Brisbane 2 Melbourne

we did our 2nd show of the ‘opium’ tour last night in brisbane, queensland… we shortened the set by 2 songs (it was over 2 hours long + w opening act + intermission the show was almost 3 hours..) – + it felt better… might cut 1 more song in adelaide 2morrow + c how that feels…

right now we r in the air between brisbane + melbourne on our way 2 adelaide where we will have an evening off… everybody is getting on my case 4 not speaking 2 the audience enough… reminds me of a gr8 miles davis story…a promoter was telling miles that his band wasn’t dressing nice enough, because they weren’t wearing the then customary suits on stage… that very night miles had somebody push a rack of suits on2 the stage + announced that if people wanted 2 c nice suits on stage they didn’t need the musicians… the promoter, of course relented + begged miles 2 per4m any way he liked… 4 me the problem is deeper actually…i can talk up a storm as anybody who knows me can attest, but when i’m playing my guitar, all words fall away as if a layer is stripped from my mind… i feel sounds, i feel colours, i feel emotions, but i can’t think of anything 2 say…it’s like i’m in another part of my braingarden + can’t make the jump over the fence quick enough… i’m in my heart + soul + definitely not in my mind… there i said it: i’m out of my mind…what’s new?

Sydney 2 Brisbane

5 days in australia already… been waking up early, around 7am + finding some nice coffeeshops 4 some alone-time b4 interviews started @ 8:30am…

i am enjoying the tour, finally ready 4 it after the time off in santa fe…we r onboard the quantas flight from sydney 2 brisbane… the 1st show of the opium tour is behind us now…last night the state theatre in sydney was sold out as opium reached #31 of the national pop-charts in australia, up from #89 in its 2nd week after release…the nu quartett sounded gr8 although the summer-humidity was making it difficult 4 jon + i…the strings were sticky + some notes were buzzing…my favourite moment came during ron’s tabla solo…kevin had a light-spiral turning around ron as his fingers danced on the tabla…the spiral kept turning + his fingers kept going faster + 4 a moment i expected him 2 lift of the stage + levitate…the set was a little long (over 2 hours) + we should probably cut a couple of songs…not sure which…audience was gr8…