THOM DAUGHERTY, ADVANCE-OTTAWA-EN AVANT

ADVANCE-OTTAWA-EN AVANT

Hey, errrrbody…

Yesterday, we started the Get Closer Tour w/ Keith Urban in Ottawa - the capital of Canada. Coolest government buildings I’ve ever seen. Anywhere. And the Rideau Canal, originally created in case of war with the U.S., becomes the “world’s largest skating rink” when it freezes over in the winter.

Boone (drummer), Fitz (violin), Andy (other guitar player), and I walked into the venue, looked at each other, and Boone solemnly says, “Holy crap. We’re opening for Keith Urban tonight.” There are very few people whose records I’ve consistently bought over the years, but Keith is one of them.

And all of the reasons why Keith Urban has commanded my respect over the years were all the more reinforced yesterday. Though not necessarily dangerous, it’s hard to make superlative statements like this one, but I’m going to go ahead and say that Keith might be the best guitar player I’ve ever seen. Total control of his instrument. Unmatched tone. Flawless phrasing. It was one of those moments that either makes you so sick to your stomach that you give up playing altogether, or you decide right then that you’re not finished progressing - you have more to learn, and you’re going back into The Woodshed to do precisely that.

I’m going back to The Woodshed, and really excited about it.

Everybody in Keith’s band was super cool, affable. But while standing backstage just before we started our soundcheck, Keith walked over and struck up a conversation with Boone, Fitz, and me. First things first, he wanted to know about Andy’s Morgan AC20 (Andy is killing himself for not being around when that happened.) He loved to talk shop - it was pretty apparent that he still gets off on the idea of being a musician.

“A cool hand-wired amp, and a good player with good hands. I don’t know why you really need any more than that.”

Amen.

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This tour is a really exciting one for us, not just for the reasons mentioned above, but also because we’ve added a significant amount of production this week - light show and LED screens behind us. A lot of new stuff to get used to, but we’re loving it. Got to watch a video of the show on the bus afterward, and we were blown away by how cool it looks and what an enhancement it is. And the good news is that we’ll be using all of this on our upcoming tour with Reba McEntire this year, and subsequent tours of 2012.

Which, are a surprise.

And no, I can’t tell you.

But yes, they are going to rule.

Anyhow…

Most of the venues we’ll be playing on this tour are massive hockey rinks. Go figure.

———-

Enjoy a few photos from Ottawa, and as soon as I get a chance, I’ll come back and write an entry about tonight’s show in Toronto!

True North - Strong & Free,
Thom

My nice, clean Lack-of-Pedals Board.

My rig. Matchless DC30 through a Rivera Silent Sister Iso-cab (for FOH guys who are afraid of Volume.)

)
Boone sitting at his exquisite Ludwig Keystone kit.

Andy Davis and Fitz.

“I am America and so can you.”