Sanctus Real

Today I’m typing from a parking lot in Hoffman Estates, IL, a suburb of Chicago. We’re on the road with Leeland and The Afters, and I think I can speak for the entire band when I say we couldn’t ask for a better group of friends to be out with.

This morning several of us made plans to take a train into the city. In my heart of hearts, I envisioned spending the day wandering around Michigan Avenue with a fresh cup of Intelligentsia coffee in my hand, maybe stopping by a used music store and finding a treasure…an old Rickenbacker bass or Fender Antigua. Once the coffee was gone, I’d pop into Portillo’s for a hotdog. I’d take a stroll by the lake and wave at my family who lives on the other side. I’d see Wrigley Field, Soldier Stadium, Comiskey Park and the Sears Tower. Maybe I’d ride the Ferris wheel.

Then I snapped to and realized that old Comiskey Park was torn down when I was nine years old and the Sears Tower had a name change last year. Also none of these things are anywhere near each other. It’d take an entire weekend to get to them all, and at best I was only going to get 2 hours for wandering. Turns out I didn’t even get that. We got zero minutes wandering-time because going downtown involved 3 hours of train riding. We wouldn’t have been able to make it back for soundcheck. Alas, my windy city romance was shot down and killed. That’s alright though because it just means I’ll have to come back. I’ve always loved Chicago, and I love being here today. I love that it’s cool outside and the leaves have changed and are blowing across the road. I love that Vince Guaraldi is playing Charlie Brown music in my headphones right now.

Even though it’s the second week of the Hungry For Love Tour, it’s the first for me. I missed last week to be a groomsman in the wedding of the century (Congratulations Adam and Emily Geeseman!). The wedding was perfect. Vows were made. Vowels were used to make them. It was held in the beautiful town of Lititz, Pennsylvania. I caught up with old friends. I made some pretty great new ones. They served filet mignon at the reception. I may have even danced a tiny bit.

Anyhow, there’s still a lot of the tour left, and I’ll try to keep writing about the adventures. In the meantime, here’s some photos of Leeland and the Afters…

dan