Ciao My friends,
I am writing to you all from Milan Italy. My band and I are enjoying an amazing week in Italy then we head to Belgium for the Pjeire Blues Festival. We only have a few more shows till the end of the year. I am going out on a huge high as I am being inducted into the Blues Museum, Hall of Fame by the Canada South Blues Society on Saturday December 17. The show has been sold out for nearly six weeks. It is going to be filmed by Rogers Television for a TV Feature to air sometime next year. We are also recording a live CD. The first one in nearly 12 years, which we plan to release in March/ April.
November was a huge tour which took us to Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. Our show at The Alamo in Springfield, Illinois was alot of fun. The it was on to The Zoo Bar in Lincoln, Nebraska where we had the pleasure of doing a double bill with Sarah and The Tall Boys. The Boulder Outlook in Colorado was excellent- this club is looking even better than the last time we visited. We hung out with Cassie Taylor for a bit then it was on to The Crystola Roadhouse in Woodland Park. Another fabulous club!! Promoter - Amy Whitehall was kind enough to show us the sights of Colorado Springs. The weather was absolutely stunning and the Rocky Mountains looked magnificent. We had a great show at Dazzle Restaurant in Denver. But we ran into some trouble at Lincolns Roadhouse, our soundman and his pa didn't turn up. Bobbi had confirmed with the guy twice and he was a no show. All his details were in our computer back at the hotel. We were freaking out when a good Samaritan- Carol Jackick offered us to use her iphone and we were able to look up the phone number of sound company. The dude eventually arrived - one and half hours late. Thankfully the crowd at Lincoln's were patient and we ended up having one of the best shows there to date. Blues belter Erica Brown sang a few songs and our good friend Maddog played harp on a few tunes.
We gave a didgeridoo presentation to 300+ students at The West Grand Elementary School in Kremmling, Colorado. These children were so very appreciative. It was a pleasure for us to perform. We made the long drive to St Louis, Missouri in good time for our show at BBS. Then it was The Trouser Mouse for Thanksgiving Eve. We had an excellent crowd at The Gas Lamp (formally Blues On Grand) then it was Harperfest at Bryons in Pomeroy, Iowa for that weekend. What a nice way to end the tour.
My band "Midwest Kind", manager- Bobbi and I would like to thank you for all your incredible support through out the year. Your encouragement and kind words really make our hearts full.
Wishing you all peace on earth, prosperity and joy to all.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Hannukah, Winter/Summer Solstice, Kwanzaa to all!!
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind November Blog
Hey Everyone,
November is here, today we are driving north to Michigan after an amazing tour of Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida where we experienced some toasty warm weather. Prior to our Southern states tour we headed east with shows in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. We got to experience several new clubs for us- The Armour Inn in Hamburg, NY (amazing food) and The Abilene Lounge in Rochester, New York (very cool), the stunning "Dusk" in Providence, Rhode Island and the Elks Lodge in Franklin, New Hampshire (down home and bluesy). We had fun shows at them all and plan to return soon.
On our trek south it was great to visit Brackin's Bar, The Empty Glass and Blue 5. The Columbia Blues fest in South Carolina was an incredible day. Several thousand attended the event and the sun was shining. We had sold out of CDs by the end of the set so I guess we did good!! My band and I went to the after party and hung out with all the festival staff. One of the staff kindly offered me a ride back to the hotel. Within one minute after leaving the club, we were pulled over by the police. My kind friend was arrested for DUI and I received a ticket for not wearing a seat belt in the back seat. OUCH!!! Then I had to pay for the taxi fare as the other passenger had no money. What a night!!!
On the following Monday, Bobbi and I went to one of the local elementary schools in Columbia to give a presentation on the didgeridoo and Australia. It was very cool because the school's emblem was "the kangaroo". The kids really dug learning about Australia. Then we headed to our favorite music friendly Inn- The Paradise Inn in Pensacola Beach where we got to chill out for a few days. For those of you who have never been to the pure white sands of Pensacola Beach it really is worth the trip. Lots of wild life- Bobbi and I saw several stingrays plus many sea birds and fish. We performed at Alabama's best Juke Joint- The Blues Saloon then on to the incredible Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. You just can't beat the fish fry, the huge bonfire and the cool blues at Bradfordville Blues. It certainly is a unique club. We finished the week with a show at The Backroom in its new location in Delray Beach.
We performed a Halloween show for our dear kids at The Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. I went as a pirate, Bobbi was a witch, Chris was a china man, Matt was a snooza man and Scott was a scare crow. The kids had a great time. That evening we performed to a packed house of gouls, witches, vampires plus many more at the Celtic Ray in Punta Gorda. Our show at Guanabanas, The Coconut Creek Casino, The Buckingham Bar, and Aces were alot of fun. Our final show of the tour was a double bill with Mike Zito at Earls Hideway. Despite the wind and the rain we had a packed house and the jam with Mike and myself was the highlight of the day.
Coming up in November we have a three shows in Michigan followed by a jam packed tour to Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. Our show at Wilebeski's Blues Saloon on Saturday November 26 in St Paul Minnesota has been canceled as the club suddenly closed with out warning. We were fortunate to book a second show at Byrons in Pomeroy Iowa for a Harperfest weekend on Sat November 26 and Sunday November 27. We hope you will spread the word
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
November is here, today we are driving north to Michigan after an amazing tour of Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida where we experienced some toasty warm weather. Prior to our Southern states tour we headed east with shows in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. We got to experience several new clubs for us- The Armour Inn in Hamburg, NY (amazing food) and The Abilene Lounge in Rochester, New York (very cool), the stunning "Dusk" in Providence, Rhode Island and the Elks Lodge in Franklin, New Hampshire (down home and bluesy). We had fun shows at them all and plan to return soon.
On our trek south it was great to visit Brackin's Bar, The Empty Glass and Blue 5. The Columbia Blues fest in South Carolina was an incredible day. Several thousand attended the event and the sun was shining. We had sold out of CDs by the end of the set so I guess we did good!! My band and I went to the after party and hung out with all the festival staff. One of the staff kindly offered me a ride back to the hotel. Within one minute after leaving the club, we were pulled over by the police. My kind friend was arrested for DUI and I received a ticket for not wearing a seat belt in the back seat. OUCH!!! Then I had to pay for the taxi fare as the other passenger had no money. What a night!!!
On the following Monday, Bobbi and I went to one of the local elementary schools in Columbia to give a presentation on the didgeridoo and Australia. It was very cool because the school's emblem was "the kangaroo". The kids really dug learning about Australia. Then we headed to our favorite music friendly Inn- The Paradise Inn in Pensacola Beach where we got to chill out for a few days. For those of you who have never been to the pure white sands of Pensacola Beach it really is worth the trip. Lots of wild life- Bobbi and I saw several stingrays plus many sea birds and fish. We performed at Alabama's best Juke Joint- The Blues Saloon then on to the incredible Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. You just can't beat the fish fry, the huge bonfire and the cool blues at Bradfordville Blues. It certainly is a unique club. We finished the week with a show at The Backroom in its new location in Delray Beach.
We performed a Halloween show for our dear kids at The Buckingham Exceptional Student Center. I went as a pirate, Bobbi was a witch, Chris was a china man, Matt was a snooza man and Scott was a scare crow. The kids had a great time. That evening we performed to a packed house of gouls, witches, vampires plus many more at the Celtic Ray in Punta Gorda. Our show at Guanabanas, The Coconut Creek Casino, The Buckingham Bar, and Aces were alot of fun. Our final show of the tour was a double bill with Mike Zito at Earls Hideway. Despite the wind and the rain we had a packed house and the jam with Mike and myself was the highlight of the day.
Coming up in November we have a three shows in Michigan followed by a jam packed tour to Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. Our show at Wilebeski's Blues Saloon on Saturday November 26 in St Paul Minnesota has been canceled as the club suddenly closed with out warning. We were fortunate to book a second show at Byrons in Pomeroy Iowa for a Harperfest weekend on Sat November 26 and Sunday November 27. We hope you will spread the word
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind October Blog part 2
Hey Everyone,
Fall is upon us and we are having some amazing "Indian Summer" weather here in Michigan this week. We had a fairly easy month in September after all the major touring of the Spring and Summer. It was nice just to chill out a little bit. Ive been working on the new live CD which we hope to release in early Spring, 2012 (March/April) for my Southern Hemisphere friends. Our shows at Scooters in Michigan, Fitzgeralds in Chicago were a lot of fun. The new Bring It Festival in Flint, Michigan was amazing. The organizers had an entire wall of original graffiti styled artwork being created while the festival was running. It was incredible to see. There were arts and crafts booths full of interesting items such as jewelery, Flint Comic books, clothing and art. Very cool! Our show at The Livery in Benton Harbor, Michigan was also alot of fun. At The Player's Pub in Bloomington, Indiana we got to jam with our good friend Justin Brown who just about stole the show.
On the way to the Rootenanny Festival in Ellsworth, Michigan as we were driving up highway 131, I started to feel quite ill. Bobbi offered me a banana so I ate it thinking that it might calm my stomach. What happened next was like something out of a horror movie. With my two hands on the driving wheel, my stomach launched a huge projectile of creamy banana colored vomit all over the dashboard and the entire front section of the van. This all happened while I was driving. I managed to pull the van safely over to the side of the highway. I guess it was that jalapeno burger that I scoffed down at Wendy's about an hour earlier. That's road food for you. Oh My God, what a drama!!. Thankfully our guitarist Matt Besey had a roll of toilet paper to mop up the mess! We made our way to the fabulous Rootenanny with an incredible road story to tell.
On a sad note, our amazing drummer Marc Dixon, after five years of touring with my band "Midwest Kind", will be going off the road. His last show will be on Sunday October 9 @ Scooters in Flint, Michigan. We wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for his fine contribution to my music. We welcome Scott Key our former drummer, who Marc originally replaced in 2007. Its very cool to have Scott back in the band. In October we will be heading to Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. Included is our regular visit to our special needs kids at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center in Fort Myers Florida for a Halloween show. Can't wait!!
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Fall is upon us and we are having some amazing "Indian Summer" weather here in Michigan this week. We had a fairly easy month in September after all the major touring of the Spring and Summer. It was nice just to chill out a little bit. Ive been working on the new live CD which we hope to release in early Spring, 2012 (March/April) for my Southern Hemisphere friends. Our shows at Scooters in Michigan, Fitzgeralds in Chicago were a lot of fun. The new Bring It Festival in Flint, Michigan was amazing. The organizers had an entire wall of original graffiti styled artwork being created while the festival was running. It was incredible to see. There were arts and crafts booths full of interesting items such as jewelery, Flint Comic books, clothing and art. Very cool! Our show at The Livery in Benton Harbor, Michigan was also alot of fun. At The Player's Pub in Bloomington, Indiana we got to jam with our good friend Justin Brown who just about stole the show.
On the way to the Rootenanny Festival in Ellsworth, Michigan as we were driving up highway 131, I started to feel quite ill. Bobbi offered me a banana so I ate it thinking that it might calm my stomach. What happened next was like something out of a horror movie. With my two hands on the driving wheel, my stomach launched a huge projectile of creamy banana colored vomit all over the dashboard and the entire front section of the van. This all happened while I was driving. I managed to pull the van safely over to the side of the highway. I guess it was that jalapeno burger that I scoffed down at Wendy's about an hour earlier. That's road food for you. Oh My God, what a drama!!. Thankfully our guitarist Matt Besey had a roll of toilet paper to mop up the mess! We made our way to the fabulous Rootenanny with an incredible road story to tell.
On a sad note, our amazing drummer Marc Dixon, after five years of touring with my band "Midwest Kind", will be going off the road. His last show will be on Sunday October 9 @ Scooters in Flint, Michigan. We wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for his fine contribution to my music. We welcome Scott Key our former drummer, who Marc originally replaced in 2007. Its very cool to have Scott back in the band. In October we will be heading to Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. Included is our regular visit to our special needs kids at the Buckingham Exceptional Student Center in Fort Myers Florida for a Halloween show. Can't wait!!
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Friday, September 9, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind October Blog
Hey everyone,
Autumn here we come! What an amazing summer we have had. Just back from Nebraska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island. Woohoo quite a drive! We performed at the legendary Zoo Bar, (despite a double booking with Levee Town), Southside Johnnies and Lincoln's Roadhouse. The highlight was the amazing Trinidaddio Blues Festival in Trinidad just south of Colorado Springs. We arrived one day early for the pre festival party which was just fabulous. Our dear friends Richard & Michelle Sukup also came along for the ride. We started the night with dinner at local Restaurant "Rino's" where were treated to live blues and opera. An interesting combination, but somehow it worked because of the incredibly talented staff/performers. We then headed down to El Rancho for a Zydeco treat with Rosie Ledet and her band. The atmosphere was electric and we all had way too much fun. The next day was the festival. We had our own limo driver called Ron who ferried us around all weekend. The lineup was stellar with Rosie Ledet, Charlie Musslewhite, Dave Specter and many more. The hospitality of Trinidaddio was about the best there is!
We drove back to Michigan for one whole day and then we were out on the road again to the East Coast where we performed at House Of Buds in Hyannis, MA. We then headed to Rhode Island for the much awaited Rhythm n Roots Festival in Charlestown's beautiful Ninigret Park. We had stunning weather and amazing music with Marcia Ball, Raul Marlo, Red Stick Ramblers, Steve Earle, Mitch Woods plus many many more. It was so nice to hear all these great performers. The sound was pristine and the vibe very friendly. A great weekend was had by all. We finished our East Coast run with shows at the picturesque "Inn on The Blues" in York Beach and our favorite Timeout Pub in Rockland, Maine- we love this place. Its always nice to meet up with old friends.
We have a last minute booking- a double bill with Mr Blotto at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, Illinois (Sept 17)plus The Bring It Festival in Flint, Michigan (Sept 18). We will be revisiting The Livery in Benton Harbor, MI (Sept 24) followed by Michigan's Rootenanny presented by our talented friends "Rootstand" (September 25) in Ellsworth, Michigan. Great camping, music and good times at the Rocky Top Farm. We will end the month of September with a show at The Player's Pub in Bloomington, Indiana (Sept 30). We were very sad to hear that Owner Greg Hill suddenly passed last month but thankfully the Pub continues his love of music.
October will see us heading back to New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania then south to South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Florida and Alabama. Woohoo- Im tired already!! LOL!!!
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Autumn here we come! What an amazing summer we have had. Just back from Nebraska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island. Woohoo quite a drive! We performed at the legendary Zoo Bar, (despite a double booking with Levee Town), Southside Johnnies and Lincoln's Roadhouse. The highlight was the amazing Trinidaddio Blues Festival in Trinidad just south of Colorado Springs. We arrived one day early for the pre festival party which was just fabulous. Our dear friends Richard & Michelle Sukup also came along for the ride. We started the night with dinner at local Restaurant "Rino's" where were treated to live blues and opera. An interesting combination, but somehow it worked because of the incredibly talented staff/performers. We then headed down to El Rancho for a Zydeco treat with Rosie Ledet and her band. The atmosphere was electric and we all had way too much fun. The next day was the festival. We had our own limo driver called Ron who ferried us around all weekend. The lineup was stellar with Rosie Ledet, Charlie Musslewhite, Dave Specter and many more. The hospitality of Trinidaddio was about the best there is!
We drove back to Michigan for one whole day and then we were out on the road again to the East Coast where we performed at House Of Buds in Hyannis, MA. We then headed to Rhode Island for the much awaited Rhythm n Roots Festival in Charlestown's beautiful Ninigret Park. We had stunning weather and amazing music with Marcia Ball, Raul Marlo, Red Stick Ramblers, Steve Earle, Mitch Woods plus many many more. It was so nice to hear all these great performers. The sound was pristine and the vibe very friendly. A great weekend was had by all. We finished our East Coast run with shows at the picturesque "Inn on The Blues" in York Beach and our favorite Timeout Pub in Rockland, Maine- we love this place. Its always nice to meet up with old friends.
We have a last minute booking- a double bill with Mr Blotto at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, Illinois (Sept 17)plus The Bring It Festival in Flint, Michigan (Sept 18). We will be revisiting The Livery in Benton Harbor, MI (Sept 24) followed by Michigan's Rootenanny presented by our talented friends "Rootstand" (September 25) in Ellsworth, Michigan. Great camping, music and good times at the Rocky Top Farm. We will end the month of September with a show at The Player's Pub in Bloomington, Indiana (Sept 30). We were very sad to hear that Owner Greg Hill suddenly passed last month but thankfully the Pub continues his love of music.
October will see us heading back to New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania then south to South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Florida and Alabama. Woohoo- Im tired already!! LOL!!!
We hope to see you out on the road this Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind September Blog
Hey Everyone,
We are getting ready to head West next week to Colorado for the Trinidaddio Blues Festival in Trinidad. Really looking forward to this one. July was festival month for us. After the Ottawa Bluesfest we performed at the London Blues Festival, also in Canada. This was another great event. The weather was picture perfect, the sound incredible and the artists were amazing. We caught up with Cassie Taylor, Daughter of Otis with her band "Girls with Guitars" who put on a great set. We also saw the amazing Thornetta Davis belt out a few tunes. The Michigan Beer Festival in Ypsilanti was a nice show and the beer was flowing. Thankfully this year we actually got to play. Some of you may remember that last year our show was cancelled due to the torrential down pour which engulfed the festival. The temperature was soaring in the low 90's, we were very happy to perform in the air conditioned comfort of Guy Hollerins in Ann Arbor that evening. We celebrated Bobbi's birthday (our manager) at Flint town's Scooters Bar. Bobbi was blown away by some of the music fans giving her birthday cards and a birthday balloon. It made her day! The next week we headed north to the Cheboygan Music Festival which was followed by shows at The Eagles Lodge and The Cabbage Shed in Elberta, Michigan.
The first week of August we performed a fun show at the Crossroads Music Festival in Downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan then we headed to The Kitchener Blues Festival in Canada. Kitchener was a blast. A huge event held in downtown Kitchener. We had a minor hiccup getting to the Clock Tower Stage, the mini van which was provided for us by the festival, simply would not fit in five people, guitars and didgeridoos. So the guitars and didgeridoos got to ride and the band walked, which wasn't so bad since the stage was only a couple of blocks away. We had a fabulous show, the crowd really dug the set. Edgar Winter followed with a rockin set which had the crowd on their feet. Brother Johnny Winter also performed on another stage, close by. We managed to catch Jimmie Vaughan's set, which was very cool to see. We performed an afterfest show at McCabe's Irish Pub which really went off. Three encores and much happiness! After the show our driver Al surprised us with a huge white stretch limo which promptly took us back to the hotel. We all felt like rockstars! Kitchener we love you! The next week was an all Michigan tour with a show for the kids at The Williams Syndrome Camp in Grand Rapids. If ever you feel depressed, doing or should I say giving to these wonderful kids just makes your heart glow. It was such a wonderful experience. The next day we headed to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a packed house at The Blackstone Pizza Company in Iron Mountain. The next day we performed at the amazing Grand Marais Music Festival. Grand Marais is simply stunning. Situated right on the blue waters of Lake Superior. We visited water falls and sat with our toes in the fresh water of the lake. It was fantastic. The festival was alot of fun and the audience were super cool! The next day we drove south to the Cow Pie Blues Festival in Grand Rapids. The weather turned for the worse, we were pelted with heavy rain for a full six soaking hours. As we drove into the festival we visualized a calm blue sky with warm sunshine and were eventually rewarded with both. Unfortunately our good friends- the Rusty Wright Band had to cut their set short, to the disappointment of many. The good news is that we will be doing a double bill with the Rusty Wright Band on Saturday October 2 in Linden, Michigan at the Janelle's Event Center. This should be a great show. Another amazing festival we have coming up in September is Michigan's Rootenanny presented by our talented friends "Rootstand" (September 23-25) in Ellsworth, Michigan. Great camping, music and good times at the Rocky Top Farm.
September will also see us heading East to Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer and Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
We are getting ready to head West next week to Colorado for the Trinidaddio Blues Festival in Trinidad. Really looking forward to this one. July was festival month for us. After the Ottawa Bluesfest we performed at the London Blues Festival, also in Canada. This was another great event. The weather was picture perfect, the sound incredible and the artists were amazing. We caught up with Cassie Taylor, Daughter of Otis with her band "Girls with Guitars" who put on a great set. We also saw the amazing Thornetta Davis belt out a few tunes. The Michigan Beer Festival in Ypsilanti was a nice show and the beer was flowing. Thankfully this year we actually got to play. Some of you may remember that last year our show was cancelled due to the torrential down pour which engulfed the festival. The temperature was soaring in the low 90's, we were very happy to perform in the air conditioned comfort of Guy Hollerins in Ann Arbor that evening. We celebrated Bobbi's birthday (our manager) at Flint town's Scooters Bar. Bobbi was blown away by some of the music fans giving her birthday cards and a birthday balloon. It made her day! The next week we headed north to the Cheboygan Music Festival which was followed by shows at The Eagles Lodge and The Cabbage Shed in Elberta, Michigan.
The first week of August we performed a fun show at the Crossroads Music Festival in Downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan then we headed to The Kitchener Blues Festival in Canada. Kitchener was a blast. A huge event held in downtown Kitchener. We had a minor hiccup getting to the Clock Tower Stage, the mini van which was provided for us by the festival, simply would not fit in five people, guitars and didgeridoos. So the guitars and didgeridoos got to ride and the band walked, which wasn't so bad since the stage was only a couple of blocks away. We had a fabulous show, the crowd really dug the set. Edgar Winter followed with a rockin set which had the crowd on their feet. Brother Johnny Winter also performed on another stage, close by. We managed to catch Jimmie Vaughan's set, which was very cool to see. We performed an afterfest show at McCabe's Irish Pub which really went off. Three encores and much happiness! After the show our driver Al surprised us with a huge white stretch limo which promptly took us back to the hotel. We all felt like rockstars! Kitchener we love you! The next week was an all Michigan tour with a show for the kids at The Williams Syndrome Camp in Grand Rapids. If ever you feel depressed, doing or should I say giving to these wonderful kids just makes your heart glow. It was such a wonderful experience. The next day we headed to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a packed house at The Blackstone Pizza Company in Iron Mountain. The next day we performed at the amazing Grand Marais Music Festival. Grand Marais is simply stunning. Situated right on the blue waters of Lake Superior. We visited water falls and sat with our toes in the fresh water of the lake. It was fantastic. The festival was alot of fun and the audience were super cool! The next day we drove south to the Cow Pie Blues Festival in Grand Rapids. The weather turned for the worse, we were pelted with heavy rain for a full six soaking hours. As we drove into the festival we visualized a calm blue sky with warm sunshine and were eventually rewarded with both. Unfortunately our good friends- the Rusty Wright Band had to cut their set short, to the disappointment of many. The good news is that we will be doing a double bill with the Rusty Wright Band on Saturday October 2 in Linden, Michigan at the Janelle's Event Center. This should be a great show. Another amazing festival we have coming up in September is Michigan's Rootenanny presented by our talented friends "Rootstand" (September 23-25) in Ellsworth, Michigan. Great camping, music and good times at the Rocky Top Farm.
September will also see us heading East to Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer and Fall.
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind
Monday, July 18, 2011
Harper & Midwest Kind August Blog
Hi Everyone,
Summer is definitely here and it is Hot Hot Hot!!!!. During our June tour we tried to dodge all the rain but weren't successful on many occasions. Our show at Mixer On the Mall in Kalamazoo went well despite the threatening rain clouds. Amazingly the rain hit hard just as we were loading out our equipment, which was great for the crowd but not so great for us, as we were all soaked. We weren't so lucky for The Rathskeller in Indianapolis. It looked like the show would be cancelled, but the storm passed and many folks came out to see us, which was very cool!. Our shows at The Empty Glass and Papa Mojos went really well. Infact quite a rowdy crowd turned up for the Papa Mojo's show in North Carolina. Our show at Blueridge Big Sky saw its biggest turnout to date. A stunning setting in the mountains of Moravian Falls, North Carolina. We planned to record a live CD, but were faced with a number of mishaps, firstly we were pounded with 15 minutes of torrential rain then my Harp mic decided to be temperamental by cutting in and out. Hopefully we will be able to work with the rest of the tracks. Our last show in June took place at Kiawah Island, Night Heron Park in South Carolina. This time we were hit with over an hour of pelting rain drops and heavy black clouds. It looked for sure that the show was going to be cancelled. But the organizers of the concert decided to move the show to a dry location. So the sound people and the band had to move everything to another venue. It seemed to be a huge effort to do a show for no one because of the bad weather. But we did what we had to do. As I looked at the two sound engineers struggling with their heavy speakers, soaked from head to foot, with not a word of complaint, I realized this is what is mean't by "the show must go on". So instead of the usual full on electric show, we stripped it back to an acoustic set up. And wow it just sounded amazing. And you know what- the people did come out as soon as the rain stopped. It was a great show. Even the clown dude on the stilts who made balloon animals for the little kids, had a a huge lineup. Some of the kids got so excited that they started to argue and jostle each other. Just like a session of Congress (LOL) Soooo funny to see!
The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in Iowa was a blast. The day started with a didgeridoo/ harmonica workshop then in the afternoon we performed a show at the tent stage. The sound was excellent and the crowd really dug the show. Then it was off to Ottawa Blues fest in Canada. We didn't have too much trouble getting through the border which was a huge relief. The Ottawa Bluesfest is a huge multi stage, multi musical genre event. My band and I performed at the Hard Rock Cafe Stage. The sound and hospitality was top notch. We had a great crowd for our show. Unfortunately the band after us "Hey Rosetta" had to cut their set short because a huge storm hit Ottawa. The wind was howling and the rain was hard hitting. All the stages were closed down. It turned into a bit of a party back stage because you really couldn't go any where. Finally the storm passed and the music flowed. We were very sorry to hear of the collapse of the main stage at the Ottawa Blues fest the other day. We send all the hard working crew all our very best. Our final show at the Ottawa Bluesfest was an acoustic show at the Barney Dansen Theatre. We had a capacity crowd and very intimate and beautiful sounding set. After our show we saw Larry McCray and his band perform on a stage near by. We all hung out with Larry and the boys for the rest of the evening before heading back to Michigan the next day. The London Blues Festival in Canada was also a great experience. Despite the scorching temperatures there was a large crowd to see us. Again the sound was excellent and absolutely not a rain drop in sight !!! We have some great Michigan festivals coming up plus another short trip to Canada and Colorado in late July and August.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for ch
Summer is definitely here and it is Hot Hot Hot!!!!. During our June tour we tried to dodge all the rain but weren't successful on many occasions. Our show at Mixer On the Mall in Kalamazoo went well despite the threatening rain clouds. Amazingly the rain hit hard just as we were loading out our equipment, which was great for the crowd but not so great for us, as we were all soaked. We weren't so lucky for The Rathskeller in Indianapolis. It looked like the show would be cancelled, but the storm passed and many folks came out to see us, which was very cool!. Our shows at The Empty Glass and Papa Mojos went really well. Infact quite a rowdy crowd turned up for the Papa Mojo's show in North Carolina. Our show at Blueridge Big Sky saw its biggest turnout to date. A stunning setting in the mountains of Moravian Falls, North Carolina. We planned to record a live CD, but were faced with a number of mishaps, firstly we were pounded with 15 minutes of torrential rain then my Harp mic decided to be temperamental by cutting in and out. Hopefully we will be able to work with the rest of the tracks. Our last show in June took place at Kiawah Island, Night Heron Park in South Carolina. This time we were hit with over an hour of pelting rain drops and heavy black clouds. It looked for sure that the show was going to be cancelled. But the organizers of the concert decided to move the show to a dry location. So the sound people and the band had to move everything to another venue. It seemed to be a huge effort to do a show for no one because of the bad weather. But we did what we had to do. As I looked at the two sound engineers struggling with their heavy speakers, soaked from head to foot, with not a word of complaint, I realized this is what is mean't by "the show must go on". So instead of the usual full on electric show, we stripped it back to an acoustic set up. And wow it just sounded amazing. And you know what- the people did come out as soon as the rain stopped. It was a great show. Even the clown dude on the stilts who made balloon animals for the little kids, had a a huge lineup. Some of the kids got so excited that they started to argue and jostle each other. Just like a session of Congress (LOL) Soooo funny to see!
The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in Iowa was a blast. The day started with a didgeridoo/ harmonica workshop then in the afternoon we performed a show at the tent stage. The sound was excellent and the crowd really dug the show. Then it was off to Ottawa Blues fest in Canada. We didn't have too much trouble getting through the border which was a huge relief. The Ottawa Bluesfest is a huge multi stage, multi musical genre event. My band and I performed at the Hard Rock Cafe Stage. The sound and hospitality was top notch. We had a great crowd for our show. Unfortunately the band after us "Hey Rosetta" had to cut their set short because a huge storm hit Ottawa. The wind was howling and the rain was hard hitting. All the stages were closed down. It turned into a bit of a party back stage because you really couldn't go any where. Finally the storm passed and the music flowed. We were very sorry to hear of the collapse of the main stage at the Ottawa Blues fest the other day. We send all the hard working crew all our very best. Our final show at the Ottawa Bluesfest was an acoustic show at the Barney Dansen Theatre. We had a capacity crowd and very intimate and beautiful sounding set. After our show we saw Larry McCray and his band perform on a stage near by. We all hung out with Larry and the boys for the rest of the evening before heading back to Michigan the next day. The London Blues Festival in Canada was also a great experience. Despite the scorching temperatures there was a large crowd to see us. Again the sound was excellent and absolutely not a rain drop in sight !!! We have some great Michigan festivals coming up plus another short trip to Canada and Colorado in late July and August.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for ch
Friday, June 17, 2011
Harper & Midwest Kind July Blog
Hey Everyone,
Summer has arrived! We are looking forward to all the festivals that we will be performing at this summer. To finish up our tour to Massachusetts and Maine we visited our favorite Timeout Pub in Rockland, where the peeps know how to party. We also hit House of Buds in Hyannis. After the show as we were driving to York Beach Maine, we were nearly hit by a drunken driver swerving all over the highway. Bobbi was driving and she hit the horn loudly to stop the drunk from hitting the van. Now the drunk took offense to the horn blast, so then decided to pull behind us and tailgate us for a few miles with his high beams on. What a nice guy!!!! Where are the cops when you need them! Thankfully the drunk eventually turned off the highway. We arrived safely in in York Beach, Maine where we were welcomed by sunny skies and smiling faces.
After being out on tour for five weeks performing in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Maine and gigging just about every day, we finally headed back to Michigan. We had an easy drive home, but once we arrived in Grass Lake, we were greeted by three foot high grass. OMG- we've never seen the grass so high. So for the next week or so, mowing the grass was a main priority.
While back in Michigan we performed at our favorite Flint bar- Scooters. We also had an outdoor concert at Rogue River in Rockford which had a great turn out. We had some major problems with the sound system cutting in and out, but the folks remained calm. We found to the horror of Marc our drummer, that a couple of friendly wood ticks had decided to take a ride home with us after the show. Our shows at Lakeview Lodge and Treasure Lake Ski Lodge in Pennsylvania were canceled the following week, through no fault of our own. We apologize for any inconvenience.
We visited the fabulous Fat Fish Pub in Galesburg, Illinois, which was an amazing show. BB's in St Louis was also a fun time. As we drove west from St Louis we were greeted with dark ominous clouds. The sky became so dark that it looked like it was night time not 1pm in the afternoon. There was an eerie green tinge to the sky, which really alarmed us. We hoped there would be no tornadoes in the area, especially after what had happened to Joplin, Missouri only a short while ago. Thankfully it was only heavy rain which soon turned into sunshine. We look forward to some great festivals coming up: the Parkville River Jam, Missouri, Mixer On the Mall, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Bluerige Big Sky Farm, Moravian Falls, North Carolina, The Ottawa Blues Festival, The London Blues Festival and the Kitchener Blues Festival, Canada plus many more. We plan to record a new Live CD on Sunday June 26 at Blueridge Big Sky Music Farm in Moravian Falls, North Carolina. We hope loads of NC fans will come out to the show to yell and scream on this new recording.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
Summer has arrived! We are looking forward to all the festivals that we will be performing at this summer. To finish up our tour to Massachusetts and Maine we visited our favorite Timeout Pub in Rockland, where the peeps know how to party. We also hit House of Buds in Hyannis. After the show as we were driving to York Beach Maine, we were nearly hit by a drunken driver swerving all over the highway. Bobbi was driving and she hit the horn loudly to stop the drunk from hitting the van. Now the drunk took offense to the horn blast, so then decided to pull behind us and tailgate us for a few miles with his high beams on. What a nice guy!!!! Where are the cops when you need them! Thankfully the drunk eventually turned off the highway. We arrived safely in in York Beach, Maine where we were welcomed by sunny skies and smiling faces.
After being out on tour for five weeks performing in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Maine and gigging just about every day, we finally headed back to Michigan. We had an easy drive home, but once we arrived in Grass Lake, we were greeted by three foot high grass. OMG- we've never seen the grass so high. So for the next week or so, mowing the grass was a main priority.
While back in Michigan we performed at our favorite Flint bar- Scooters. We also had an outdoor concert at Rogue River in Rockford which had a great turn out. We had some major problems with the sound system cutting in and out, but the folks remained calm. We found to the horror of Marc our drummer, that a couple of friendly wood ticks had decided to take a ride home with us after the show. Our shows at Lakeview Lodge and Treasure Lake Ski Lodge in Pennsylvania were canceled the following week, through no fault of our own. We apologize for any inconvenience.
We visited the fabulous Fat Fish Pub in Galesburg, Illinois, which was an amazing show. BB's in St Louis was also a fun time. As we drove west from St Louis we were greeted with dark ominous clouds. The sky became so dark that it looked like it was night time not 1pm in the afternoon. There was an eerie green tinge to the sky, which really alarmed us. We hoped there would be no tornadoes in the area, especially after what had happened to Joplin, Missouri only a short while ago. Thankfully it was only heavy rain which soon turned into sunshine. We look forward to some great festivals coming up: the Parkville River Jam, Missouri, Mixer On the Mall, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Bluerige Big Sky Farm, Moravian Falls, North Carolina, The Ottawa Blues Festival, The London Blues Festival and the Kitchener Blues Festival, Canada plus many more. We plan to record a new Live CD on Sunday June 26 at Blueridge Big Sky Music Farm in Moravian Falls, North Carolina. We hope loads of NC fans will come out to the show to yell and scream on this new recording.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind June Blog
Hi Everyone,
We are coming to the end of a fantastic five week tour which took us to North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine and Massachusetts. At the end of April, in North Carolina we performed to 750 middle school kids at the Wilkes Central School in Moravian Falls, which was pretty cool. Then it was on to the fabulous Merlefest in Wilkesboro. What a festival! Some of the most amazing music Ive ever heard. Bluegrass, Celtic, Roots, Blues and a little Country thrown in the mix. Over the weekend 80 000 rapid music fans attended an alcohol free music feast for the ears. We had some amazing shows at Merlefest. We sold out of CDs after the very first performance, which just about took my breath away. Some of the highlights were: the Zac Brown Band, Lyle Lovett and my personal favorite- Robert Plant and his band of Joy. Plus there were a multitude of artists who were just amazing musicians- people I had never heard of before, but whose musicianship was astounding. To all those new North Carolina fans we will be heading back your way Saturday June 25, Papa Mojos, Dunham and Sunday June 26 at Blueridge Big Sky Farm in Moravian Falls for a very cool out door concert. We just can't get enough of North Carolina.
Our tour to Florida was filled with warm sunshine and gentle surf. The Paradise Inn in Pensacola Beach was alot of fun, (maybe too much fun, some would say). Then it was on to our favorite Juke Joints: The Blues Tavern, Mobile, Alabama and The Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. The Clearwater Blues Festival was another great experience, we got to hang out with Trampled Under Foot and Shemekia Copeland and heard the sweet sounds of Taj Mahal. What a day!!! We visited our favorite special needs Kids at the Buckingham Exceptional Students Center in Fort Myers. These kids and their teachers have become like old friends. After every show we feel our hearts and souls lifted to higher plain every time. Then it was on to the fabulous Bostons On The Beach in Delray Beach and Guanabanas in Jupiter. After two shows at The Coconut Creek Casino, we performed at the new and improved "Backroom" which is now located in Delray Beach. You have got to check out this new club. The decor is stunning- filled with art deco artwork and some of the most amazing lamps you will ever see, plus the sound is brilliant. Then we headed back to the cold of Sharon, Pennsylvania for a packed house at The Quaker Steak and Lube. Our shows at the Dinosaur BBQs in Rochester and Syracuse were well represented. We finished the week with a very muddy blues festival at the Spyglass Winery in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where our new Chevy Express became bogged in a sea of soaking mud. We had to get a tractor to pull us out and Bobbi lost her shoe! Now that was a first for us. It was a great day of music and it was good to see Big Bill Morganfield doing his thing. We had a fleeting glimpse of the Skyla Burrell band who were leaving, just as we were arriving.
After an amazing show at The Timeout Pub in Rockland, Maine on Monday night, we have two more shows to go until we head back to Michigan for a little bit.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
We are coming to the end of a fantastic five week tour which took us to North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine and Massachusetts. At the end of April, in North Carolina we performed to 750 middle school kids at the Wilkes Central School in Moravian Falls, which was pretty cool. Then it was on to the fabulous Merlefest in Wilkesboro. What a festival! Some of the most amazing music Ive ever heard. Bluegrass, Celtic, Roots, Blues and a little Country thrown in the mix. Over the weekend 80 000 rapid music fans attended an alcohol free music feast for the ears. We had some amazing shows at Merlefest. We sold out of CDs after the very first performance, which just about took my breath away. Some of the highlights were: the Zac Brown Band, Lyle Lovett and my personal favorite- Robert Plant and his band of Joy. Plus there were a multitude of artists who were just amazing musicians- people I had never heard of before, but whose musicianship was astounding. To all those new North Carolina fans we will be heading back your way Saturday June 25, Papa Mojos, Dunham and Sunday June 26 at Blueridge Big Sky Farm in Moravian Falls for a very cool out door concert. We just can't get enough of North Carolina.
Our tour to Florida was filled with warm sunshine and gentle surf. The Paradise Inn in Pensacola Beach was alot of fun, (maybe too much fun, some would say). Then it was on to our favorite Juke Joints: The Blues Tavern, Mobile, Alabama and The Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. The Clearwater Blues Festival was another great experience, we got to hang out with Trampled Under Foot and Shemekia Copeland and heard the sweet sounds of Taj Mahal. What a day!!! We visited our favorite special needs Kids at the Buckingham Exceptional Students Center in Fort Myers. These kids and their teachers have become like old friends. After every show we feel our hearts and souls lifted to higher plain every time. Then it was on to the fabulous Bostons On The Beach in Delray Beach and Guanabanas in Jupiter. After two shows at The Coconut Creek Casino, we performed at the new and improved "Backroom" which is now located in Delray Beach. You have got to check out this new club. The decor is stunning- filled with art deco artwork and some of the most amazing lamps you will ever see, plus the sound is brilliant. Then we headed back to the cold of Sharon, Pennsylvania for a packed house at The Quaker Steak and Lube. Our shows at the Dinosaur BBQs in Rochester and Syracuse were well represented. We finished the week with a very muddy blues festival at the Spyglass Winery in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where our new Chevy Express became bogged in a sea of soaking mud. We had to get a tractor to pull us out and Bobbi lost her shoe! Now that was a first for us. It was a great day of music and it was good to see Big Bill Morganfield doing his thing. We had a fleeting glimpse of the Skyla Burrell band who were leaving, just as we were arriving.
After an amazing show at The Timeout Pub in Rockland, Maine on Monday night, we have two more shows to go until we head back to Michigan for a little bit.
We hope to see you out on the road this Summer,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind May Blog
Hey Everyone,
Just back from the West Coast of the US, landing back in Michigan for a couple of weeks. We are asking you all for a big favor. We need you all to vote for Harper & Midwest Kind for the Mixer on the Mall concert series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Just go to this link and tick Harper & Midwest Kind and vote at the bottom of the page . Its quick and simple and the voting ends on Saturday April 23. We really need your help!!! Here is the link: http://wvfm.fm/mixer-on-the-mall/
Well our tour to the West coast was pretty wild. After our very frightening drive through the Colorado mountains it was nice to hang out in Salt Lake City for a few days. Our shows at The Sun and Moon Cafe and The Wine Cellar in Ogden, Utah were alot of fun. We had one night in Reno, Nevada as a stop over to California. Thankfully we didn't lose too much money. We hung out with our dear friends Mary Anne and Dave from Syracuse, New York, who were newly relocated to Reno. Our show at The Torch Club in Sacramento was pretty cool as always, then it was on to San Jose for The Poor House Bistro where we got to hang out with some more dear friends Leslie Marple and her crew. Then it was back to Reno for a show at Third Street where Bobbi got to experience the best chocolate cake ever, courtesy of the friendly staff at Third Street. Then it was an amazing scenic drive along a winding Highway 50 though to Cedar City, Utah. Marc, Chris and Matt stayed at the Chicken House, hosted by Joleen and Steve Wise. We call it the chicken house because there is a flock of free range hens who the lay the most delicious eggs you will ever eat. We had a show at Mike's Tavern near by, thanks to good friend Tim from Groovacious Records. One of the cool things when we go out on tour, is that we get to do some touristy stuff along the way. On this trip we went to the phenomenal Zion National Park. Zion truly lived up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful sites here in the USA. We saw water falls cascading from sheer red stone cliffs, an amazing fast flowing river and stunning canyon and rock formations. It was a great day. That night we had a show at Jazzy's Rock n Roll Grill in St George then it was on to Southern California for The Mint and Cafe Boogaloo. Then we headed to The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona, where Marc was suprised by an unexepected visit from his Mum. Our final show of the tour was Railroad Blues in Alpine, Texas, a very out of the way place near Big Bend National Park. We almost didn't get there because we were held up by the Border Police near El Paso who threatened Bobbi with Jail and fines for not having her green card on her. Little did we know, her passport and green card were safely packed away in her brief case just below the passenger seat of the van. Well no harm was done! At Railroad Blues, we could smell thick smoke in the air. We knew there were wild fires close by, but it was only the next day that we realized just how close the fires came to the town of Alpine. Thank God for the brave fire fighters who managed to put the fire out before too much damage was done.
We made it home safely to Michigan. Last Friday we were inspired by 400 didgeridoo playing children from the Davisburg Elementary School, where my band and I presented a didgeridoo workshop. It was an amazing day and much fun was had by all. We performed at a new club for us in Ann Arbor at The Holiday Inn, called Guy Hollerins and on Sunday we visited our favorite Flint Club- Scooters. We are about to head out on tour again for five weeks where we will be heading to North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine and Massachusetts
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
Just back from the West Coast of the US, landing back in Michigan for a couple of weeks. We are asking you all for a big favor. We need you all to vote for Harper & Midwest Kind for the Mixer on the Mall concert series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Just go to this link and tick Harper & Midwest Kind and vote at the bottom of the page . Its quick and simple and the voting ends on Saturday April 23. We really need your help!!! Here is the link: http://wvfm.fm/mixer-on-the-mall/
Well our tour to the West coast was pretty wild. After our very frightening drive through the Colorado mountains it was nice to hang out in Salt Lake City for a few days. Our shows at The Sun and Moon Cafe and The Wine Cellar in Ogden, Utah were alot of fun. We had one night in Reno, Nevada as a stop over to California. Thankfully we didn't lose too much money. We hung out with our dear friends Mary Anne and Dave from Syracuse, New York, who were newly relocated to Reno. Our show at The Torch Club in Sacramento was pretty cool as always, then it was on to San Jose for The Poor House Bistro where we got to hang out with some more dear friends Leslie Marple and her crew. Then it was back to Reno for a show at Third Street where Bobbi got to experience the best chocolate cake ever, courtesy of the friendly staff at Third Street. Then it was an amazing scenic drive along a winding Highway 50 though to Cedar City, Utah. Marc, Chris and Matt stayed at the Chicken House, hosted by Joleen and Steve Wise. We call it the chicken house because there is a flock of free range hens who the lay the most delicious eggs you will ever eat. We had a show at Mike's Tavern near by, thanks to good friend Tim from Groovacious Records. One of the cool things when we go out on tour, is that we get to do some touristy stuff along the way. On this trip we went to the phenomenal Zion National Park. Zion truly lived up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful sites here in the USA. We saw water falls cascading from sheer red stone cliffs, an amazing fast flowing river and stunning canyon and rock formations. It was a great day. That night we had a show at Jazzy's Rock n Roll Grill in St George then it was on to Southern California for The Mint and Cafe Boogaloo. Then we headed to The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona, where Marc was suprised by an unexepected visit from his Mum. Our final show of the tour was Railroad Blues in Alpine, Texas, a very out of the way place near Big Bend National Park. We almost didn't get there because we were held up by the Border Police near El Paso who threatened Bobbi with Jail and fines for not having her green card on her. Little did we know, her passport and green card were safely packed away in her brief case just below the passenger seat of the van. Well no harm was done! At Railroad Blues, we could smell thick smoke in the air. We knew there were wild fires close by, but it was only the next day that we realized just how close the fires came to the town of Alpine. Thank God for the brave fire fighters who managed to put the fire out before too much damage was done.
We made it home safely to Michigan. Last Friday we were inspired by 400 didgeridoo playing children from the Davisburg Elementary School, where my band and I presented a didgeridoo workshop. It was an amazing day and much fun was had by all. We performed at a new club for us in Ann Arbor at The Holiday Inn, called Guy Hollerins and on Sunday we visited our favorite Flint Club- Scooters. We are about to head out on tour again for five weeks where we will be heading to North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine and Massachusetts
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads
Friday, April 15, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind April Blog Part 2
Hey Everyone,
Just a quicky! Please help us out by voting For Harper and Midwest Kind for the Mixer On the Mall Concert Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here is the link.
http://wvfm.fm/mixer-on-the-mall/
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Just a quicky! Please help us out by voting For Harper and Midwest Kind for the Mixer On the Mall Concert Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here is the link.
http://wvfm.fm/mixer-on-the-mall/
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind April Blog
Hey Everyone,
We are currently on our annual tour to the West Coast of the US. We are in Salt Lake City, Utah today with a show at The Wine Cellar tonight in Ogden. March has been an eventful month. I found out that my new CD "Stand Together" was nominated for a 2011 Detroit Music Award for "Most Outstanding Recording" and to top it off I will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at The Blues Museum in Windsor, Canada by the South Canadian Blues Society on September 17- Wooooohhoo!!!
We started the month of March with a show at one of our favorite Michigan clubs- Billy's in Grand Rapids. We had an amazing show and this time we made it home without having our van flipped over :) We headlined a show at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, Illinois which had a great turnout then we headed down to Bloomington Indiana for a show at The Players Pub. My good friend Justin Brown celebrated his birthday with a peanut butter cake and a jam with the band. Our new friend Patty also celebrated her birthday. Johnny Rawls also performed a great soulful set. We were so glad that Des Moines, Iowa has new venue for us- at The All Play Stadium Bar and Grill. BB's in St Louis was alot of fun, then we hit The Trouser Mouse in Blue Springs, Missouri, another new club for us.
Then it was onwards to Colorado where we had some perfect Spring weather. We hung out and relaxed in Evergreen for a few days. Such a stunning place to be, with an amazing mountain backdrop, a bright blue sky with just the right amount of snow on the ground. We broke our curse at the Little Bear Saloon where for the last few years, every time we performed there was a massive blizzard, but not this time. Another new club for us was Southside Johnnies in Colorado Springs. Great harp player "Maddog" got up and jammed with us at Jakes Roadhouse. After a crazy show at Lincolns Roadhouse in Denver, we did an over night drive through the mountains. Although the weather in Denver was sunny, that was not the case for the Rockies. As we headed up the mountain, 10 000 feet above sea level we experienced blizzard like conditions. We all know now what is it like to live in a snow globe. It was with great relief that we made it through the Vail Pass at a very slow 30 miles per hour. But there was more, once the snow eased, then we were hit with torrential rain and flooding on Interstate Highway 70. We could only relax for the last hour of the drive to Grand Junction. It was a hell of a night, that's for sure! We made it to Salt Lake City the next day for our show at the Sun and Moon Cafe which was a sell out. Great folks there and we hope to return soon.
My band Midwest Kind and I continue on our annual tour to the West Coast We will be performing in Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas then its back to Michigan then down to North Carolina for Merlefest.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
We are currently on our annual tour to the West Coast of the US. We are in Salt Lake City, Utah today with a show at The Wine Cellar tonight in Ogden. March has been an eventful month. I found out that my new CD "Stand Together" was nominated for a 2011 Detroit Music Award for "Most Outstanding Recording" and to top it off I will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at The Blues Museum in Windsor, Canada by the South Canadian Blues Society on September 17- Wooooohhoo!!!
We started the month of March with a show at one of our favorite Michigan clubs- Billy's in Grand Rapids. We had an amazing show and this time we made it home without having our van flipped over :) We headlined a show at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, Illinois which had a great turnout then we headed down to Bloomington Indiana for a show at The Players Pub. My good friend Justin Brown celebrated his birthday with a peanut butter cake and a jam with the band. Our new friend Patty also celebrated her birthday. Johnny Rawls also performed a great soulful set. We were so glad that Des Moines, Iowa has new venue for us- at The All Play Stadium Bar and Grill. BB's in St Louis was alot of fun, then we hit The Trouser Mouse in Blue Springs, Missouri, another new club for us.
Then it was onwards to Colorado where we had some perfect Spring weather. We hung out and relaxed in Evergreen for a few days. Such a stunning place to be, with an amazing mountain backdrop, a bright blue sky with just the right amount of snow on the ground. We broke our curse at the Little Bear Saloon where for the last few years, every time we performed there was a massive blizzard, but not this time. Another new club for us was Southside Johnnies in Colorado Springs. Great harp player "Maddog" got up and jammed with us at Jakes Roadhouse. After a crazy show at Lincolns Roadhouse in Denver, we did an over night drive through the mountains. Although the weather in Denver was sunny, that was not the case for the Rockies. As we headed up the mountain, 10 000 feet above sea level we experienced blizzard like conditions. We all know now what is it like to live in a snow globe. It was with great relief that we made it through the Vail Pass at a very slow 30 miles per hour. But there was more, once the snow eased, then we were hit with torrential rain and flooding on Interstate Highway 70. We could only relax for the last hour of the drive to Grand Junction. It was a hell of a night, that's for sure! We made it to Salt Lake City the next day for our show at the Sun and Moon Cafe which was a sell out. Great folks there and we hope to return soon.
My band Midwest Kind and I continue on our annual tour to the West Coast We will be performing in Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas then its back to Michigan then down to North Carolina for Merlefest.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind March Blog Part 2
Hey Everyone,
Just a quick one! My new CD "Stand Together" (Blind Pig) has been nominated for a 2011 Detroit Music Award for "Most Outstanding World Music Recording". Not too shabby for an Aussie now living in Michigan.
My band Midwest Kind and I continue on our annual West Coast Tour. We are touring Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Just a quick one! My new CD "Stand Together" (Blind Pig) has been nominated for a 2011 Detroit Music Award for "Most Outstanding World Music Recording". Not too shabby for an Aussie now living in Michigan.
My band Midwest Kind and I continue on our annual West Coast Tour. We are touring Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Harper and Midwest Kind March Blog
Hi Everyone,
Spring is nearly here in the USA. During the month of February we had an amazing tour to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina. It was so nice to leave the frigid temperatures of - 3 F in Michigan. We welcomed the 80 degree temperatures F in Florida with open arms and flip flops. It was nice to meet many other snow birds at The Coconut Casino, Ace's Lounge and Earl's Hideaway (which had a big, big turnout). Our Valentines Day show at The Celtic Ray was a huge success. It is wonderful to see this club back to its former glory. My favorite show of the year was our visit to the lovely special needs children at the Buckingham Center for Exceptional Students. As always it was a truly spiritual experience which filled my heart with joy, inspiration and light. Our new guitarist Matt Besey also fell in love with the Buckingham kids.
Guanabanas in Jupiter, Florida was a new club for us. Situated amongst large trees and leafy palms, this surf styled bar, complete with waterfalls, is really something to see. The world famous Buckingham Bar was another first- another capacity crowd- a superb show with great sound. We got to hang with our dear friend Ken McKenzie- former owner of the Mckenzie Inn- a great supporter of touring bands and just a great guy!. A quick stop at the Funky Buddha in Boca Raton then it was on to Pensacola Beach for the Paradise Inn. We had a huge crowd of over 300 peeps at The Paradise. It was very cool to see so many folks come out. Pensacola Beach really suffered along with Louisiana last summer because of the BP oil disaster. I can verify that Pensacola Beach is just as stunning as I remember. Our final show in Florida took place at the very new Beal St Bottle Club in Fort Walton Beach, where you can bring your own booze. Another superb listening room with amazing decor. Congratulations to Beale St for winning the Beachcomber Best Music Club award.
Then it was on to Alabama for a show at The Green Bar formally Littles Willies and the newly opened "Shed" in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Our drummer Marc Dixon had a terrible bout of food poisoning and was too sick to perform for part of the first set at Humphreys in Huntsville, Alabama. The wonderful staff really took care of him. After a swig of pickle juice, Marc suddenly felt well enough to perform. What a trouper!!!! Our final show of the tour took place at stunning Blue Ridge Big Sky Farm in North Carolina, where we recorded part of the live show. We plan to return in June to record another show and then hopefully a new live CD will be born.
Our drive back to Michigan was a trip. Torrential rain, flooded highways and fog so dense that we could not see 2 feet in front of the van. It was tough that's for sure. Thankfully we made it safely home without any further mishaps. I would also like to offer up a prayer to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake in New Zealand which destroyed the beautiful city of Christchurch. Also the blues world lost one of its extraordinary sons- Mr Eddie Kirkland in a car accident in Florida. Our heart felt condolences go out to Eddie's family, friends and fans.
In March we head out on the road for our annual West Coast tour. We will be touring to Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Spring is nearly here in the USA. During the month of February we had an amazing tour to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina. It was so nice to leave the frigid temperatures of - 3 F in Michigan. We welcomed the 80 degree temperatures F in Florida with open arms and flip flops. It was nice to meet many other snow birds at The Coconut Casino, Ace's Lounge and Earl's Hideaway (which had a big, big turnout). Our Valentines Day show at The Celtic Ray was a huge success. It is wonderful to see this club back to its former glory. My favorite show of the year was our visit to the lovely special needs children at the Buckingham Center for Exceptional Students. As always it was a truly spiritual experience which filled my heart with joy, inspiration and light. Our new guitarist Matt Besey also fell in love with the Buckingham kids.
Guanabanas in Jupiter, Florida was a new club for us. Situated amongst large trees and leafy palms, this surf styled bar, complete with waterfalls, is really something to see. The world famous Buckingham Bar was another first- another capacity crowd- a superb show with great sound. We got to hang with our dear friend Ken McKenzie- former owner of the Mckenzie Inn- a great supporter of touring bands and just a great guy!. A quick stop at the Funky Buddha in Boca Raton then it was on to Pensacola Beach for the Paradise Inn. We had a huge crowd of over 300 peeps at The Paradise. It was very cool to see so many folks come out. Pensacola Beach really suffered along with Louisiana last summer because of the BP oil disaster. I can verify that Pensacola Beach is just as stunning as I remember. Our final show in Florida took place at the very new Beal St Bottle Club in Fort Walton Beach, where you can bring your own booze. Another superb listening room with amazing decor. Congratulations to Beale St for winning the Beachcomber Best Music Club award.
Then it was on to Alabama for a show at The Green Bar formally Littles Willies and the newly opened "Shed" in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Our drummer Marc Dixon had a terrible bout of food poisoning and was too sick to perform for part of the first set at Humphreys in Huntsville, Alabama. The wonderful staff really took care of him. After a swig of pickle juice, Marc suddenly felt well enough to perform. What a trouper!!!! Our final show of the tour took place at stunning Blue Ridge Big Sky Farm in North Carolina, where we recorded part of the live show. We plan to return in June to record another show and then hopefully a new live CD will be born.
Our drive back to Michigan was a trip. Torrential rain, flooded highways and fog so dense that we could not see 2 feet in front of the van. It was tough that's for sure. Thankfully we made it safely home without any further mishaps. I would also like to offer up a prayer to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake in New Zealand which destroyed the beautiful city of Christchurch. Also the blues world lost one of its extraordinary sons- Mr Eddie Kirkland in a car accident in Florida. Our heart felt condolences go out to Eddie's family, friends and fans.
In March we head out on the road for our annual West Coast tour. We will be touring to Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona and Texas.
Hope to see you out on the road this Spring,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Harper & Midwest Kind February Blog
Hey Everyone,
I hope you all survived the huge snow storm that swept across the USA this week. Here in Michigan we experienced howling winds, several feet of snow and dangerous icey roads. We really appreciated our kind neighbor Tim for plowing us out of our house. Thankfully my band and I weren't out on tour. After two major accidents in 2010 we really didn't want to tempt fate. So sorry to hear of my Australian friends experiencing a category 5 cyclone in Cairns, Queensland. After all the massive flooding - a huge cyclone was all they needed. Thankfully it seems not too much damage was done.
January was spent mainly in Michigan with some superb shows at The Livery, The Cabbage Shed and an intimate acoustic show at The Crooked Tree Arts Center. We were pretty much dumped upon snow wise but the folks managed to come out despite the bad weather. Our new van Sheila enjoyed her first tour to Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. We were blessed with some nice weather for this tour and some great crowds.
February is now upon us- so that means we will be heading South to Florida, Alabama and North Carolina to get warm. We have a very full schedule- so we hope that you will all come out and support us. We plan to record a live CD at Blue Ridge Big Sky Farm in North Carolina. March will see Midwest Kind and I heading West to Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, California and Arizona. For our Chicago fans we have just announced a headlining show at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn on Friday March 11. Good news also for Des Moines, Iowa music fans- we have a new venue - All Play Stadium Bar & Grill. The shows are promoted by the sound people from Blues On Grand and will take place on Friday nights.
See you out on the road,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
I hope you all survived the huge snow storm that swept across the USA this week. Here in Michigan we experienced howling winds, several feet of snow and dangerous icey roads. We really appreciated our kind neighbor Tim for plowing us out of our house. Thankfully my band and I weren't out on tour. After two major accidents in 2010 we really didn't want to tempt fate. So sorry to hear of my Australian friends experiencing a category 5 cyclone in Cairns, Queensland. After all the massive flooding - a huge cyclone was all they needed. Thankfully it seems not too much damage was done.
January was spent mainly in Michigan with some superb shows at The Livery, The Cabbage Shed and an intimate acoustic show at The Crooked Tree Arts Center. We were pretty much dumped upon snow wise but the folks managed to come out despite the bad weather. Our new van Sheila enjoyed her first tour to Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. We were blessed with some nice weather for this tour and some great crowds.
February is now upon us- so that means we will be heading South to Florida, Alabama and North Carolina to get warm. We have a very full schedule- so we hope that you will all come out and support us. We plan to record a live CD at Blue Ridge Big Sky Farm in North Carolina. March will see Midwest Kind and I heading West to Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, California and Arizona. For our Chicago fans we have just announced a headlining show at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn on Friday March 11. Good news also for Des Moines, Iowa music fans- we have a new venue - All Play Stadium Bar & Grill. The shows are promoted by the sound people from Blues On Grand and will take place on Friday nights.
See you out on the road,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Harper January 2011 Blog
Happy New Year Everyone,
We hope you had a good one. We had a brilliant show with the fabulous Rootstand at The Loading Dock in Traverse City, Michigan. A Great crowd with relatively warm temperatures for a Michigan winter. We all danced the night away and kissed 2010 goodbye with a vengence! The new year brings us a brand new Chevy Express 3500 LT touring van who goes by the name of "Sheila". We are also excited to announce that we have a new guitarist- the amazing Matt Besey from Saginaw, Michigan. Drew Pentkowski has decided to go back to school- we wish him all the very best.
Our very first show with Matt will take place this Saturday at The Livery in Benton, Harbor, Michigan, 8pm- so please come on down. We have an exciting year planned for 2011-several national tours, loads of festivals and a possible tour to Australia & Europe if all the stars are in alignment. We also plan to record a long awaited live CD. The last live CD I recorded was in 2002- so its been a while that's for sure. In January we will be mostly in Michigan with a quick trip to Missouri, Iowa & Kansas visiting some of our favorite spots. In February we head south to be warm in Alabama, Florida and North Carolina. In March we will be heading west to Colorado, Utah and California.
May 2011 be a year full of peace, joy, prosperity and inspiration.
See you out on the road,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
We hope you had a good one. We had a brilliant show with the fabulous Rootstand at The Loading Dock in Traverse City, Michigan. A Great crowd with relatively warm temperatures for a Michigan winter. We all danced the night away and kissed 2010 goodbye with a vengence! The new year brings us a brand new Chevy Express 3500 LT touring van who goes by the name of "Sheila". We are also excited to announce that we have a new guitarist- the amazing Matt Besey from Saginaw, Michigan. Drew Pentkowski has decided to go back to school- we wish him all the very best.
Our very first show with Matt will take place this Saturday at The Livery in Benton, Harbor, Michigan, 8pm- so please come on down. We have an exciting year planned for 2011-several national tours, loads of festivals and a possible tour to Australia & Europe if all the stars are in alignment. We also plan to record a long awaited live CD. The last live CD I recorded was in 2002- so its been a while that's for sure. In January we will be mostly in Michigan with a quick trip to Missouri, Iowa & Kansas visiting some of our favorite spots. In February we head south to be warm in Alabama, Florida and North Carolina. In March we will be heading west to Colorado, Utah and California.
May 2011 be a year full of peace, joy, prosperity and inspiration.
See you out on the road,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
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