Kobe Show at Polo Dog (6/21)

Katie and I making music (not like that!)















Last Saturday Mike, Katie, a friend from the UGA who also teaches over here, Sean Pavone, and I played a show at a place called the Polo Dog in Kobe near Sannomiya station. The place was a little small, but had a great atmosphere and fun group of people. Between 9-11 it was jammed, people bumping into the mics, practically stepping on our pedals, but it was great, nothing to complain about at all. I rather like feeling the crowd so close to my hands, it feels as if my hands are beckoning and pulling them closer with every strum. It's nice to play in such an intimate setting where people seem to really pay attention and care about the effort you're making. I'm looking forward to playing again there sometime in the near future.

The Sean Pavone

Me, Laura, Chris, and Hiro (I believe)













I also got to catch up with a few friends I met at a Japanese language research conference in Tokyo a few months ago, Laura and Chris. All in all, it was a really great time. Unfortunately it was probably Sean's last show, he's heading back home at the end of July. Maybe we can have a reunion sometime in Athens...? Check out Sean on MySpace; he has a new song I really like called Rewind.

Mike & I in the groove













Just for fun, here's the set list from Saturday's show:

-Let's Be Monkeys (original w/Mike ***can be heard at www.myspace.com/salemwillard)
-Alexander's Homecoming (original)
-Buddha (original)
-Space Oddity (David Bowie)
-Beautiful Wreck (Shawn Mullins w/Katie)
-Anabelle (Gillian Welch w/Katie)
-(Dance! Dance!) Happenstance (original)
-Dustbowl (original)
-Rosa Parks (original lyrics w/Katie, Mike)
-Nothing Better (Postal Service w/Mike)
-In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel w/Mike, Katie)
-Merry-go-round (original w/Mike)
-Everlong (Foo Fighters w/Mike)
-With or Without You (w/Katie, Mike)

Kaite and I making a "Beautiful Wreck"

Mike and I again with Chris (our biggest fan!)













One last bit of news, I recently started up my own MySpace account, so now anyone can easily check out the songs I've been recording (with producer/contributer Mike Bass). So far we've laid down 4 fairly good tracks at Mike's apartment, but I have many more in the works, so please stop by periodically.