Hi everybody...Are you ready for a little rock and roll?!

Our first leg was out in the Midwest. We kicked off our tour in Clinton, IA at Riverboat Days. The setting was a huge open field right on the water. It was really beautiful. We performed for about 15,000 people. The response was great. Clinton loves rock and roll. (And we love Clinton.)

The next show was the biggest we have ever played. Knoch Park in Naperville, IL. We performed to over 55,000 people that night. Twice the size of any audience we have played to before. It was great. There is nothing like looking out from the stage and seeing a sea of people that seems to go on forever. We had a brief moment of technical difficulties (my mic died on the second to last song) but being used to mishaps from our clubs days, I ran over to Benny's mic and finished the song. Some may have freaked out at such a problem, but when you have played Bleecker street for as many years as we have you are ready for anything.

The third show on the leg was the Rib & Music Festival in Akron, OH. We had a threat of being canceled due to bad weather, but luckily by sound check time, the sun came out. The crowd was about 5,000 that night. The stage was set up in the main plaza downtown so it had an intimate feel. I have always enjoyed playing Ohio. The fans there really love their rock and roll and get into the show. We played our longest set that night and it was nice to be able to sing almost every song on our new CD.

It's going to be a great summer. Playing these show with Frampton is a dream come true. I can't wait to get back out there. (two days from now!) I promise I will have some pictures from the road and I'll be reporting back in about two weeks. See you on the road.

Eric, Bryan, Mason, Benny & Phil.

Hey There!

The next leg was a lot of traveling. We Started of in Muskegon, MI at The Summer Celebration. The show was the last night of an 11 day festival. There were about 18,000 people there. And the night closed with a great fireworks show. We got a wonderful review from the local newspaper The Muskegon Chronicle - click here to check it out!

Next we went to play The Blue Note in Columbia, MO. The weather was unbearable. We loaded into the venue in extreme heat. I think the entire band lost 5-10 pounds each before the show. The venue is a great small theater. The crowd was really into the show. Once we got on stage everything was fine but I will mark that alley behind the theater as the worst moment of the tour. Maybe we can come back in the winter?

Then we drove a long way to play The Medina Ballroom in Hamel, MN. This was one of the shows that the promoter decided not to list us on the bill, but instead listed the local cover band that opened for us. Go figure. Anyway, after the locals were finished, we rocked. The crowd was really into our music and the show was a really good one. We sold a lot of CDs and the owner of the club wanted us back. Next time though, put us in the ads!!!

Then came one of my favorite shows. The Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE. This was a beautiful theater. The crowd was so good. It was just a wonderful evening. I would love to be able to play there again. And the staff was so kind there. It really was a special night.

Then it was home for four days to do laundry. Talk to you after the next leg...

Eric, Bryan, Mason, Benny & Phil.

Hello again!

Well, this time we kicked off in Stanhope,NJ at Waterloo Village. It was a good show, but it started to rain as soon as Frampton hit the stage. I had heard the venue referred to as "Waterlogged Village", now I know why.

The Next show was in Keene, NH at The Colonial Theater. This was a great show. We actually played two shows that night. The intimate setting at the energetic crowd made this one of the most memorable nights of the tour. I hope to play there again.

After that we went to The South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA. This was one of those revolving stages. I call these the 'Lazy Susan Shows'. I don't really understand the concept of watching a band turn around and around while they play. It's kind of silly if you ask me. The show was good. The crowd was very responsive and people remembered us from last year when we played the Melody Tent. Once again tough, it rained. We were under a tent but it made for a messy load-out.

The next show was at The Naval Base in Virginia Beach, VA. This was a free concert so we had about 15,000 people out on a huge lawn. The crowd was definitely a good 'OL rock and roll crowd. We had a lot of fun but I must say it was sort of a Spinal Tap moment.

Well, we depart in two days and have a bunch of shows in August. We will keep you posted. Thanks for the support.

Eric, Bryan, Mason, Benny & Phil.

More to come...

Hello Folks!

The first show of this leg of the tour was, what I think, our best show. The House Of Blues in Chicago, IL. It's always fun to play a HOB, but the Chicago crowd was really good! We just had one of those nights where you could feel the energy in the air. Everyone played great and the night was a blast. We even got a great review that night form The Daily Vault - click here to read it!

After Chicago we drove that night all the way to Nashville. We were going to play the original Grand 'OL Opry. To me, this was going to be a moment I had been looking forward to all tour. Growing up in Brooklyn, playing rock and roll, I really didn't think I would ever get the chance to stand on the same stage that the likes of Elvis, Buddy Holly, and Johnny Cash all did in the hollowed halls of the Ryman Auditorium. But, you never know what's going to happen in life and here I was playing The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN! We were doing a fund-raiser for St. Cecelia's School and there were nuns in the audience that night. (I decided that our opening song, "Raise A Little Hell" could be put away for another time) When I stepped out on the stage, two spotlights hit me and I looked up to the balcony to see a row of nuns under the stained-glass windows, and I have to say, it was a moving experience. The crowd was so kind. It was one big party. Everyone (including the nuns) were dancing in their seats!

Then it was the journey that would almost kill us. Nashville to Colorado. We took out the back seat of our van and put a futon back there so that two guys could sleep while we drove. We rotated so that everyone got a chance to sleep. Not that it was so easy back there. My kidneys felt like they were being carbonated. Our first ESB headlining show was at Out Of Bounds in Keystone, CO. First of all, to anyone who has never been to Colorado - go! You must see the Rockies. It is almost to beautiful to be real. We ran into a couple of sound problems at the gig. The PA had a hum in it so loud that until we fixed it, it was louder than the vocals. The show was good. Not the biggest crowd, but then again, it's not ski season yet. We hope to return in March.

Then it was up to The Drunken Frenchman in Frasier, CO. This is a good 'ol bar with a nice size stage. We had a good crowd who were into the music. The best thing about these ESB headlining shows was that it gave a chance to play a long two sets. We really clicked as a band. Jamming on songs and extending things that we had never done before. It was a good feeling to do this with this band.

After Frasier, it was a long ride up to The Buck horn in Laramie, WY. This is a great little town. The club is the main local bar and has a built-in audience. The crowd was so into our music that for the first 8 songs I had a guys screaming in front of me the whole time. He really loved us! There was a lot of dancing and we had a good 'ol time.

Then it was back down to play Shirpa & Yeti's in Breckenridge, CO. This was one of the coolest towns. It had a very 'Hampton's' feel to it. Great little shops everywhere and the people were very nice. The club was basically new. We had radio support in the area and sold 200 tickets (capacity was 250) as an unknown band. The owners of the club really treat a band right. They put us up in their band house, a huge three story cabin in the mountains. The night was great. We really had a good show and a good time. We have been invited back to play two nights in March. I can't wait.

Oh boy, more driving. Now it was off to play The State Theater in Sandusky, OH. This was a newly renovated theater. It still had a couple of electrical bugs to work out but it was beautiful. The show was good. We went out after for a couple of beers with the FOF's (Frampton's fan club) and had a nice after show evening.

Our next show was at The Zoo Ampitheater in Columbus, OH. This show started off with a tragedy, one of the audience memebers died of a heart attack 15 minutes before show time. We all stood and watched as the ambulance put him in the back and drove away. It was a very difficult thing to watch. As I stepped onto the stage I felt that a few words need to be said about the loss of this life. I asked the 3000+ people in the audience to join me in a moment of silence to send our thoughts and prayers to the family. It was amazing, that feeling of many coming together to be one. After that, we played a great show and felt like the band and the audience were closer than any other night. I hope that the man's family is doing okay, and I would like to give my condolences. I am truly sorry.

The last show was Lakefest in Sheboygen, WI. This was an outdoor venue under a large tent. We were right on the harbor and it was a beautiful setting. The people running the show were so kind to us. We had fun playing. The show went well. I think the band felt a little sad that this was the last one we would be playing with Peter for a bit. I must say, I was looking forward to going home for a little while. It was a greattour, but it sure was a lot of driving.

We look forward to seeing everybody soon. Keep an eye on our concert page to see when we will be coming back to a town near you. Thank you to all the fans who helped support us this summer. We could not do it without you. Remeber, a liitle rock and roll is good for the soul!

See you on the road....

Eric, Bryan, Mason, Benny & Phil.

We just played an impromptu set at the 20th Century Magazine Classic American Guitar Show. Here are a couple of photos. One of which is (me) Eric picking the winner in the cruise raffle. Boy I can't wait to get out on that ship!