Autumn tour
Ana was the first one. I remember watching her play in a small and pretty room here in Barcelona. Hidden behind a big guitar, singing those fragile songs with that tender voice of her. After the show we shook hands and had a couple of beers and agreed to be in touch.
Jeremy was the second. I was travelling around parts of the US with Aubben (Craven Canary, also a HI54LOFI comrade) and one night we were enjoying a show in Chicago when he walked in. Straight from the airport. A bag in his hand. Scanning the room in search of familar faces. We watched the rest of the show together and then had drinks and then some more and then after a couple of days said goodbye knowing we’d meet again soon.
And then Ben, he was the third. I was on a mini-holiday in London and found out Benjamin Shaw was playing a show. So I showed up and saw him standing by the bar. A bit shy but every bit as enchanting as I thought he’d be. He played an amazing set of songs and then we had some drinks and then some more.
All this is life after the internet. Getting to know people through music and writing and listening and reading and then meeting up in person and all of a sudden realize you have become friends. Friends through music. Jeremy is the one who has been working the most to find ways to find a pattern in all this. Being a musician in the internet age. An age where record labels aren’t what they once were (anyone really sad about that?). An age where your music can ripple all over the world by just pushing some buttons. An age that may be confusing and overwhelming at times, but that is so darn exciting. Anyways, HI54LOFI has been a haven for many of us wandering souls. And it is so wonderful to see how it evolves. How people keep meeting up and making music together. And this is where we are now…
Ana, Jeremy, Ben and I are hitting the road. We’ll put some guitars and banjos in a van and drive around Europe for 10 days. Play where they’ll have us. Spread the word about this whole HI54LOFI thing. About things happening in times where you read the newspaper and it looks as if nothing is really happening. But basically we just plan to play our hearts out and laugh our heads off.
Over the next two weeks we’ll be in Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, London and Rotterdam. If you’re anywhere near, come meet us. You will be the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh…
Love,
Lieven
