The Riot + Valencia at Penn Tech!

Yesterday we were sandwiched between 2 indie rock bands. :) Not the typical show for this country girl! We were playing an event called WEBSTOCK for Penn College Tech. The Riot was the first band and they were a little more on the punk side. Their drummer actually goes to school at Penn Tech, which was awesome. They are the only band I have ever known to "open for themselves" :) They were the first band, and there ended up being time left over, so the school asked them to play again. Those poor guys, they were already completely packed up, but they didn't even hesitate for a second. They immediately just started unpacking and got right back up on stage. It was awesome. They were really good.

We played our show next and it was really fun. The event was originally supposed to be outside, but it rained and rained and RAINED that morning. We actually drove in from Waynesburg, PA, and I had both hands on the steering wheel, sitting straight up almost the entire 4 1/2 hours. It was just a downpour the whole way. But the gym ended up being a cool location for the event. They had a HUGE inflatable obstacle course next to the stage, lots of other games and booths, yummy popcorn (which I got in on) cotton candy... you name it. It felt like playing a mini state fair. :)

Danielle Barden, an incredible photographer, happened to be at our show in Mansfield a few weeks ago. And since this show was only 45 min away, she and her husband came to this one too! I have used a pic she took on myspace, facebook, and twitter since it showed up! She brought her camera again and took tons of great pics! I LOVE facebook because they were already uploaded by the time I got back after the show! View Danielle's website here.

Danielle and me!


Some cool shots:

And her husband, Jared, also posted some goodies online!!! He wrote a blog and posted some videos from the medley!!! :)
View his blog here: Jared's Blog

Jared made me feel like the coolest person on the planet yesterday. His favorite show is the "Office" which is one of my very favorite's, too. So he brought a script of "The Office" (It's the one with the "Dinner Party") and had us all sign it! How cool?!


YAY!!!


It was great to see Danielle and Jared. I feel like we have all become good friends through our correspondence the last few weeks :)

I had a lot of fun at the merch table, too. It's fun to have other bands and their tables right next door! It made for a LOT of activity the whole day!

Mark was a HUGE help and ran my merch table the times I couldn't be there!!!


I hadn't been "dipped" in a while :) He took me by surprise!


While I was talking to everyone and hanging out at my merch table, VALENCIA started their set. They were incredible. They have been on the Warp Tour and had a LOT of fans at this school. They put on a really great show.

James and I were drooling over their road cases. We have been talking out details of all the things we are changing gear-wise, and they had soooo much of what we are planning on doing. Having all your gear in road cases just makes everything so organized. It all fits together nicely and packs in a trailer well, and just makes everything look and feel more professional. (Even when it is all the same gear) I was pretty amused at myself, though. I never knew that I would get turned on by looking at gear. I feel like such a boy.

In the middle of Valencia's set, their lead singer decided to do a cool Springsteen cover with his acoustic guitar. He started talking about how cool it would be to have a fiddle on it. At first I thought he was joking, but he kept looking at me. So I dropped what I was doing, ran backstage, found my fiddle and jumped up with him about halfway through the song. It was so cool!!! We had a blast doing it. I'm still not sure what the song was! But I just followed along and played with him.


Both of the bands were so down to earth and fun to hang out with. I felt like such an indie rock girl. I bought a Valencia Hoodie (which is sooo snuggly, I LOVE it) and had a pin from The Riot on it already.


Me + Valencia :)


So yeah. Good day yesterday!!! Miguel found a mall not too far away - we had to go because the poor guy left his belt AND his boots at home. He said his pants kept falling down onstage.... and he looked so funny to me in tennis shoes. I don't know why... I just wasn't used to it. But once he got his stuff, we headed to Hoss's and ate dinner. We were all exhausted. But it's the good kind - the kind of exhaustion you feel after working really hard at something you love. I'm feeling that again right this very minute. Tomorrow, I'll you about today! And maybe even get caught up finally!!!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Fun Stuff to Wake Up To

I love this world of internetin' and blogging. Not only do I get to post my own thoughts and pictures about each show and adventure on the road, but I get to wake up every morning and see what others have posted. I wake up to new pictures, videos, comments, and messages every day. It is one of the most rewarding feelings! There have been all kinds of fun things posted lately, so I have to share with you some of my favorites...

An incredibly talented photographer named Danielle Barden and her husband Jared came to the Josh Gracin show in Mansfield. I am so thankful they did!!! She posted some incredible pics of the show the next day, and I have been using this one as my main photo on facebook and myspace the past week. :)



She also wrote a blog about the show which includes a lot more pictures here:

Danielle's Blog

If you are in the Mansfield PA area and need beautiful photos taken - you should call Danielle! Her portfolio is really impressive. Thank you for letting me use your awesome photos Danielle!!!
Barden Photography Website


And THEN I saw ANOTHER blog posted by a Barden. :) Her husband posted one because he uploaded some videos from the show. :)
It is such a cool thing to see the show from the audience perspective!! Here's the cool vids he posted:

This is a clip of Miguel and me playing a bit of Freebird :)



Oh you "Devil" you.


And this one is another that showed up that I thought was pretty cool. :) I think someone from the school posted this video.


We made it to New York tonight. I am heading out to Long Branch tomorrow to do a bit of writing with Gordon Brown... no... not the Prime Minister... but this Gordon is JUST as cool! He's one of my favorites to write with! So help me channel good songwritin vibes for tomorrow! :)

Peace, Love, Fiddle,
~natalie

Opening for Josh Gracin!!!

Our very first college show 2 years ago was in Elmira, New York, and it was an opening slot for Josh Gracin. After touring colleges and universities pretty solid ever since.... we were asked to open for him again. This time at Mansfield University in PA - only 45 miles south of Elmira. How crazy is that?!?

The show tonight? AMAZING. It flew by. The audience was packed. People were screaming uncontrollably. I felt like I was a headliner in my own little 30 minute opening slot. (which is SUCH a quick set for us!)
You want to know the craziest part? Not only did I FEEL like it was an incredible show... but I spent more time at the merch table than I ever have before. It was a solid line the whole time. How long? 2 hrs and 39 mins. WHAT!?!?!?! I could not believe how amazing these people were. I went to the table to start signing autographs and take pics after my set. I missed Josh's ENTIRE set... plus stayed until they were hauling sound equipment off the stage. But I promised to get to EVERYONE. And I did!!! It was SO FREAKIN AWESOME. I was overwhelmed by the enormity of the response to our set. People were so kind, when I was just happy for the opportunity.

And OH the food. The food was astounding. NOT ONLY did we have plums from Chile in our dressing room (which made one Chilean guitar player in my band very happy) but the salmon and the couscous. Perfection!!

We had LOTS of protection tonight :) (And good-looking protection I might add!)




I had an interview for tv and 2 newpapers before the show. :) Here's all the interviewers:




These girls asked me to sign their biology notes.


I must have looked at them a little funny because THEN they explained. They told me that they came to the show instead of studying for their exam.... I hope they do well on their exam because if they don't I would feel HORRIBLE. (I couldn't even pronounce the study points next to where I signed)


I signed a bunch of normal stuff tonight - you know - hats, t-shirts, ticket stubs. But this was the first time I ever signed cowgirl boots!!! And BOTH girls had me sign their boots. Adorable.


These ladies were at the Elmira show, too!!! We were all really excited about that.


SO I could go on and on and on with stories of everyone I met at the merch table. But I need to sleep in a bad way, so I am gonna move on to the after party. Everyone was going to a bar down the road called Changos. I was exhausted but I really wanted to hang out. Plus, I felt horrible - I never got to even see Josh or thank him for having us as an opener. Well... Josh and his guys were all going, too. And Josh had told Miguel the same thing - he felt bad that we didn't get to talk.

So we headed to Changos


When we walked in, 2 guys were singing and playing acoustic guitars ("Don't Stop Believing" I might add). As we walked into the bar - they announced "Natalie Stovall has entered the bar" and Oh MY, Y'all. The whole place started cheering! Talk about making a girl feel good!!! And then the first girl I saw was ALREADY wearing the Peace, Love, Fiddle tee she had JUST bought!!!


A few minutes later Josh walked in. And we FINALLY got to talk!!!! I think he's my new BFF. :) (Don't worry Farm Boy... no one will ever be my FFBF but you.... there's a BIG difference) He is really a great guy. He puts on a heck of a show and he was so great to talk to. We bonded over the industry and the business and just making things work. He was incredibly sweet about my band. So yeah. I love Josh Gracin. We all do. Actually, Miguel and James are downstairs in the lobby with Josh and his band right now... they weren't ready for the party to stop!!!


We had a rough time leaving. But I knew I needed to go.... we have another 7 hour drive to Boston tomorrow and it's another big day. I'm singing the anthem for the Celtics. And even though it is only one song - it is one HARD song to sing. My voice is pretty swollen just from all the non-stop talking, interviewing, and show-puttin tonight. (I WOULDN"T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY!) But I knew I needed to go. It's almost 4am right now... normal... but sucks when you have to get up at 7.... AGAIN.

We all tried to leave about 17 times. This was what happened when I was trying to leave.


Since that didn't work so well... James had to take matters into his own hands.



Good times. Although.... I am still not sure how Josh beat us back to the hotel. He was still inside when we left??? But he was inside the hotel when we got here. Hmmmm... He's magic.

This was even more than I hoped it would be. I had an overwhelming amount of friend requests on facebook when I opened up my laptop. What a great feeling. We're moving on up, ya'll. And it is all thanks to YOU. So THANK YOU for letting me get to do what I do. I will forever be grateful. And I will always stay until the last autograph is signed.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Last Night in Nashville for 6 Weeks!

I had SUCH a long list of things I needed to do this week while I was at home.

I got the most important ones going.... you know... writing music!!! :) I am walking away with 3 songs finished and many more in the works. But ALL the other little things... :) they took a little back seat...

It's ok though!! I mean, really?? This week: Thursday I am opening for Josh Gracin in Mansfield PA. :) Friday I am singing for the Boston Celtics at a home game, and Sat I am playing at Cafe 939 in Boston - basically at Berklee. :) What a fun way to get this last leg of the tour rolling!!!!

Before I get back to doing laundry, packing, and realizing all the things I meant to do this week that never got done.... I have to give a shout-out to my good friend Mr. Charlie Hutto. We wrote yesterday and I finally got to catch up on all of his good news!!!

Just to remind everyone how I know Charlie: we met at Berklee, played a bunch together at school, and then when he moved to Nashville - he was in the band for a long time until we started going on the road full time.

Along with being an incredible songwriter, upcoming producer (he just produced another good friend, Jenn Bostic's record), and fantastic guitar player....
He is the Band leader and the "Riley" part of Williams Riley Band. :)
The Williams Riley Band just added their new single "I'm Still Me" to radio this week. And the video was added to CMT today!!!

Williams Riley Band   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

They added the song on the same week as Keith Urban and Brad Paisley's new singles were added... that makes it even MORE difficult to get airplay as a new artist. But we can all help by requesting and spreading the word!!! :)

I'm just very happy for Charlie. They are having a blast on their radio tour right now - and we're gonna be zig-zagging along each other's paths up in the Northeast this week. :)

Hope to see y'all out on the road! We're driving to Rhode Island tomorrow. Well... getting a head start at least.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie