SOLD OUT SHOWS IN SOUTH AMERICA!!!

if my life was a newspaper, that would be the headline.
I am elated to say we sold out all 4 shows
in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay,
something the trio now refers to as "the perfect tour".

and boy am I surprised!
after all the work, the planning, the booking of flights
and hotels, the renting of gear, and the flood of emails,
in the end you never really know what to expect.
it could easily be a bust and you could come home flat.
I had no idea we would be met with so much passion!
I'm not so much "bragging" as I am relieved to know
my small "organization" (in this case martha, me,
julie, marco, john sinks, and two promoters*)
can produce such results and to know there is such
an audience for what is admittedly strange music.

the audiences were ecstatic, well-informed, and loud!!
in Santiago they began pounding the floor and cheering
madly before we ever stepped on stage and they never stopped.
I've rarely experienced such an outpouring of energy.
like some giant tsunami wave of love rolling over you.
one thousand people inside, another three hundred
outside who couldn't get tickets.
(don't worry, we'll be back!)

in Beunos Aires we played a beautiful new club Samsung Studio
with one of the best sounding stages we've ever had,
(no wonder ABPTv.3 just gets better and better with each show;
it's scary I tell you)
two nights in a row with rapt crowds, the perfect italian meal,
and a successful guitar clinic sandwiched in between.

in Montevideo Uruguay, a country I've never played before
the fans seemed to know every song in yet another
fabulous rock club sold out, 600 strong.

in fact, everywhere we went people treated us royally.
touring can be many things: arduous even dreadful,
but at best it can be something inexplicable, transcending.
in this case there are too many highlights to recount.

some personal moments I'll not forget:
meeting the very young fans who waited outside each night
(a surprising sign of hope for the future)
the reviews of the show which included this gem:
"adrian's guitar sounded at times like kittens
being tortured by pigs who had a bad childhood"
(I'll take that as a compliment)
leaving the beautiful hotel suites given to each of us
overlooking the Uruguay beachfront to take
a lovely 3-hour ferry ride from Uruguay back to Argentina
which included a much-needed puppy-like nap in the sun,
and the 3 a.m. late night hang-outs with the promoters
and friends in hip hideaway clubs where we toasted
and claimed this to be " the perfect end to the perfect tour".

it really doesn't get any better.

* a special thanks to Guillermo Italiano and Santiago Mocorrea.