Video: Butterflies - "Question Answering Machine" @ Duke Coffeehouse

Here's a fine video of Butterflies playing at Duke Coffeehouse last November at their CD release show for Nothing's Personal. Thanks to Brett Mullen at Keuka Film for putting it together.

Catch Butterflies:

02.26.09 at CD Alley with The International Grapevine. Free music, pizza and beer! 5PM.
03.08.09 live on WXYC 89.3FM on the Backyard BBQ. 8PM.
03.18.09 at Local 506 with Wes Phillips and Husband and Wife. Free. 9PM.
03.27.09 live on WUNC 91.5FM on The State of Things. 12PM.

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #7

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Our Texas MVP and into the DESERT!

I was going to wait until Philadelphia to spotlight this particular character from our tour mythology, but some people are just not patient. We have a friend named Ariel who shows up at our shows all over the place, sometime playing and sometime just showing us how much she loves us. We even play at her house in Dallas sometimes! She supplied me with the most delicious spicy olives I have ever had. She plays in badass bands (maybe a new one soon, right ariel?). Anyways, I just wanted to say, on behalf of Physics, that we really love and appreciate Ariel Saldivar! Apparently, she's going to be naked at one of our shows soon! And she knows how to bagpipe! THANKS ARIEL!

On we go...

Fuck the desert.

BUT we did play 1 show while we crossed it. We played in Scottsdale! We played an outstanding little placed called Chyro Arts. And more importantly, we got to spend the night in much nicer accommodations than any mini-van cowboys ever get to enjoy, BH-style. Tons of thanks to Bennett for putting his hospitality cock into our exhaustion pussies. That hotel room was so nice and so clean, that I just KEPT taking bath shower bath shower bath shower. Then, early the next day, I woke up and caught him stealing my keys and wallet.

The desert makes me really crazy and afraid. I'm not 100% sure why. But one thing that I do like is that people in the desert all experience, it seems to me, the same psychosis. The same tendency. These people are dragged by the same invisible chain. And that chain drags them to putting up gigantic weird things. I see a lot of dinosaurs. One time, I saw Ecto-1 (this is not bullshit, it was in somebody's yard....I have never been able to find it again, but I KNOW IT WAS REAL). There are villages of oversized TeePees. There are herds of wooden horses and dragons. And, best of all, just outside Phoenix, there is a GIANT FUCKING BABY. It is a giant photo cut-out of a baby sitting there, looking like a regular, real baby. IT LOOKS SO REAL. It looks so real that it's hard to look at. If you look for a few seconds, it looks so real but also 4-stories tall and your eyes FREAK OUT. Also, you've been crammed in a van for weeks, and everything is kinda surreal, so if you go there, and it doesn't make you shit your pants, don't blame me. You're grown up, you shouldn't shit your pants. Wait.

I wish I could say that there was more to report, but with the family leg behind us and LA 1 step away, I feel like I had my blinders on during this jaunt. OOOnnnnnnnnnn we go.

ww

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #6

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Hart ATTACK! in Dallas and Lubbock.

Having stayed with Dylan's, Wylie's, and my parents during the first leg of our epic jaunt, there was one obvious portion of family left, and we finally got to it, as a wrap up to Familytime AND the end of our time in Texas: It was time to go see the Harts.

The family portion of our tour is so much more comfortable than the rest of our tour. We are all in beds every night. We eat like pigs. We have more time. There's always internet. It's amazing and unfortunate that these folks don't live a little more spread out. Of course, the "fuck shit up" portion of the tour remains, and beds/internet aren't really a matter of priority during those parts. ANYWAYS..

Daniel's parents are the sweetest, funniest, most accommodating people in Texas, and maybe Earth. Daniel's dad is an AMAZING cook. Everytime, I think I can loosely guess what he's going to throw at us, and I am always totally wrong and totally happy with it. The man is a wizard. Why, it was during a stay in Dallas that I first introduced the boys to one of the great wonders of the internet...a clip of E.T. getting intimate with a group of people dressed like extras from the music video for "tonight, tonight." If you haven't seen it...seek it out. So many memories. There is a HUGE collection of figurines of Kiwi birds in the house (daniel's mom is a New Zealander).

We played two shows in Dallas, a house show and a club show. Honestly, I had such a good time hanging out with Daniel's parents that neither show left much of an impression on me. I remember that the house show was at our friend Evan's house, and that it was packed and that Evan was super accommodating. I only remember 2 things about the club show:

1) It was pretty boring and the dirty power fucked with our gear AND
2) Dylan and I are the KINGS of playboy video poker. You have to win 7 hands to see a movie...it was an EPIC PARADE OF NIPPLES. I didn't even care if we played after that kind of amazing success.

We reluctantly left Dallas, after another barrage of amazing dining and laughing it up with Daniel's mom and dad. And we headed for...

...LUBBOCK! Home of wild dogs, Texas Tech, and the city's own unique strand of STD's that we were warned about upon our first visit! YES!!!

Our shows in Lubbock have always (much like Dallas) been overshadowed by the fun of staying with Daniel's brother, Justin. Justin is super smart and hilarious and has a real deep voice and an incredible collection of movies...though it doesn't matter, because everytime we're at his house, we just watch "Roadhouse." See, you really only need one movie.

"These guys are too STUPID to have a good time!"

In our visits to Lubbock we've played a sort of punk community space, and we've played a club called Bash Riprocks or something like that (we played the latter with a group called "goblin cock"...I'm not kidding). We like Lubbock, but both of those shows...left something or another to be desired, and when we showed up to the big (and quite empty) Rocky Larue's, I was feeling like we were probably heading into the 3rd and worst of our Lubbock performances. We didn't mind, though. Justin also plays violin, like Daniel...well, not LIKE daniel, but he also plays...anyways, he plays very well, and he was going to sit in with us during Oregon, which we were all very happy about, the rest be damned. But, to our pleasant shock, the club filled up! A lot of familiar faces from our previous trips through town, and a TON of new ones, all really excited! Despite being in a really movie-typical honkytonk kind of a bar, they even got quiet for the quiet songs! We were so happy with this show! Lubbock really climbed from "charmingly terrifying" to "charming...and a little scary" that night. A darkhorse favorite for my favorite night of the tour so far.

Goodbye, Texas. This was the best visit yet. I miss you already.

here comes the fucking desert. Barf.

ww

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #5

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Austin and McAllen

Into Texas we go! Texas concludes "family week" but that isn't until next time. First, we have to go to Austin!

I really love Austin. For starters, one of our collective favorite people in the entire, wide world lives in Austin. Liz Stephens let's us ransack her tiny house every time we come through. She cooks, let's us show her filth on the internet, let's dylan drink beer in her shower....it's a great time. We have a fabulous time. And Austin is a great town for music, as everyone knows. Our shows have been kinda hit or miss there, as there is a bouquet of amazing shows every single night, so it's hard to get the city's attention. Despite that, we always have a great time. This time, we were playing a place we haven't been to before called "hole in the wall" that apparently has been an institution in Austin for quite some time. Anyways, we set up on the tiny stage to a mostly empty room, and then, just before we played...it was full. Pretty bizarre, but we'll take it! We even had a huge, crazy homeless guy dance like velma from A Pup Named Scooby Doo (you remember) to one of our songs. It was a great surprise that gave way to a great night in one of our favorite towns. Yes!

Friday, we headed down to our little secret. We have been visiting the city of McAllen for our last 4 tours, and I swear to god, it never, ever fails to impress. Our shows are promoted by a group there called MMM, spearheaded by a young friend of our's named Luke. This show was held at a place called "The Incubator" which is a community center that holds shows and houses artists and encourages the growth of an arts community in McAllen. Totally, totally awesome. Our show was opened up by a couple of local acts who were both really great, especially our friends Incohero.

During the first two acts, I made several trips to the food table, because A) we hadn't eaten and B) they had freakin' pastel wedding mints. MY FUCKING FAVORITE. So I kept going back, and the ladies there thought it was funny, how excited I was. They finally gave me a drinking cup full, so that I could have some during the show. Our show was a 2-set "evening with" situation, so after the first set, like always, I went to sell merch and meet people. That's my favorite part of every show. So, sometime between that and set two, I lost my mints. A few songs into the next set, I said something about how everyone should go get some because they're delicious, and the ladies came and presented me with FOUR FUCKING POUNDS OF THEM. I felt like I was getting the key to the city.

All in all, this show was just amazing. Amazing. There was a couple at the show who met eachother at our first McAllen show, got married, and are now expecting their first child. ALL OF THIS, WE FIND OUT THE DAY BEFORE VALENTINES DAY. It was pure magic.

After the show, we stayed with our wonderful, usual hosts (Luke's cousin and family) who made us a feast (and even made scones for us the next morning.....gawd...awesome). I love McAllen and cannot wait to return. I love it more everytime.

ww

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #4

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Tour provides me with a great many things, not the least of which being multiple visits with my Father in Louisiana every year. And my gentlebro's love him. And my dad, he loves them right back. Especially Dylan. He told Dylan this time "you aren't my son.....but you're close." My dad is right ,because Dyllie and I are two chewbaccas cut from the same ilk. At any rate, no matter what, I love this band for giving me so much extra time with him. I also really like it when my dad calls my friends

Our show in Baton Rouge this time doubled as a birthday party for our superbro Tripp Cox, who puts our shows in Red Stick on, and also is a North Carolinian and all-together true badass. The show went really, really well. We played with Field Day again, who have redeveloped their sound and are now COMPLETELY amazing. I am a fan of their's on facebook, and I recommend that you become the same. Also, the lads and ladies of Baton Rouge were looking SUPERFINE. Normally, it's Austin, Provo, and Los Angeles that bring out the hot guns on all fronts, but Baton Rouge certainly made a place for itself this time. Bravo. On top of that, everyone, despite the crowded bar setting, was very respectful and attentive, even when we were quiet and delicate.

That means a lot to us.

If you've followed this blog, you know that our last stop in New Orleans almost ended up with Dylan and I dying after the show in a hail of madness and adventure. Well, you can't have so much fun everytime. This time, we returned to the circle bar to find yet another kind and respectful audience in one of our very favorite places to play.....and then this other guy. We predicted before the show that this guy was "most likely to get punched out before the end of the night" based on his alcohol-driven disregard for anyone else in the room. Really, fuck this guy.

So, right in the middle of "Oregon, My Only True Friend" this guy starts going "rrrrararararararararaaa" from the other room, like some kind of retarded weedeater. So, when we finished playing that song, I told a story about Tuscaloosa, and how we aren't stranger to loud idiots during our quiet moments. To which he replied "deal with it, there are rednecks over here, play some Free Bird"....in real life. He said it in real life. And so we played our Bjork cover, which we were going to play anyways, but the timing seemed comedic.

Anyways, after the show, this guy comes up to Wylie, who wasn't feeling too good anyways, and says "I'm not a queer, but you're cute. Relax." and then slaps Wylie's ass. UGH. And then, he starts yelling at me for not finishing the nasty rum punch that I ordered because it was free.

Fuck you. I know you won't read this, but eat a bottomless bag of dicks, sir.

So, we didn't end our night as spectacularly as last time, but we did meet some wonderful people and have a great time for the most part, and we found out that the poor guy had just been released from jail, so he was probably drinking off some really bad memories, Sorry guy. Stop being an asshole...but sorry.

We finished our awesome visit with my dad and headed west, towards Texas, which promised us an awesome week with more amazing people who we love.

rararara,

ww

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #3

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Tuscaloosa. Ugh.

If you are not familiar with our history in Tuscaloosa, then maybe somebody will post a link to the blog about our fateful night there. Well, nights. This city, and specifically the place that we usually play there, is insane. It is not the charming, lose yourself type of insane. Not that there isn't a charm to it, but it is certainly not the type that I prefer or am accustomed to.

And yet, we go.

Why? Because we are defiant. We accept a slap in the face and come back for another. Is a finger up the butt enough to scare Physics away? I would say yes, but it isn't. A fart in the face, so ferocious that it can actually be felt....enough to send us away forever? Absolutely, and yet, we return. Attempted theft of our merch? Grown men whispering to us about their boners while we are trying to play? Dudes trying to trade us oral sex for discounted t-shirts? All of this is enough to send me away forever. But I am one man. The rest of this band either secretly or not-so-secretly loves that stuff. I knew Dylan had bonerfever, but c'mon.

And yet, this time, as we walked back into the awkward, smoky bar in Tuscaloosa called Egan's, it was more subdued. We had three friends come over from Birmingham, hoping to catch a glimpse of us in some trouble, but there just wasn't much fire to Egan's this time. They seemed, like always, glad that we were there. And like always, they didn't quite know how to show it in a regular way. When we showed up, everyone was very drunk. Especially the people who were supposed to be giving us instructions. There was some dude who kept getting next to us and screaming "RAGE!!!" but in kind of a supportive, positive way. And occasionally dancing to nothing. Usually, if I'm feeling uncomfortable in a show environment, I just close my ears and put my blinders on and just go through it. This got me into an unfortunate conversation with one of our drunk helpers:

drunk guy: flllahhhhhhmmmmyyyyyyugghhhhhh...just have fun, man. Y'know?
ww: Yep. Okay.
drunk guy: Look, now. Look. ffffjjjkjkjlfljlkllllllllaksksssskfjfjfjfffffmmm....
ww: ....yeah, me too.
drunk guy: No, you don't have gout in your knee. I do. What's your problem?
ww: ....
drunk guy: Just have fun. Calm down.
ww: .....
drunk guy: Just have fun.

Out of fear, I loosened up and got away. The show went alright. We played our two sets, getting occasionally invaded by more weirdo drunks, but ultimately without incident.

I was actually feeling kind of bad about being so on-guard, when this place was obviously just being itself, and there was really nothing to fear. It's just kind of a dirty, weird dive. Nothing out of the ordinary, really, except that it's a little dirtier and a little more drunk crazy than others of the same ilk. I was thinking about all of this while I was breaking my stuff down. I was feeling a lot better about it.

And then out of nowhere, this dude reaches around from behind me, under my right arm and gives me THE QUEEN MOTHER OF ALL TITTY TWISTERS. Every nerve in my body exploded, as I had been preparing for a shock all night. It was surely not as bad as it felt, but my anticipation got the best of me. He even said, quietly, "good show" as he did it and walked by without even stopping or turning around.

Thank you, Tuscaloosa, for redeeming yourself at the last possible second.

On to Louisiana, for some of the best days of tour.

ww

Lost in the Trees on free Valentine's Day Compilation

Shuffle Magazine has put together a compilation of love-related songs for St. Valentine's Day and were gracious enough to include "Fireplace" by Lost in the Trees. Nothing says "I love you" like actually saying "I'll take true love and cut it up with scissors." The compilation also features songs from our dear friends and neighbors Horseback, Hammer No More the Fingers, Schooner and many more. Download if for free here.

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #2

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

Easley SC and Athens

Having played a few Senryu shows in my hometown of Rockwood, TN, I could totally understand Wylie's excitement, as we made our way from the Northern Carolina into the one with the Palmetto on the license plates. I know what it's like to carry something home that you're proud of, and so I totally understood. He wasn't alone, as we had all heard our share of tales about his up-growing in Easley, SC.

We had to rent a PA, as the place that we were scheduled to play doesn't usually have bands. I thought this was kind of charming. For a bit, it felt like a glimpse of what it'd have been like if we four played in a band together as teenagers, trying to piece together the resources to make the show work. Obviously, that isn't what we're used to, which made it all the more fun. We picked up the PA from a little local music store, not unlike the one where I took guitar lessons (what few lessons I could stand) back home. And just like back then, I couldn't keep myself from playing with all of the toys. (They had an electronic drumset that, instead of making drum sounds, made the sounds of someone BEATBOXING. I probably could've stayed all day. Like anyone who knows me will attest to...once I think something is funny, I will keep at it until it is completely dead. I call it "the death roll"). There wasn't enough room in the van for passengers AND PA, so we just offered to walk across the street and let Daniel drive the van to the venue.

What we didn't take into consideration was that this was an EXTREMELY busy 4-lane with a turning lane across the middle. So, we were, essentially, stuck. That's when Wylie, resourceful as he is, figured out a way. Wylie walked over to this Cowboy who was in front of the music store and spoke with him for a couple of seconds, then returned to us with good news! "He's going to take us to the venue!" said Wylie. This sounded good to me. Historically, I am a fiercely nervous passenger, especially with strangers, but it wasn't far. I'll just put on my seatbelt and think about something else. This will be quick and not scary.

"I'd let you sit in the cab with me, but there's no room!"

And a few moments later, I felt like we had really, truly arrived in Easley. On a busy highway, in the middle of the day, there we were. Among shovels and tires and garbage and other various cowboy refuse we sat. Despite how short the trip was, it felt to me like an awfully long fucking time. And I get sweaty fast. Dylan knows how much I am afraid of stuff, so he reached over and patted my leg.

"Do not turn around. Just close your eyes. In 20seconds, we're either going to be at the venue or dead. Nothing to worry about."

I could see that we were amusing on Daniel's face, as we rolled up to Steddy's, the biker bar (and grill?) that we were playing in a few hours, in the bed of a giant truck driven by an antique cowboy. Now. Now we were there. We walked through the door of the bar and 2 things caught my eye that really set the pace for the evening.

1) A newspaper clipping on the wall. We had been on the front page of the paper!
2) A big sign that said "SUCK AND BLOW SHOTS"

And shit just kept getting more and more real.

5pm drunk guy: What're yall gonna play? Bob Seger?
Wylie: No. We play our own songs.
5pm drunk guy: Nobody wants to hear that shit!

And I would've said he was about 50% right. The bar staff kept charmingly pointing out that Easley wasn't used to stuff like The Physics of Meaning, and that people were just trying to soak it in. There were definately people there who got it and were really enjoying it. But there were certainly those that, as we were informed, were just not used to it. That when, during a break between sets (they made us play THREE sets...we are too old for this) an angel walked out of the middle distance and put his arm around me. I have never seen anyone in my entire life who reminded me more, at their very essence, of Walter Sobchak. I was just sitting at the bar one second, and the next, I could only hear his voice:

"Don't be discouraged" (i wasn't discouraged, but it's ok, sometimes I get discouraged) "you're gonna make it. You guys are doing something....I don't know...progressive. That's what I'd call it. Progressive. And it may seem like people in here don't like it, but they do. These are good, open people who you guys probably just caught off guard. Music like yours doesn't come to places like this." (i tell him about the 5pm drunk guy) "You know what my father always said?" (no.)

"To hell with that son of a bitch."

(I walk to our table, get a cd, and walk back and give it to Marty, my new patron saint, and the instruct Daniel and Dylan to go talk to him, which they do, and both return, like I did, with a renewed glow. Thank you, Marty.)

Dan McCormack and Andres McCormack made the drive all the way from Knoxville to be at this show, and brought friends out from Clemson. They even sang a song with me during set 3. I cannot thank them enough. If you live in Knoxville and don't know these guys, you're cheating yourself.

We spent the rest of our time in Easley with Wylie's wonderful, wonderful, amazing family. We left that place full of food and recharged.

Our day in Athens was a return to orthodox touring. It was a pretty interesting journey, though, to go from a place where NOBODY plays to a place that virtually every band plays. We played at a really great place called Farm255. Aside from hosting shows in their courtyard (between the 40watt and Caledonia Lounge), this place is a restaurant that serves food that is grown on a local farm, and the staff works at both. They grow the food during the day and then go and serve it at the restaurant at night. I'm sure there are plenty of places like this, but it was new to me, so I loved it. And, aside from the cool idea, it was absolutely delicious (try the pork belly).

This show was a little "thrown together" and, due to a miscommunication, there was a surprise opening band that nobody expected, all the way from Kansas. This reduced our set time to 20min, which you'd think would hurt the delivery, but the compact version of our show seemed to be just as good. We did great at the merch table and didn't even have to get sweaty. It was a beautiful night, we played under a mostly full moon, and then went to Jordan's house to watch ROYAL RUMBLE 1992!!!!!!!!!! Best night ever. Like always, we punctuated our time in Athens with lunch at The Grit. I wish we could take that place with us.

So, on we go. To Tuscaloosa. And the fear of not only scary, drunk trash...
...no, that's it.

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #1.5

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

tour blog a licious, by wil wright

Oh, carolina.

After a week of mind-numbing silence and isolation in Chapel Hill (because I had no car there and because most people go to "jobs" or have "lives" that take place during the day. Not me) our tour, unofficially titled "physics forever 2009" and officially titled "by the power of dickskull" jumped into gear very abruptly. And not a second too soon. Not that I don't relish an opportunity to sit around and read amazing books and work on my music library and write songs and sleep until 5pm and live in my pajamas...well, actually, I guess it wasn't so bad.

TOUR HAS BEGUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We kicked this bad boy off with a big hometown show, hosted by our lovely and faithful record label, Trekky Records. We played at The Nightlight in Chapel Hill. That place has really, truly come a long way. The times that Senryu has played there, I found it to be very little more than a big room full of books and a couple of mean looking hipsters who wished that we weren't there. But now, the books are gone and this place was relatively packed with the finest looking chicks and dudes that the triangle has to offer.

The opening band for this show was Albina Savoy, our old friends from Greensboro. A.S. is a pretty great band, and much of that is to the credit of their piano/accordion/singing-saw player and occasional singer Crystal Dawn. If this girl ever goes off on her own, she is going to be completely unstoppable. Hopefully, both she and Albina Savoy will continue to grow and put on fabulous shows.

We took over in the middle (AKA "the sweet spot"). For the first time in a very, very long time, I was sorta nervous. We were premiering new songs that we hadn't had much time to practice and we just all in all hadn't gotten much of an opportunity to re-gel with one another musically. Fortunately for us, the show's success relied on our chemistry. And we may not have much going for us, but we DEFINATELY have interpersonal chemistry, and I feel like it really carried us through it, and in the end, led to a pretty satisfying experience for us and for the fine folks who packed in to watch us.

The show was wrapped up by our labelmates Lost In The Trees, who put on a spectacular show with full-strings, brass, double-bells, and a big bag of great songwriting and arranging. The show was really breathtaking, and a perfect way to wrap up show 1.

More than anything, I learned at this show that Martin Anderson (from Trekky Records) brings the party and the funny like nobody's business.

I also heard a fierce debate over Greatful Dead vs. Patti Smith's "Horses" for a Salvia adventure. Is that even an actual contest? I don't think so, Ms. Smith.

Thanks for making us feel at home, Chapel Hill.

In step with show #1, our second outing of tour (the first official, since we finally left the city behind and climbed into our beloved Van!) was crowded and very positive in Greensboro (Dylan Thurston's hometown). We have been trying for a couple of tours to get back to G'boro, unsuccessfully. Well, it was well, well worth the wait. With the first night's cobwebs now out of the way, we were quite prepared to mow the citizen's of the city down with our mighty axe of white-hot adult contemporary pop music (for sissies).

While I was setting up my things for this show, I couldn't keep from over-hearing this dude talking to the door girl. He kept talking about her bone struction, and how because he bones were put together nice she should be his girlfriend, and how he couldn't cross his legs like her's were crossed (implying that he has between regular-giant balls, which was doubtful). I tried so hard to block it out, but it got worse and worse. So, dylan has set up his bells and wind chimes, I have set up my Omnichord, when the same stupid dude (who had been hitting on the doorgirl, but was now watching us set up our instruments) leans over to me. Too close. He leans over, as surely as we are setting up our delicate little operation, and he says "dude, are y'all metal?"

"Fuck you." Whoops.

I had been listening to him, secretly, already, and I had been building up so much animosity for this ass-hat....it just seemed like the only thing to say. DO YOU SEE THIS BELL KIT? DO YOU SEE OUR CUTE LITTLE OUTFITS? FUCK NO, WE AREN'T METAL. It just slipped out, and I kinda felt bad, but I also kind of felt like it was the right thing to say.

Greensboro also marks the beginning of what we like to call "physics family week." It's the BEST part of tour. This week, we stay with Dylan's parents, then Wylie's parents in Easley SC, then my pop in Baton Rouge, and then Daniel's parents in Dallas. There is no time on tour where we will eat better or get treated more lovingly than this week. I wish our families lived at regular intervals on our path, so that we had pockets of care throughout, but it does make for one badass way to start such a long journey. Each family treats the entire band like we're their 4 sons.

It's just so, so, so nice. Dylan's mom and dad met us at the Greensboro show with Subway sandwiches, chips, cookies, bottled waters and a BUNCH of their friends who all came to make sure we were well admired. It was just awesome.

As we were loading out, I noticed through the window of the bar next door that there was a "two-dudes with acoustic guitars" act playing. I thought it might be worth it to try and guess what they were playing before I approached. My guess was "Brown-eyed girl". Boy, was I ever wrong. I saw, before I could hear them, that one of the dudes had a cup-holder on his mic-stand. Good idea, though it acted as a real red flag. Then, I heard it. I only listened to a few seconds before I raced back inside to fetch the other physicists.

It was the chords to "wonderwall" by Oasis, but they were rapping the words to "bring the noise" by Public Enemy. It was like GirlTalk, except that it was the worst. The WORST.

Dylan called them "2 dudes, 1 cup-holder".
I laughed all the way home.

Away we go,

ww

The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog #1

The Physics of Meaning are out on the road all over America. Here's an account of what they're up to in the recurring The Physics of Meaning Tour Blog.

our first tour blog by our own dear Wil Wright

Hey everyone.

If you have been keeping up with physics for the last couple of years, you may have read some of my accounts of our adventures. If not, I'm Wil Wright. I play the bass and am the youngest (barely) and usually live in Knoxville TN and don't ever drive the van because I drive like a mamaw. Instead of driving, I try to keep an blog of the funny or interesting things that happen to us along the way. Or at least the gross things that happen to me....which are ample.

This trip will deliver me into things that I don't like.....Tuscaloosa, AL for example. And the desert. Ugh. But it's a small price, as the trip will also deliver me into the arms of my favorite people. My tour calendar revolves around the folks that are waiting a few days away. Touring has stretched my community all over the country, and these trips are the only time I get to see almost any of it. It's an endless pleasure to play a concert every day with physics, and those concerts acting as a vehicle to land me in that arms of so many people I love is amazing. Every day promises some celebration or long-awaited reunion. Having that, non-stop, for 2 months is pretty unreal and the sacrifices, be they massive or invisible, are more than worth it. Every time. This tour comes to a grand finale, too, with a big show in Knoxville and a trip to SxSW in Austin! I can decide what to look forward to first.

I am currently in Chapel Hil for 2 full-band rehearsals, (last night's rehearsal found us digging through new songs that I am fairly sure will blow at least 65% of the minds that we share them with. The other 35%* are assholes who cannot be impressed). Friday, we're off on our fororeverevertour. I'm really, really excited about the show here in Chapel Hill. We're playing with Lost In The Trees, who I like a whole lot but haven't ever seen, and also with Albina Savoy, who I love! I imagine that it'll mean seeing a ton of my triangular friends, too, which is too rare and always so nice.

These rehearsal days are long ones...today, I am at Dylan's house, because he is nice enough to let me stay here while I am in town for shows or rehearsal. I haven't got a car here, because I don't like leaving my car unattended for 2months at somebody who won't be home's house. That means these days are full of self-entertainment. Today, I wrote a song called "I went through all of your things (you're boring)".

So, I hope you enjoy the stories. These tours never leave me short on things to relay, good or bad. And please comment, so that we can stay in touch as the band and I make our way around.

ready to begin,

ww

*it's never too late to change, even if your parents are assholes.

Embarrassing Fruits have a new album!

Embarrassing Fruits follow up their critically acclaimed The First Time EP with their first full length album, Community / Exploitation. To celebrate the release there will be an amazing
CD release show at Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC, with Sorry About Dresden and Blag'ard on March 20, 2009. The album will be out 03.24.09 but listen to a free song right now:

MP3 | Embarrassing Fruits - Corner [from the upcoming Community / Exploitation LP]