Just went for a relaxed jog through the leafy streets of Dallas. Amy and Justin did all the driving today, through Arkansas and into Texas, and I'm grateful as hell. Love you guys.

We were up at 7 in our beautifully lovely Memphis Roadway Inn that was scented with a really intoxicating "old cigarette butts" smell, and we're now getting the first real down time of the trip, and super excited to play Opening Bell Coffee tonight in Dallas! Between driving and playing a show yesterday,
I've slacked on this blog, so let me catch you guys up, (especially Josh Rollins who's clamoring for an update)...

-We took the night in Nashville off, choosing fried food and a few beers and catching up on sleep over anything else. At one point mid-meal, a tiny Miley Cyrus slid down a pole and everyone cheered, and the waitress tried to get us to do shots...or maybe I was already dreaming. I'm already dying to get back to Music Row, since we weren't able to see too much, but it felt good to recharge.

-Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Jack White, so it was a little surreal to hang out at Third Man Records yesterday morning, RECORD "Borderline" and "Straight to Space" straight to vinyl in the booth, and pick up some records and schwag. What he has created there is a totally unique world, one that encourages the true appreciation of creating music. So rad.

-Memphis! We ate some tasty BBQ (they even had a BBQ Portabella sandwich for this guy, who is saving his possible "day of BBQ" for Austin...maybe...) and then we met up with Steve (friend of Gwen, friend of Lisa Smith THANK YOU LISA!!) at Ghost River Brewing, and he helped us with equipment. The number of amazingly nice and supportive people we've met has been overwhelming on this trip, and Steve was an unbelievable human. Thanks, Steve, for hanging out and bringing friends and hooking up the gear, and cheering for us - come to Boston like you promised! We drank awesome beers on the house and both bands played really fun sets, (maybe capitalizing on the Elvis Energy that hangs over the city), including new song 'Reckless' which is coming along. Thanks to Emma for having us at Ghost River!

Side Note: It's been so fun having Justin along with us and his Hope & Things sets have been stellar and moving - tonight is sadly, his last solo show, so we're really stoked.

-Hmm, what else? Well, things might be bigger in Texas, but six-inch Subway sandwiches are still the same. And, at that first rest stop in Texas (and before I got my first "howdy" from a guy on my jog) I think we felt we'd entered a different world, culturally, socially, politically; you name it...Amy and I learned about the fabulous "Bartlett Bladder" today - I'll save that definition for another time.

-Oh, and Justin lost his mind and tried to high-five his phone while driving.

Onward!
b