The Weekly Croissant: Dispatch from Portland
Surprise Ferries / Solo Tour / Heartland Connections
Hello from a beautiful sunny afternoon in Portland, OR. I’ve been in the PNW for about a week now, and it’s been nothing but sunshine and rainbows. I called my husband from Vancouver and said, it’s so beautiful here, it’s sunny every day! And he said, I think maybe you just got a good day. And I said, no, it’s always like this. LET ME HAVE THIS OK.
I’m on a long tour with Willi Carlisle, which has been an utter joy and privilege thus far. Willi is a singular artist; as much a poet, stand-up comedian, and actor as he is a musician. I have been trying to soak in the amazing energy that he brings as much as possible. I want to learn to give more and more of myself on stage.
Our first show was in Bellingham, and while selling merch beside Willi’s tour manager Marshall, he asked if I was all set for the ferry to Victoria. Ferry? I asked. It turns out Victoria is an island. I think I knew that, but for some reason, I had failed to consider that I might have to take a boat there. Luckily, we were able to do some swift maneuvering and pack our whole tour party into one van to make the passage.
I feel like one could write a whole travel book about Ferries. Often, they are better than any tourist boat trip but at the cost of public transportation. $19 CAD/person (no car) is a steal for this spectacular journey across British Columbia, good god! The same can be said for the journey between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, it’s like a chartered boat for the plebs.
I am doing this entire 19-date tour as a solo performer, an experience that is both exhilarating and exhausting. Last night I was requested to play a song from Common Nation of Sorrow, a song I have played probably 250 times this year. As I strummed the intro I thought that maybe I was in the wrong key, and then I looked out into the crown of 300+ beautiful faces expectantly staring at me and began sweating profusely, in a panic that the singing was going to absolutely collapse in D flat, eventually completely bailing on the song and changing courses entirely. It was humbling to say the least. In hindsight, I was in the correct key and if I could have shut my brain off I know that my body would have sang the song just fine, but these are the games we play with ourselves.
I am finding that solo performing is all about energy. Commanding it, holding it, being vulnerable within it, without losing confidence. If you fall, there’s nobody to scoop you back up or pick up the slack.
One last exciting note is that in Canada, I of course had to talk about my favorite export of Canadian Public Television, the family values (Canadian style - no Jesus) TV show Heartland, about a ranch for troubled horses in Alberta. It’s so bad, it’s good.
Turns out, one of Willi’s friends who was helping us out with the tour has a niece who acted on the show. She sent me photos and everything. I am getting so close to this show. One day, I’m gonna get a song placed on Heartland and I will truly feel that I HAVE MADE IT!
Alright yall, Happy Sunday, remember to eat a croissant today!
-Rachel
Whoa this look such an incredible trip! Did I ever tell you I had a dream once that they were putting on another season of Killing Eve and you were doing the the music for it?? XD hope you get lots of nice rests and recharges to continue that energy xx
Feel free to play in the wrong key in Palo Alto