Pro: The venue was a candy shop. Jars of individually wrapped, brightly-colored bits of high-fructose corn syrup lined the walls. It was a free-for-all.

Con: The candy shop had closed down a few weeks prior, and we were the last event before the owner leased the place out. Due to various additional publicity obstacles, including us not knowing anyone in Westfield and computer viruses that send pornography out to all of your facebook friends, the band outnumbered the crowd.

Outcome: We drowned our sorrows in chocolate-flavored licorice and Heineken. Two thumbs up, but now Sam’s diabetic.

1/30: Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Wilbraham MA

Pro: Our first gig at a private school was advertised as an “Enrichment Credit Opportunity.” The kids came out in droves.

Con: In order to fit us into a distraction-free space, the school snack bar shut down until the following morning. Disappointment ensued.

Outcome: The school provided us with large plates of brownies and cookies, which we graciously shared with the kids. Dave accidentally said  the word “bitch” during Devil Went Down to Georgia, making good on the enrichment promise of the poster. We left the school knowing we had made a difference.

2/5: The Paramount Theater, Rutland VT

Pro: We were treated like rockstars. Free hotel rooms for two nights, a radio spot, and a gig with our favorite singer/songstress Caitlin Canty in a gorgeous, 800-person historic theater. The crowd was spectacular and the show solidified Vermont as a favorite gig destination.

Con: We had to leave.

Outcome: Wannagoback.

2/6: The Basement, Northampton MA

Pro: Our first show with the Iron Horse Group with our good friend Jay Bethea was a huge success. The crowd was filled with familiar faces and people were excited about the new sound. Pretty girls and cheap beer abounded.

Con: Jay bullied us into going out afterwards, saying that we needed to celebrate and that we could “go home and drink chamomile and talk about our feelings” some other time.

Outcome: We don’t remember what happened last night, but it was good.

With Caitlin over working on scratch takes for her new release, we thought we’d test out the recording setup on a live take of one of our favorite covers (by Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice). Note Dave’s authentic Irish garb and Harris’ authentic hits-self-in-face at the one minute mark. See photos from the session here.

It was a busy weekend here in Hadley.  We had a record number of visitors crashing all over our house and our house raft, and a record number of Subarus in our driveway.  The crowds gathered for one main purpose: to hear Mulvey’s set at the Iron Horse.  Consequently, a weekend of solid jams ensued in our newly appointed music-mecca of a basement.

The festivities began Friday night with the arrival of our good friends Caitlin Canty and Greg Schultz.  Caitlin is a singer-songwriter based out of New York, and Greg is a guitarist and founding member of the band Socialist (check out their websites in the sidebar).  Saturday marked the arrival of musician friends Adam, Carlos, and JT, and friends/girfriends/girfriends-of-friends Ina, Josh, Cat, Hannah, and Christina.  This stunning fall day included everything from climbing apple trees to busking on the streets of Northampton.  The benefits of such a large group of musicians coming together on the streets were two-fold: half of the group could perform while the other half could serve as the crowd.  As Paul Hindemith, the composer, once put it: “People who make music together cannot be enemies, at least while the music lasts” (Composers Datebook, 9/25/09).  We are fortunate to have so many friends with so many talents.  Whether it be the late-night acoustic sessions in the basement or noodling away at a guitar on a floating raft at 4:30 in the morning, the music made this weekend was fueled by our enjoyment of one another.

Paul Hindemith, contemplating friendship

Speaking of people who are friendly and play music and fuel our enjoyment of one another, Peter Mulvey performed at the Iron Horse Music Hall on Saturday night–a performance some of us (Dave and I and Greg and others and Dave’s parents and stuff) had all been looking forward to for the better part of a year.  Curled up on the couches and tucked snugly into the booths on the balcony of the music hall, we listened to Mulvey splay his sweet honey-suckle nectar-sound upon the audience.  Particularly of note were Mulvey’s spoken-word pieces.  He displayed his mastery of the art of performance–that is, he understood that what occurs between songs on stage is just as important as what occurs during songs.  From start to finish, the show delivered.  It left us warm, glowing, and smiling ear to ear.

After the show, we were fortunate enough to meet Mulvey.  Upon handing him our business card and informing him of our band, he glanced at our band name.  Unprompted, he shared with us his candid impression: “Great f***ing name for a band”.  Done.  No more Milk for Spain. No more Cat Named Sam Kapala and the Spanking Hemoglobes.  Darlingside it is.