Lucky, Lucky,Lucky, Luckey Me, again:

We left Phoenix at 7:30 am.  We had just finished packing no more than two hours ago.  We landed in Eugene in a short two-and-a-half hours.  I say we, because along on this trip I have My lady (Jimmie) and our friends Maggie and Jim.  We all are going to attend the Churchill/Teeters wedding on the banks of beautiful Lake Odell – (One hour and 20 minutes southeast of the town of Eugene, Oregon).   And we are all heading into Eugene for the show at Luckey’s.

Come August 5th; there was a wedding, jetlag, and a 3 hour drive and a great show.  In my experience, I have had show’s with only the staff in attendance.  I have had shows where there was only one person at the bar facing a way from me and…tapping their toe?  At Luckey’s I have had a show where I was in an unfamiliar town, with three of my most valued friends, the staff and a few stumble-in’s.  Everyone at the wedding asked: “How’d the show go?”  My answer?  “Good.”  True.  It was good.  But the process, the journey, us driving 3 hours plus, missing hitting a deer on the highway, making an illegal u-turn in front of the first cop I have ever seen in the Northwest, and getting away with it.  Us going through ‘the process’ was great.

One great process deserves another, and now me and my girl are posted up at a life-long friends beautiful house in West Eugene.  Ralph is one of those friends among those that I can count on one hand.  One of those people you meet in life that stick.  Friends for life.  He and Karen have welcomed us into their home and we are hunkered down until tomorrow night.  Tomorrow I play at the Keg Tavern in Eugene.

August 9th: The Keg Tavern in Eugene, Oregon

The Keg Tavern and Steakhouse in Eugene, Oregon is one of those quintessential, useful bars.  My friend Ralph helped me book a show here and when he said to me a few weeks ago “you should play at my bar”.  I didn’t know if he owned the place, bartended here, or just drank here.  The words “my bar” can mean all of those things.  I thought that was all right and I didn’t ask him to clarify.

There is a book called The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg, and a short-story on the same theme called A Clean Well Lighted Place by Ernest Hemmingway.  Both works speak to the fact that we need a good pub.  A warm place close-by that always leaves the neon light on for you.  Serves you a hot plate of food, and a cold glass of suds, or a three-finger pull of fire-water.  Puts you under, picks you back up, and throws your drunk ass out cause it’s good for ya.  The Pub will forgive you the next day and welcome you back in with open arms when you are a little hungry or thirsty.   Daughters get married here, Lovers get found here, and some get lost here.  The bar truly is a beautiful place.

http://www.vicklet.com

The Ride

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.  -  Robert Louis Stevenson

Before it was utilized as a marketing slogan by InBev, this is the point where I would say something like, “Here We Go.”  It is the first day of Northwesticles: A Public Transit Tour. The longest and biggest tour I have yet undertaken, so, a more complex statement is in order.  “Joy is the fruition of a journey rooted in the heart”.  I fain trust that will not end up in a beer commercial anytime soon.

Little Rock

This little painted rock in my hand was given to me by an old friend.   Not directly however.  Victoria, an acquaintance of mine from The Unlikely Theater Company makes these.  I hadn’t seen her in many years and I stumbled across her booth at an art festival on Grand Avenue.  There she was surrounded by a host of items she has made by hand.  Things like the artist: Simple,  quirky, fun.  There is no other way I would have happened upon an artist like Vickey when I hadn’t seen her in years.  You don’t bump into people like Victoria at the grocery store.  You don’t realize suddenly that you are standing behind her in a record shop.  Not that she doesn’t go to those places.  But, when you have worked as an artist with other artists, you tend to find them again as they were when you knew them.  You see them when they are creating.   Because a true artist is always creating.  Victoria Safriet is a true artist.  I bought this little rock from Vickey, we chatted, and occasionally her and her guy have come to see some Quixote shows.  We know each other through our art.

As we were, we are.  Creating.  Doing.  And just being.  Somewhere in every city there are those hunkered down putting their hands and hearts to make something from nothing.  To take something and change it.  To touch the world.  To leave that indellible print.  The following twelve days will be me doing just that, and just doing that.

Zero Hour 7:30 AM

Today I climb into that rocket tube and they fire it off with the trajectory and intention of landing in Eugene, Oregon in a few short hours.  Tonight at Luckey’s I strike the first note on the Northwesticles Tour.  Noone knows what will happen when those wheels touch the ground in Eugene, but I am sure of one thing: “I’m gonna YouTube the s#@% out of this thing.”

So, borrowing the now trademarked words of everyone’s ‘favorite’ American Beverage, “Here We Go!”

Luckey, Luckey, Luckey, Lucky me again.

Das Hund!!

Pilfered Progress

An overall amazing tour came to an ubrupt end when a bank informed our dear Hobo-Traveller that some one in a distant state was having their way with Tyler’s bank balance. 

Tyler arrived at 6:45 am in Phoenix, Arizona today safe and stinky and immediately hobo-hoofed it to the lightrail in the pouring rain and on back to the fringes of the desert to soap-it-down and head back into this illustriuos city he calls home.  H-O-M-E! 

The Hobo-Traveller shape-shifted into Wine Steward and taught a wine class at Noon today, and real-life has resumed.  Back to the grind – Thank God. 

Dear Arizona,

M, L, R, & T

I love you - I will never leave you.  I missed you like a limb, you’ve helped me stand for so long and showed me how to walk.  You gave me a pencil.  I learned to walk while holding one, and In time, I learned to write.  You have read what I have written and helped me understand what it means.  I would fain trust myself to speak these words to you due to another gift I have inherited, over-active tearducts. 

To my dear family who is my home, no matter where my journeys take me:  You have given me everything and you have saved me.  Not just this time but my whole life.  You are why I am me and I love that about myself.  I can’t wait to see you all, and a thousand apologies if this soul-searching caused you alarm.  I know where home is and I know my dreams are safe in the company of those who support me. 

Lastly, it is my nature to live perched precariously on the fringes of my dreams and push them like a child would push an elephant.  But, I’m developing tools and the means to move mountains with the help of my biggest fans and supporters.  There is only four in this earth that take that cookie, and I extend this as well to all of those whom they have chosen to bring with them.  I would do nothing if it were not for you. 

With the Deepest Love,

Wonis

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SuperNormal Tyler LIVE at Mama Java’s: GoodBye Beginning

How’d it go?

On December 26th. Tyler Christensen (SuperNormal Tyler) played to a packed house at Mama Java’s Coffeehouse in Phoenix, Arizona.    The show started at 8pm with Tyler casually strolling through the doors and saying hello to his awaiting friends and family.  This show was a rare and welcome occurrence for the artist, as he mentioned in opening his set.  This Indie Rock and Roll deal consists of late night shows in whiskey bars and the like.  The cozy, intimate setting of Mama Java’s provided the perfect atmosphere for a simple acoustic singer/songwriter performance.

 

“It’s great to do a show at a place like Mama Java’s, in that, you’re performing in a silent room save for the barista machine firing up every few minutes.  You couldn’t ask for a better crowd then the one at Mama’s last night.  Attentive and appreciative, they made the night what it was.  Good Show.” – Tyler Christensen

And a sizeable crowd, it was.  Every seat was taken in the place with patrons sipping coffee and tapping their toes to the tunes.  Well, every seat except for one was taken, to be honest, the empty chair on stage with Tyler made a good spot for his songbook to be sprawled out.  Tyler flipped the pages and flowed through his songs in a casual “relax, I’ve done this before” manner.

Kick-back, put your feet up…  It’s an intimate little place.

The Setlist

Tyler opened his set with “The Things I’m Gonna Miss” a slow solemn song setting the tone for the evening.  The tone set was not solemn, however, more like captivating.  Starting the set with one of his more reserved, and memorable songs locked the crowd in for the evening.  From the first note Tyler held ‘em and didn’t let them go until it was closing time.  Breezing through his latest material such as: “Muse”, and “Carousel” to ‘digging into the vault’ to pull out older material that Tyler hasn’t played live in years, it was a full survey of this Singer/Songwriters repertoire. 

The Break 

Around 9:00pm, Tyler took a short five minute break and mingled with the crowd milling around.  Meeting with friends from over ten years past, Tyler had a crowd as varied and diverse as his musical history.  Colette Panagos, a high-school friend from back in the days of ‘Promiscuous Chicken’, Tyler’s first band in High-School.  Jessica Bonnet Jennings, a fellow face-in-the-hall all through Junior High School and Chandler High, and her husband were in attendance as well.  Who needs a high-school reunion, this was much shorter and all parties involved didn’t have to do that ‘reunion small-talk’ and ‘reminiscing.’  It was just a nice evening out.  Chatting in the cold and some parting, then, Tyler returned inside for the second set.

The Second Set

Returning to the stage at 9:15, there was only fifteen minutes of showtime left.  Tyler thanked his hosts and spoke a little about the neighborhood.  A recent new-comer to this part of town, Tyler spoke of his affinity for the local independent businesses supporting live music in the area.  Mama Java’s, Darwin’s Waiting Room (Famous Wings), and others were mentioned in gratitude by the artist. 

Thanks for the show Mama Java’s!

The Indie Corridor

Indian School Road is seeing a sea-change of sorts.  From the Great Escape, to The Vig, To Darwin’s, to Hazelwood’s,  to Mama Java’s, Independent restaurants and pubs, and coffeeshops, as well as retail locations are buiding a tight-knit community of mutual support.  A recent influx of energy was brought about by the independent businesses in the area focusing on all-things-local.  There are no illusions of grandeur in this little pocket of culture in the Valley of the Sun.  Humble business owners open their doors each day, and just ‘do their thing.’   When the night falls, the baristas and bartenders set up PA’s for their local musicians and artists dropping in to hawk their latest wares.  The Indie Corridor is experiencing an ebb and flow of a perfect partnership between artists and community. 

GoodBye Beginning   

Take it to mean what you would like it to mean.  A goodbye to a beginning is a beginning of sorts; A prelude to the next step.  A movement ever-upward, humility in-tow and a handful of genuine intentions.  That can be said for Tyler,and for this little local business community. 

“Grow Slow.”  Tyler says,

“In this fast-paced, quick-fix-perscription kind-of-world we live in, it’s important to rise above all that noise.  In this little section of town I call the Indie Corridor, we’ve got the right idea.  There’s no flashy-glossed-over marketing needed.  The guy rocking your party is the guy you saw this morning at 8 am dropping into Mama Java’s for a little  retina relaxer.  And the girl hanging out talking about her artwork is the same girl who gets a pack of smokes every morning at the Circle K with two-dollars cash-back for the bus.  This is my little, real neighborhood.  No veneer, no catch-phrase – This is home.” – Tyler Christensen

 

POV View From a Glass of Whiskey.

Tuesday December 2nd, 2008

SuperNormal Tyler dropped into Darwin’s Waiting Room (Famous Wings) in Phoenix, Arizona for a solo acoustic performance.  At 11:11p.m. Tyler Strolled through the door with an acoustic guitar, and harmonicas in a case, and a jam packed backpack on his back complete with a chrome mic stand sticking out of it like a large antennae.  The quintessential ’indie’ Tyler had just hopped off of the 41 westbound bus and was making a casual beeline for the stage. 

“I have begun to play local shows in the same vein as I did when I was on my Public Transit Tour of Portland, Oregon (May 2008).  The idea was to utilize public transit to get to all of my gigs.  I think I have nearly perfected the method of light travel and pre-planning to the point where I prefer to not rely on anything but the hopes of a good time.  No cars, no MPG’s, no CFC’s…  I think that I just might be the greenest musician on the planet.”   – SuperNormal Tyler

Well, green to a point, he sure did bring a lot of paper with him.  A key component of Tyler’s live show’s is the ream of paper stacked up on whatever is handy, be it a barstool or a table.  Due to his prolific songwriting Tyler is constantly workshopping new tunes and a live performance is sure to be a presentation of his latest efforts in songwriting.  No two shows are the same and no matter if you saw him play last night or twenty minutes ago, it is a fresh experience packed with new material everytime.

Tyler Early In The Set 

Blazing through his set and shuffling through the ream, about an hour in Daylon Greer the Local ‘King of Covers’ walked through the door.  JT’s, a local pub down the street ,was having their 11th anniversary, and Daylon had been out celebrating and bar hopping all day.  It was great to see these two local performers interact on stage, even if the whiskey was playing Daylon’s harmonica more than he was.  After depleting the bar of a fair share of it’s stock of Jack Daniel’s Daylon and his girl headed out the door and back into the night. 

Daylon Greer and SuperNormal Tyler 

Tyler closed out his set with a message by playing his song “Walking”.  Indulging, as he rarely does, in a little songwriter/storyteller moment, he explained the story behind the song.  An up-beat, positive number about a simple walk downtown, the crux of the story and the reason for the song relies on when Tyler was doing laundry in a laundromat downtown and took a walk around the block while his clothes (complete with his favorite shirt) was tumbling in the dryer.  He returned to find the door open and his clothes gone.  Rather than let the experience sour his chin-up stroll around downtown marvelling at passers-by, and passing on a little good cheer on a day where ‘morning made a masterpiece’, Tyler released the negative overtones of the theft by crafting a little ditty. ’ my clothes are gone/i hope whoever needs’them puts them on and goes out walking/head held high in pride/ in their brand new clean clothing’ .  The resounding choruses reverberating across the bar and out the door into the end of the night; ‘we owe eachother the world / and the world don’t owe us a thing’.

Video from the show:

(Special Thanks to Pope for the videos)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUy1KiZdGbo[/youtube]

“The Things I’m Gonna Miss”

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LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW!! – Scroll to the half-way mark to hear Tyler

Scroll to 23:20 on your audio players to hear the beginning of Tyler’s portion of the interview. 

Tyler was on 1480 KPHX Radio in the Phoenix Market yesterday morning (6/22/08) discussing the Public Transit Tour and playing music.  

The Skinny from the ‘horse’s':

“Sarge, a weekend host on 1480 KPHX Radio in Phoenix contacted me while I was on tour for the Public Transit Tour: Portland, Oregon.  We discussed Phoenix’s Public Transit and agreed to an interview.  It could not have gone better.  The engineer, Shawn Ryan, made a great suggestion of doing the return from the commercial breaks live in-studio.  Therefore, I did the whole interview holding my guitar – the only way I am 100% comfy.  Thank you, Sarge for the opportunity to discuss such a vital and important issue with you and your audience.  I look forward to continuing our dialogue.” – SuperNormal Tyler

Sarge and SuperNormal Tyler out back of the 1480 KPHX studio post-interview

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW  Listen NOW! 

Scroll to 23:20 on your audio player to hear the beginning of Tyler’s portion of the interview.

The first half of the interview was devoted to Chris Gramazio, He is running for local office.  Please, visit his site and lend him your support if he speaks to what you care about.

 Geno Panino and A Glass of Gruet Bubbly

Sunny Day Gruet

The clouds broke over Portland – here comes the sun – and it’s time for a little flop-flop adventure.  Today I decided to get a little business done and then maybe, oh, I don’t know ‘do something I guess’.  It’s a day before the big show at Eugenios and I figured I’ll take the day off and soak up the sun and dig on the locals for a while.  I started out with a stroll down Hawthorne Boulevard and called Eugenio’s to see if I could catch the owner Eugene for a chat before the big night.  I wanted to tell him how many people I think are coming and just put a face to the name.  He’s been so good to me I thought I’d pay him a visit.   

Down 34th Ave and a the left on Division Street and I scooted through the door.  I had called about ten minutes previous and Eugene was out running errands so I’ll have a little lunch and sit on the patio.  Kate was behind the bar.  She’s an M-80 in a swimsuit and jean shorts sweeter than anything and fully capable of beautiful disaster if you meddle with that fuse.  An angel with the devil her pocket, breaking hearts and taking names – don’t cross this one.  Yeah, she’s rock and roll, man.     

I ordered a Geno Panino and a glass of Gruet bubbly in a short stubby glass.  I try to refrain from using stemware due to my penchant for destruction.  I want no challenges today.  So it’s bubbly in a stubby – Easy is the recipe, and the finest ingredient is time; so it’s slow-go to the patio.  There’s a champagne sunrise at three PM and I’m in search of a day-buzz.  

The Nicest Human Being on the Planet

Eugene rolled up in the alley by the sidewalk in a white Honda Accord and stepped out looking exactly like I expected him to.  Laid back and relaxed.  Eugenios should be built on a boat with Eugene at the helm swaying smoothly on calm waters and going where the breeze wills you.  He’s rocking a blue T-shirt and cream-colored shorts and shades.  He looks like he just stepped off of the deck of a schooner somewhere sandy and blue.  He puts you in the mood he’s seems to be in perpetually; unceremonious, and cruising across the surface of the earth doing what he’s doing and then checking something else out for a while.  The way it used to be? The way it is here at Eugenio’s.  He’s a natural restaurateur.   

Matchbox Omega

Three girls sat at the long table across from me, in true Portland fashion, we were all sharing the same table in a matter of minutes.  Just in time too, because no more than a minute later I would have been destroyed by a cyclist that slammed into the chair that I was sitting in.  These girls saved my life.  Myshelle in sleeves and a sundress.  A 4′ 11″ live wire and a kindred spirit of the bartendress Kate.  Ashley in a simple grey dress and a push up – making a statement in muffled colors the statement she made sounded something like “Damn!”  All the while laying down the wit like a short-order cook.  Becky behind her cell phone peeking out to smile and drop a joke.  Everything said about one could be said of the other if we are speaking solely on first impressions.  There the kind of girls that make the clouds break and I blame the perfect weather on them.  They had a name for their little coalition: Kappa Kappa Matchbox Omega.

Kappa Kappa Matchbox Omega:Ashley, Becky, Myshelle, and Kate

 Chad meandered into the mix, he’s moving to Portland from Vermont and searching for a house.  He won’t find it today, the Matchbox Omega girls stepped in and he and I are about to be hijacked.  Before long we were all ’life-long’s' riding the crest of a wave beatific and ready to sail this thing all the way up to the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne leaving Eugenio’s in our wake and on the docket for tomorrow night.  Showtime.  

 Myshelle, Ashley, Chad, Kate, and Supernormal Tyler

Meridian

The Gold Dust Meridian was the next destination, so we paid the tabs and said our goodbyes to the crew of Eugenio’s leaving it as our safe harbor.  We’ll return tomorrow night, and I can repay the debt of a great day to all of the people who gave it to me.  That’s why I love playing music, the human connection.  Stepping in and creating happiness for people, positive and prolific – I’ve got one-and-a-half hours of stage time and it’s gonna go by to fast.  At the Meridian, we found a back patio, Omega had been there before but none of them had noticed it before.  The little pathway was like entering a secret garden and we assembled ourselves at a table.  Omega was drinking Mojitos made with 12 year Rum, and I was stepping it up a bit.  I had an IPA and a shot of well bourbon, I was seeking the day buzz, and hell bent getting on there.  Our collective energy soon filled the patio to the gills with day-drinkers.  General jackassery and side-splitting laughter, Myshelle drew a Black Bart moustache on her index finger and was holding it up to her face and the rest is a blur.  I believe the buzz had arrived.  And I believe it skipped a few stages and put me straight in Zangsville! 

Myshelle and her Black Moustache 

One guy came in with a guitar and some one said paly us a song, he refused.  I took that as my cue and went back to the Hostel and got the Git-fiddle.  I walked back on the patio and asked if I could play them a song and so I played “Arizona Born and Glory Bound”.  That song is kind of becoming my anthem for this trip.  “the secret to success is get the F*** out”, an urge I am trying to fight.  I fall in love with everywhere I travel and the common theme around here is that what is trying to happen to me has happened to many.  Ich bin ein Portlander!  Myshelle asked me if that was a harmonica, I said “yes”.  Apparently, she plays.  She started tooting around on it and I played a remix of one of my own tunes: “The Things I’m Gonna Miss”.  Normally, it’s a heartbreaker track slow and solemn.  People have told me it made them cry, but, now it was up-beat jovial and I gravelled-up the vocals and Myshelle rocked the Harmy.  I had to go after that.  I could have stayed there all day, but, I wanted to hit the Muddy Waters Open Mic on Burnside and the sign-up started at seven.�

The Crew is Growing at the Meridian 

Murky Moods at Muddy Waters

I arrived at 7:05 and the place was already awash with troubadours with guitars in-tow.  I got a negative vibe and heeded it.  I chose to head back to the hostel and good thing I did because about ten minutes later I had to put the buzz to bed.  I spun motionless on the matress then dropped off the planet at 7:00 PM.  That’s Rock and Roll. 

More Pictures and videos coming soon.