I'm heading to Bell in Hand tonight for the new Dalton Wednesdays acoustic show.
The city has changed so much in the past few years. We launched Wednesdays about a month ago (in place of Thursday and Sundays) for a few reasons. First off, it genuinely seems like a better night in the new post-lockdown Downtown. It feels a little like the old Thursday night shows where a mix of folks are rolling in each week sort of waiting out the weekend. I think the impact of work-from-home Fridays has really played a role in making this a viable option. Secondly, Thursdays and Sundays are great nights for growth and we're going to be headed back to Ulysses every Thursday night this winter.
They've been a lot of fun. They usually start out pretty relaxed, anchored by a group of good friends who unfailingly show each week. But, by the end of the night, it's packed and the whole crowd is singing. It's the closest thing I can remember to the old Country Sundays, where people would come for "just one" and end up closing the bar.
If we didn't have Bell, it would be tough to pull off the kind of growth we are attempting. Deb and Adam have always been major supporters of what we do and they understand how to build things. We are where we are for a lot of reasons, but partners like them are a huge part of it.
I've been working on the song "Basic Channels" by Josiah and the Bonnevilles. We got to see them last week and it was just freaking inspiring. (I tried to play it last week, but I butchered it, lol). But I think I found a way to make it work for tonight.
I was talking to our team the past few days. I've been playing music since 1996. I've been doing this Bell-style bar gigs from Day 1. Until this year, the music I like to play acoustic in bars has never been mainstream. But, I've been feeling a shift. It's not just the Zach Bryans of the world either. Hell, Noah Kahan sold out two nights at Fenway Park instantly. It's cool to see. If there was ever a moment when what we do could find a niche in what is happening, it's right now.
Alright. Wednesdays are weird. Waiting on a bunch of stuff to sort themselves out (we always are, lol). I'm gonna go try to add a few more songs for tonight's set.