Thursday, March 17, 2011

Brazil Pics








Viva Brasil

     Our next few shows in Brazil were amazing. We went down to the coast to the city of Atlanchida and managed to grab a few waves before our show. The shows in Brazil are so late in comparison to places like Japan where the downbeat starts around 7. I would always manage to sneak in a catnap before the session. Thank goodness the coffee is very potent.  Once my body becomes sleep deprived it is impossible to actually get proper rest. So I had to offset the jetlag compounded by early flights with heavy doses of caffeine. I swear these people never sleep.
      We had a few days off in Sao Paulo after 4 shows in a row. Our hosts from Alma Surf had plenty of activities planned for us. Matt became deathly ill from an unknown virus the he may have contracted from Chile. He was out of commission and under a Brazilian physician’s care for 3 days. The promoters had the great idea of having MTV sponsor a Rock and Jock soccer game between the band and a team of Brazilians. To our defense we did acquire a few Brazilians from Alma Surf to join us. We actually held our ground considering we looked like the Bad News Bears of Futbol. Donny attempted several Bicycle kicks that were nearly successful and our TM  managed to score a few goals. I on the other hand was completely useless. Nevertheless it was a fun day and we all got some much needed exercise. The downside was I paid for it for the next two days.
     Our tour guides took us all down to the largest farmer’s market in the heart of Sao Paulo. This market is where consumers and restaurant owners come to purchase fruits, veggies, meat and fish. I saw some very interesting pieces of animals displayed by the vendors. These people use every piece. Nothing is wasted.  You could buy every part and reassemble the animal if you chose. It is quite a different food culture from the states. There were rows and rows of vendors selling delicious cheeses, chocolates, acai bowls, wines, olive oils, spices. I was beginning to get dizzy from gazing upon all the goodies.
     We finished to the tour with two shows in Florinopolis in the South of Brazil with Ben Harper. The shows were on the beach making for a breathtaking backdrop. Each show was packed with 15,000 very elated Brazilians. Ben Harper and his band were great as always. After the final concert, the Donavon crew as well as Ben and his peeps went over to watch the Super Bowl at a beautiful house on the cliffs over looking the Concert area. I had the best time listening to Ben and Tom Curren try to explain the rules of American football to a bunch of soccer fans.
     After two weeks of no sleep and way too much food, we boarded our flights and went on our separate ways back home. This was my third trip to Brazil and by far the best. The Brazilian people are very hospitable and passionate about their country and their culture. With every trip I feel that I get a better taste of what this country has to offer. 

Viva Brasil


     Our next few shows in Brazil were amazing. We went down to the coast to the city of Atlanchida and managed to grab a few waves before our show. The shows in Brazil are so late in comparison to places like Japan where the downbeat starts around 7. I would always manage to sneak in a catnap after the session. Thank goodness the coffee is very potent.  Once my body becomes sleep deprived it is impossible to actually get proper rest. So I had to offset the jetlag compounded by early flights with heavy doses of caffeine. I swear these people never sleep.
      We had a few days off in Sao Paulo after 4 shows in a row. Our hosts from Alma Surf had plenty of activities planned for us. Matt became deathly ill from an unknown virus the he may have contracted from Chile. He was out of commission and under a Brazilian physician’s care for 3 days. The promoters had the great idea of having MTV sponsor a Rock and Jock soccer game between the band and a team of Brazilians. To our defense we did acquire a few Brazilians from Alma Surf to join us. We actually held our ground considering we looked like the Bad News Bears of Futbol. Donny attempted several Bicycle kicks that were nearly successful and our TM managed to score a few goals. I on the other hand was completely useless. Nevertheless it was a fun day and we all got some much needed exercise. The downside was I paid for it for the next two days.
     Our tour guides took us all down to the largest farmer’s market in the heart of Sao Paulo. This market is where consumers and restaurant owners come to purchase fruits, veggies, meat and fish. I saw some very interesting pieces of animals displayed by the vendors. These people use every piece. Nothing is wasted.  You could buy every part and reassemble the animal if you chose. It is quite a different food culture from the states. There were rows and rows of vendors selling delicious cheeses, chocolates, acai bowls, wines, olive oils, spices. I was beginning to get dizzy from gazing upon all the goodies.
     We finished to the tour with two shows in Florinopolis in the South of Brazil with Ben Harper. The shows were on the beach making for a breathtaking backdrop. Each show was packed with 15,000 very elated Brazilians. Ben Harper and his band were great as always. After the final concert, the Donavon crew as well as Ben and his peeps went over to watch the Super Bowl at a beautiful house on the cliffs over looking the Concert area. I had the best time listening to Ben and Tom Curren try to explain the rules of American football to a bunch of soccer fans.
     After two weeks of no sleep and way too much food, we boarded our flights and went on our separate ways back home. This was my third trip to Brazil and by far the best. The Brazilian people are very hospitable and passionate about their country and their culture. With every trip I feel that I get a better taste of what this country has to offer. 

Monday, March 14, 2011

South of the Border

After coming off freezing but yet successful tour, We headed down to Brazil for a couple of weeks of sun, surf and music. After our grueling commute from good old Jacksonville, We landed in Sao Paulo at 3 a.m. and went for an hour long car ride across the Sao Paulo metropolis to our hotel to meet the rest of the crew. On top of being exhuasted from our previous bout with the Great Blizzard, We had 45 minute nap before our 5:30 am lobby call to board yet another flight to our first show. I filled myself full of Caffeine and loaded the people mover. Donavon and Grundy as well as surfing icon Tom Curren met up with us at the lobby looking far more rested the Florida crew.
     I have to preface all of this with a little information about touring and traveling in Brazil. First of all, I love this place. Brazil has amazing food and coffee. Every hotel has a complimentary breakfast spread chaulked full of fresh fruits, Juices, cold cuts, cheese assortments, eggs, bacon and freshly baked pastries. It makes a great start for the day or end to your night as in this case. Brazil is also known for it's Chucharrista style restaurants  which fashion a crazy assortment of beef, veal, chicken, pork and everything in between cooked on giants skewers on an open flame.  The all have amazing salad  spreads as well as table side service for the BBQ. There goes the diet!
     Our first show was down at Brava Beach. By the time we got to our hotel  after another two hour plane ride followed by a hour long van ride we were so spun out with jetlag and sleep depervation. I managed to sneak in a short nap before soundcheck. Brava Beach is beautiful place with a great left hand point break right out front of the venue. We managed to sneak in a surf in between load in and soundcheck. I was great to get a surf in with Donny and Tom Curren at the same time. The waves were great and the locals were super cool as well as our promoters from Alma Surf. It's always fun to walk to soundcheck barefoot with your trunks on still wet from the surf.
     Our first show was packed full of hungry enthusiastic Brazilian fans. ABout 2500 of them were packed like sardines in an can. Brazilans are definately are night owls. Our show started around 3:30 a.m. and ended around sun up. Welcome to life south of the border. 
    

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Travel woes


     It has been another crazy month or so for the Donavon Camp. After a great tour of Japan, We headed home for a couple of weeks before heading down to South America. We had time to squeeze a few gigs in with my other project “3.” It’s nice to come home and play some music with my friends in a smaller more intimate setting. It gives me a chance to let loose so to speak. I love playing concerts and shows, but it’s fun to be in a looser environment and have the room to stretch out a little. I feel that I am very blessed to have the best of both worlds. The bar/restaurant scene can get very tiring and taxing on the body with late nights and loud music as well as the touring scene also puts a lot of strain on one’s internal clock with crazy flights and bus rides. I feel sometimes I live in my own random time zone where the only thing that keeps me straight is the sunrise and sunset unless we are in the land of no darkness like the Alaskan Summer.
     On January 26th, The Jax crew headed down to Brazil for two weeks of surf and music. Our first flight took us up to Washington DC where we were to catch a flight down to Sao Paulo. We boarded the first and last flight to DC out of Jacksonville Airport that day. As the plane approached the Dulles runway, I opened the window shade to have a look and much to my surprise there was no runway. It was completely covered in snow. It almost seemed we were landing on a white lake. A snowstorm came through the Northeast during our flight. It dumped 10 or so inches within an hour’s time. It was a surreal experience that I prefer to never go through again. We landed safely only to find out that the airport was closing and our flight had been rescheduled for the following day. We were blessed to have family close by to come rescue us from sleeping in the baggage claim area. Thank God we made it to our resting place before the highways closed. The Airport freeway looked like a scene out of “Mad Max.” There were cars abandoned in ditches and off ramps everywhere. Commuters left their cars out of gas and proceeded on foot.
     After 18 hours of waiting we finally boarded our nine hour flight down to Sao Paulo, Brazil. And thus the tour began.