Bob Cramer's Blog

The “Pretty Colors For Your Actions” tour rolls into Atlanta today and a portion of the processional rolled right through our front door at 3AM this morning.  Old Sea Brigade, my son’s band providing support for the wicked good tour headliner Tall Heights out of Boston, is using our house as Motel 6 for this portion of the southern swing and we have been leaving the light on for them as they make their way from Birmingham, Athens and now the ATL.

Ironically, Old Sea Brigade is an apt band name for the rain deluge that has followed the tour since they hit the Tennessee border last Sunday night.  The ol’ Brigaders have hydroplaned their way from venue to venue, struggling to keep their gear dry and the their spirits high. While the nasty weather is not conducive to large crowds, those that braved the elements have been treated to a beautiful montage of ear-pleasing rifts and inspirational melodies.

I know this because I dropped in on the Pretty Colors tour late last week for a taste of the Texas swing.  With a steady diet of Mexican food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I singlehandedly helped power the band’s 15-passenger van across the wide open plains of my youth… (never mind, I grew up in an apartment in NYC).  I was treated to seeing huge wind turbines spinning effortlessly across the landscape; I made a first-time visit to Waco, TX and more than one person asked me if I ran into the Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV fame (negative); I did however stay at a Quality Inn, eat at Corner Bakery and earn the distinctive, appropriate and affectionate nickname of “Band Dad” from a big, burly venue bouncer.

My tour experience kicked off at the Hideout Coffee House in downtown Austin where I found the OSB band camped out in the back, with plugs for computers and phones crisscrossing the hats and sweatshirts reflecting the sudden chill that had hit Texas.  Ben and his fellow band mates Steven and Garrett were just hanging out, passing time, chilling.

Fortunately, I did arrive in time for that evening’s big treat: one of Ben’s new songs taking a feature role in a scene on ABC’s long running “Grey’s Anatomy.”  We scrambled to find a way to watch the show, either legally or illegally. A download of the ABC app only revealed that Live TV service had not yet reached Austin (so 90’s) so we resorted to other means.

While it may seem strange that four grown men were huddled over a computer intently watching a soap opera at 7pm on a Thursday evening, Austin is “weird” and we travelers were just doing our part to “keep it that way.”  The music finally appeared in the 47th minute after a plot that included a woman tragically dying during childbirth, a doctor developing a drinking problem and a couple breaking up, that portion playing out under Ben’s song.  The music lasted nearly two minutes and we all breathed a sigh of relief that 1) you could hear it and 2) that TV doctors weren’t operating on anyone at that moment.

The national TV exposure was a great start to a whirlwind three-days as we traveled from Austin to Dallas and on to Oklahoma City.  My little sample of tour life gave me a great appreciation for the sacrifice and dedication that musicians, athletes and even politicians endure when they hit the road and travel from city to city.  It is truly a team effort and the Pretty Colors tour, lead by Tall Heights with support also from the talented Frances Cone band, proves that life is a lot better when you hang out with nice people. While all three bands are comprised of incredible musicians producing beautiful music, I was struck by the warmth and kindness of the entire group, the incredible work ethic that it takes to travel and play 35 cities, and all it takes to keep it together.

So if you happen to go see Tall Heights or any other band, please remember the effort that these musicians make to be there to play for you and please pay a visit to the merch table. They deserve it.