Nashville, Y'all!

A few months ago I submitted to play at a weekly singer/songwriter showcase in the Nashville area called Performing Writer. They were hosting a competition for a chance to open for Loretta Lynn. Essentially every week for 10 weeks they would, in addition to their regular weekly showcases, have three singer/songwriters perform a set, and those three acts would be voted on by secret judges and by audience members. Whoever won each week would then be submitted to Loretta Lynn's management for consideration to open. Well, the Performing Writer people really liked my music but ultimately decided that it wasn't quite the match for Loretta that they were looking for, so they declined to have me in the competition. But they did invite me to come down and play a regular showcase with them whenever I found myself in the area.

Then one day in March, I got an email from Cathy at Performing Writer telling me that one of the competitors had withdrawn and could I please come to Nashville to fill the spot in the lineup. The gig was about a week from when I got the email. Well, my first question was obviously, "I don't know. CAN I?" It seemed like such a great opportunity, but the logistics of it would be difficult to figure. But I put my faith in the universe and put my intentions out there and went straight to my amazing network of family and friends to see what I could do. Sure enough, I was able to make it happen. I got a plane ticket from some SkyMiles that my parents had saved. I found out that a dear old friend of mine from Mississippi was now living in the Nashville area, and I asked her if I could stay with her; thank goodness, she graciously agreed. But I still needed a guitarist to accompany me, and since I couldn't get any of my NY peeps down there, I had to go local. So get this: my ex-husband's best friend had a friend in Nashville who had a friend who could do it for me. And even better, this guy was also an accomplished uke player. Amazing, networking. I was all set! Goin' to Nashville, y'all!






I was in heaven from the second I got to the airport. I loved all the country kitsch that decorated the place, along with the welcome announcements from country superstars that are piped through the sound system regularly. I was welcomed by my dear friend Heather, who then drove me to her amazing home out in Murfreesboro.



It was so nice to take in all that gorgeous farmland and huge blue sky. I love living in New York City, but sometimes I forget how amazing it is out there where there aren't so many tall buildings obscuring the view of all that gorgeousness. It was so quiet and so perfect.

I relaxed with Heather and her beautiful sons that night, and then the next day I went straight to work...literally. I hung out with Heather in her office for the morning and sent out social media updates and contacted all the other acts that were also playing at Performing Writer that night. I made sure to pass along my information to all of Heather's super friendly co-workers so that they could either come to the show that night or at least stay tuned so they could see me next time I was in town. Then Michael Timme, the friend of a friend of a friend playing uke and guitar for me, came and picked me up, and we went to his place for late lunch and a rehearsal. Michael was a real pro and such a joy to work with. He picked up my tunes very quickly, and after a couple hours of jamming, we packed up our stuff and headed out to the venue.



The Fillin' Station was just perfect. What a lovely little neighborhood treat! It was on the outskirts of Nashville, not in downtown Nashville proper, but it was absolutely everything I hoped for and more. The people there were just wonderful. It was so lovely to finally meet Performing Writer host Cathy after so much correspondence, as well as her cohost David (who, PS, has the most amazing hair EVER). I did a brief interview with Cathy, and then Michael and I relaxed and enjoyed some down time at the bar and mingled with the other musicians.



First up was a showcase act for Kat Higgins. She was one of the regular weekly showcase folks, not part of the competition, and I was glad for it, because my GOODNESS, what a gifted singer/songwriter she is! Her tunes were so beautiful and her lyrics were so thoughtful and evocative. Keep your eye on this one, kids. She's amazing.



Then the competition portion began. The first act up was the delightful Jordyn Mallory, also a Mississippi girl. She was just a little slice of Nashville pop country heaven. She gave a really solid performance of three catchy confections. Always good to see another Mississipian shine!



Then there was Nation Of Wealth. These guys were just so much fun. They had actually reached out to me on Facebook before the gig, so we'd been bonding in the bar before the show. They're generally a much louder, harder rockin' band, but they toned down their fierceness for a lovely acoustic set that had me singing along by the end.



Photo courtesy of Performing Writer
Then it was my turn!! Michael and I were both really nervous, but with the exception of the "oops, forgot the capo" incident when we performed my single "Right Into You," we gave a really solid performance. It was just so much fun! Michael was great, and the audience was so enthusiastic. The Nation Of Wealth guys were dancing and waving their arms for me in the back. It was over before I even knew it, but I felt awesome before, during, and after.



Time to celebrate! Michael and Heather and I grabbed some dinner from the bar, including Fillin' Station bartender Patrick's very own barbecue, smoked in house. Oooohhh, melt-in-your mouth tender juicy goodness. How I love and miss southern food!! We sat back and enjoyed the other acts of the evening, the lovely Deeann Dominy and the soulful Jack Kapanka. Fantastic performances from both!

Ultimately my Okolona girl Jordyn won the Loretta Lynn competition for the week, but I wasn't surprised. She was just great. Congrats, girl! I'm sure we'll rock out again soon.

But even though I didn't win the competition, I felt like I won the trip. I made so many new friends and got reacquainted with old ones. I got to be back in the dirty South and taste all of its sweet air, beautiful colors, and delicious flavors. I bought kitschy gift shop treats and stocked up on plenty of stories to tell all my friends back home. I even had the treat of sitting next to the guitar tech for one of my idols, Grace Potter, on the plane ride home! A total win from start to finish.



So even though playing Nashville can officially be crossed off my bucket list, I can't wait to go back. Keep it warm for me, y'all. I'll be seeing you soon.

Window Shopping: On Tour

Angie Tour by soyeahso featuring chain jewelry

My summer tour of the Northeast is almost completely booked, and as the weather warms up, I can't help but think about what duds I want to live in on the road and on stage. It's an acoustic tour, and we're playing a lot of smaller bars and coffee shops, and will of course be spending a lot of time in the car. I just want everything to be breezy, soft and versatile. It's fun to sing in your panties, but sometimes a nice cotton tank top and a good pair of jeans (and some fierce accessories) will work, too.

Here are the dates so far. If I'm coming near you, let me know!

On the Road: Millennium Music Conference 2012

A couple of weeks ago, I was super fortunate to get the opportunity to play a showcase at the Millennium Music Conference. I haven't played outside of the five boroughs in over a year, so I was stoked to pack up the car and take the show on the road.

The day of the show (y'all), we were supposed to meet at my place in Harlem at 11. At about 11:15, the ringing of my door buzzer sent me flying down the stairs, no makeup on, two tote bags and a ukulele flopping everywhere.


Joe and Scar are ready to hit the road
Joe (Wallace, on the bass), Curtis (Becraft, on the rhythms) and Oscar Rodriguez (that's Scar to you, on the lead ax) were all waiting on the sidewalk with that happy, puffy, morning look about them. I was definitely sporting that look, too. A Tetris game of packing Curtis's sedan with all our gear and an obligatory stop at Dunkin' Donuts later, Angie Atkinson hit the road!


Listen, sometimes you just have to make it work.
We had a great drive to Harrisburg, PA. We watched the gorgeous pastoral Pennsylvania scenery go by while we listened to the soundboard audio from our last gig at Bar East (oh, hey, we have another one coming up March 7th!). We talked about music arrangements, shared fun gig anecdotes, and laughed about the dilemma of my horrid sinus infection and laryngitis. How was I going to sing through it? We all agreed that the best prescription would be lots of whiskey. Great minds...


Yes, I put on my makeup in the car. No, I was not driving.
We were all starving, so we stopped to eat just outside of Harrisburg. We found this amazing truck stop, complete with kitschy gifts and delicious-looking cakes and pies under glass domes at the lunch counter that ran the length of the front half of this little slice of American heaven. We all ordered standard diner fare -- pork chops, cheeseburgers, patty melts, gravy fries, milk shakes -- and relished every delicious bite. The secret ingredient in places like this is love, my friends. We thought about dessert but were far too stuffed to make it happen.


Not quite poutine, but it'll do.
Shortly thereafter we arrived at the conference. At their base camp at the Radisson, we were greeted by a friendly staff and a lobby full of tables advertising various musician-related vendors. There was everything from guitar picks to custom built cigar-box guitars to recording studios. There were two panels in progress, teaching about the various ins and outs of the music industry, as well as a free dental cleaning clinic set up for us starving artists who can't afford regular dental care.


Yay, badge!
We got our badges, sniffed around the conference for awhile and grabbed a drink at the bar. We shook some hands and met a few people, but we were getting antsy and decided to head to the venue.



The Double K Tavern was the most perfect place I had ever seen.

Buried deep in a woodsy, residential corner of Harrisburg, this wood-paneled haven has a huge circular bar right up front, with a nice big stage and a listening room beyond that. And of course, there were pool tables and jukeboxes blasting my favorite Kenny Rogers tunes in the back. We made friends with owners/proprietors/bartenders Jim and Karen. There was something about Karen that triggered my Mississippi upbringing, and I couldn't resist calling her "Miss Karen." They were frickin' GREAT.

After the band and I had some hot wings and chatted it up with some of the amazing locals in the bar, we soaked up the the fierce first act, Nikki Sue And The Bad News. I drank a beer, took that medicinal shot of whiskey, took a medicinal shot of hot sauce (you heard me...man, did that open up my sinuses) and Angie Atkinson took the stage.



We were definitely a little road-weary, and we were more than a little drunk, but we rocked the Double K down.



With an audience of everyone from chain-smoking grandmas to grizzly bikers, we knew we were playing to a tough crowd that had seen and done a lot of livin'. But I fell in love with them immediately, and I think they fell in love with us, too. I may live in the city and love it, but I grew up in the country, and I love it, too. These were MY people, the people that filled out the cast of characters of my youth and whose influence helped to shape me into the person I am today. These are people with nicknames like Tiny or Big Mike, people who may shout inappropriate things at you, but it's only because they love you so much they can't help it. These are people that you don't sing at or even sing to but sing with, because singing in front of them is like having a conversation.



We did a cover of Wild Horses, and a couple got up and danced. My heart almost exploded.

My poor rusty pipes were shot at the end of our fantastically fun set, but we stuck around and had a few more drinks with Jim, Miss Karen, Big Mike and the others. Drinks were bought for us. We watched and loved the following acts, including the fierce Koriander and the rockin' East Coast Turnaround. We made new friends and celebrated with old ones.


Joe, Me, Curtis and Aaron. It's okay, he's with the band.
A dear friend who lives in a neighboring town offered us his place as a crash pad, so after an exhausting but satisfying day, we made the hour-long trek to his house and promptly collapsed in his various rooms and on his various pieces of furniture.



Bright and early the next morning we dragged our bedraggled but happy tails out of my friend's house and back onto the road. We stopped a few miles out and ate at yet another heart-warmingly middle-American truck stop and enjoyed country fried steak, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and delicious pancakes. Full of food and feelin' fine, we piled back in the car, and Scar said, "Next stop: Annapolis!!" Oh, we wish. :)

I mean, maybe not this time, but....?

Lulu's Style Studio

So apparently there are perks to being a quirky musician who wears crazy clothes and sometimes blogs about those clothes...I mean, aside from the obvious perk of just being that kinda gal. I was lucky to attend a fabulous Lulus.com Fashion Week shindig on February 10th. I couldn't stay for too long because I had to rock out Bar East that night, but I had a great time during my short visit.

I was greeted at the door by an incredibly friendly staffer who immediately gave me a cute little canvas tote filled with goodies. Directly behind check-in was a table for Cravebox.com, who set me up with a free mini sample box of stuff, including some fabulous skin care products from Amore Pacific. Cravebox is great, 'cause if you sign up (for a very low monthly fee, $10/month), they will send you a box every month filled with deluxe-size samples of fabulous luxury health and beauty goods! And these samples are huge. Often samples are tiny little one-or-two-use dealies, but I'm not even halfway through that delicious Amore Pacific eye cream.

Hypnotiq Vodka was next in the queue of fabulous vendors, and they gave us all little goody bags full of brightly colored candies and mints as well as delicious free cocktails. And anyone who's been to one of my shows knows that I'm a sucker for a free drink.


Fancy shoes and lip tattoos.

I kind of had to breeze quickly through the room, but I picked up some fabulous treats from CorSilver, Mereadesso Woman (amazing lip balm!), Tenatura (via Etsy, also delish lip balm), Pop Beauty, NYX, and a variety of others. They even had a few racks of fantastic clothing pieces from which each guest got to select and take home a free piece! Unfortunately I had to leave before the giveaway, but in my canvas goodie bag was a variety of coupons for free or discounted products also sold through Lulus.com!


Spin the wheel for even more amazing prizes!

I had a fantastic time mixing and mingling with other fashion bloggers and sampling all the lovely pretty girl treats. You can check out the official recap here.


When I got home, I perused Lulu's to see if they had anything that would work for playing gigs. I consider what I wear to be an important part of the whole performance package. I think a lot of musicians are the same way. Even if they look like they just rolled out of bed and came to the show, there was usually some thought put into picking just the right t shirt. As I was window shopping, I put together some fantasy performance outfits with pieces from Lulu's and other online retailers.

Coffee Shop

The first is for a coffee shop gig. These shows are usually acoustic and very laid back. They also often happen on a weekend afternoon, so it's a much more casual atmosphere. I usually dress like I would if I were meeting someone at the coffee shop for a date. The dress and boots from Lulu's are a great mix of sweet and rugged, and I added some fun items from across the pond, including an Alexander McQueen leather jacket that costs about as much as my rent. But, these are fantasy outfits, so a girl can dream big, right?


Dive Bar

While I love doing a little acoustic jam at a coffee shop, I think my favorite places to play are dive bars. The drinks are cheap and I get to rock out with a full band, getting all sweaty and ferocious. Everything in this set is from Lulu's, except the t shirt, which I already own, and the jacket, which I really wish I owned. I'm also really craving those faux leather leggings.


Lounge or Club

Lounges and clubs give me a chance to go all out and add some real drama to my performance clothes. I'm very much drawn to the Victorian aesthetic, but also, as a girl raised on Madonna, I sometimes like to just perform in my underwear. This outfit features a bustier and sequin shorts from Lulu's. I consider sequin shorts to be a potential staple in my performance wardrobe, but haven't quite found the perfect pair yet. These look like they'd fit the bill. Again, another fantastically expensive Alexander McQueen jacket makes an appearance, alongside some equally unattainable Fluevog boots.

Overall, there were a lot of cute things at Lulu's that would work for my performance wardrobe and for every day wear. (I'll talk to you guys about the art of layering eventually.)

Hopefully Lulus will have another event in the fall...if so, I will definitely be there, and hopefully won't have to leave so quickly!