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The Kelly Richey Band Marathon Tour 2012!!! 

September 1st through the 15th marks the next KRB Marathon Tour of 2012!!!  We'll be playing 11 shows in 17 days and driving 4,250 miles...WOW -- that's a marathon!!!
Please check out the dates below and help spread the word!

Saturday, September 1st - River Raisin Jazz Festival - 6:00 pm
River Raisin Labor Day BBQ Festival, Monroe, MI
http://www.monroeinfo.com

Monday, September 3rd - Walker Bluff Winery - 2:00 pm
Walker Bluff Winery, 14400 Meridian Rd., Carterville, IL
Venue: (618) 956-9900
http://www.walkersbluff.com/

Wednesday, September 5th - Boulder Outlook Hotel - 7:30 pm
Boulder Outlook Hotel, 800 28th Street, Boulder, CO
Venue: (303) 443-3322
http://www.boulderoutlook.com

September 7th & 8th - The Blues Can - 9:00 pm
The Blues Can, 1439 9th Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Venue: (403) 262-2666
http://www.thebluescan.com/

September 10th thru 15th - Blues On Whyte - 9:00 pm
Blues On Whyte, 10329 Whyte AVE, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Venue: 780-439-3981
http://www.bluesonwhyte.ca/


The Kelly Richey Band
Jimmy V, Kelly Richey, Danne Sheets, Jr.

Photo by Conrad 

Maintaining Sanity on the Road  

Greetings friends,followers and KRiB-heads!
Once again we are on the road and its time to relieve some of that stress of hotel lockdown by writing about it.

Most of the time I dont even have the time to blog anything in detail. Just the occaissional Facebook post. This timeout we actually have a full day of down time (and currently The Walking Dead marathon is on a break) so i shall attempt to communicate to all on what I do to maintain sanity on the road. Assuming that ONE is sane to begin with. So it really is subjective.

From afar, or at least from the rows of fans in audience at the shows, the whole rock n roll world appears to be all lights and glamour and frolicking fun on stage. It is. For about 90 minutes or however long we are scheduled. Nobody really gets to witness what had to happen prior to that opening crash of controlled chaos and guitar chords that is the Kelly Richey Band.

Quite often I awaken myself out of a forced sleep in the very wee hours of what is defined by morning only by the initials "AM". Hopefully the day before I have packed and need only to sleepily double check :

Basses ....................................... check
Amp .......................................... check
Box of cables ............................ check
Pedals ....................................... check
Fan ............................................ check.... its summer.. fan...check; FAN?!? .....check
Road clothes ..............................check
Bag of toiletries/hair products...check
Stage clothes ..............................check
Cell phone ................................ check
Wallet and/or passport .............check
Get in van and drive ................ check.

Ahh.....the drive. It is what we get paid to do: drive and load gear. In between all that we get to have fun on stage.

Loading gear and set up time is generally about 15 - 20 mins. So yes, youve guessed it, driving is the main, biggest, longest, most physically demanding, most dangerous part of all of what we "mid-level touring bands" do. On an average we drive 6-8 hours one way to most shows. Its intimidating at first but you quickly change your perspective and judge by if youre driving 12 HOURS or more to the show. Are we crossing the street, city, county, state or the continent?

Its great to be intiating yet another new drummer, Danne Sheets Jr, to the band and to the road this year. Its interesting and fun to watch someone see first hand what it takes for the KRB to be on the road and get from show to show. And Danne's intiation was almost trial by fire because his first show on the road was out to Montana and then Canada. So, really, that was more of a trial by sleep deprivation. If what you want to do is drive an average of 8 hours, sleep sitting up in a moving vehicle, eat lots of "roller food", move a ton of gear and then repeat ... this is the life for you. Oh, you'll get to play your instrument before anywhere between 20 to 20,000 people. But THATS the easy part.

You may have noticed i havent written anything about what needs to be done to prepare ones self to actually play songs. HAH! You better have that down BEFORE you get out here on the road because the road is merciless and cruel. You need to watch your back and watch your bandmates back at all times.

Many times it is your band vs the world. And when you are driving yourselves from show to show, each one of us has the lives of the others in their hands that should be firmly planted on the steering wheel and concentrating on the road. Everyone knows the facts and figures of accidents on the highway. Average person drives 10000 miles a year with those figures. The Kelly Richey Band drives an average of 40000 miles a year so our odds, and all other bands, are four times greater that we would have a vehicular accident. Almost 8 years on the road with Kelly and I/we have not had such bad luck. How? We maintain sobriety and rest when we can. "Party?" Our "party" is 90 minutes on stage. I also pick up every heads up penny I find and keep it in the Sprinter.

Id like to tell you all (and my doctor....if i had one) that I maintain sanity on the road by getting plenty of rest, eating well, exercising and stretching. Its a little of all. I get a little rest.

I eat well on occaission. And i excercise and stretch a little. Do i do any of that religously? Yes, i do it ALL.... a little bit.... RELIGIOUSLY. I try not to form any kind of real routine out on the road because theres always something that breaks that routine and i wouldnt want to stress too much on something i didnt get to do. I use the procrastinators mantra: There's always tomorrow. And yes, my body is feeling that. Procrastination isnt the best when it comes to keeping your body healthy because before you know it youre half a century old and all those lacksidaisical procrastinating ways catches up to your body and suddenly things are stiff that you dont want to be and things you want stiff are not. Gone are the days when you can do sit ups and crunches for a weekend and be back in shape. Who am i kidding? Gone are the days of doing ANY sit ups or crunches.

Is it a great life? It has its moments.

Is it a great job? Depends on your definition. Contrary to what i have been writing, "the work" is easy to me and i thoroughly enjoy it. Its not making any of us a millionaire. For me, how some live pay check to pay check, I live gig to gig...tour to tour.

Im doing what i love and Im getting paid to do it. Its what we all want, right?

And the drive? I wouldnt want to tour any other way. I have seen so much of North America that I normally wouldn't have. And if we flew everywhere we'd only see airports and hotels.

And that would be sad because we have some CRAZY stuff driving all over this continent.

One thing that comes to mind are things on trailers marked " Wide Load " that I cant identify.Herds of Antelope or Elk. All 5 Great Lakes. Well, the Great Lakes arent crazy but it IS crazy that a Filipino kid from Oxnard, California is getting to experience it all because Im in this band.

Its not for everyone. But if everyone was doing it, Id probably be doing something else.

Why would i put myself in a position where i have to fight off truckers AND other musicians for roller food?

To all of you sane and insane KRiB-heads out there, thanks for coming to the shows and all the support. Thanks for helping me in maintaining sanity on the road.

Jimmy V and The Kelly Richey Band
Jimmy V, Danne Sheets Jr, Kelly Richey


Jimmy V and The Kelly Richey Band


Jimmy V and The Kelly Richey Band
Jimmy V, Kelly Richey


Photos by Keith Virgo of Kool Koncepts

The Kelly Richey Band Hits the Road for Festivals in PA, MI and Canada 

Friday, July 6 - Mega Rock R&B Fest - 6:30 pm
Treasure Lake Ski Resort, 13 Treasure Lake, Dubois, PA
Venue: (814) 375-1806
http://www.treasurelakepoa.com/

Saturday, July 7 - Saint Louis Blues Fest - 6:00 pm
Saint Louis Blues Fest, Saint Louis, MI
http://www.saintlouisbluesfestival.com/

Tuesday, July 10 - La Casbah - 8:00 pm
La Casbah, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Friday, July 13 - Light House Blues Festival - 6:45 pm
Light House Blues Festival, Kincardine, Ontario, Canada

Saturday, July 14 - Ottawa Bluesfest - 4:00 pm
Ottawa Bluesfest, 265 Catherine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Venue: 613-247-1188
http://ottawabluesfest.ca/

The Kelly Richey Band - Danne Sheets Jr, Kelly Richey, Jimmy V
Danne Sheets Jr, Kelly Richey, Jimmy V

Photo By Sonya Ziegler


The Kelly Richey Band Heads West to WY, IA, & SD!!! 

This week The Kelly Richey Band heads west for shows in WY, IA, and SD!!! Come check us out and be sure to tell your friends!!!

Thursday, June 14 - Music in the Park Summer Concert Series - 6:00 pm
Music in the Park Summer Concert Series, Rawlins, WY
Venue: (307) 324-7529

Friday, June 15 - Awesome Biker Night - 10:30 pm
Awesome Biker Night, Downtown, Sioux City, IA
Venue: (712) 224-2759
http://awesomebikernights.com/

Saturday, June 16 - Old Skoolz - 8:00 pm
921 E. 8th Street, Sioux Falls, SD
Venue: (605) 338-9491
http://www.oldskoolzsf.com/

Sunday, June 17 - Byron's - 5:00 pm
112 Main Street, Pomeroy, IA
Venue: (712) 468-2372
http://www.facebook.com/byron.stuart?sk=info

The Kelly Richey Band

Photo By Sonya Ziegler

Upcoming Shows with The Kelly Richey Band 

Here is a list of upcoming shows with The Kelly Richey Band -- be sure to mark your calendar now and please spread the word!!!

Saturday, June 9 - NW Ohio Blues & Jazz Festival - 6:00 pm
NW Ohio Blues & Jazz Festival, Centennial Terrace, Sylvania, OH
Venue: 419-242-5000 ext. 212
http://www.toledofoodbank.org/NewsAndEvents/BluesJazzFestival.aspx

Thursday, June 14 - Music in the Park Summer Concert Series - 6:00 pm
Music in the Park Summer Concert Series, Rawlins, WY
Venue: (307) 324-7529

Friday, June 15 - Awesome Biker Night - 10:30 pm
Awesome Biker Night, Downtown, Sioux City, IA
Venue: (712) 224-2759
http://awesomebikernights.com/

Saturday, June 16 - Old Skoolz - 8:00 pm
921 E. 8th Street, Sioux Falls, SD
Venue: (605) 338-9491
http://www.oldskoolzsf.com/

Sunday, June 17 - Byron's - 5:00 pm
112 Main Street, Pomeroy, IA
Venue: (712) 468-2372
http://www.facebook.com/byron.stuart?sk=info

The Kelly Richey Band

Photo By Sonya Ziegler

The Kelly Richey Band -- Southbound.... 

 We're headed to Florida for shows this weekend!!!  If you live close, come join us -- if not, please spread the word to all your friends that do!!!

Friday, May 25 - Bamboo Room - 9:00 pm
25 South J Street, Lake Worth, FL
Venue: (561) 585-2583
http://www.bamboorm.com/

Saturday, May 26 - Ace's - 9:00 pm
343 Palma Sola BLVD, Bradenton, FL
Venue: (941) 795-3886
http://4aceslounge.com/

Sunday, May 27 - Blue Crab Festival - 6:30 pm
Blue Crab Festival, Palaka, FL
http://www.bluecrabfestival.com/

Kelly Richey Band

The Kelly Richey Band -- Southbound....

Photo By Sonya Ziegler




Experience The Kelly Richey Band LIVE: 

Friday, May 18 - Legends Nightclub - 8:00 pm
3801 Harrison Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
Venue: (513) 662-1222
http://www.legendscincinnati.com

Saturday, May 19 - Summit City - 8:00 pm
208 Main St, Whitesburg, KY
Venue: 606-633-2715
http://www.summitcitylounge.com/

Friday, May 25 - Bamboo Room - 9:00 pm
25 South J Street, Lake Worth, FL
Venue: (561) 585-2583
http://www.bamboorm.com/

Saturday, May 26 - Ace's - 9:00 pm
343 Palma Sola BLVD, Bradenton, FL
Venue: (941) 795-3886
http://4aceslounge.com/myweb/index_music.htm

Sunday, May 27 - Blue Crab Festival - 6:30 pm
Blue Crab Festival, Palaka, FL
http://www.bluecrabfestival.com/

The Kelly Richey Band

Photo By Sonya Ziegler

Experience The Kelly Richey Band LIVE @ Blues On Whyte -- Jimmy V & Danne Sheets 

We had an amazing tour in western Canada!!! I'm excited to be playing with the Kelly Richey Band! Here is a small clip with me and Jimmy V on stage together at Blues On Whyte in Edmonton, Alberta -- I hope you enjoy this as much as the crowd did!



For those of you in the Cincinnati and South East Kentucky areas -- we'll be playing Friday, May 18th at the Legends Nightclub in Cincinnati, and Saturday, May 19th at Summit City in Whitesberg, KY! Please spread the word and come see the exciting new developments happening on stage!!!

Friday, May 18 - Legends Nightclub - 8:00 pm
3801 Harrison Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
Venue: (513) 662-1222
http://www.legendscincinnati.com

Saturday, May 19 - Summit City - 8:00 pm

208 Main St, Whitesburg, KY
Venue: 606-633-2715
http://www.summitcitylounge.com/


Friday, May 25 - Bamboo Room - Lake Worth, FL
Saturday, May 26 - Ace's Lounge - Bradenton, FL
Sunday, May 27 - Blue Crab Festival - Palaka, FL