AND, WINTER
This time of year, always, the slow race against the snow. There’s no such thing as winning, but at least this year we didn’t lose too bad. The garlic and tulips got planted, firewood stacked, chicken coop winterized, the garden pickled and souped and jammed and krauted. And this morning, the first gentle coating, the first rumbling of the plows. Although I definitely heaved a real deep sigh while scraping off the car, I love winter unreservedly, and I’m okay with calling the race and embracing the season of quiet, reflection, and deep inward settling.
Mid-November, we had to say a tough goodbye to Thumbs the cat. Lover of all humans, despiser of everyone else, Thumbs was a neighborhood cat from a troubled home who defected to our apartment in a daring move one night using the pizza delivery guy for cover, and then settled in with us for the next fourteen years. He was our first dependent (although he’d probably take issue with that term), the one who broke trail for the chickens, the dog, the kid, all the domestic responsibilities we weren’t entirely convinced a couple of touring songwriters could sign up for. Having successfully bombed several livestreams, I know he’s a familiar face to many of you, so I figured I’d let you know. He loved fresh voles, roasted squash, and extremely vigorous massage, so you can join us in hoping he’s getting plenty of all of these wherever he’s installed himself now.
WORD BARN // Last show of this confusing, stop-and-start year is Friday Dec 3 at the Word Barn in Exeter, NH. I absolutely love to play this magic room under any circumstances, and with my friend Kevin Barry along it’s possible it will actually be Too Good. It’s a rare treat for me to get a show with Kevin in edgewise between his work with the likes of Roseanne Cash and Peter Wolf, and I can’t imagine a better note to end a tour calendar on. We’ll have Erik Koskinen on hand all the way from Minnesota to open the night. He and The Spouse have toured together quite a bit and he’s a mighty force of songwriting, singing, guitar playing, and producing. Dig his latest one Burning the Deal and you’ll agree.
MYTHAXIS // It’s always a pleasure to talk writing with someone who gets it, and I really enjoyed this interview with Mythaxis Review’s Doug Cole. Although this is probably only half of what we covered, it’s still a nice long conversation, and it was a treat to dig a little deeper into process than many interviews have space for.
PATREON // In the last month or so on Patreon I shared a Replacements cover, a demo or two of songs in the works or from the odds-and-ends pile, and an essay about ways I use freewriting to generate raw material for lyrics. The Patreon project is something I see as finite, maybe a year to a year and a half, which is why I keep mentioning it so that interested parties don’t miss the boat. For my part, it’s both fun and helpful to have a group of friendly, chill, interested people to bounce things off and share stuff that’s not right for the glare of the full internet. Come on over and become one of those people anytime.
THE FUTURE // I don’t need to tell anyone it’s been a strange time, and there’s still a ton of uncertainty about how this work we do - which was pretty outlandish even before Covid, if we’re honest - will come out the other side. We’ve booked some scattered KD shows in the first months of 2022, and hoping to get more robust about it by springtime. In the meantime, I’ve promised the livestreams would kick back in, and in January that will actually happen, starting with the Blood Test throwback show on January 9.
With a second pandemic-scrambled year ending, I want to express my gratitude again for all the ways people - you - have shown up to support me and my fellow musicians trying to ride the waves. Thankyou so much to everyone who’s come to a show or a livestream, ordered music or merch online, thrown streaming-karma tips into the tip jar, joined me on Patreon, shared music or posts with their friends, or sent a note saying my work has provided joy or comfort or companionship. This stuff helps pay the bills, but it also makes the whole endeavor seem worthwhile, which is sustaining in the way that matters most. Thanks everyone and wishing you safe and warm though the long nights. *kd
UPCOMING SHOWS
DEC 3 - The Word Barn - EXETER, NH Tix
JAN 9 - Blood Test Throwback Show LIVESTREAM
JAN 23 & 24 - Sub Rosa Songwriting Retreat shows @ Club Passim - CAMBRIDGE, MA Tix
JAN 28 - TCAN Center for the Arts with Mark Erelli - NATICK, MA Tix