We’ve come out of our winter hibernation to tell you some stories! Sure, this winter was a famously mild one, but hibernation is necessary sometimes, regardless of the temperature. As you might have read below, we’ve gone through some very significant changes since our last travelblog post, all the way from the fall of ‘11. One of those changes was the acquisition of a new set of wheels! A real beauty, she remains unnamed at the moment. We intend on putting this vehicle to good use, and we’ve just returned from her first trip out into the world beyond McHattan…
Freestar, circa 2007, a manufacturer might refer to her shade as “Sapphire”. The legacy of Henry Ford lives on through our travels. We will conveniently ignore the fact that Ford was vigorously anti-Semetic (read the wikipedia article on Henry Ford, the only American mentioned in Mein Kampf) and instead focus on what his most significant contribution, the assembly line and the resultant vehicles that have been carrying people to and fro in style and speed, did for a band named In One Wind. You see, despite what conventional news media would lead you to believe, things are not black or white, red or blue, left or right, but always some shade in between. And what is most important about the man named Ford is not his private views on society and religion, but his vision of horseless carriages that the everyman could afford. Or the everyband. Like, seriously, every band. We can proudly add our name to that list now, the list of musicians who have pooled their resources to make transportation and live-action dissemination of their music a priority. We inadvertently add our name to many other less attractive lists (think Big Oil), but you’d be hard-pressed to avoid these other distinctions if you want to do anything involving money, which is a lot of stuff.
{doritos, fritos, or cheetos-MF}
But I digress. Point is, we got a van now! And we’ve already put it to good use. Our first trip took us to two very idyllic Nor’eastern locales: Portland, ME and Bennington, VT. Now, I’ll admit, I was asleep for most of the trip to Portland, so many details of the first drive Chris took with all of In One Wind inside are not for me to report. I do remember that I woke up long enough to hear some music, ask what it is, hear the reply “The National”, acknowledge that this was the first time I’d be hearing their music, and then fall back asleep minutes later (sorry, fans of The National). As we eventually crossed the border into Maine and my napping ceased, I felt distinct excitement as this was my first time within the state’s borders. This was also a chance to see a new Welcome sign, which, through much time spent on the road, has become of particular interest to me. Maine’s reads: “Welcome to MAINE-The Way Life Should Be”. Wow. Now that’s a fucking sign! And boastful though it may seem, less than 24 hours spent in the state led me to believe that perhaps they’re just tellin’ it like it is. The show we played was warm and fuzzy (Cuddle Magic’s fault-they’re too damn good), new friends were in abundance (big ups to Henry and Peter of Milkman’s Union for being more than just gracious guys with good taste and better senses of humor, but for playing great music to boot), the delicious sea air was nearly intoxicating (to me, at least. Rob doesn’t like seafood though, and on our walk around town before the show, I leaned over the docks to take big deep breaths while he probably choked back little bits of vomit), and the following morning’s obligatory diner visit was, in a word, perfect (the decor, the food, the staff, the patrons, the name [Steve and Renee’s Diner] the cartoons in the menu, the fact that their cinnamon buns are dedicated to beloved ‘Cousin Bob’-the way A DINER should be). I LOVE MAINE.
{how could you not love this ^^ place?}
{THIS ^^ IS IMPORTANT}
But you know what I love more than Maine? VERMONT (Sorry Maine. We need to get to know each other better I suppose. IOW’s been to Vermont twice in a little over a month now, so we’ve gotten to experience a little more of what her borders contain. So, you know, It’s not you, it’s us. We’ll be back in the summer though…). Not only does the state have an abundance of wilderness with seriously quaint towns interspersed, but they also boast a nearly libertarian-leaning populace and history of radicalism. Their welcome sign says it all. It’s smaller than a sign telling you about a littering fine, and it simply states “Welcome to Vermont-The Green Mountain State” against the silhouette of those very mountains. And is there a more exciting sight from a car window than a “Moose Xing” sign? But enough about signs-this was a show to remember, perhaps one of the group’s best to date. Camaraderie was high after the previous night, and that clearly extended to the audience. Everyone in the room was a big happy family for the night, and I think all of IOW has a special place in our collective heart for Bennington College. There’s something very unique about this place, different from other schools we’ve played at in the past. For one, all kinds of legendary artists were or are on their faculty, either full time or visiting (Martha Graham, John Cage, Milford Graves, Bill Dixon, and that’s just in the performing arts!). Then, there’s the location. Tucked away on a hillside, it didn’t take long for us to find ourselves in stargazing country. Clearly it takes a open and engaged mind to want to attend this school, and this was such a joyous audience to play for (and with! A shout out is definitely deserved for Gregory Obis, who I saw air-drumming along, and Jo-Anne Hyun for making this night possible).
{Bennington pre-show push-up-holding competiton between Mal and Max}
Chris The Van was a long time coming. A much belabored decision. We are thoughtful folk, and the many ramifications of car ownership were tossed over in our brains for, quite literally, years. However, trips like this one help put everything in context. There’s always going to be a reason not to do something. But then sometimes the reason to do it smacks you right in the face. Oh right! Playing shows! For many people in many far flung places! As often as possible! Hence our two week tour coming up, where IOW will be visiting even more states for the first time, including North Carolina and Tennesee! And of course, look out MIDWEST. Comin’ back atcha real soon…
Much love,
Max & IOW
