Geneva 6/16

Wicked awesome story from T.O:
Many times we get asked when we’re out on tour “It must be great -to be able to travel all over the country and play shows?” Just like anything it can be great and it can be difficult grind. We rarely get to spend any significant time in any one place unless we have a day off. Sometimes we can plan off days to be in great places and other times they just fall where they have to be in the routing of a tour. These off days are treasured because the economics of touring dictates that you get 1-2 per week animist of the time they are very uneventful -dinner near the hotel, a couple drinks with band and crew and discuss the recent shows. Every great once in awhile you have a completely unexpected experience that makes it all worthwhile. Such was the case of the days we spent in Geneva. We were advised to get to dinner early as it was Monday and the local restaurants often close early if there isn’t anyone there, which created a little trepidation on our part—as in “I hope something stays open so we can grab a drink after dinner”. So we heeded the advice and set out to walk to dinner and as we walked our tour mgr had done some research on the history of the city and he mentioned that Geneva was once a boomtown but by 1972 or so all of the major companies in town had left. That certainly fit because as we continued to walk thru what seemed to be the heart of city, or more accurately the lost heart of the city– a city now lined with buildings of beautiful turn of the century architecture. Beautiful buildings of which many were boarded up all down the quiet streets. It seemed to be the classic symbol of American boomtown gone ghost town. But as we were soon to find out there was much more here than what met the eye. One of the members of our party mentioned after dinner that a friend of his knew of a great little wine bar and if we wanted to go over there they would love to have us -and they would stay open for a little while. Sounded perfect and it was beyond that. For the rest of night we hung out with a small group of locals and were given the welcome of old friends. Great wine and great conversation were quickly happening but the thing that became evident over the course of the night was how much pride everyone was taking in the renewal of “their” Geneva. Everyone we met seemed to be involved in bringing Geneva back -from the promoter and the people at the amazing old opera house where Lucinda played, to the co-owner of the wine bar who told me “ I grew up here our family moved away but I came back because there’s a spark here man—it’s gonna happen here”. They also talked about how refurbishing the old opera house and bringing in live music was a part of that plan.
Some of us went back the the next night after Lucinda’s show at the opera house we stayed until the bus was about roll to New Jersey -someone came up and mentioned how much it meant to them that Lucinda had come there and played. The person said “this town was as buzzin’ tonight as i’ve seen it in a long time because of Lucinda’s show, all the restaurants and bars are still busy”. As the clock got closer to the 2:00 bus call we all toasted a couple of fantastic nights in Geneva and as we walked out they raised their glasses and said “thanks to Lucinda band and crew -come back again’ -I think we all applauded.
Thanks James, Thanks Matt, Thanks to Microclimate Wine Bar.
Thanks to all the new friends we met in Geneva. We will definitely be back.
Yeah sometimes touring can be great. And sometimes you get a night that you will remember for a very long time.