TAG: Happy Chichester

Feb16

Kenan Bell on the Music Highway

part four of Kenan's tour diary 

Feb 9, 2010
Day 5 Part 1
12:03 pm

As the days go by, the tone of these wake up calls gradually got more and more stern. The accents on the other end are constantly changing, but the message is the same in any language: GET THE [expletive] OUTTA HERE! Not before Milk came barging in yelling “Hey Zipperheads, good morning,” as he leaps and tackles Danny at the vending machine. Now that’s comradery if I’ve ever seen it. After being a part for a few hours, it was obvious that Milk missed us. Sleeping in the parking lot must have been highly exhilarating, but I equate the smile on Jason’s face to the fact that his precious iPhone survived the blistering cold, even though he neglected the cellular device and bolted from the van the previous night, launching his Apple product into the air until it landed on a bed of sleet, slush and snow to retire for the evening.

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Feb10

On the Road with Kenan Bell, part three

Love in Nashville and a zebra print Snuggie 

Feb 8, 2010
Day 4 Part 1
11:47 am

Is it still Groundhog Day? I am starting to feel like Bill Murray. Another morning in a budget hotel spent sleeping next to Black Matt in my zebra print Snuggie while Danny and Milk fight over the stiff, cold hotel covers. The cleaning crew began banging on the door almost an hour ago, signaling it was time to wake up. They had already come by our room on two separate occasions because check out was at 11, but we vehemently professed that we were getting up and leaving soon. Remember when you begged the Moms for 15 more minutes of sleep before getting ready for school only to fall back asleep for an extra hour of Zzz’s and wind [sic] up being late for first period?

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Feb09

On the Road with Kenan Bell, continued

Feb 7, 2010
Day 3 Part 1
10:46 am
There is a bittersweet taste in my mouth today. We are leaving Joe’s compound this afternoon headed south for better weather and to play some music in Louisville, KY. I’m so grateful for how he took us under his wing and made us all feel like part of the family even though only Jason is a blood relative. That is probably the best part of tour: the love shown by family and friends across the country. Whether it was sharing a meal with Danny’s sister and her family in Las Vegas or visiting Milk’s Grandma outside of Des Moines, the people that we come in contact with on a daily basis really make it all well worth it. As Cousin Joe began setting up for his Super Bowl party by slicing bell peppers and arranging his vegetable platter, I was just opening my eyes and peeking out the window, only to be blinded by the glare of the fresh powder.

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Feb08

On the Road with Kenan Bell

Tour diary from last weekend 

Feb 6, 2010
Day 2 Part 1
11:51 am

Wow, what a night! Cousin Joey sprung for a few hotel rooms in Columbus so we didn’t have to trek all the way back to Dayton. Before sleeping, he made sure to feed us as he had the concierge place an $80 order of Italian food that was delivered just before 5 am. After the gluttony, Matt (bassist/tour manager) and I retired to our room to recap the day and go over our accounting. I just recently upgraded our touring vehicle from my Ford Explorer to a nine passenger van, but since we bought the van the day before the tour, we didn’t have the luxury of having a mechanic look at it before driving across country. We haven’t experienced too many problems aside from having to replace the battery in Cali, change out the windshield wiper fluid in Colorado and replace the starter in Pennsylvania. Keeping things interesting, the valet needed to jump start the van this morning at the hotel so we immediately took it to a local mechanic for inspection. Something was up with the anti-lock brake system so homeboy dismantled it which made us feel that much more like ice truckers trudging through the frozen tundra.

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