Mike Shupp Music 

Radio, Radio...

I've really got to get some satellite radio happening in the van before the next road trip, and be able to escape the hijacked public airwaves. Locally, there's brief respite at D.C.'s WGMS 103.5 FM, now weighing in with their "Classical Countdown" for the holidays... the Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #3 broadcast yesterday was the best performance I've heard yet...

Iota, Sun DEC 7th Line-Up Confirmed

Have confirmed the line-up for this show at Iota... this is a really cool night. Scott Kurt, of Carroway, and Cliff Hillis and the Forward Thinkers will join us on the bill (Sean and Tom of The Samples having cancelled). The night will start about 8:30 p.m., with Scott opening solo acoustic for a 30 minute set. We will play next, in the middle slot (actually kind of nice on a Sunday evening) for a nice long set, then Cliff's band will play the third slot.

I've recently played a couple shows with Scott and Carroway, real nice guys, and great music... Cliff, formerly of Starbelly and currently of one of my favorite bands IKE brings his own band... haven't seen them yet (only seen Cliff acoustic), really looking forward to it.

JAN 1st Show

...have confirmed a Thu JAN 1st show at Jammin' Java, in Vienna, VA... New Year's Day (evening, that is...)! This could be kinda cool, actually. Maybe we'll record, too (they've got a state-of-the-art recording studio on premises)... a good way to kick off the new year if you ask me.

More Shows

Confirming some new dates today...

Alejandro Escovedo Benefit At Iota

I attended the benefit for Alejandro Escovedo at Iota Club and Cafe in Arlington, VA yesterday afternoon... a wonderful event for a good cause, and great fun hanging out at Iota in the afternoon. Alejandro, after a show in Phoenix on April 26, 2003, collapsed, and was hospitalized due to complications from Hepatitis C. A trust, the Alejandro Fund was established to handle donations on his behalf, and venues around the country have hosted benefit concerts.

A really great line-up of performers was on hand, including Bill Kirchen, Last Train Home, Karl Straub, Jumpin' Jupiter, Little Pink, Brandon Butler of Canyon, Lee Wilhoit, June Star, Scott McKnight & Naughty Pine and a reunion of the Graverobbers. I walked in just after (former band mate) Lee Wilhoit performed, apparently with a stellar combo which included Rob LeBourdais on drums, Phoebus Spiliotopoulos, Tim Bracken... damn! Would have loved to have seen that. Apparently they opened with a T. Rex cover...

Last Train Home's Eric Brace was emcee for the afternoon, seemed like he was having a blast. I saw excellent three and four song sets by Karl Straub, Little Pink, and Naughty Pine. Eric invited me up to play two songs (and lent me his beautiful Gibson acoustic)... I did Tim Finn's Good Together and Love Comes Down from This Time... and thank you Tom Kane for the guitar pick...

More great sets by Last Train Home, Bill Kirchen, the Graverobbers... and some one-of-a-kind jam sessions with some unlikely stage mates... I think I saw Eric at one point involved in a raucous Iggy Pop cover.

A special day.

Welcome

Welcome to the Tour Journal. No tour at the moment, but I'll try to post updates on a fairly regular basis... enjoy...!