November 2002 Journal...

So life is good. New York, although I haven't really been here for more than 5 days at once, is such an inspiring and infuriating place, i.e. I love it.

Just got back from a whirlwind promotion tour and "tour" tour with the band in Europe. What a blast.

We started in Dublin it rained steadily on cue for three days. It was a benefit for the Hospice foundation inspired by this amazing music fan Chris Mullane who had come to my show last time in Dublin, then succumbed to cancer shortly after. The friends this guy touched were all there and clearly adored him and his crazy enthusiasm. I remembered him from the last gig -- he had dragged six lawyer friends of his to the show solely based on a TV show I did that morning. It was a really moving experience to meet his family and share my music with even more of his friends. We also were able to raise over 40,000 Euros for the Hospice where he passed away.

We played Amsterdam sadly on a day where the wind/rain storm overshadowed everything ("worst storm in fifteen years, stay home, stay home"). In the middle of taping a TV show called the Kevin Masters Show, a tree fell on the equipment truck and the trolley lines, and the whole city shut down. We ended up taping two hours late and then getting to my gig at Panama late. A gentleman in the front row chided me for keeping him waiting!! Sorry. Act of God.

Meanwhile, I'm working on new songs. Weeding out the bizarre and tragic psycho babble from the more meaningful potential ditties. It just never gets easier does it.

I keep forgetting to put out mailing list sign up books at these gigs, but it would be great to be able to let everybody know when we add new tour dates especially since we're going to be in Europe regularly. So please sign up and let us know where you are!

Til next time. Stay safe.
Jonatha
I toured a chocolate factory in Belgium called Daskalides, mmmmm, and did a TV interview there. They gave us so much chocolate even I couldn't eat any more pralines, chocolate syrup, cookies, even specialty Kama Sutra chocolates featuring people in exotic poses. I don't think I need to elaborate more.

I did in-store performances, most notably in the Schipol Airport in Holland, a place called "Tracks" -- that was a first; I played the IKEA in Secaucus once, an ice cream parlor in Hadlee, MA once, but an airport?!!! If you're wandering through anytime soon, say hi to Piet and Marcel and their fabulous staff, oh and of course, buy my record!!

I had many fun visits to radio stations around Holland. The response was so sweet, and it was amazing to be in a country where deejays still have some autonomy. In the words of Tom Petty, "There goes the last deejay." I went to one radio station in Haarlem, a gorgeous town in the North of Holland, and when I walked in Rene,' the deejay, was playing Prince, then Tori Amos, then me, then this hip British band called the Christians, then Chaka Khan, then the Bees. It was so refreshing. The coffee wasn't too shabby either.

We're hoping we can really make something happen over there, thanks to our partners at Culture Records and the hard work of Dutch Dave and Marco and Jan and Lique. We might come back at the end of January and do some more touring in Belgium and Holland and add Sweden to our hit list. Visiting the Daskalides chocolate factory in Belgium

In-store at Schipol airport in Holland.

Performing at an in-store in Middleburg, Holland with my new Guild Valencia.