Salem, ORSalem, OR

by Ray Paczkowski

Seattle at the rocket sign Paramount. New music. Toasted Aaron to rock and roll tour in Kenniwick, hotel bar and Irish Mist while the karaoke regulars sobbed out “I did it my way” and “Fools rush in.” That was new music too.

Now it’s driving to Salem, Dom rolling it steady to the mellow strains of Sun Ra’s melotron. Ta dee ta da…ta dee ta da…ta de ta deeda deeda deeda deeda, da.

The Waterwheelers are wheeling it in the Mitsubishi and already thinking about how damn big Kansas really is.

And now here’s Union Station just over the bridge, Portland and the Wendy’s says “have it your way.”

It occurs to me the band is like a child learning to speak; we’ll try out everything once, and keep saying the words we come to find are the ones we really mean. From last night’s psycho-train juggernout of “Twist up Dave,” all the way down to the sound of Jen’s soul-ful horn meandering through the Paramount. The possibilities are endless. And Cyro bopping around the stage; I can’t tell where he’ll pop up from one tune to the next, or what odd instrument he may be ripping through the groove with.

The Seattle show was about trying on our music for the first time in a room full of folks ready to move and be moved. You all show us where you want to go, and on the way, we’ll show you some places maybe you haven’t been before. The train has left the station.

til then,

ray