Day four, the final day of the 8th and final Simple Man Cruise, was SR's show day #2. Our show time was 3:30pm. We finished setting up about a half hour early, and the crowd was already starting to build. We saw a lot of familiar faces, and you could feel the energy and anticipation in the room, both on stage and in the audience. We sound checked with "On the Run," one of our newer songs, and the response was tremendous.
The crowd was primed and ready, so with the ship rolling and pitching in the rough waters, we took to the stage and launched into "Peacemaker" like never before, following up with "Life Was Never Finer" and "Down in Flames." The next song was by special request: several friends we met throughout the trip were hoping we would play "50 Miles to Richmond," so we were happy to do that for them. It was at that point for me that the performance really gelled. After hitting folks with "Gone" and "Keeps Us Moving," and getting everyone singing along, we played "So Long" let's just say a little more dramatically. Secretly before the show, we ran a long guitar cable up onto the ledge above the stage, so Kevin could play from there. There was about a foot of ledge to stand on over the crowd, and to see Kevin perform from that precarious perch just reinforces the fact that every rock show should have a little element of danger. Looking out from the stage every single person with a camera or phone had it pointed up at him...it was awesome. Check out the photo, thanks to our friend Sally Womack Strohacker.
We closed the show with "The Weight," joined by our good friends The Delta Saints and Jamie Davis. Standing there singing with such amazing musicians, and hearing the crowd sing along with every word was just out of this world. Probably the most exhilarating show I have ever played.
After the show, our good friend Bruce Culver introduced us to Richard Turner of Blackberry Smoke. We sat with him for a while, and he invited us to hang backstage during the BBS and Friends show. We talked with the BBS guys for a while, and also got to meet Charlie Huhn and Roger Earl from Foghat - two of the nicest, most gracious people, and killer musicians no less. We watched the show from the side of the stage, and it was kind of a party in and of itself, also a who's-who of great musicians.
Speaking of which, when you're surrounded by a bunch of great musicians for four days straight, impromptu jam sessions happen almost without warning. Every night, we had guitars out and played until sunrise. The after hours jam hosted by Brother Hawk absolutely blew me away. The last night, we were hanging out in the cigar bar, and our friend Bron Burbank of County Line Road handed me a guitar and said "let's get a little sing along going!" It must have been four in the morning and we had the place signing along full voice to songs like "Night Moves" and "Midnight Rider." I think I sang until my voice wouldn't work anymore.
Day four of the Simple Man Cruise, the last day, and nothing I write seems to even begin to describe it. The amount of musical talent on that ship is absolutely mind boggling, and the friendship and love of music that was shared by every person on the cruise made it feel like a dream. Sixthman really knows how to bring people together, and we are so thankful that we were able to be a part of the 8th and final Simple Man Cruise.
It's going to be hard to leave, but there is plenty more rock and roll to be made as SR continues north with the Slow Horse Tour. Stay tuned!
-Matt, Stolen Rhodes
The crowd was primed and ready, so with the ship rolling and pitching in the rough waters, we took to the stage and launched into "Peacemaker" like never before, following up with "Life Was Never Finer" and "Down in Flames." The next song was by special request: several friends we met throughout the trip were hoping we would play "50 Miles to Richmond," so we were happy to do that for them. It was at that point for me that the performance really gelled. After hitting folks with "Gone" and "Keeps Us Moving," and getting everyone singing along, we played "So Long" let's just say a little more dramatically. Secretly before the show, we ran a long guitar cable up onto the ledge above the stage, so Kevin could play from there. There was about a foot of ledge to stand on over the crowd, and to see Kevin perform from that precarious perch just reinforces the fact that every rock show should have a little element of danger. Looking out from the stage every single person with a camera or phone had it pointed up at him...it was awesome. Check out the photo, thanks to our friend Sally Womack Strohacker.
We closed the show with "The Weight," joined by our good friends The Delta Saints and Jamie Davis. Standing there singing with such amazing musicians, and hearing the crowd sing along with every word was just out of this world. Probably the most exhilarating show I have ever played.
After the show, our good friend Bruce Culver introduced us to Richard Turner of Blackberry Smoke. We sat with him for a while, and he invited us to hang backstage during the BBS and Friends show. We talked with the BBS guys for a while, and also got to meet Charlie Huhn and Roger Earl from Foghat - two of the nicest, most gracious people, and killer musicians no less. We watched the show from the side of the stage, and it was kind of a party in and of itself, also a who's-who of great musicians.
Speaking of which, when you're surrounded by a bunch of great musicians for four days straight, impromptu jam sessions happen almost without warning. Every night, we had guitars out and played until sunrise. The after hours jam hosted by Brother Hawk absolutely blew me away. The last night, we were hanging out in the cigar bar, and our friend Bron Burbank of County Line Road handed me a guitar and said "let's get a little sing along going!" It must have been four in the morning and we had the place signing along full voice to songs like "Night Moves" and "Midnight Rider." I think I sang until my voice wouldn't work anymore.
Day four of the Simple Man Cruise, the last day, and nothing I write seems to even begin to describe it. The amount of musical talent on that ship is absolutely mind boggling, and the friendship and love of music that was shared by every person on the cruise made it feel like a dream. Sixthman really knows how to bring people together, and we are so thankful that we were able to be a part of the 8th and final Simple Man Cruise.
It's going to be hard to leave, but there is plenty more rock and roll to be made as SR continues north with the Slow Horse Tour. Stay tuned!
-Matt, Stolen Rhodes