The photo above, shot in the dressing room by Daniel Wills, shows Todd reaching for his in-ear-monitors minutes before showtime this past Thursday night. His T-shirt says "Lights Out Ibiza!" Anyone figure out what the significance is? If you did, I salute you! It's as obscure and ethereal as the amazing artists who created it.

We're gone from the Upper Peninsula and our friends from Escanaba, Harris, and other parts of the country where fans drove in from to spend two intimate nights with us. But it will be burned into our memory forever. During last night's show JY reminded us all that I had lived in there for years, actually ALL of our "vinyl" years. With the exception of a few of our more recent songs, every song I sang was penned in Michigan during those years. So there is always a poignancy in performing the music where it was created, taking in the influences which helped to crystallize the ideas.

On the first night, we were at first wondering if our audience there had perhaps matured and was now content to remain in their comfortable seats all evening. This would not be an unreasonable thing to have happen. People grow up, and may not wish to get so closely involved, giving up that comfortable chair for the pushing and flailing of arms and all that. WRONG! By the end of the evening it was an assumption that was 180 degrees off. We got to see up close and personal that our fans had not lost their loving feelings nor their willingness to mix it up with others who were like minded. It was explosive in a way that took even us by surprise and we like to think we've seen it all.

Last night was a similar dynamic, but this time we were ready and took it all in like watching an incredible movie we like so much we have to watch it again as soon as possible, even knowing the ending, but this time enjoying every detail of the story as it goes along. We look forward to making the trip across the Mackinaw Bridge someday soon to do it again!

Now we're in Merrillville, Indiana, not far from Chicago and not far from where I used to live in Niles, Michigan. It's gonna be a whopper tonight, so maybe I'd better get off the computer and get to the gym. I've already had my Starbucks "Chantico," courtesy of a gift card from one of you (thanks again!), and I am sufficiently caffeinated now, so time to suit up and get going!

Thanks again Michigan,

TS