Tour Blog from Columbus, Ohio (Brothers Drake Meadery, FTW!)

Earlier this week, I performed at Brothers Drake Meadery in Columbus, Ohio. I hadn’t played in the area since 2010, but this show was definitely worth the wait! My good friend Dan Clark set it up and even offered a full-band set between my two sets to help fill the time. Of the 50 shows I’ve played in 2013, this one easily stands out as one of the best. The venue has a beautiful stage, they provided a professional and polite sound engineer, the show was promoted in every way possible on their end (thank you April!), Dan brought out dozens of friends, everyone listening was incredibly receptive and overwhelmingly kind, and this happened later in the evening!

And seriously, is that not the best tip jar sign/threat of all time?!

If you live in the Columbus area or are just passing through, STOP BY BROTHERS DRAKE, fill your belly with some mead (“honey wine”), generously tip the staff, and catch some live music on a great stage. You shouldn’t trust me to set up your 401(k), but you should trust me on this.

Tour Blog from Richmond, Indiana (“You know… Dean. The cat.”)

Two nights ago, I played a really fun house show in Richmond, Indiana. The town is just across the border from Ohio along I-70, about an hour east of Indianapolis. It was great getting to see some old friends and meet a few folks, too. Always love sharing my songs and stories in the comfort of a living room. Thank you again to Matt & Ashley for hosting the show, inviting friends, making food, putting me up for the night, AND cooking me breakfast! Amazing hosts, indeed.

Dean (pictured above) was also there for my set and even signed my email list book (thanks again for the picture, Audreyalice)! Gotta admit, that cat knew how to cuddle. Spent a few hours with 20 pounds of feline on my chest as I slept. And you know what, I loved every single pound!

May 2013 Newsletter (I’m going east! Maria Davey Photography!)

Greetings from Indianapolis! Last month at this time, I was near San Diego, getting ready to tour up the west coast. But before I reached Pacific Standard Time (that’s my Pete Krebs shout-out for my friend Jeremy and cousin Suz), my fellow west coast road warrior and professional photographer, Maria Davey, and I stopped at several places along the way to take photos (including some amazing landscape shots that she’ll be posting on her website soon). Just a few days into our trip, we were driving through Texas and found an abandoned gas station. So we explored the property, found an old truck, and I was lucky enough to come away with some great promotional photos (see above and photos.mikereeb.com). I’ve worked with a lot of photographers over the years, but Maria Davey’s work stands out as some of the best portrait work I’ve seen. If you need a photographer, get in touch with her! She’ll fly anywhere in the world to shoot, and she is incredibly wonderful to work with. Take a look at her work and learn more about her on her website: mariadaveyphotography.com

Between April 2 and May 4, I visited 14 different states via car (3412 miles), train (460 miles), bus (1252 miles), and plane (1259 miles). It was an amazing trip but only because of other people! Thank you again to everyone that I met or came across over the last month. To those who bought me a meal, put me up for the night, cooked me dinner, came to see me play, let me nap in their house while they were at work, told a friend about my music, drove me to a venue, or hosted a house show, thank you thank you thank you! I may have lost money on this tour, but I could care less. I came away with so much more and can not wait to visit the west coast again!

This month, I will make my way to the Atlantic Ocean for shows in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New York. Looking ahead, I’m so excited to let you know that my show this Friday night (May 10) in Indianapolis will feature Rebekah Osborn, who sang with me on my albums Breaking and Without The City Lights, and also Dave Evans, my old drummer and current Buster Eagle drummer. Here are all of my upcoming dates, cities, and venues (more details):

May 10 – Indianapolis, Indiana – Foundry Provisions feat. Rebekah Osborn
May 13 – Richmond, Indiana – House Show
May 14 – Columbus, Ohio – Brothers Drake Meadery w/ Daniel Clark
May 15 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – AVA Lounge
May 17 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – PULSE House w/ Get In The Ark
May 18 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Looking for a House Show
May 20 – New York, New York – Rockwood Music Hall
May 22 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Looking for a House Show
May 23 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – The Backstage Bar w/ Brooke Annibale
May 24 – South Bend, Indiana – Looking for a House Show
May 25 – South Bend, Indiana – Ruthmere Mansion
May 25 – South Bend, Indiana – Main Street Library
May 27 – South Bend, Indiana – The Pool w/ Families & Mim Stoner
May 28 – Muncie, Indiana – Be Here Now
May 29 – Newport, Kentucky – Southgate House Revival

I’m currently booking house shows and backyard BBQ shows for July, August, and September. No destination is too far! Email me if you have any questions about house shows or if you think you might want to set something up. And seriously- I’ll travel anywhere in the states to play in your living room.

Lastly, just a reminder that all of my music is available online for free. If you enjoy my music and want to help me keep moving forward, please consider sharing my Bandcamp Page with your friends, families, enemies, and frenemies on Facebook, Twitter, Napster, America Online Chat Rooms, and Prodigy (remember that?!!). The music is there… and your people are there… connect ‘em! It really goes a lot farther than you’d think. See you on the road, my friends!

Earnestly,
Mike Reeb

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Visit newsletter.mikereeb.com to join my Email List. You’ll get monthly updates like this delivered directly to your inbox, and you’ll never miss a show!

Tour Blog from Chicago, Illinois (Uncommon Ground Video Clip!)

Last weekend, I ended my five week West Coast Tour with a solo performance at Uncommon Ground in Chicago. My cousins John & Dana came to the show and uploaded a clip from my 3rd song of the evening, Outside (Not In Here). Click anywhere on the image video snapshot above to give it a listen! As a reminder, if you have any photos or live videos from any of my recent shows, feel free to post them on my Facebook Page.

I’ll recap my trip out west in my May 2013 Email Newsletter (coming soon, I promise). Until then, know that I’m safe back in Indiana and getting ready to head east next week! However, before I head out, Rebekah Osborn will join me this Friday, May 10 at 8pm for a free show at Foundry Provisions. If you’re in Lafayette or Indy and looking for something to do this weekend. I got you covered. Can’t wait for this show!

Tour Blog from Palatine, Illinois (I <3 House Shows)

On Friday night, I played a house show in a northwest suburb of Chicago. My Greyhound bus left Omaha, Nebraska on Friday morning at 6am and arrived in Chicago at 5pm. I then jumped on the Metra and made my way to Palatine by 7pm. That evening, my hosts (Jeff and Carol) offered me Portillo’s for dinner and even put me up in their guest room. It was a wonderful night and such a blessing to feel so at home after five weeks of being on the road. The most interesting aspect of the evening was that Jeff and Carol had never met me before that night! Their daughter Andrea, who I met in Nashville just two months ago, told them about me, and the entire evening came together in just a few weeks.

That being said, I want to take this opportunity to thank every single house show host that has ever invited me to play in their living room, garage, or backyard! I absolutely LOVE house shows and hope that I can continue performing in those intimate spaces for years to come. Happy house showing, my friends!

Tour Blog from Omaha, Nebraska (Barley Street Tavern, Couchsurfing FTW!)

Back in February, I was slated to perform in Omaha, Nebraska at the Barley Street Tavern as part of my 11-day/10-show Tornado Tour. Then the snow came. And it came hard. And the show was cancelled.

Two months later, with snow STILL coming down (in May!), I finally had the privilege of playing at the Barley Street Tavern. Little Marais and Michael Todd opened the evening with their beautifully written songs, and my set followed. Many thanks to the audience for being so attentive and friendly, Justin for engaging in good conversation from behind the bar, and Dane for working his magic at the sound board. The next time I’m in Omaha- while on tour or not- I’ll be grabbing a drink and seeing live music at Barley Street Tavern. So glad this evening wasn’t snowed out!

Nearly every venue I’ve played over the years has treated me exceptionally well, and Barley Street Tavern is no exception. But it is extremely rare for a typical venue to put touring musicians up in hotel rooms. In fact, since January 2013, just one venue has put me up for the night in a hotel (and I’ve played 46 shows within that time). Since I usually make between $60-$90 at each show, I definitely can’t afford that luxury. However, free lodging continues to find me through the wonderful online community that is couchsurfing.com.

Here’s how it works. I post a request in a city where I need a place to stay, and different hosts reach out to me if they are able to offer me a couch, futon, or guest bed that evening. I’m then able to look over their references and either either approve or deny their offer. If you think this sounds scary or unsafe, I’ll have you know that the most wonderful people I’ve met this year have been couchsurfing hosts. Although every host I’ve stayed with has been incredibly accommodating and welcoming, my hosts in Omaha were a cut above the rest. Here’s a recap of my 24 hours in this wonderful couchsurfing city:

My Greyhound bus arrived downtown at 7am yesterday, and my first host (Penny) picked me up right from the bus station. She invited me to work from her home, nap all day in her guest bedroom after my overnight bus ride, and eat all of her food while she was at work. When she got home later in the afternoon, she made a fantastic home-cooked meal for me and a friend of hers before before driving me directly to the front door of the Barley Street Tavern. Later that evening, a different couchsurfing host (Jillian) came to my show, snapped several photos at the show (including the one above), let me crash on her futon, and then drove me back to the Greyhound station this morning at 5am. Two different strangers- both going out of their way to support me and help me feel right at home in a city I had never visited before.

If it were not for couchsurfing.com, I couldn’t afford to tour and wouldn’t be able to share my music with so many different audiences throughout the country. If you doubt that there are still good people in this world, you’re dead wrong. They’re all around you- and they’ve probably hosted couchsurfing musicians just like me.

Tour Blog from Portland, Oregon (Arbor Lodge, The New Automatics, Suz)

Last weekend, I finally made it to Portland. Within my first four hours there, I was in love. Endless bike lanes, thousands of food trucks, green space everywhere, and amazingly kind people. I will be back.

On Saturday night, I played my first show in Portland and shared the stage with Jolliff and The Heartford Defiant (above) at a great spot called The Arbor Lodge. The bands and staff were great, the audience was really receptive, and seven people came out just to see my set. So very thankful that Jeremy Keen put me in touch with Justin from The Heartford Defiant. Sometimes friends in Florida help get you shows in Oregon.

Oh! To my friends in and near Chicago, Jeremy’s band The New Automatics will be sharing the stage with The Old 97′s in Aurora the weekend of June 21, 2013! Click Here for more details.

Although the city had so much to offer, the best part of my time in Portland was definitely seeing my cousin Suz. It had been about 10 years since we last connected, and it was such a blessing to BBQ with her and her friends, eat with her at Por Que No?, and dance to Michael Jackson with her.

As long as I’m touring, I will continue to make time for family and friends. My first 32 years have flown by, and I’m done making excuses. Here’s hoping that everyone reading this blog makes an effort to see their loved ones sooner rather than later. Trust me, it’s worth it!