I just got home from a fantastic few days on the road. I got to see old friends. I got to make new ones. Everyone I met along the way showed me such kindness. Though I’m happy to be home, this experience has made me want to get back out there.
Night one was an amazing house show at Nicholas Graham Hall’s house in Bloomington, Indiana. Neighbors and poets and art lovers met and exchanged food and words. I read several poems alongside sets from Hiromi Yoshida, Tony Brewer, & Nicholas Graham Hall. Later on in the evening Nicholas and I couldn’t help but bust out our guitars & sling a few songs. Big thanks to Nicholas for being an amazing host. Go check out his music & painting.
Night two was a patio show at Kelly’s Irish Pub in Dearborn, Michigan alongside Detroit legends The Codgers. After a night of music, we got toy swap stories and talk books & music. Big thanks to John Freeman for giving me space to share my songs. Go check out John’s poetry, essays, & music. Shout out to Nicholas Raymond Mansfield for the good hangs.
Night three was at one of my old Toledo haunts: the Ottawa Tavern. I opened a jam packed bill including: The Current (this was their EP release show), Lauren Blackford, & Daisy Chain. Big thanks to Zack Jacobs for being a great human & for running my favorite venue in the Glass City.
Day four of tour was a featured reading at the Peacock Cafe for Jonie McIntire’s Uncloistered Reading series. I read some poems from SONGS FOR LEAVING & a couple of newer, unpublished poems. Check out the set on YouTube. There were amazing featured sets from Detroit’s One Single Rose & Toledo’s Kate Michaelson (who has a new novel out called HIDDEN ROOMS). My dude Todd Elson shared a couple of songs that knocked my socks off. My buddy Tanasio read some hard-hitting poetry too. Big thanks to Jonie McIntire for hosting this fun reading.
Day five of the tour was a stop at my favorite bookstore in all of Ohio: Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg. I used to work at this wonderful place. Big thanks to Dan Denton for sharing some of his poetry. And big thanks to Todd Elson for sharing some of his killer songs. And Big Thanks to Denise & Brian Phillips for being amazing people & hosts. Check out my set of poems & songs on YouTube. Go buy books from this amazing independent bookstore.
If you missed me at these dates there are a few chances to catch me slinging poems and songs in the near future. The A.S. Coomer Band (a three-piece for this gig) will be headlining the Kentucky Moonshine Festival at Boundary Oak Distillery on Saturday, June 6th, 2024 at 4pm EST. We’ll be slinging an hour’s worth of my songs.
I’ll also be slinging my poems & songs in Louisville on Sunday, July 28th, 2024 for the last Insomniacathon.
Categories: Music, Poem, Poetry, Review, sale, Songwriting, Video
A.S. Coomer 