Wednesday night we performed at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. It was the first performance of this tour and, like every first show after a few weeks off, it had some of that glowing and raw quality that comes from trying to remember all of the arrangements, especially new ones. The first performance is a little bit on edge but also full of new ideas, a delicious tentative freshness. We played Duende del Amor for the first time in years. We had a new section for dreamy afternoon that changed the time signature for a break. We also did a medley of Dancing Alone and Uma Dança. We played Arabesk, from Rain Poems, during soundcheck but decided to delay the first performance of that piece. After soundcheck I heard Robby humming the melody from Arabesk, always a good sign. :-)

33 years ago we performed at the Coach House for the first time. The venue opened in 1980 and was already legendary when we arrived in 1991. Hundreds, maybe even around a thousand signed photos line the walls. Everybody has played on that stage. The website mentions B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Isaak, Tori Amos, Tom Jones and the Black Crowes by name but there are so many more. Ray Charles, Chick Corea, Joe Walsh… the list is endless.  I walked along the walls and looked at the framed 8×10 publicity photos showing performers. Most of the artists are still living, others have already passed. It was like wandering through a museum. In a few years the venue will be fifty years old. 

Thursday night we played at Belly Up in Solana Beach. We performed Arabesk for the first time. We play this piece faster than the recorded version, upbeat and catchy.