Jeremy Porter Road Blog

Road Blog: Thursday December 19, 2024 - Akron, OH

Road Blog
December 19, 2024
Akron, Ohio

When I got home from the west coast in late October, I thought the shows for the year were over. Then NP Presley texted and said “Come down and play with us in December!” so I threw together a short run to make it worthwhile (logistically and financially) and with the help of some good friends, here we are.

I left home around noon and had an uneventful drive into Toledo and down the Ohio Turnpike. I listened to the Continental Drifters , the new Black Crowes album Happiness Bastards (kicks so much ass), and rough session mixes for the next Tucos records. I checked into my motel a little after 3, fired up the laptop, and watched some Sports Center for a bit before heading out to dinner. I had a decent red IPA and buffalo chicken with bacon sandwich at Fat Head's Brewery brewpub in Canton, Ohio and headed back up I-77 and into Akron.

I played The Rialto Theatre in September, on the first US road show of the Dynamite Alley tour. It’s a small, 100-cap theatre with great sound and supportive, welcoming owners who were kind enough to add me to the Emerging Artists Showcase on just a few days’ notice, thanks also to my pal Brian Lisik, who made the connection and sealed the deal. I loaded in and watched the Rust County Revival soundcheck while hanging with my pal Tad and his lady friend, and then Brian, who showed up shortly after.

I went on around 7:25 and the room filled up quickly during my first couple songs. The crowd drifted between attentive and chatty, but responsive for the most part, and I played a decent set. After me, Carolina (pronounced Caro -leena) went on to a full room and played a great set of originals. She’s from Brazil and a bit younger than me, but has confidence beyond her years for sure. I think my favorite song was about how she’d had such high hopes for her 20s and they were so disappointing. Ahh to be young again…

After Carolina, Rust County Revival plugged in and played 45 minutes of blues alt-rock that at times reminded me of The James Gang and at others more like the Allman Brothers, with great raspy vocals, killer guitar tones, and grooving blues riffs. I really enjoyed their set and we agreed to keep in touch.

After the show I got some hang time in with my Northern-Ohio pal Scott, who’s been at probably every singe show I’ve played in that region (and some other regions too!) going back ten years. Scott is a great character and a consummate live music fan and it’s always great to see him and get caught up. He’s moving on Saturday and I apologized that I’d be in Kentucky and couldn’t help, but very quickly offered up Brian’s services to help him load and haul his possessions.

Back at the motel, after an unplanned detour halfway to Cleveland, I called home to check in on TrooperGirl22, who was thrilled to watch me jump back on the road in the peak of our holiday preparations and obligations. She’s holding down the fort, keeping the rabbits and opossums fed, sending out Christmas cards, and finding some time to hang with her friends. She seems to be managing without me just fine, thriving even! A nightcap and some more Sports Center and it was lights out around 1am.

Big thanks to Seth, Brian, Tad, Scott, Carolina, Rust County Revival, and everyone else who was there least night! Thanks for letting me crash the show!

Friday morning a fresh, thin blanket of snow covered the parking lot and hills adjacent to the motel. Of course, the snow brush is still in the garage back home. It was motel lobby breakfast buffet, a few minutes on the treadmill, a shower, and hit the road south towards West Virginia, where I’m playing in Charleston tonight at The Empty Glass with The Charleston Rogues – West Virginia’s best Pogues tribute band! It’s going to be awesome to hear all those Shane Macgowan songs just a year after his passing. See ya there!!!

xx