Levi The Poet and co. bring cheer to Avenue Coffee with "Your Friendly Christmas Tour"

https://www.facebook.com/events/1659917140930154/

This year, the moment Memphis knew it was Christmas was undoubtedly when touring spoken word artist Levi The Poet sat down in Avenue Coffee, took a deep breath, and recited the following phrase:

“Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot

But the Grinch who lived just North of Whoville did not!”  

Yes, not only did Albuquerque, New Mexio’s Levi Macallister recite How the Grinch Stole Christmas and even The Night Before Christmas specifically to end his collection of inclusive introspective poetry, but Listener’s Dan Smith and Red Sweater Lullaby’s Kristopher Rochelle played solo acoustic sets and told stories.

“We love Christmas,” Levi said. “Me and Kris did a tour like this last year, but only in Texas. This time around we wanted to do it in the whole midwest and take our friend Dan out with us who also loves Christmas- hang out with people in their houses.”    
30-year-old tour-mate Kristopher Rochelle confirmed Levi’s claim that those on the “Your friendly Christmas tour” do in fact love this time of year.

“I love Christmas, and Levi’s wife Brandy loves Christmas,” Rochelle said. Last year I called her up and I had this idea and I told it to her and she was so down.”

Rochelle explained his takeaway from last year’s tour.

“We really learned that it was more about everybody just getting together and giving people an excuse to make a memory around the holidays,” Rochelle said.

During the performance on December 18th The Red Sweater frontman delivered a set of soothing breakup songs, and like his Listener-bandmate Dan Smith, answered questions from the Avenue crowd about his mustache.

“It seems like ‘good will towards men’ is a little more abounding around this time of year for whatever reason, and I really don’t care about the reason,” Rochelle said. “I’m more just into the idea that people are being a little more kind to one another. We want celebrate and encourage that in humanity. A tour seemed the right way that we could do it as musicians.”

This tour was arguably the largest collection of big-name performers Memphis’ Avenue Coffee has hosted in it’s existence thus far. Dan Smith of Listener shared that one man is, of course, responsible.

“Our buddy Jaron, he’s thrown some shows for us at The Abbey,” Smith said. “But this is actually the second time I’ve stepped foot into this coffee shop. Last time we played a show in Memphis- we played and then Jaron invited us the next day just to have a coffee and relax before we made a drive somewhere. That was nice to do.”  

Jaron Weidner, well-known owner of Avenue Coffee and Memphis show promoter explained how simple it was to get Levi The Poet and the “Your Friendly Chrismas Tour” to come through.

“I had worked with Dan smith before,” Weidner said. “I’ve booked him several times. Somebody told me that Dan Smith was touring with Levi the poet for Christmas and that they were looking for shows so I pulled out my trusty cell phone and sent Dan a text.”

Dan Smith performed an extremely entertaining set of soft songs and spoken word poetry- (yes, taking questions from the audience about his mustache) and thanking any Dungeon and Dragons fans for getting out of their basements for the evening.

“We’ve played in houses, we’ve played in a cabin out in the woods, and big venues we’ve played in one other coffee shop,” Smith said. “It’s pretty fun just to go out and just kinda do something different than a usual tour. Having a theme is always nice and Christmas is generally a warm time- a family time.”

Smith shared how his fellow tourmates brainstormed the format of the tour and made sure to mention the free EP they put together as a free gift to attendees.

“Kris came up with some ideas about singing Christmas carols and reading Christmas stories,” Smith said. “I just wanted to NOT do just the usual ‘hey-it’s-sort of-a-Christmas-thing-but-it’s-just-because-it’s-in-December-and-we’re-touring-here’s-a-show-thing."

“We wanted it to really be like a Christmas party- like have people do a pot-luck dinner or a white elephant gift exchange and just have a nice general cheer in the vein of just any Christmas party you might go to,” Smith said.

Levi The Poet, himself, shared how Avenue Coffee turned out to be the perfect venue for this unique “Christmas party”.

“It’s perfect for tonight cause it’s not loud. Everybody was able to be quiet and enjoy it and that’s what we wanted for the tour y’know,” Levi said.

“We just wanted it to be chill and something that people can really like enjoy and appreciate without a whole lot of other distractions. A venue show is an entirely different thing and equally fine- but we just wanted smaller scale, more intimate settings for this tour in particular, and this was that.”

Of course, Levi tried some of Avenue’s good brew.

“I bought a cup when I came in, It was great,” Levi said. “I got a mocha- which I never, ever get. I literally only ever drink black coffee so it was a treat and I loved it. I splurged man, it was awesome.”

The poet was especially appreciative of the turnout at the December 18th stop of the "Your Friendly Christmas Tour" hosted by Avenue Coffee.

“It’s kinda mind blowing how many people come out to shows in Memphis,” Levi said. “I’m always thankful for that ‘cause I don’t feel like I’ve been here enough to really cultivate a huge following or anything. People always show up and I appreciate that a lot.”

Judging from the crowd participation during the finale of the show (singing Christmas Carols) Memphis and Avenue appreciated the tour as well.

and now...Indiecore Memphis’ million-dollar-question for the “Your Friendly Christmas Tour”

What do you want for Christmas?

Kristopher Rochelle: I’m trying to go home for Christmas. I’ve been on the road since October 16th and I go home on December 21st and see my dog.

Levi the Poet: I emailed my wife brandy last night and I was just like ‘dude I just wanna come and hang out and drink hot chocolate and have a cool conversation.’ So that might be super cheeseball but that’s what I want.

Jaron Weidner: That’s always a tough question for me. Y’know I always get some sort of pack of socks or things like that. I always am grateful for the practical gifts. My parents don’t live here but they sent me a package of some toothpaste and stuff like that. It’s very useful.

Julien Baker talks solo success, Forrister, Jesus, and MC Hammer

 

Sprained Ankle is the 9-track release that has Memphis songwriter Julien Baker gaining serious musical momentum on a national level. The Middle Tennessee State University English student not only graced the front page of The Memphis Flyer in Oct. but landed a feature in The New York Times for her collection of soft songs. Fresh from being whisked away to California to open up for a popular band she has listened to since middle school, Baker agreed to a Q & A interview with us at Indiecore Memphis. After all, the Forrister-Frontwoman knows how to handle the press by now.     

IM: How does it feel to be featured in The New York Times and the cover of The Memphis Flyer?

JB: It’s surreal. It’s a lot to handle. It’s way more than I would have ever expected response-wise. I’m just trying to keep a cool head about it you know?

IM: The Oct. 29 Sprained Ankle release show at Amurica (410 North Cleveland) was fantastic by the way. What did the room look like from your perspective?

JB: It didn’t feel like a show so much as just like a party or a celebration of this thing that I couldn’t have made without every single person in that room. I had a memory about every single person whose face I was looking at in the front row like ‘Man, you and I used to get Taco Bell really late at night and talk about life.’ Every single person in that room was instrumental to me being the person that I am today. Without those people I wouldn’t be one iota of anything and like, here I am with all of them as my support and with my bandmates and friends and fellow musicians. It just feels so good to be supported by such a cohesive Memphis family.  

I got choked up. I had to look down because lookin’ at everybody’s face was just like being at a big family reunion. I was about to cry.

IM: You mentioned that everyone in there had “expressed gratitude” toward you in some way. Anyone you’d like to give a shoutout in particular?

JB: Well my bandmates in Forrister. I wouldn’t have had any of these chances if it weren’t for them. I started playin’ music with Matthew Gilliam and Creech and Austin a long time ago and they’ve also been so gracious. I was afraid that it would be weird. 

 
They all have been so supportive. And Brian Vernon who runs Smith 7. The whole Smith 7 community has seen me through a lot of really tough things just by being there and being a strong, musical community. It’s a safe place to come and express yourself where they give opportunities to bands no matter what. You always get a chance. People there really wanna support you. There will be three people in a room screaming words along and that’s how it was for so long. Before New York Times gave a crap about my record, all of the people at the 7 house cared about The Star Killers and that’s what’s important. So I just want to thank Brian for making that community.

IM: One of my favorite moments at your show was when (opening act) Ryan Azada said “We’re all just happy we knew about you first.” What was your response to that?

JB: Oh yeah, he’s a joker. That’s why The Memphis Flyer almost meant more to me. I mean it’s insane- NPR and New York Times and stuff like that, but what meant so much are the people who didn’t find out about Sprained Ankle because it was on “new releases” on Spotify. 

There are people there that have seen me play to two people in living rooms with no one in it, or a coffee shop with no one there. There were people like Jenna Dolan, who has come to Star Killers shows where literally she was the only person in the crowd. They cared because they cared about me as a friend because they cared about us as a friend group, so it feels really good that nothing has changed. When Ryan Azada went on tour it was me and him sleepin’ on floors and I was eating gas station food and I know that it’s the same. Nothing has changed and it’s so comfortable to have that to return to, ultimately.

IM: At the release show you also mentioned some show promoters who helped you back when you “weren’t very good at your instrument.” Any war stories?

JB: Oh my gosh. Yeah I mean Jaron Weidner, he booked for the Abbey, and he works at Avenue coffee (which is the best coffee in Memphis don’t let anybody tell you different. I’m a coffee snob.) He booked me. Ryan Azada too. He’s the one that booked us with Run Forever four times in a row and gave us a chance. Jaron gave us a chance. Ryan gave us a chance. They kept booking us when I had a stupid mohawk and we played these weird alt-country songs and I would just do these obnoxious solos and it wasn’t tight necessarily, but it was a bunch of teenagers playin’ music together. 

We were passionate about it. Brian booked us at the 7 house all the time. Without those people giving us a space to grow and play and participate in music, we would have never gotten anywhere. I’m just so glad that they listened and gave us a shot.

IM: Fast-Forwarding to now, last weekend Touché Amoré specifically asked to fly you out to California to open for them. What was that experience like?

JB: Suuuurreal. It was crazy. It was crazy for a lot of reasons, one of them being that Clayton, their guitarist, picked me up at the airport and I spent the night at Jeremy Bolm’s house. It was so difficult not just being like “wow.” When Forrister played some shows with The ‘68, and got to know Josh Scogin, it was the same thing. People like Josh Scogin from The Chariot and Jeremy Bolm and Touché Amoré - you see them as people and just have conversations with them thinking, ‘I used to stay up until like 2 in the morning listening to your records on repeat when I was in middle school and early high school.’ That is what got me through life is those records. That was all I had. 

 Jeremy Bolm- I went to his house and we just hung out there and passed out candy on Halloween and I was like ‘Is this really friggin’ happening?’ Then we talked about music and being a performer and planning for the future and creating and stuff about art and we got donuts. I was just like ‘This is surreal to be able to have this interaction with someone that I look up to so much.’

Then the show. It was at Chain Reaction and it was like almost 400 kids because it was like almost sold out and it’s a 400 cap venue. I remember it was so quiet during my set and I was so scared I was bumming everyone out. Then I was standing at the merch table and these like buff, orange county hardcore dudes in snapbacks came up to me and they were like ‘Hey, tight set.’ I was like ‘Oh I thought I alienated everyone and it was horrible,’ and they were like ‘No, honesty transcends genres.’ That right there is like the reason why I make music. That’s so beautiful.

Then of course Touché played and they played this really long set. They played a whole bunch of old songs and I crowd surfed up to the front and was screaming the words. I’ve done that at two previous Touché  shows when Jeremy Bolm had no idea who I was, so like it just felt natural and good to be in that environment and share that moment with all those people in the crowd who were strangers but also not strangers. I don’t know, that sounds cheesy but it was a dream come true. The show ended, I got a plane at midnight and flew home. I landed at 6am and drove to class so I was really tired.  

https://thestarkillerstn.bandcamp.com/album/american-blues

                                             
IM: I’ve always loved Forrister/The Star Killers. How supportive has your band been about your recent solo success?

JB: I imagined it tearing this huge rift in our friendship and for a while during the summer when the press started to pick up I was unable to enjoy being on NPR because in the back of my mind I was like ‘I worked so hard and wanted this to be for Forrister. Why is it only me?’ So I was carrying around this guilt.

Austin lived up here in Murfreesboro for a little while and we lived together. We had a couple of really candid conversations.

I underestimated their grace, and I underestimated their love as people. I think of those dudes as my brothers and family because when I was going through inner mental and emotional turmoil on tour and I wouldn’t talk to them and I wouldn’t think they would understand, they surprised me every time. 
I had this moment where interviews were coming- people caring about Sprained Ankle. I called Matt and I was crying and I was like ‘this isn’t what I thought it would be like’ and he was just like ‘Julien. We can never hate you. We only want the best for you.’ I was just so humbled. Say I get sold up to a bigger label and they want to do another Julien Baker record and they want it to be full band, well there’s my full band. I don’t have it in me to be like ‘bye, forget you guys.’ Y’know? Also I’m extremely aware of the fact that it could all disappear tomorrow and it could be like MC Hammer and I could have to get a job at Burger King because I flopped. 
So what’s important to me is that I know that those guys- they have been there on the days when we were microwaving ramen in gas station microwaves and they’ll be there if we’re eating lobster every night and it doesn’t matter. They’re the best people I know.

IM: Friends of mine have always picked up on the religious themes in your lyrics. At the Sprained Ankle release show you mentioned briefly how sometimes you get angry at God, but that then you remember he doesn’t get angry at us. How important and therapeutic is it for you to explore that theme in your songwriting?

JB: I don’t want to say religion is important in my life but God is huge. Is everything. I write a lot about God and I think I want to be honest enough to confront doubt. Sometimes a common mistake - people will do interviews with me and say like ‘so you have some issues with your faith or you're struggling’ and it’s not necessarily that I’m struggling. 
When I was younger I doubted the existence of God in an angry way but I have a relationship with God that is secure. I think that questioning those things or working through them or openly saying I’m confused. I’m hurt. I’m scared. I don’t understand - I think that's more honest and does more to improve your relationship with God or your spirituality or whatever you wanna say. I do that a lot through songwriting. That’s what “Rejoice” is about. It’s like, I get angry at God and say I don’t understand, ‘Why is this happening?’ but that doesn't mean he’s not there and that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love us. Ultimately that’s all that I think it is like. He’s still there. Still loving you. Still holding you together through whatever your enduring, whether you see it or not. Whether it’s apparent or not.

I tend to get up on a soapbox about God really quick, but it’s just because it’s important that people don’t think I’m just either A.) saying’ like ‘oh there’s no God’ or ‘God is mean’ or ‘God is evil’ or, worse that I’m just like some bible thumper who's like ‘well you're goin to hell.’ 

That’s the reason why I write these songs is so people know that that’s not true. That’s not who God is.

Speaking about religion and fate and God is a taboo and I wish it weren’t. I have a special place in my heart for Hill Song and David Crowder but that’s not the kind of music I write. I think it helps to have those candid conversations to start open dialogues with people who otherwise would reject the idea of God or Christianity, because it’s not asserting fact, it’s opening a question.

Photo by Jake Cunningham

                                              
IM: What’s next for Julien Baker? How much longer do you have in school and do you plan to pursue music full-time once you graduate?

JB: Next semester I am registering for online courses and I’m going to still remain technically enrolled in school, but I’m pulling back on my workload because right now four upper division English classes plus flying to New York and LA on the weekends is not doable. And having a job. I can’t. So I’m going to be doing online courses and I will be touring full-time. 


We’re working out a tour for January and I think another run for February and then if I’m not touring again for South By South West I will be doing direct support. Just getting all that figured out. So I’ll be on the road quite a bit.

That’s why i got a tattoo of something Ryan Azada used to say to me all the time. Just cause I know I’m going to be gone like 80% of next year and I wanted to remember Memphis and my friends and my home and so I was like I have to get something that I could never lose in an airport.

It’s scary but exciting at the same time.

It’s Matthew Gilliam, my drummer’s handwriting and it just says “Out into the ether” because that’s what Ryan Azada used to say. It’s like a joke between us, and I started saying it. It’s like you're just going out into the unknown. You have no idea where you're going. Having it on me in this way reminds me that I’ll have Ryan and Matt and Creech and those people as anchors no matter where I’ll go.

Sprained Ankle is available on Itunes, Bandcamp, and Spotify

Listen here.

Also this. (Started from the bottom.)

Sleepwlkrs release "Wake Up" [Indiecore Memphis Exclusive]

“If I don’t wake up tomorrow,

I’ll pay back all the time I borrowed”

...sings vocalist Troy Waterman on Sleepwlkrs’ brand new single “Wake Up.”

Not only did “the good people” over at Sleepwlkrs grant “the good people” here at Indiecore Memphis the opportunity to exclusively release this new track, frontman Troy took time out of his busy schedule between sleeping and wlking to breakdown the lyrical relevance of the chorus above.    

“We’re all in the same situation,” Waterman said. “And some day we won’t wake up.”

According to Waterman when the anthemic “Wake Up” was first brought up at rehearsal it’s lyrics reflected “going through the cycle of life,” but upon further review the band decided to focus on the idea of dissociation- “being very separated from everything around you as you grow older and you learn about the world around you.”

“I’ve talked to a lot of people who have these same kind of problems and I thought that it was something that needed to be out there,” Waterman said.  “It’s kinda like this juxtaposition between the fact that someday there’s gonna be a point where we will never wake up again, but at the same time all we want is to wake up to the world around us. It’s a contrast between the two uses of the term.”  

The young woman’s voice cutting in and out of the recording is meant to reflect those contrasts.

“It’s supposed to be kind of like a girl either talking to a therapist or confiding in a friend about her problems with dissociation,” Waterman said. “At the very end of the song as everything is fading out you can hear her say in the background ‘I just wanna wake up.”

Some might say Sleepwlkrs’ new single was released at a very pertinent time. The ethos behind the track might even beg the listener to consider recent world events. “Waking up” in a world consumed with the threat of terrorism is difficult according to Waterman, especially when “you can’t unlearn what you know now.”

“It’s hard to just forget about those things and go live your life,” Waterman said. “If you let it, it’ll just eat away at you and it will create this fear-based way of looking at the world.”  

Memphis musician Troy Waterman continued.   

“It just drains you of love that you can experience in your life,” Waterman said. “What it takes to really wake up to what’s around you ...is completely letting go.”

Letting go of one’s fears is the key to finding that first grain of positivity, according to Sleepwlkr Troy.

“Everybody does it in their own way or tries to,” Waterman said. “Some people just become cynical and never end up seeing the world for what it is and how beautiful it is.”

But in a beautiful world, beautiful plans are made. The boys in Sleepwlkrs are inviting Memphis to “wake up” December at Yung Spotty for -drum roll please- a Weezer tribute show.   

“We’ve never been a cover band,” Waterman said. “We’ve never been interested in being seen as a cover band, but we thought this’d be really fun so we should do that once and advertise it like a cover show.”

The band’s entire set will consist of nothing but classic Weezer tunes.

“I know basically the songs that everybody knows from Weezer plus all the songs from Maledroit, but I don’t know a lot else,” Waterman said. “Blue album and Maledroit basically is what I know, but I’m still super pumped for it.”

We, the good people at Indiecore Memphis, are also pumped for the future of Sleepwlkrs.

https://www.facebook.com/sleepwlkrstn/timeline