FALL 2026

SUITCASE JUNKET // CALIFORNIA BLIP

Hi friends, it’s been a minute and I hope everyone is happily surrendering to October’s pumpkin-scented embrace. It’s pretty peak right now in western MA: woods full of mushrooms, garden overflowing extravagantly, streets of our little town full of visitors who wander heedless out into the middle of the street to frame their perfect shot of the technicolor hills. I don’t blame them, I’m drunk on it too, the soaking shocking beauty and emotion of the whole deal.

I left my touring calendar pretty empty this year, in order to tend to some projects which will come to light down the line, and also to be as present as possible for the last months of having a kid at home. She’s launched now, and settling into college life, and I’m exploring the strange new dimensions of my day, my week, my year. My vibe for this fall was to maximize music-playing and minimize self-promotion, so I’ve been jumping on friends’ shows and studio projects left and right, and it’s been a grounding and bolstering way to step into this new chapter. Of course I’m also deep in conversation with my own songs, and any day now I’ll start having ideas about the next record, and then have to dig out the ill-fitting and unflattering business hat yet again. But for the moment, things are feeling very rooted and pure, and I’m grateful for it. However, there are a few public-facing things to tell you about before the year turns over, as follows! 

SUITCASE JUNKET - This week I’m playing a handful of shows with my friend Matt Lorenz aka The Suitcase Junket to launch his new album To Go On. Matt usually rolls as a one-man band, but for a few of these release shows he’s gathered a crew to keep him company on stage. I’ll be there to sing a lot and play, mostly fiddle and even some keys, god help me. The record is centered around the loss a few years ago of Matt’s sister Kate, a luminous member of our musical family we all miss deeply, and it’s just a stunner: raw, heartbroken, groovy, and life-affirming. I can’t wait to help play it into life at these shows. We’ll play two nights in Cambridge MA, Thursday 10/15 & Friday 10/16 at the Lizard Lounge, then Saturday 10/17 at the Iron Horse in Northampton MA, and Sunday 10/18 at the Mercury Lounge in NYC. All details at https://thesuitcasejunket.com/shows

CALIFORNIA BLIP - We recently noticed a small blank spot in my calendar right when the Spouse was heading out to start a west coast tour, and the urge to tag along was irresistible, so: I’ll sit in on vocals and whatever-else with the Jeffrey Foucault band November 5 at McCabe’s in Santa Monica, November 6 at Ojai Arts Exchange, November 7 at Felton Music Hall, and November 8 at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. In Felton and Berkeley, I’ll also play an opening set of my songs, with as much help from JF and drummer John Convertino as I can get. Can’t wait to say hi to some favorite people and rooms in CA!

PATREON - I usually forget to mention it, but I do have an ongoing conversation happening on Patreon, where every month I share a song in progress or a cover, or sometimes general musings on the creative process and life in the songwriter trenches. It’s a cozy, friendly, song-nerdy little corner of the internet and you’re welcome to join the hang for a few bucks a month (or more if you choose). Especially in a stretch like this when I’m not on stage much, it’s really nice to have an ongoing sidebar with listeners in the world outside my brain. Anyway, join us here anytime: https://www.patreon.com/krisdelmhorst

OK, pumpkin up everybody, risk your life to admire trees, make a solid voting plan for the midterms, and I’ll see some of you at a show soon - *kd

UPCOMING KD SHOWS

NOVEMBER 7‍ ‍Felton Music Hall, Felton CA, o/f Jeffrey Foucault TIX
NOVEMBER 8‍ ‍Freight and Salvage, Berkeley CA, o/f Jeffrey Foucault TIX

Playing as a member of The Suitcase Junket:
OCTOBER 15 & 16 Lizard Lounge, Cambridge MA
OCTOBER 17 Iron Horse, Northampton MA
OCTOBER 18 Mercury Lounge, NYC

Playing as a member of Jeffrey Foucault band:
NOVEMBER 5 McCabe’s, Santa Monica CA
NOVEMBER 6 Ojai Arts Exchange, Ojai CA
NOVEMBER 7 Felton Music Hall, Felton CA
NOVEMBER 8 Freight and Salvage, Berkeley CA