Hi Everyone. First and foremost, we hope all our east coast friends have weathered the storm. Due to the Hurricane Sandy, here are the updates on our shows for the coming week. For any shows that are cancelled or postponed, please contact you point of purchase regarding refunds. Stay safe out there! xoxo 10/31 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - CANCELLED 11/1 New Hope, PA @Triumph Brewing Co – TBD, more info soon 11/2 Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theatre – TBD, more info soon 11/4 Fairfield, CT @ StageOne – TBD, more info soon 11/6 Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre – POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 19
From the road...
I just finished watching a re-run of the Romney/Obama debate. I guess I don't really see how Romney "dominated" Obama, as many pundits have said. It didn't really seem like that to me. It didn't seem the other way around, either. Actually, it didn't really seem like much of anything. What's kind of remarkable to me is that it seemed like it was more an exercise in memorizing statistics. With both sides spewing out figures, it's no wonder most people got bored. Snooze fest! (The fact-checkers at the news stations probably had their work cut out for them, though!) I wonder how much stock the American public puts in these debates? From what I understand, it's a whole lot. I've heard about "turning points" and "deciding" moments during these debates. I wonder if the last couple decades would have been much different if the debates weren't televised. If they were only on the radio, let's say. If for example, you couldn't see a charming Clinton get up and address the audience. If you didn't see how uncomfortable Nixon seemed during his debate with JFK. (I wasn't alive then...i've only seen the video!) You catch my drift. I wonder if too high a premium has been placed on these hour segments? Or perhaps it makes no difference in the outcome at all. Some pundits talk about how the "real" personality of the candidates comes out in these debates. The "inner self", if you will. I don't know about that...I feel like it's to the point where it's SO important that it could easily become reduced to an act. Of course, I like to believe that the candidates are truly being themselves on stage, but I have to wonder...
Anyhow! What a wonderful time we're having out here in the South. Thanks to the folks who came out to the Texas shows! Thanks to New Orleans, Oxford and Birmingham! Hope to see ya'll again real soon.
We've still got Atlanta, Nashville, and a bunch in North Carolina coming up. Hope to see ya there!
xo jg
Fall Tour 2012
Hey all, We had a great time in Europe. Kind of life-changing in a way. I really enjoyed trying different foods and meeting all the different folks. Hell, I even tried snails in France. Anyhow, we can't wait to get back. Hopefully, we can bring the band next time.
We've got a pretty hefty tour ahead of us. Most of the dates are in places we haven't played in a long, long time. Mostly in the southeast. We're hoping that folks can spread the word and help us to have some decent turnouts. That's how we'll be able to come back!
I'll be playing with Phil and Friends in November. All the shows are in the New York area. But don't wait for November! Come on down south and join us in the little clubs we're playing on this tour. I promise you'll have a good time.
I started working on a new record this summer, but with this heavy tour ahead I don't think it will be out until next year at the earliest. We'll be starting to play a lot of the new songs on this tour, so tapers be ready!
xo jackie
Greetings from the UK!
Greetings all, We’re about halfway through our European Tour and loving every minute of it. We’ve been lucky enough to see some remarkable places. We started in Paris and it seemed that every woman I laid eyes upon was more beautiful than the next. Everyone was very friendly and the food was incredible. Paris had got to be one of the greatest cities in the world. I think everyone agrees on that. Unreal!
We’ve been playing throughout the UK, opening for the Deep Dark Woods and have been blessed to have gone to some amazing places. Brighton, Bristol, Bath...all amazing. We went up to the York Moors for a gig and it was like going back in time. Damn near impossible to get to. Edinburgh is probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Castles, cathedrals, monuments. Wow! Of course London was crazy. We spent a night out in Soho with some friends of ours who are locals. I’ve never been to so many clubs in one night in my life. Those kids know how to party. Holy crap.
We’re winding down from our last London gig and heading to Holland in the morning. I’m sure we’ll miss the UK, but we’re looking forward to all our stops: Hoorn, Brussels, Amsterdam, Nijmagen and Rotterdam!
We’ll be back in the US soon and have lots of Fall dates. Hope to see ya’ll out there..
xo jackie
"The Evaporation of The Genuine Self"
Greetings, Many of you have been wondering about my recent online absence. The sudden and unexpected closure of all my social media accounts. (Facebook, twitter, etc). The short version is that I simply wanted to limit my distractions for the time being. I think the whole “being active in social media” thing needs a reboot. Seriously.
There's a long version with much more to it, but I wouldn't want to bore you with the details. I'll just say that I honestly believe we've all developed a unique sickness. One that is difficult to detect, because we all accept and even encourage it.
Actually, fuck it. I’ll bore you with the details.
"Is he dead?". "Did he retire?". "I hope he's okay." These are a few of the sentiments that have been relayed to me by close friends who are still active online. Since I've had no social media accounts, there was no way for me to be aware of these comments, except for good old-fashioned word of mouth.
I am both touched and bewildered by these comments. It's heart warming to hear them, yet the subtext is strange. At what point did we equate going offline with death? Like me, do you find it odd that we automatically assume something is wrong when a person closes their Facebook account? It's as if we've become so dependent on social networking that we view it as a literal lifeline. That "tether to the net" we all used to joke about when smartphones first came out isn't even figurative anymore. It's very real.
The irony of course is that the opposite is true. When I closed my accounts, nothing was wrong. Everything was right. I began living my life the way I used to, without the tether to the virtual "world". It's truly astounding to realize how much time we spend on Facebook and twitter. Let me say this: when I closed my accounts, the battery on my phone lasted three times as long! Amazing.
It's todays youth that I really feel for. The teenagers who are already struggling with their identities are growing up in a world that records their every move. A landscape where every action is public record. Every growing pain, slumber party, first date, first kiss, drivers exam....it's all tweeted, facebooked and instagramed. One kid's awkward growing pains can be entertainment for thousands. A high school kid who has some embarrassing moment can easily be forced to accept daily ridicule as their misdeed circles the social network.
A friend told me that a group of high school kids she knows got into a car accident. The passengers were unharmed, but the driver was hurt badly. Before the ambulance even arrived, the kids had tweeted photos of the bloody driver to all their friends and classmates.
What is it about social media that turns everyone into a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter? We act as if some huge tragedy will occur if we aren't the first to snap that picture and share it with the world. As if it's some big fucking scoop. The reality is that our collective ego has gotten so inflated and out of proportion, it's becoming impossible for many to make the distinction between online self and genuine self. (I read a recent news article where a teen used the term “the evaporation of the genuine self” to describe growing up in our current world. I found it the smartest thing anyone has said in years.)
What ever happened to just being a kid? Being able to make mistakes without fear of public ridicule. Kids do stupid shit all the time. Always have, always will. It's a part of growing up. My fear is that we've allowed their psyches (and indeed ours) to be molded by the online collective. The club that we demand that everyone belongs to. Kids are growing up not only in the most homogenous time in real culture, but the most homogenous time in online culture as well. And we wonder why some of them end up with a severe identity crisis? We never gave em the chance to have a real identity in the first place. Everything is about making the perfect "profile". Is it any wonder why people spend so much time on their avatars?
It's funny. We all think of Facebook as a form of connection. A society that on paper, seems like a good idea. It mimics real life. It takes full advantage of our ever-accelerating technology and lulls us into submission with wonderful and mindless stimuli. But the dirty truth is that Facebook is not about connection at all. It's about isolation. And we all know it. We've always known it, but we let it slide.
It's like that fable about the King and the poisoned water. (I think it was told in the movie Serpico). One day, all the water in the kingdom was poisoned and all the kings subjects went mad. Except for the king, who was drinking from a private fountain. Everyone in the kingdom thought it was the king who had gone mad and were on the verge of rioting when finally the king decides to drink from the public fountain. The whole kingdom rejoiced because the king had regained his sanity. I guess an easier way to say it is: if ya can't beat em, join em.
But I digress...!
I apologize for the armchair psychology, truly. I can be long winded, I know.
If you've read this far, clearly you realize that I'm back online. There are certain realities of the business that I'm in that require social media. Can't be avoided. I have to drink the water, so to speak. I have been advised that suddenly disconnecting social media accounts can seem alienating to fans and friends. Some may even take it personal. (of course, this is exactly the philosophical basis of my dilemma.)
To be clear though, my intention was not to alienate or upset anyone. I simply became aware of my own social media addiction and decided to take a break. Just for my own personal sanity while I'm working on my new album. (I would highly recommend you do the same sometime and see how good it feels!) So, no hard feelings right?
As for the kids -- I highly recommend going outside sometime. Build a tree fort. I recommend "borrowing" dads hammers, nails and scrounging up whatever rope, netting and boards you can find. Instead of spending Saturday on Facebook, build something awesome. Then post it to your page. You'll be the envy of all the boys at your school. (and quite possibly some of the adults!)
For the teens - quit worrying about making the "perfect profile" to attract friends and dates. The amount of facebook friends you have will have little to do with what your life will actually become. Boys, go out and chase girls the old fashioned way. Ask your dad. He'll know what to do. If there's a girl you like, ask her out in person. Show her you've got a pair.
Girls, be yourselves. Kim Kardashian isn't really all that cool. Remember that "popular" just means popular. It doesn't mean good, true, smart or even beautiful. Let the boys talk to you. Challenge them to be funny and interesting in real life, not on Facebook.
Adults - encourage your kids to develop their own true identities! It's important for the next generation of art and culture. Personality, individual ideas and creative thinking are necessary elements in making art and music.
Okay, that's my rant. I didn't retire. I'm not dead and I am not planning to be anytime soon.
Hope to see y'all in the real world. It's a wonderful place.
JG
P.S almost on cue...just now I got some random text message....I think it's quite relevant, so i'll post it.
Recent Happenings...
What a blast it was to stand on stage at Carnegie Hall. Wow. That's all I can really say. All the performers were so fantastic and the band was kick ass. I got to meet Jackson Browne and Juliette Lewis. I was stoked to say the least! Big thanks to Lenny Kaye and Co. for keeping it all together. The Terrapin Crossroads shows in San Rafael were equally thrilling. It's a remarkable thing to play that music with such talented folks in such an intimate setting. It really feels like "home". Hopefully, there will be many more dates there in the not-do-distant future!
Trigger Hippy is getting ready to hit the road and so is the Weir/Robinson/Greene Trio. (WRG, for short.) I should have my hands full for the next few months, but still finding time to work on my new album. We've been taking lots of home videos, documenting the "making of" this album and will posting them shortly. Hopefully we can tickle yer funny bone with some of them.
In other news, I've remembered the password to my Tweeter, err, um Twitter account... so i'll be twittering like a tweety bird from now on. If ya wanna be in the know...follow me on twitter. CLICK ME.
Here's a picture that Chuckie took (before he got yelled at) of the Carnegie Hall soundcheck...
We will be adding more Jackie Greene Band tour dates soon! Stick around!
xoxo
jackie
The tour rolls on...
Hi folks,Thanks to all who came out to our winter shows. We've had a positive start so far and the band is pretty fired up right now. It was particularly nice to see packed houses in Salt Lake City, Portland and Los Angeles. As performers, we feed on your energy, so don't be shy about giving it to us! We'll give it right back to you. Amplified. Much thanks to the fellas for kicking ass. Jeremy Plog, Nathan Dale, Zack Bowden and our newest band member, Steve Taylor. Steve is wonderful songwriter and singer in his own right, so please check him out. Nathan just released his first solo-record and we've been doing a few of his songs live. I hope ya'll check out his record cause it's a mighty fine one. A big shout out to Big D, Joe, Nora and Chuckie for keeping us in line on all these outings. Our special guest Jabe Beyer was stellar, as always.
I'm about to embark upon some more dates with Mr. Phil Lesh at his brand new joint in San Rafael: Terrapin Crossroads. I have good feelings about this place.....
We'll be adding more Jackie Greene Band shows shortly, so please check the website for updates. Trigger Hippy is gearing up for some touring as well.
I've officially started recording my next album. I'm not sure when it will be released, or who will release it -- but that's not really the point. The point is to make the music. I'll probably have much more to say about is as time goes by. Suffice it to say that I'm really happy with the new songs and I hope you'll enjoy them when you hear them.
Till next time, Jackie