Afton Wolfe signifies the modern-day decency that a transporter of music should identify himself. Performing is his mission, despite the hard work and financial risks he takes upon himself. Wolfe has established himself as a vital singer/songwriter in the East Nashville scene where his charismatic presence and can-do attitude has enabled him to persevere and succeed in the most true to calling of forms.
Last November Wolfe released Harvest, a blend of well-crafted, articulate, melodic, and outright weird songs delivered in Wolfe’s inimitable gruff but infectious style. Each song has a different instrumental configuration and is produced by Doc Sarlo (Altered Statesman, Adam Trumbo, Jim Skinner Blues Trio) who plays on five of the tracks. This past March, Wolfe embarked on a tour from Nashville, east to Greensboro, and on up to New England and was kind enough to share with Glide the exclusive details of his journeys on the road.
It started wonderfully and ended too soon.
We = myself (guitar, vocals and piano), Seth Fox (flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar, vocals and percussion) and Luca Chiappara (upright bass).
Preliminarily, let me just say that I’m not famous and I’m not rich. I do this. All of it. I pay to do this. I pay musicians to play the songs with me. I pay for the travel – rental van and hotels when needed and gasoline. And I pay to record, print, distribute, and publicize the music. I buy the shirts, the stickers, the posters, the cords, the instruments and picks. I do this because I love to and because I need to. It’s not just my narcissism and love of attention and need for validation. Though I have no desire to be “famous,” I have all of those other things, and I try to keep them in check to be a decent person. But I know they’re there, and I think they’re present in me because those things add the little extra necessary fuel to what I consider a sacred obligation to spread music, love, and joy. I am an eternal, a minstrel, a shaman, and what I do, I do for the Universe or God or Tao or whatever you want to label the force and energy of existence and striving. And since we’re all the same, I do it for You.
I don’t need or deserve pity or sympathy; I can make a different choice. I can deny my nature and my heart, and I could devote myself to making money and living the life that many of my family and friends would approve of more. I’m qualified to do many high-paying jobs. I just want to help you understand what goes into the making and sharing of music. It’s hard, but it never seems like work. It always feels like I’m where I am supposed to be when I’m connecting with my friends/employees on stage and/or with the audience, be they 3 people or 300. I’m by no means alone. There are many who have this ancient and sacred duty, and we do this because we are flawed humans with an incommunicable need to spread the music for the healing and flourishing of the consciousness, whether we understand it or not. But we do it for You, and we hope You notice and appreciate and join our efforts.
That said, here’s how the run went:
Tuesday, March 12 – We played at The 5 Spot in East Nashville as part of Chris Frasco’s new Tuesday night hang he’s calling Tight 5 Tuesday. His badass band played, as well as David Cathro, who closed the show out, and Courtney Santana, my friend from Austin who was in town doing some recording. It was a great hometown show and a wonderful way to kick off a small run up the East Coast. I hung out a little too long after, but the drive the next day wasn’t too bad.
Wednesday, March 13 – Finish packing up, and go to the Nashville International Airport to pick up the van, which took forever. I was convinced there was going to be a snafu, judging by all the negative energy in the air and the demonstrable disorganization and incompetence behind the Dollar Rent-a-Car desk, on display for the whole of the line in which I spent 45 minutes waiting. But, everything went smoothly, and I picked up our 2023 Toyota Sienna full-size van. Then we meet at Seth’s house to load the van. We got a luggage cover/carrier thing that strapped on to the top of the van, to give room for the gear and humans inside the van. Gotta say, it was pretty clutch.
We drive to Chattanooga, getting to know Luca a little on the way. I just met him in person for the first time on Monday, before the 5 Spot hit. Very cool and thoughtful, a sweet young Italian man with a thirst for knowledge of American Music and culture. He’s also a smartass and doesn’t take himself too seriously, so we were bound to get along great. Seth is one of my best friends, and I’ve known him well for four years now, so I let him nap.
In Chattanooga, We played at The Cherry Street Tavern, which is an excellent bar in downtown. The way it was set up and the vibe reminded me so much of a Frenchman Street bar/venue in New Orleans. Not any specific one, but just generally. The staff was great, and we played a pretty solid supporting set for it being our second time playing together. I am grateful for that, because We were supporting Amy LaVere and Will Sexton, and they were incredible. Amy’s bass playing is appropriately understated, but her delivery on vocals and lyrics and just all-around presentation were absolutely stunning. She’s a mesmerizing performer. And Will Sexton may be the most tasteful and skilled guitarist I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing live. To boot, they were both sweethearts to hang out with.
Had to get a hotel last minute (luckily that’s not too bad on a Wednesday when you’re a Silver member of Marriott rewards) because the original person that had offered to put us up for the night had since forgotten the date and was out of town. They apologized profusely, and I hold no grudges. I have to stay on top of those things better. But you know, you don’t want to pester someone who’s already agreed to do you a huge favor. I’ll learn the balance one day.
Thursday, March 14th – The next set was in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was at Steelhands Brewing Co. there. There’s not much to say here. It’s a wonderful brewery with a great big bar and really good pizza. But it was a three-hour hit, and most of the time for those types, people aren’t really paying much attention to the music. You’re just kind of audible wallpaper. That’s fine; I’m not salty about it. It’s just the way it is, but it’s not the same as playing to an audience that’s tuned in and participating. On this particular night, the brewery was hosting an office party of Impact Property Solutions that was going on in the massive part of the brewpub that we were set up in. Luckily for us both, the place was so big that we barely noticed each other. In the other large room, an important basketball game entertained another large crowd.
I have some family in Greensboro – my aunt and uncle from my mother’s side (her sister) and their daughter and her husband. My aunt and cousin and her husband came. That was our crowd. But it was special, because I don’t get to see them often, and it also happened to be my Grandmother’s birthday, and she passed while living with that aunt last year. So it was the first time any of us had spent Grandma’s birthday without her. We shared a tear and many hugs. Unfortunately, because my uncle had to work at 5am the next day, I had to lean on those Marriott points again.
Friday, March 15 – The next place on the schedule was Washington, D.C. at the Lucky Penny House Concert series. This is Paul Eckert’s home in D.C. where he hosts regular concerts and invites friends over to listen and donate and hang out with the artists. This is what I love most – quiet attentive crowds right there with you. The energy becomes so concentrated that you’re swimming in it in some songs. Paul’s an angel truly doing the Lord’s work, and we had a great time. Sold some merch, made some friends, and saved those Marriott points by staying at the venue.
Saturday, March 16 – This was a repeat from last year’s tour. Our show that night was at Edith May’s Paradise in Jessup, Maryland. Edith May’s is a house concert series that is put on by Georgie Jessup. Learn about her, and if you’re ever in the Baltimore area, try to go see a show there. Describing it is more futile than photographs, which are insufficient to capture the wonder and delight of this space.
You see, Georgie’s father owned a toy wholesale warehouse as well as a store. When it closed, the toys were antiques, and they sold them off for enough for Georgie to retire early (which she was forced to do basically, because she transitioned in the 90s, when things were somehow even worse for transgender people living their truth). Now, she makes her Music, does some little things here and there, and she hosts a house concert in her basement, which houses all the toys that weren’t sold off (and there’s still PLENTY to use as décor).
Georgie played first to kick off the show, and she was joined by Nancy Illman on violin. It was passionate and sounded beautiful. Then we played our set, and we played it well, to an audience that was on the wavelength and digging it the way it should be dug. Georgie and I stayed up after everyone crashed, talking politics and solving the problems of the world. Unfortunately, the vodka washed my memory of exactly what are elegant solutions were, but I’m sure the gang in D.C. has a good hold on things. They seem to be pretty good at this.
Sunday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 19 – These were days off/travel days. On Sunday, We went to Atlantic City. I’d never been, and I like Pai Gow. Not sure what the boys did – apparently just walked along the boardwalk and scoffed at the price of drinks. My drinks were free, because I was smart enough to lose at fake poker.
On Monday, we scooted up to Woodstock, New York, because it’s a wonderful place where the veil between the material and spirit worlds is thin. Luca peeled off to go hang out with some family he has in the area. And Seth and I went on to hang out with our friend Billy Pearson, who we’d be sharing a bill with later that week. He took us to Colony, a venue in Woodstock, where he insisted we join him for their weekly open mic. Since we like to play music, and we’d be back in Woodstock later that week, this seemed like a perfectly cromulent plan. It was an absolute blast. Names were drawn from a hat for each person to play one song. I can’t give you every detail, but there was a lady who used her slot to interpretive dance to a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Rosalita;” there were solos, duets, trios, all sorts of instruments, songs, chants, and other incantations. We made several friends, and I got to speak to the owner about coming back soon. I hope I do. That place was awesome. Then We went back to Billy’s and I taught him and Seth how to play poker, and of course Billy won.
On Tuesday, Seth and I met Luca in Hoosick Falls, another town we’d be playing at later that week. This time, we stopped by the venue where we’d be playing to have a quick rehearsal with Andrew Crawford (guitar) and Mike Milliron (drums) who would be joining us on Thursday in Hoosick Falls and on Saturday in Norwood, Massachusetts. After a successful rehearsal, we made a pretty long drive across New York state to Buffalo, where we had a place to stay with my friend Kathryn Koch and where we were scheduled to play the next day.
Wednesday, March 20 – We woke up with nowhere to drive. Seth went to a rock-climbing gym, because he’s a psychopath. Luca went to a nearby coffee shop to do some remote work, because even paying him fairly, we all gotta make money. That’s what I did for some of the morning, too. I did some work for clients and chilled out around Kat’s place. Then we set up and played at Jack Rabbit, a great neighborhood bar in Buffalo. There were snow squalls that night, and the crowd was a little thin, but they were into the music, as Kat opened the show with her friend and amazing musician Alan Whitney. Then, We played, getting tighter and more free every show.
Thursday, March 21 – We trekked back across New York state, through traffic and tolls and occasional potholes, to Hoosick Falls. Our friend Shannon Roy let us stay at her place, and we unloaded there and took a quick pause before heading to Unihog in Hoosick Falls. We love this venue; it’s my third time bringing Seth there, and it was Luca’s first time. We saw lots of old friends and had a fantastic show, with Mike and Andrew joining us for the second half of our set. Lots of dancing and drinking and smoking. Then back to Shannon’s and to bed, because the next morning was gonna be rough.
Friday, March 22 (morning) – We had to get out of Shannon’s at 6:30 am. That’s a tough bus call. But I was scheduled to be a guest DJ at Radio Woodstock at 9am, and Woodstock is a couple hours away from Hoosick Falls. The boys slept while I drove. And they slept in the parking lot of Radio Woodstock while I went in there and tried to pretend I was a real DJ. It was fun, and then I drove us to Billy’s place, where we could get a little sleep before our show in Woodstock that night.
Radio Woodstock playlist (Archive):
Stay High – Brittany Howard
Smack Water – Jack Manley
Paper Piano – Afton Wolfe
Creatures – Acoustic – Jaimee Harris
Man In My Head – Cordovas
Confetti – The Lemonheads
Either Side of the Same Town – Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Guard Your Heart – Cary Hudson
O Maria – Beck
Chocolate Jesus – Tom Waits
Skeleton Man – Mark Mann
Harvest – Afton Wolfe
Now That It’s All Over – Dillon Warnek
(that night) –
Text (from a friend staying at my house in Nashville with my wife, who is recovering from a brain surgery in December): I’m going to take her in. I’ll keep you updated as soon as I know anything.
Me: OK.
…
Me: How busy is the ER? Is she OK?
Text: It’s busy. She’s waiting for a CT.
Me: Has she eaten? And is she hydrating? I am going on stage in 20 minutes. I’ll have my phone on stage.
Text: They have just administered pain and nausea medicine. Hopefully it helps. She has not yet gotten the CT.
Me: Is she awake?
Text: Off and on
Me: I just read the CT results on the app. She has another bleed.
Text: Yeah. Acute on chronic bleed with midline shift.
Me: Tell her I love her and I’ll be home soon.
–
So We finished the show in Woodstock. My mind was somewhere else, but the band was tight and the crowd was locked in. I wish I could’ve reveled in the afterglow, but we loaded up quickly, and I found a flight, and we made a plan. The boys would drop me off in Newark the next morning and drive the van back to Nashville.
I hated having to cancel the Saturday night show at The Fallout Shelter in Norwood, Massachusetts. I love that place and those people, and they are so amazing and kind and always have a great audience. Hopefully, I can get back there soon. They were understanding, and they were able to fill the bill. The show must go on.
I got back to Nashville on Saturday afternoon and got caught up with all of the medical updates. Early that evening, a neurosurgeon came in and told us that there was a chance that this new “bleeding” was actually an infection, so they needed to do a spinal tap, and they may have to operate to clear the infection tonight – opening the skull again, more months of recovery, etc… Scary shit. While this was being done, I watched the livestream of the show at the Fallout Shelter. Sounded great. Norris the Terrible is worth watching out for.
The spinal tap returned no infection, so it was “just” more bleeding on the brain, which shouldn’t be there, but won’t require emergency surgery. Cancel all out-of-town performances for the next couple of months.
My apologies to Andrew Crawford and his family, who had plans to see the Norwood show, and to Mike Milliron and his family, who I think still went to Massachusetts to get Mike another tattoo.
Trip insurance is worth it sometimes. I didn’t have it.
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The Harvest (https://orcd.co/ynpno2n)
