Matthew J Barnhart

Recording, live sound, and mastering engineer, tour manager, and amateur janitor based in Denton, Texas. Co-owner of The Echo Lab recording studio. Occasional svengali of Works Progress. Member of Tre Orsi and other notable social networks. I have a Tumblr of tour photos and other miscellania.
1 October 2008

The New Year western US tour wrap-up

I finally arrived home last night at 11pm, after a 14-hour drive from Denver. Long drives, a busy schedule, and general exhaustion prevented me from writing anything, though I did manage to whine on Twitter here and there.

The band for this tour was Matt and Bubba Kadane, Mike Donofrio, Chris Brokaw, and Will Johnson (filling in for Peter Schmidt). Jeff Ryan filled in on drums for the Texas shows, as Brokaw was playing with Thurston Moore at ATP that weekend. Jeff and Will did an admirable job, stepping in on short-ish notice, making relatively complex music seem nearly effortless.

Everyone’s spirits were high despite the ass-whip that is a Western US tour, including the cancellation of the Houston show due to the hurricane. Matt Taylor and Linda Dreeland in Albuquerque, Keven McAlister in L.A., and Chris Weber, Kathy Lindenmayer, and Joshua Lindenmayer in Seattle provided much-needed hospitality and camaraderie. A Weather were wonderful touring companions and tight bros — I look forward to seeing them again soon.

A few highlights:

  • Stacked enchiladas at Garcia’s in Albquerque
  • Kilt-lifter Scottish Ale, provided by the fine folks of Stateside Presents in Phoenix
  • Aquarius Records in SF, and a surprise run-in with Ian Bjornstad (Denton ex-pat, member of John Vanderslice’s band).
  • Dinner at the Doug Fir in Portland
  • The fine folks of KEXP and Sonic Boom Records in Seattle (including Dallas ex-pat Rick Brooks)
  • Every single second of time spent with Chris, Kathy, and Joshua in Seattle
  • Marco of Marco’s Pizza in Denver filling up parking meters in Denver to thwart the fascist meter maids
  • Bro-down, Ladybro, Internal Bro, Rainbros, etc.

Time for record shopping was tight, but I did pick up the new Wax Museums LP, a Pink Fairies LP, a couple of Mississippi Records releases, Vlad Tepes, Vivian Girls, the new Prisonshake, Pyramids, and a few other things I’ll someday get around to cataloging.

Today will be spent mixing the Tre Orsi tour EP and prepping for our shows next week with The New Year in Philly, NYC, and Boston. Studio time this week, finishing up Les Americains and the Naptime Shake as well. Ok!

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