While getting ready for my show tonight in York Beach Maine, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the show in the AZORES that we did last July 4th on the “Armed Forces Benefit tour.”   

There we were, in the middle of the Atlantic, playing on Lajes Air Force base for all the troops and their families.  Our show ended with fireworks right behind the main stage and for a second, it felt like Las Vegas.  (I’m kidding).

 On this July 4th weekend, I want to extend a sincere thanks to all the fine men and women who live their lives overseas and keep our country safe.  We can’t repay you for the service that you provide.  

Have a safe 4th, but make sure to enjoy yourselves!  
Evan 

The “Armed Forces” EGB touring band. 
(L to R: Carl Benevides, Thomas Hebb, John Cooke, some guy in a funny hat, Chuck Langford, and Phil Antoniades).  

 

  

   

FRIDAY July 10th, 2009. LOWELL SUMMER MUSIC SERIES, Lowell MA.
GO HERE for TICKETS

I’m just going to say this:
It’s an honor to be asked back to the LSMS to play in front of Los Lonely Boys. I especially want to thank all the people who took a moment to email the Lowell music series website and request us back.

It’s the people that make the difference and that’s what counts the most.
Yours in Gratitude!
See you at the show!
Evan

       (Everyone’s got a different take on it, and I find that
       kind of cool)

Being a musician and a writer first and foremost (before all of this talk about me being a performer as well), I have to admit that I wasn’t up to the task of coming up with a logo (after all, that’s a marketing thing, and well, that’s not my thing).

In the beginning there were a lot of suggestions: a guitar, a guitar in a heart, a guitar piercing a heart, things that might hint at the music, “jam bandy, bluesy, something or other.”
And, I was a bit stumped.
I came up with this, and I came up with that. Everyone had an opinion. Some loved the ideas, some hated them. Most “concepts” seemed contrived of something else. Something that had come before. Of course, in the marketing world, I suppose that’s a good thing. Show people something that they recognize and they’ll probably dish over their hard earned cash for it.
And I think we suffer for it.
We sit through boring rehashes and remakes of an idea that WAS original 30 years ago (starsky and hutch, dukes of hazard for movies, -and of course certain music artists who have left retirement to sing their songs of the days of Yore -and shall remain nameless here). Why? Because we recognize it.

(Right now you’re saying Evan, you should have made a logo with lips spitting blood on a guitar).

Right.
So, what do I do?
What Evan always does right?
My own thing.

The EGB Logo came from a caricature depiction of the “Average” facial response that most people seem to make when they encounter the band for the first time (raise your hand if you made this face on some occasion).
SCENARIO: Unknown person approaches me when the band finishes the set with “something like” this look on his face, and maybe says: Holy %$*#, I mean, (*&# you guys are great? Why haven’t I heard of you? Why aren’t you on TV? Thus, the face was born:

It doesn’t seem angry to me. It even looks a bit like a martini at times. And of course, one might be faintly reminded of the power button on a Mac when they first see it…er…from the side?

In a world where bombs are still dropped, video chatting happens across the globe, doctors can replace a persons face, a million people can starve to death under the wrong government, and so much wealth can be created and destroyed almost overnight, the shock and awe of living in this “new age” of radical contrast, the face just seemed to fit on every generation I could think of.

It’s you and it’s me. And it’s really everybody at some time or another. And if you don’t believe me go turn on the news! And then quickly, jump in front of the mirror! ha! See!

Sometimes the band just drops out behind one of us (usually during a solo).  And, it’s quite unplanned and sometimes works well, and sometimes…not.  I suppose that’s what keeps it fun.  You never really know.

 

People ask me “what is this new ballad?”  This is one of the new ones (it will be on the new recording).  It’s called “Sing-a-song” and this is a clip of it from the North Shore Music Theater (from the B.B. King show).

Next Page »