ATHFEST

Holla at ya Athens, Ga.  Athfest might be the best reason to live in Athens…Aside from Kelly’s Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Our night shared at the 40 watt with Modern Skirts, Quiet Hounds and Twin Tigers was one for the books!  A real ho-down!

And then David Prasse happened.  Prasse and friends have the unique ability to once a year turn Little Kings into the coolest day party found in these parts.  Got a chance to perform with Thayer Sarrano, The Empties and some others.  Just a real great time. 

Thank you to everyone who made it out.  It was hot.  It was crowded.  It was fun.  JB’s polish sausage was back!  And mine fell in the back of Lera’s car on the way home.

And my Grandma Wills was there.  How do you like that? 

Post show couch sitting.

Additionally, our Day Trotter has been posted.
 http://www.daytrotter.com/#!/concert/lera-lynn/20055803-37383037
This makes me want to draw all of our photos.

ATL

Lera Lynn here. Here being home. At last. Ben Lewis and I played in Atlanta last night, which is familiar and close enough to Athens to be included in the feeling of being home. But tonight we play in Athens, our real home, which is always splendid. And then we get to make the 2.5 minute drive to our own respective beds. Last night was our first of three shows with Todd Snider. What a character. He makes me feel like Mother Teresa. The Variety Playhouse was a fun room. I can't believe how wonderfully attentive the audience was. Makes me think, if you can weather Athens discerning fans, you can likely survive in some pretty rough crowds. Thanks for making me tough, Athens. Atlanta delivered us this guy, Seth. Seth wanted his chest signed. And like everyone who asks for a body signing, he asked me to write something really witty. All I could dream up was the literal. Thank you Seth for your enthusiasm and please thank your lovely lady lawyer friend who was there cheering me on as I debated how to traverse your dewy chest hairs. Oh this life. From now on, I'm only signing ladies ;)

Seth 

Carrboro NC.

Well howdy folks. Last night we opened another show for Paul Thorn at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC. A fine establishment with even finer staff. We were made welcome with handshakes, smiles, and a few six packs of beer. Beautiful. The crowd was exceptionally welcoming and we made a good deal of top-notch friends (two fellas by the name of Jody and Chris just to name a few). I'm getting way ahead of myself though. The main reason for coming to Carrboro was to get close to Chapel Hill so we could swing by one of the greatest restaurants in the entire world...Time-Out. Roughly 8 years ago I had the great pleasure of eating at this gourmet producer of foods and I've had a burning desire to return ever since. Their claim to fame is that they serve Thanksgiving food 24/7/365. Needless to say, Lera went without. Overall review, not quite everything I remembered, but definitely some tasty eats. Highest quality grease for sure.  Post show, we loaded into the van and left in search of shelter. We found a La Quinta sandwiched between a Red Lobster and a Bowling Alley. Done.  Upon entering said Quinta, we encountered a cop, a manager, and like five 8-year-olds. Their parents had locked them out of the room for some "private time" and they were up to all sorts of tomfoolery at 2 in the A.M. After a few threats of child protection and the long arm of the law, the hoodlums were wrangled and returned to their hotel cell. Afterwards, we were honored by Manager Margaret and inducted into the La Quinta rewards program, established by the late Mr. Quinta back in 1936.  A Spaniard fella! This is a high honor and only given to the most thrifty of folks. It is now today and we're headed back to the Cat's Cradle because I forgot a pair of pants there. Then off to Winston Salem for one more show and home tomorrow! Go America!

Time-Out.  Michael Jordan has eaten here.  So have the Ben's.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Wes. Our faithful Charlotte host, started signing our merch last night, as we allowed him to "hang" with us behind the table. Wes is not in the band, everyone, but he could be if he wanted to. 

Then a new fan, who bought our last flaming el camino shirt asked me to sign it, only after having Paul Thorn sign it first. This is the very thing I addressed in a recent post, wherein I signed the Punch Bros shirt. Now I know for real how it feels. It's just fine. I signed my name much larger than he did. Just fine.

Paul Thorn gave me a lunch box with a Moonpie inside, stating, "I know how it feels to be an opener." Wes ate the Moonpie.  And now I know how it feels to be an opener of lunch boxes.

Additionally, we now have a PO Box.  So it would be great to get postcards back from you as well.

Lera Lynn

PO Box 214

Athens, Ga. 30603

A big special thanks to Paul Thorn.

Please send us mail.

Punchy punchy punchy

My mom used to always say she was punchy when she was tired and manic. I can't think of a better way to describe the way I'm feeling now, having spent 3 days with the Punch Brothers and bidding our farewells last night. Farewell for the Punch Brothers means more bourbon. More bourbon. Maybe a beer and some more bourbon. Thank you for everything. Go get 3 hours of sleep and sleepwalk your way through the airport. We were in bed at 2:30, awake at 5:30. Now we're on a plane again. Headed to Charlotte.

But first, the Palladium in Carmel, IN. Wowza. What a venue. I don't think I've ever seen a nicer theater. Last night Ben Lewis and I got to use the ol' single condenser mic setup. The audience was completely silent. Sometimes you can't tell if it's an obligatory silence or if they're truly enjoying themselves. But I think they liked it all right. Lots of people got in a line to have us sign things. It's always awkward when someone wants you to sign the t-shirt of the other band. I always fear that later, when that fan asks them to sign it, they'll see this as distasteful. Oh well. My name is on a Punch Brothers shirt now floating around somewhere in the world. Good.

Brian Merch Guy. Great guy. Real sweetheart. Someday it's my goal to afford him on the road. He's a badass. Not only does he collect vinyl, he also photographs all of them and posts them online for people. I thought I was organized. You might think you are. But Brian Merch Guy will school you. That's who you want managing your merch. Some day...

For now, I'm sizing up this bench at the Atlanta Heartsfield Airport, waiting on my connection to Charlotte. Gonna see Ben Wills and the van there. And Wes. Gonna play a show at McGlohan Theatre tonight after 3 hours of sleep and a few too many bourbons. Punchy. To say the least.

Until next time, LL

My bed at Heartsfield airport in Atlanta.  

Punch Brothers an Ben Lewis.

Sunrise drive to indy.

Our car.  Their bus.

Weir miniature wedding table? At Clarion Hotel?  Why?

Motor magic city stick

Detroit. Ever since we've been on the way to the venue, the Magic Stick, Lil Kim's song, "Magic Stick," has been infinately looping in my head. Her lyrics are explicit. You've been warned.

One thing I realized last night at the Magic Stick... I need to get a handle on my profanity. Today I've made it my goal to forego profane expression. Fingers crossed.

Last night I walked back stage, just after the Punch Bros started their set, to fill my glass with wine. It was there that I discovered the off-center brilliance of those guys, only this time it had nothing to do with music. Low and behold there was a piece of chewed gum on a piece of new bread. I suspected it was the work of Noam Pikelny. I was correct. Please see exhibits 1 and 2 below. The thing that blew my mind was the proximity of said act to the waste recepticle. To take it a step further, he admitted to removing the bread from the bag specifically for the gum. He could've put it on the wall but he's a nice guy.

In the basement of the Magic Stick is a bowling alley. With some borrowed socks I donned the shoes and took home 3rd place (or was it 4th?) in a post-show roll with the whole gang. Turns out, I have finisher's luck. Kindof. Ben bowled a 68. But he had some extra style points. Of course. --LL

You're seeing the heads of Chris Eldridge and Ben Lewis and the pre-bowl stance of Paul "Arco."

One of the Punch Brothers gum on a piece of bread.  (Close up.)

Bread with gum, on the table.  (Lower left hand of the picture).
Trash can.  5 ft away.  (Upper right).

Who's feeling awesome now?

Punch-drunk hoe-down

I'm really not an overly emotional person. I mean, I'm sensitive to others and compassionate but I don't do a lot of crying; at least not in public. When I saw Dave and Gillian at the Georgia Theatre last fall it was a full moon and I cried like a baby through most of their set. That was a first for me. Last night the moon was full(ish) again and listening to the Punch Brothers was a second, but the feeling was more euphoric this time. Holy Jesus they are overwhelmingly perfect and inspiring. I stood among the sold out audience of Cleveland, Ohio's Beechland Ballroom and felt like I was floating around somewhere close to the ceiling. How did we get on this tour with them? Dreams coming true. Quite a satisfying feeling. What's more satisfying than that? Playing old Patsy Cline songs with Chris Thile and the guys on their bus til the wee hours. Yep.

Oh yeah I should mention that the voice you should be reading this with is mine, ol' Lera Lynn here. Lil Benny Wills is relaxing at home for the next fews days with Ck. I hope they're having as much fun as we are.

Excited to come back to Cleveland in August. Really fucking great audience. Very respectful and energetic. Tonight we're in Detroit. Tomorrow we have a day off which I plan to spend sleeping ;)

Us in our rental Versa.  We still haven't figured out how the door locks work.  Very mysterious.

Charlotte NC- Myrtle Beach SC

Charlotte is great because of a few things.

1.  Wes Kent.

2.  Elvis is alive and well.

3.  The Evening Muse.

Wes Kent is that kind of guy who is down.  "He's on the level", as Lera Lynn might say.  For realsies.  And he's in chef school.  And he's quite possibly as much of a Chipotle enthusiast as Ben Lewis and myself.  But he doesn't have internet so it was impossible to write about him yesterday.

Evening Muse is cool.  I love the idea of having early shows and late shows.  That group was crazy fun, and we were blown away with how many of you came out.  Wes and myself partied until 3 AM listening to iPhone music and chilling by his pool.  Come to think of it, we were in Charlotte for 20 hours, and I went to the pool three times.

Myrtle Beach is cool because of a few things.

1.  They let us play on the board walk.

2.  Mike McDonald dances.

3.  I love ferris wheels.

We did two sets and in between, Lera disappeared and me and Ben were preparing ourselves to get on stage without her and perform a skit.  It would have been mostly improvised but the general arc would have been that Ben is a sheep and I'm a shepherd.  And then handstands.  But Lera showed up just in time and we'll have to wait for some other lucky audience to watch our theatrics.

Wes Kent and Lera.  Maybe the greatest picture of all time.

Elvis Aaron Presley.  

We played next to a ferris wheel.  The beach is directly behind us.

 

Mike McDonalds.  His face almost looks like a mask, and I mean that in a good way.  Best dancer in Myrtle Beach.

Wilmington NC

We've stayed the night in some pretty nasty places, but this one takes the cake.
But first, our first night ever in Wilmington, Soapbox Laundro-Lounge, wonderful club, awesome sound guy, awesome owner and awesome crowd.  Steve came out. Mrs. Leigh's Mom and Miss Leigh's sister came and surprised us... the evening was just really great.  You, or at least I wouldn't think that a music venue/ actual laundro-mat wouldn't work, and we'd be wrong.  That place is crazy rad.  Our first of many shows there I hope.
And then we decided that it was a good idea to try to drive to Charlotte, and ended up in a Budget Inn in the middle of nowhere.
Upon entering said motel, it was clear that I wouldn't be sleeping underneath covers.  We pulled the covers back anyways just out of curiosity I suppose and the bed was full of hair.  But that's probably the usual when instead of a bed frame your mattresses are just on top of bricks.  Lera put on a pair of my suit pants and one of my shirts- popped collar- to ensure that none of her skin touched the sheets.  Ben Lewis attempted to hang a hammock in the room from the front door to the bathroom door in hopes of not touching a single piece of the room.  And me... well I took the bass out of the soft shell case, and slept for three hours in my case.  Then I move outside to find that the entire motel is booked with migrant workers who were outside waiting for their rides to work, so I have a cigarette with them, and then try to fall asleep in the van as they wander around in the parking lot.  They laugh.  I laugh.  I admit to myself that there's no way I'm going to fall asleep.  I fall asleep.
But I'm serious when I say, I love doing this.  Upward and onward.  Charlotte NC tonight.
Good.

If you need a postcard, just send us your address.  Leralynnband@gmail.com

Ben will even write you one as he drives.

Hammock attempt.  

Lera's bed.  Tile floor.  Bricks.  Mattress.

Chinese magic traps bought to celebrate not being murdered last night.