was there was a girl in the department named Ariana Hall who went through the program with me. We were the only two who made it all the way through all four years! She was on the gig and the other girl quit, so she recommended me! So I packed my bags and in four days I was on the road! And the rest, as they say, is history.

What are your goals for the near future?
A while back I made a mental to-do list for myself and it basically had three things on it.
One, sing back-up for a famous person. Two, be in my own CMT video. Three, hear myself on the radio. And four, be a voice in a Disney cartoon.
I’d also someday like to be a session singer in Nashville and have a normal life and raise a family. Of course, being on stage and being an artist will always appeal to me.

Any final words?
I don’t know. I guess I’m ready to go home and be with my family, my boyfriend, and spend time with my puppy Layla. I just want to go grocery shopping for food that’s not fried, walk around, practice driving on the right side of the road, and be normal.

Well Lacey, I’ve enjoyed our little chat.
THANKS!

A Nice Surprise

3/15, 9am: Folks, England may be a cold, dreary, and sometimes depressing place, but I had my own personal slice of sunshine last Sunday night.

After what was a very low-key birthday for me on Saturday - punctuated by a nice card & cake from Bill our wardrobe man, and a sweet card & gift from Lacey - I settled into the mindset of business-as-usual as we head for the home stretch for the European tour.

I sat quietly in the catering area of the Hippodrome in Birmingham, waiting along with my bandmates & crew for our dinner. It’s a pleasant time where we can relax, talk, share a few laughs, and basically get loose before showtime. To my surprise, a gift bag full of cards was placed before me! I opened each one; the first being a card signed by everyone in the band & crew and with each wonderful sentiment my smile grew bigger. There was also a CD of the top hits of 1963 and a DVD containing news clips of the same year, both appropriately packaged with graphics & images of the time. The last card was a personal card from none other than the man himself wishing me a belated but happy birthday. Incredible! I was then treated to a warm rendition of “Happy Birthday” and gave a very brief speech (I’m sure to everyone’s delight) thanking everybody there for their thoughtfulness and telling them how much it meant to me. If that was all, it would have been enough to keep me walking on a cloud for the rest of the week. But no! During the band introduction spot in the show, Engelbert introduced me and then told the audience it was my birthday, prompting another singing of “Happy Birthday”, this time by Engelbert and the whole audience! It was really exciting and the whole thing was quite touching as well as an evening I’ll not forget.

I am grateful for the warmth and comraderie that pervades this organization. As I mentioned ealry on in my journal, the talent of everyone here is amazing, but not entirely unexpected. The fact that it has the feel of a large family is what makes it special and helps keep the blues away when you’re far away from home.

Today we go to Humpy’s for a party catered by his favorite Indian restaurant. I’m looking forward to a day with everyone together and nothing but good times to share. Then we hop on a bus for Eastbourne to make up an earlier show that was cancelled. We’re in the home stretch, but there will be plenty more to write about as both Belgium and Paris await.

Speaking of which, we watched the Paris Hilton video on the bus the other night. You know what?...big deal. My girlfriend smokes her.

That’s it for now folks!

Stay tuned,
--Adam