Tour diary: Jonneine Zapata with Soulsavers, III
Kevin Bronson on
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[Chapter 3 of Jonneine Zapata’s tour diary. The singer and her quintet are on a national tour supporting Soulsavers:]
Underestimated San Diego. At 8:30 p.m., kids lined up on the street outside the Casbah, and they’re dead interested in the openers. Is this a trip to you? Because it’s a trip to me. The room is exactly our speed – tight stage, low lit and close to the ground. The mic is spasming on every song (cutting in and out on me – sucks, but I’m working with it!). The crowd moves forward anyway, as close to the stage as possible and I hold on to them with my bare hands throughout our set. I like! And that’s the West Coast – no major hiccups except that, after San Francisco, it became apparent we had to replace our bassist. We invited (unrehearsed, mind you) Angie Mattson (L.A.-based singer-songwriter) on bass to complete the tour.” Instant harmony ..
Sept. 15
“The Lord is my shepherd.” “He is risen (and it is finished).” “Jesus saves.” Those were just a few signs that welcome you to Texas. And we ain’t even deep into it yet! (I’m traveling with my mother’s rosary from her first holy communion, so I’ve got back-up in case anything jumps up at us … )” Besides, there are too many demons down here for one band alone to conquer (the real demons are over in New Orleans anyway) –what are you gonna do with all the cheatin’ hearts?” Gas is $2.32/gallon. Suck on that bone … We’re staying with my friend Chris in Lockhart (40 minutes south of Austin) in his guest house on 3 acres of perty flowers, and a natural spring. Chris’s baby kitty Leo cruises by (in a stuck-up kind of manner) with a frog in his mouth. ….
After a straight shot from L.A. the day after the San Diego gig, we arrive in Lockhart in 20 hours flat. Later that night, Chris hauls us over to a friend’s (very Mad Max) sound stage out in yonder woods, and we get Angie “dialed in” (rehearsed). Cut to the next day – we’re playing Stubb’s in Austin. Well, almost. We got caught in a bit of a shit storm – literally.” Right before our set, the toilets overflow into the main room we’re playing in and the club is “working on it.” … ‘Nuff is ’nuff. Jeff Mendel says to John (Soulsavers’ road manager), “Why don’t we set up a little P.A. on the patio and keep these people in good spirits …”” OK, says John, great idea, and Jeff and I (in our old-school duo style) entertain 150 people or so on the wood patio behind Stubbs with some jacked up jimmied equipment. Great success!” It’s 11 p.m. or so, plumbing handled (our set is canceled – naturally), and Soulsavers play the best set yet (in our opinion).” By the way, it was going to be Angie’s first gig with us. We’re now anxious to get to House of Blues Dallas and get one under her belt. …
Sorry to hear about the bass personnel problem. Whoever played on the “Love Is A Burden” video from The Echo show wrote a good part.
That was awesome! I’m sorry I didn’t get the full band effect but sure glad you rose to the occasion! Hope to see you again soon, good luck on the tour!