Hello All,

It has been a busy fall.  On August 19, Jano and I hit the road as a duo, opening for rock legends Loggins & Messina.  Since I was also playing keyboards and singing in the L&M band, we all travelled together on buses for 10 solid weeks.

Jano and I weren't sure what to expect as we headed into this tour.  We didn't know whether or not the L&M audiences would like us.  Over the years we have become a little skeptical of being in the support slot on any tour.  Some audiences we have played for are too busy texting and chatting with friends to even realize that there is some pretty good music happening right before their very eyes.  Other crowds have such tunnel-vision for the headliner, that all they can do is scream their name during the opener's set.  Some audiences have no tolerance for down-tempo songs.  Others cannot abide up-tempo ones.

Well, we found none of that this fall.  In fact, we discovered that the Loggins & Messina crowds were there to listen . . . to music.  They wanted to sing and dance and laugh and cry and smile and think and rock and feel good--all of the things music can let you do, if you let it.  We had an absolute blast playing for these crowds night after night.  I collected some audio recordings from some of the shows which I hope to post at some point.

I also had a great time visiting some of my favorite U.S. cities.  There weren't many days off, but we were fortunate enough to spend the ones we had in some nice places.  In Portland, Oregon I rented a bike and trekked around the city, up a mountain, and down the Willamette River for 6 hours straight!  I spent a gorgeous day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin along the shore of lake Michigan amidst families and dogs and kites and boats.  I downed a couple of "Polygamy Porters" in Salt Lake City, Utah ("Why Have Just One?").  I saw Niagara Falls for the first time.  I visited the grounds of the original Woodstock festival.  And I somehow managed to avoid going to a Starbucks in Seattle, (There's one on every corner!).  I even met Michael Jordan at a restaurant in Chicago?!?!!  And best of all, I got to see friends and family who I haven't seen in a long time.

The venues we played varied from pavilions to theaters to vineyards to arenas to casinos to round stages that spun while we played.  One time we even performed in a hockey rink.  No matter the setting, Jano and I put out, two-man-band style, every night.  I played piano and sang, while he played drum-set, right-hand key-bass, sang backup, and on some songs he banged on the now infamous "Shuitar."  We had so much fun as a duo, I would be shocked if we didn't find another opportunity to play in that configuration again.  Thanks to all of you who came to see us and thanks to those of you who gave some new music a chance.  We really appreciate it.

For now, it is a period of change for the Gabe Dixon Band.  We have temporarily parted ways for a few reasons.  Winston is devoting all of his energies to another project, Jano has moved back to New York to put down some roots closer to his family, and I am looking forward to being a Dad for the first time very soon! 

While I am not sure exactly what shape my next project will take, I know that it is beginning to take shape right now as I spend some much needed time at home writing, thinking, playing music, seeing friends and family, and generally being in one place for more than one or two days!  (Imagine that!)  In the meantime, if you really like this music, spread the word.  That's how most music gets discovered.  I'll continue making it for the rest of my life.  Stay tuned...

Peace & Love & Music,
Gabe


PS--We printed up a very few special GDB T-shirts with dates and the "human piano" logo on a chestnut tee just for this tour.  If interested, we have a few left, just email ngoc@directmanagement.com.  If we have your size left, we'll let you know how to purchase!

Gabe and Jano on KTLA:

"Running On Fumes"

..

"Disappear"

..

And Bob Lefsetz' kind words about the LA show: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2009/10/05/gabe-dixon/

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2009/10/05/gabe-dixon/

I went to see Loggins & Messina at the Greek.

I wasn't going to write about it, fearful of being abused, for not only liking old music, but really lame old music. But although Kenny Loggins sang that wimpy song about the bear, the band positively rocked. They played completely different material from their last tour, four years before, and the show was anything but jaundiced, that was the performance the following night, CSN in a dash for cash were playing for a crowd that would have been better off listening to the records, Stills could play the guitar but couldn't come close to singing the right notes and there just wasn't the power of the original recordings, it was a facsimile, nostalgia, positively creepy, making those in the audience feel so old as to be close to the grave, completely spent and irrelevant.

But the opening act Friday night, he took the stage with just a percussionist and got a standing ovation.

Get this, the guy's a good twenty plus years younger than anybody there. Supposedly baby boomers don't want to hear anything new. But when confronted with someone special, they'll give it up. Because they remember when it was about the music, just about the music.

I'll admit I'm a Gabe Dixon fan. But we were having such a good time bullshitting in Rena's office, that I was debating finding my seat as we discussed who we used to be. But when the sound was turned up on the big screen in her office, I got that rush, there was something definitely there, I told Rena we'd see her during intermission.

Do you know what it takes to win over an audience?

You can set yourself on fire, take off your clothes, employ dancers, but still the audience won't pay attention, they're there to see the headliner. The days of the Fillmore are done, when you were interested in the opening acts. Hell, many people don't even bother to arrive until the main attraction hits the stage, and those in attendance usually catch up with friends, the din during the opener is almost deafening.

But not Friday night.

It's not like Gabe Dixon told hilarious stories, or looks like he belongs on the new "Melrose Place", he just played songs, with changes, with meaning, and the audience reacted.

Used to be you were waiting for that one hit single. Which you wrote desperately to uncover.

Or you put on a glitzy outfit to appear in a video.

You were looking for a short cut.

Now there are no short cuts. You've got to win them over live. And it's such a slow process. Because you're not converting the whole country at once, but maybe a few thousand at a time, if you're lucky.

Gabe only played one song I knew. Hell, I didn't even know he had a 2008 album on Fantasy. But the changes enraptured me, the lyrics took me away, to my inside life. That's what great singer-songwriter music does, strip away the bullshit of life, letting you ponder your dreams, your desires, your choices.

This man was excellent. Stunningly so. Because of his talent.

How do I describe him? A less sunny Carole King? A more mellifluous Ben Folds? A less-husky voiced Michael McDonald? When these artists hit it, you become soft in the gut, you feel fully human, Gabe Dixon got you to the same place.

But it's almost impossible to sell this music today. So Gabe Dixon is playing keyboards in Loggins & Messina to put food on the table, but continues to try and make it.

This music isn't for everybody. None is. But if you're someone who cleans the house and reflects on your life, if you're someone who remembers driving down the Interstate more than the night at the club in your finery, this is the music for you.

Don't tell me it's wimpy. We're all wimpy. Those edgy cats of the past are either dead, or living next to you in the suburbs.

If you catch this guy live, you'll be stunned. Because he's got it. And almost nobody does. And when you see it, your heart skips a beat, your body starts to move, you get a smile on your face, you feel fucking great to be alive.


Play "Five More Days".

If you like that, try "Ever After You", "Disappear", "Find My Way" and "All Will Be Well".

http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=4994497&albumid=9028560

GDB have been nominated in this year's Nashville Music Awards for "Best Pop / Rock Album" alongside Kings Of Leon and The Raconteurs!

Click here to sign-up and vote!

Hi All,

We're on the road now and just wanted to send you a reminder to get your tickets for the remaining shows in advance! This will be our last headlining tour for a bit (so, longer rockin' sets) before heading out on the hotly anticipated Loggins & Messina tour where we will be opening most of the shows (so, shorter, but still rockin' set).

Links are below! Hope to see you soon!

Friday, 6.19.09
Charlotte, NC: Evening Muse

Sunday, 6.21.09
Easton, MD: Night Cat
call 443.786.2750 for tickets

Monday, 6.22.09
Vienna, VA: Jammin Java

Tuesday, 6.23.09
Pittsburgh, PA: Club Cafe

Wednesday, 6.24.09
Philadelphia, PA: Tin Angel

Thursday, 6.25.09
New York, NY: Joe's Pub

Friday, 6.26.09
Boston, MA: Cafe 939

Dear All,

We are very excited to announce that we will be on the road this month with our friends Jay Nash, Joey Ryan and Roy Jay! Hope to see you out at a show, and as always, if you can help us with merch, please send an email to ngoc@directmanagement.com with the subject "Merch (CIty)."

However, before we head out of town, we will be playing the Music City Zone at the CMA Music Fest in Nashville this Friday, June 12th at 4:00p. Click here for more details!

JUNE TOUR

June 17th, 10:00p
World Grotto
26 Market Square
Knoxville, TN 37902
18+

June 19th, 8:00p
The Evening Muse
3227 N. Davidson St.
Charlotte, NC 28205
all ages

June 21st, 7:00p
Night Cat
5 Goldsborough St.
Easton, MD 21601
all ages

June 22nd, 8:00p
Jammin Java
227 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
all ages

June 23rd, 7:00p
Club Cafe
56 S. 12th St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
21+

June 24th, 8:30p
Tin Angel
20 S. Second St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
21+

June 25th, 9:30p
Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette St.
New York, NY 10003
all ages

June 26th, 8:00p
Cafe 939
939 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02215
all ages

As you may have seen on our sites, we'll also be opening for Loggins & Messina starting in August. Dates are still coming in, so stay close to the sites for the latest updates. If we don't catch you on this June tour, hope to see you later in the summer!

Cheers,
GDB

Hi All,

Just a reminder GDB will be playing the Carbon Reverse Music Festival at the 12th South Taproom tomorrow, Saturday, May 30th. If you can help with merch, please send an email to ngoc@directmanagement.com.

12th South Taproom
2318 12th Ave. South
Nashville, TN
Tickets
$10 (adv) / $15 (dos)

Cheers,
GDB

Hi All,

We're very excited to be playing in Birmingham and Atlanta the next two weekends. If you're interested in helping us with merch at these shows, please send an email to ngoc@directmanagement.com with the subject line "Merch (City)."

Saturday, May 16th, 9:00p
Birmingham, AL: WorkPlay
w/ The Bridges
$10.00 (adv) / $12.00 (dos)

Sunday, May 24th, 5:45p
Atlanta, GA: 92.9 DAVE FM's Acoustic Sunset @ Smyrna Market Village
w/ Todd Wells
free!

Hope to see you if you'll be in the area, but stay tuned for additional tour dates to be announced very shortly!

Cheers,
GDB

Tune in or set your recording devices to CBS at 8:00p tomorrow (Friday, May 8th) to hear "Disappear" on "Ghost Whisperer"!

We'll also be announcing some exciting tour info in the next few weeks, so stay close for that. Hope to see you all soon!

Cheers,
GDB