My Sunday

CS show Toronto

Great success

The week ahead. Ouch

3,700km driving this week.

C'est What? - Toronto, CA

Another night another slog. A pub crowd. Loud and drunk. And not enough of them.

It's the first tour of Canada so there are bound to be ups and downs. Tonight I play the couchsurfing meet-up and that should go well if it's anything like the one in Quebec.

Steini had another good night. He crawled in at 5.30. He's more rock and roll than I'll ever be.

The view

The run into the gig

Bike shop

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Sleeping in the barn

A rough night last night. We slept in the back of the bike shop. It was pouring with rain and we got when coming in, and it was cold inside. Heading back to Alex's couches in Toronto now and it's like heading back to the lap of luxury.

First sight

The first time I've seen an ipad. It really is a beauty. I have to get one to replace my heavy laptop. A recuctionist's wet dream! I've seen the future and it is light.

Bike talk

Rich has toured all over North America and gave me some good advice for when I start.

I was planning to start in the Florida Keys and cycle up but he said Southern Florida is the worse place for cycling he's ever been to. All the oldest people in America go there to retire. People that can hardly walk or see over the steering wheel are driving huge cars around. Bumping into each other and causing carnage. So I think I'll start a little higher up. In fact I'll just skip the deep south all-together.

The other bit of advice he gave was for the bike. I was planning to go for just rear panniers but he says that's the mistake most people make. It's better to have front panniers with a 40-60 weight distribution. He said a trailer is safer because drivers are a bit more wary and give you more room, and the bike handling is better. It's a little slower than carrying your weight on the bike, but then I could go for thinner tyres - 25mm rather than 28mm - which would compensate a bit.

It will also be a lot faster loading and unloading with a trailer. Packing up 5 bags on the bike, ensuring the weight is distributed evenly, and strapping on the travel guitar is going to be a drag, so the trailer is looking like the winner. A downside would be carrying it all upstairs in some people's house, taking a train or flying, but 5 different panniers would also be a drag.

My Dad has ordered me a Bob Jackson frame in England which they'd even heard of here in Canada. One of the guys in the shop has one, so that makes me feel good about it. I was going to go for a Kona with disc breaks, better for the mountains - but the build quality will be better with a Jackson. I'll be ready for when I got to England in the summer and I'll get it all set up, ready for New Zealand in January.

The plan is still to ride there in their summer (it's English so it's easier for me to book and more suitable audiences). I don't fancy Australia so will go on to Hawaii for a few weeks (I'll have a round-the-world ticket, which is cheaper than just out and back to New Zealand) and then across to the warmer part of the states, heading up gradually as it gets warmer and then down again as it gets colder. And always with the prevailing winds so I get blown along and can go further in a day. Migratory touring.

Then perhaps in 2012 I'll do the same thing but do Europe after New Zealand instead of America (I could do both in the same year but it's better to fly as little as possible and take more time over it. America is better to start because of the language and it's all one country, so I can get a 3G contract without fussing over finding wifi).

It sounds a long way off but in my mind I'm already there. All this driving is so stale. Cycling is a joy. You really breathe the place and see the back roads rather than the interstate. The real countryside. And feel so much more alive after a lot of exercise. It's a drug. I'm running every morning and doing yoga to keep up, but it's a chore when you have to make an effort to do it, rather than a natural part of your day.

Maximism

We were in the mall and Steini went in a games shop to get a pack of
cards and came put with their most expensive poker set. After the
casino loss, he wants to make his money back from unsuspecting hosts.

He's not a convert to minimalism yet. The set weighs a ton and he'll
have to take it back on the flight with him.

The Acoustic Grill - Picton, ON

They should call in The Conversation Grill. Not a listening room. A
few came for the show and I felt more sorry for them. What can you do.
I got the place quiet a few times. It's the little victories. Nice
Steves that run the place. Steini got drunk and had a great night.

The view

Prince Edward County is a beautiful area. Quite the tourist spot in
the summer.

My tongue lies tired in my mouth today. 3.5hr show last night. 5 sets.
Talking to people inbetween. I'm all talked out.

Waiting for Steini

He takes longer than Jasmine to get ready

Don't do it

To win my way back

And then the casino. All day and long into the night.

I found out afterwards that Steini is a compulsive gambler. I lost $80
and he lost $550. We had fun though.

Niagra Falls

First the sightseeing

They have Whole Foods in Canada

It's no cheaper

For before and after

Beer time

Mixed up

Sushi in a hong kong restaurant in Toronto with our Romanian host.

Rock radio

Just played a nice radio show in Toronto. They've had Ray Davies and
Dave Stewart on before.

New blog photo

A cabin in the woods

Couchsurfing in the countryside

Sivaan, Anna and Andzrej. Two poles and an Auzzie in Canadian
countryside.

Canadian Booker

I'm already on the website. Mario works fast

http://www.troubadourstudio.ca/troubadour/Jack_Stafford_Foundation.html

Mario

Stopped off to meet Mario, a Canadian booker. A very nice guy and
enthusiastic. Maybe he can get me some shows sometime.

Steini's big on keep fit

Constipation

Now I'm not driving, I need to find something else to do. I have audio
books, podcasts, etc. I tried playing the guitar but it kept digging
into Steini's neck and almost causing crashes. I thought about getting
a data connection for my laptop for booking but a) they wouldn't do a
month contract and b) large expanses of Canada won't have a mobile
signal I think.

Blogging is a good way to while away the time as I'm one-touch typing
this on my iPhone. (This post so far has taken 15km). But I'm running
out of subjects. Besides the visa I don't have any issues. Except
constipation.

All this sitting down I think. I'm taking Triphala as recommend by
Craig my Ayurvedic doctor in Austin, but I'm still clogged up. Even
this McDonalds industrial paint remover isn't clearing it. More fruit!

The view

No wheel!

Another day another motorway. Steini's driving. He's used to the
autobahn, no speed limits. He keeps asking me to keep an eye out for
police.

It's 5 hours driving today but at this rate we'll get there in 3.

We were away at 7.30am to beat the rush hour. We had to share the
living room and I found out that Steini snores, though he stopped when
I put the pillow over his face.

The show was a big success last night. One of the best of the tour.
Meet-ups are definitely the way to go. I emailed 20 city ambassadors
but only one has responded, and that was to say it would probably be
fine, but it only needs organising two weeks before.

Even after the success of this show (30 people on a Monday night) I'm
not sure I have enough faith to 'let go' of the venues. But maybe I
should. What I'll probably do is book in the places I've played before
which will give me a guaranteed fee, and fill in around that with meet-
ups.

It's funny how when you start out you need the officialdom.
- the record must be out on a label
- it must be available in record shops
- you need to be on iTunes
- you must play known venues

I've never made any money from the first three. Steini used to have a
record label and after spending thousands of euros on promotion they
were lucky to sell 400records.

So I guess it's logical that as all the other rules of the music
industry break down, the next must be shows.

I played in two well-known venues in New York on this tour, with only
the sound guy and the waitress to keep me company. But had well-paid
gigs in the middle of the nowhere to appreciative, CD-buying audiences.

The shows have balanced out and I think I will (just) break-even on
this tour (if you discount the recording) which is better than the
last one, but not as good as the next.

Do gooder

Kelie hosted us for two nights in Toronto - a last minute request.

She has hosted 80 people in the last year. Don't ever say you don't
have space for people. Kelie has a tiny one bedroom apartment.

Laptop buddies

Killing time in Quebec City before the show tonight. It's raining

Morning after...

Poor old Michel surfed with a host who took him out late when he was tired. The downside of couchsurfing is that you're at their behest.

The view

I can look out the window now

Introducing... The new star of the blog

I have a driver!

Steini from Cologne. Germans make the best drivers. I advertised for a
driver to my fans and Steini won.

I already knew him from playing in his bar - Sterowonderland. The
coolest bar in Cologne. He also runs the biggest fly postering company
in Germany.

He's a tour junkie. He just finished a tour with a band he's managing,
and after our 4-week stint he goes back with them. This is his summer
holiday as it's an unpaid position. He thought it was a more
professional tour than it is. He's been on many tours and used to
nightliner buses.

It's so great to have a driver. He thought it funny that I'm sitting
in the back but hey, if you have a driver....

So we're four weeks together. That's longer than most of my
relationships. I wonder what will annoy him in the car first. My socks
and underwear drying on the parcel shelf or the long vocal warmups?

Montreal

Cycling is big here

People often ask me the nicest place I've seen and where I'd settle
down. Montreal is leading. I'd define it as a French version of New
York.

Michel's flyer

CANCELLED - La Suite - Quebec City, QB

So I'm in Riviere du Loop watching the waterfall and I get a call.

From Michel, a Belgian couchsurfing living in Quebec.

He said he called the venue to check the details and it was cancelled. News to me. It was a paid show so I get in my car and drive.

To La Suite in Quebec.

And talk to the manager Phil. Who says it's not his fault -

 It's a shame because there were lots of couchsurfers who planned to come. One fan from Maine sent me flowers as well.

 

 All because of a hockey match I think.

 

 So I went to see Michel who was working next door.

 

And then Simon another couchsurfer drove me to the youth hostel.

The venue had reserved me a room with their credit card, which hadn't been charged yet, so I sweet-talked the receptionist, gave her the flowers and she charged them.

 

 And I got my own room.

 

Then I went and played pool with a group of 15 couchsurfers.

 

And then I went back to La Suite - to wait for the owner - drinking their most expensive whisky's until then - because Phil thought he could pay me off with drink.

 

They finally gave me $50 just to get out of there and I walked home.

 

In the morning I threw up all the whisky just to waste it.

Susi and Guido

German hosts in French Canada. Lately it takes me a few moments to
think where I am in the world.

It's nice to stay with some fellow Europeans. Susi cooked a lovely
Austrian dish for breakfast. Guido is a biologist and they moved here
for his work.

Brainwave

Today I had an epiphany. Would you like me to tell you about it? Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

I was working away in the morning as per usual. Googling email addresses for European venue names that I've found on other similar artists myspaces and emailing them for my European tour. It's a long slog. I'm up to about 4,000 venues now. I have to do it for all 50 countries. It's a slog - hardly anyone responds and when they do it's rarely good. And even if they do offer a date they hardly ever offer you a fee. And when you play the show no one will be there. Getting a venue is easier than getting an audience. Got the picture? This is the reality.

So I'm not in overly good spirits when I hear via the couchsurfing forum for Quebec City that I'd used to publicise tonight's show has been cancelled. Some people had called the venue for more information, and even though it's still listed on their website they say it's cancelled anyway.

As you might or might not know I find accommodation through the couchsurfing network every night. Venues don't usually provide it. People open their homes to you. It's a great network. I've met wonderful people and had great experiences. On the website you can join groups for each city and the locals plan events and meet-ups and I post my shows on these forums in advance to get people to come out.

Couchsurfers are a certain type of person. Usually well-travelled. Open-minded. Warm-hearted. In the states, I've yet to meet a Republican couchsurfer. If you have Republican values, the thought of letting a potentially dangerous stranger come into your home, eat your food and soil your sheets - without even charging them - is about the stupidest idea since universal healthcare.

Back to the story. Another person had responded in the discussion string that I could come back the next night and play to 40+ couchsurfers in the cafe where they usually have their meet-ups (on a Monday). He'd already spoken with the cafe owner and he'd be ok without. But unfortunately I'm booked in Montreal then. But I'm free Monday and could come back to play there meet-up. 40 super-friendly international couchsurfers would be a great audience.

I decide to drive to Quebec City and I'm on my way there now when a brainwave suddenly hit me. You probably see where I'm heading with this already, so I'll just spell it out. If couchsurfers are the best audiences and they already have meet-ups why am I spending hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours trying to get a venue interested in me and then asking the couchsurfers to come to my show? I should go to them. I've already been trying to get people to organise house concerts but many are reluctant to take on the responsibility of organising it.

The stupidly simple idea then is that I should have thought of a long time ago is a Couchsurfing tour of Europe. Each city has an 'ambassador' so I'll try them for a few cities and see if it works out - and if so then I'll just do that. They would be free shows but I'm sure I could sell enough CDs and have a hat for donations. I have a feeling it would work out much better than traditional venues. Watch this space.