So we’re an hour and a half outside of Reno, Nevada. We have been driving west since leaving Toledo, Oh yesterday around noon. It is currently 9:24pm at night (12:24am in Toledo….a good 36 hours since we started our journey in the van).
This past Saturday night we opened up for the Rock N Roll legend and super hero, Alice Cooper. It was an eye opening night, seeing the sheer spectacle of his show and how that added to the overall experience of GREAT live music.
Tristan is a huge Alice Cooper fan since his dad had been a huge fan as well, and put him on to Alice’s music at an early age. It was a great night of reflection and celebration for Tristan and his family, and all of us in the band included. I’m personally thankful to Tristan’s dad for giving him proper schooling in Rock N Roll or I wouldn’t be so lucky to have such a great drummer to rock out with each and every night ☺ I know his dad probably had something to do with how we got booked to open for Alice Cooper in the first place, and that he is smiling down with pride right now at what his son has accomplished.
Our set went great and included our slow blues song “Drink My Life Away” (which features Elliott Randall of Steely Dan fame as the last song on our album No Place) for the first time at a large scale show like this. This song will probably find its way into the set more and more now though as it has become a band favourite! I also get to rock a guitar solo right in the middle of it which I have to say I just LOVE doing these days!!!
After the show we were escorted onto Alice’s tour bus to meet the dark master himself. What a nice guy he is! We chatted with him for 10 to 15 minutes or so and he complimented te band a few times to our great joy! His parting words were “keep going no matter what!” and “We’ll see you out there again sometime!” Very positive words to hear!
Special thanks to our friends Alexis LaPorta, Megan Severance, Kayla Moss, and Diana Bryson who came out to help us sell merchandise at the show. They were great sales women and great supporters and friends to have their with us, and share in that awesome night.
I’ve gone through one complete round of antibiotics already still trying to fight off my strep throat. I was sick for 2 weeks before I made it to a doctor, and then I got these antibiotics which I took for 10 days, only to remain ill with a very hoarse & scratchy throat each night after I was done singing. Thank goodness my voice seemed to hold out every night still while we did our set though. Must be the rock gods smiling on me again. So now I’m on round 2 with a stronger antibiotic so let’s hope this does the trick….
I’m quite exhausted but still loving life. Tristan and Liam are both great travel companions and bandmates so it makes a 40 hour trip in the van a breeze.
I will try to post our Alice Cooper pictures in the next few days. I had a great moment of “We’re not worthy” captured on camera in honour of the many many hours my sister and I spent watching Wayne’s World over the years, idolizing Alice Cooper as a rock icon and dare I say it ROCK GOD.
Even though Saturday was supposed to be the end of the world, I had no fear working up to our 6pm sound check that day, even when I found out 6pm was supposed to be the hour of the RAPTURE! I’m pretty sure if there is any person on this earth one would want to be in the company of at the time of the Rapture, Alice Cooper would be a first choice for many! ☺
Talk soon friends, hope this finds you well and happy Victoria Day to those in Canada!
-Val
Upcoming shows in Oakland, CA. Modesto, CA. Portland, OR. Spokane, WA. Tacoma, WA. Seattle, WA. and Western Canada.
Please check http://valhallaonline.com/shows.php for shows dates and venues.