Managing The Year Which Isn't

On New Year's Day 2020, we posted this little GIF.

By Jan 1 there were already reports that an unusual virus had broken out in Wuhan, China but it had not become a major headline. Fast forward to August. As a band we are in quite a dilemma on top of the mask wars, politics, and so much more politics to come. Very, very few bands right now can do the one thing they and we love more than anything: playing live for you.

We have one little bit of good news: John Scott and his side project The Causeway will be dropping two singles from their debut EP Broadway, Next Right in the next couple of weeks and some of the boys in dad's impala played on those songs. We'll let you know when they drop.

Live gigs remain elusive. Safety rules over all other alternatives. If you don't feel comfortable coming out, you won't. We aren't going to force shows just to be out there because it's not safe to do so and you won't come out to see us anyway. There's a ton of data suggesting a packed bar is not safe. Not everyone is impressed by recent scenes like this in the Midwest:

This lake party was recently held near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. What emotion does this image invoke? For many of us, getting hammered with 5,000 people seems impossible to imagine right now. America is not being her best and we have a long struggle ahead.

For small venues like Sacramento's Ace of Spades the pandemic has resulted in zero revenue. Some of us attended a show by Silversun Pickups there on December 16, 2019. The band was amazing and 1,000 fans were there packed in shoulder to shoulder. The pandemic had just begun. Two weeks later Wuhan was burning with coronavirus. Many of these 500 - 1,000 seat venues will likely never open again.

Your local live music bar is trying everything they can to adapt. One of our favorite spots, The Purple Place in El Dorado Hills, CA hasn't had a band inside in forever. They're trying outside dining, and their food is incredible. PLease support them if you're able.

There is no safe way we can perform for you, short of a drive-in gig. Blake Shelton and Garth Brooks (and others) are taking advantage of these venues and doing it well - smart, creative, and awesome! Others have tried it too, like The Chainsmokers on July 24 in Southampton, New York. That one was a disaster.

Southhampton NY, July 24, 2020. A social distancing disaster.

So here we sit. We're trying to be reasonable, attempting to be safe, sad that this lost year is costing us (day) jobs, gigs, and the ability to see you, one of our incredibly loyal fans. You made dad's impala one of the areas "big draw" bands and we miss you so much.

The future was posted in that New Year's GIF above: cheers to making it this far. We would repeat that right now. We have MADE IT this far, you and us.

We will be back. When it's safe to do so, we'll try a live stream so you can check us out. Maybe we'll rent a flatbed trailer and take requests in front of your house. Just your house. Maybe.

One of the guys once said, "If I didn't have music I'd die." We all agree. We will do what we have to do.

Take good care, friend. We'll talk more later.