Abigail

RAGE drove a massive crowd of 50,000+ to Rock The Bells, San Francisco, AUG 18th!

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:33:39 -0700

FRI, AUG 17th (the day before Rage Against The Machine was to play Rock The Bells here in San Francisco), I received a text from Tom Morello, "U comin to rage?" My reply, "Of course, my dear!" Tom then sends, "Have tix and passes already? What about Maux?" (He loves his Maureen Herman!)

My gosh... How sweet is he?!? I had another moment, "I am fortunate."

The hook up was one of the most incredible hook ups of all time--VIP "Headliner" wristbands to see RAGE!!!

Thank you; thank you; thank you, Tom!!! ;)

I'm going to let the pictures and video guide you the rest of the way. I am speechless. They fucking KILLED it!!!

I had to use my pocket size Nikon to take photos and shoot amateur video--no professional cameras allowed, but not bad for a baby digital cam...

Bad ass drummer, Ahmir Thompson aka "?uestlove" (The Roots):

Chuck D (Public Enemy) & Mos Def in VIP Artist Tent:

Chuck D of Public Enemy:

Mos Def:

Cypress Hill:

Campbell, Colleen and I enjoying our day at Rock The Bells!

The crowd builds... Look how beautiful the SF Bay Bridge is in the background:

Crowd surfing!

Drinkin' some KY bourbon with Boots Riley (The Coup) backstage in VIP area:

With Tom Morello before Rage Against The Machine took the stage at Rock The Bells:

HERE WE GO!!!

RAGE took the stage and opened with "Testify"!!! The massive crowd of 50,000+ went fuckin' crazy!!!

Like I said, RAGE fuckin' KILLED IT!!! Damn...

Fuzz love,

A.

Sarah Bettens performs at Michfest!

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:33:24 -0700

Sarah Bettens co-headlined the 2007 "Michigan Womyn's Music Festival" (Michfest) on FRI, AUG 10th with a new, all-women band (mandated, as this was a women-only festival). It was my first year attending, Sarah's second both as a performer and camper. I did not camp--have never camped a day in my life... I stayed at a close by motel where two of Sarah's bandmates stayed as well.

I must say, however, after checking out Sarah's tent, the environment and amenities, I am very open to camping next year! :) There were open-air showers and portable toilets, but the showers actually had hot water! Plus, we had our very own private camping area to rest, eat (chefs prepared three excellent vegetarian meals a day), get pampered (holistic, massage tents) and hang out--all created just for the artists, musicians and their families/close friends--very cool.

We were even served a special midnight meal every night after the performances. So cute... The 2,500+ womyn attendees also camped on-site, but in a different location. To ensure artist privacy, our designated area was not identified on the map in the Michfest guide book...

Fortunately, we also had an artist shuttle--about the most organized and friendly group of people I've ever met... They knew what room we were staying in, what time we needed a ride, and were on call if we ever needed them for an emergency. Incredible.

During the week of AUG 7th-12th there were 40 fantastic performances and scores of workshops and parties on 650 beautiful acres of remote Michigan woodland. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive as it was my first time attending a women-only anything, much less a music festival located two hours from the airport (GRR) and in the middle of the woods. It took 30 minutes just to get to/from the motel and the festival site, and there was zero cell phone and internet coverage (purposely, but it was quite an adjustment for me).

A special thank you to Sarah and her manager, Wil Sharpe for hooking me up and taking excellent care of me! My uneasiness quickly subsided as soon as I was picked up by the artist shuttle and personally escorted onto the festival grounds, through the thousands of attendees to the secluded artist check-in area. I was introduced to Penny, the important keeper of the "all access/backstage" artist wristband. Her first words, "Oh, you're Abigail! Thank God you're here! Sarah's been asking me and asking me, where's Abigail? She's been waiting for you..."

Awww... :)

After checking in, going through orientation and reviewing the schedule, I stood next to the main stage and chatted with guitarist, Jen Todd as the first band of the night (THU) took the stage. Within minutes, I felt fingers in my sides from behind. I turned around... It was Sarah, smiling with arms wide open! After giving each other a warm, big hug she invited me to sit with her, Stef and Jill on their blanket to watch the evening's performances. Since it was THU, and Sarah performed on FRI, she had the night off to enjoy the festivities. It was beautiful--the sun was setting, sky was clear, weather was warm, nice breeze, live music, all in the company of dear friends (we laughed so much my stomach hurt).

As the night progressed, I remember laying back on the blanket, looking up at the clear evening sky filled with more stars than I've ever seen, thanking God for that very moment, and whispering to myself, "I am fortunate."

Morning soundcheck on main stage :

Rehearsal tent:

After Sarah changed her guitar strings, she decided to do an acoustic run-through of the set (what a treat):

SET LIST:
Not Insane
Put It Out For Good (Written by Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls who sat right behind us during Sarah's show.)
Not An Addict
Go
Come Over Here
Rescue Me
Daddy's Gun
Can't Get Out
The Soldier Song
----------------
Stay
Don't Want To Slow You Down (Beautiful new song; so new, it's not on the new Shine CD--I think that's the name?!?)

Sarah Bettens headlines main stage at Michfest 2007:

Abigail's Tour Diary: My life as a baller + The end of an incredibly successful Tom Morello tour!

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 03:03:37 -0700

Now this was a happy surprise to see the BALL4REAL Streetball tour bus out in front of the same hotel Tom Morello, Pete (tour manager) and I were staying at in Detroit, July 10, 2007.

BALL4REAL features top basketball stars made famous on ESPN's "Streetball," the best streetball players in the world:

http://www.ball4real.com

Why was this such a happy surprise for me? My first love was basketball--my life growing up was consumed with it. My mother constantly asked me not to dribble the ball in the house...

There was this one spot on our kitchen floor where I loved to bounce the ball--next to both the refrigerator and the door that led to our music room. That spot had such a nice feel and sound to it. For me, it was also the perfect location to hang out with my mom while she was cooking and my dad who was in the music room...

My dedication to the game paid off when I accepted a full athletic Division I basketball scholarship to attend Old Dominion University. We won two consecutive CAA championships during my junior and senior year.

It was the start of a dynasty. March 2007 marked our 16th straight CAA title! http://odusports.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/oldd-w-baskbl-body.html

Strength coach Andy Zucker spots me. What? I was training to win back to back "Iron Monarch" awards!

Cutting down the net after winning our second consecutive CAA championship my senior year ('93):

The start of a dynasty...

ODU alumni game with WNBA superstars Sheryl Swoopes and Adrienne Goodson and my ODU asst. coaches, Alissa Scott and Anne Donovan.

Hall of Famer and three-time Olympian, Anne Donovan is now the head coach of the WNBA Seattle Storm and the 2006-08 head coach of the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team for the 2007 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament and 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

I've been so fortunate to have strong, positive influencers in my life...

OK, so now onto the start of The Nightwatchman's second leg of the tour... We just returned from a 10-day break.

Schedule:
7/10 Detroit, MI @ Shelter
7/11 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
7/12 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
7/13 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
7/15 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
7/17 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
7/18 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café
7/20 San Francisco, CA @ Swedish Hall
7/21 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

I flew into Detroit the morning of the 10th and was excited to see Tom and Pete again... As I was waiting in the hotel lobby, chatting with some of the BALL4REAL Streetballers, I heard the ding of the elevator--it was Pete. As soon as he saw me, he did a cute little jog over to me and gave me a "Cat Nap Lewis" hug. (Well, I mean when you're traveling with someone for three weeks straight and get along as well as we did, of course you're gonna miss 'em). Awww... next up was Tom's bright eyes, smile, and welcoming hug. Yup, the threesome was back in play! ;)

Sound guy at the Shelter, Detroit, 7/10/07. Look closely at what's on the board...

The Fuzz postcard! And no, I didn't put it there.

First show with the talented Ike Reilly, opener for The Nightwatchman:

SOLD OUT Detroit show!

Tom Morello/The Nightwatchman at Schubas, Chicago, IL, 7/11/07. Note the change in attire--Axis of Justice t-shirt and no hat. Since we were in Chicago, Tom went straight to his mom's house (Mary Morello) in Libertyville, IL to spend the day. Well, unfortunately when he arrived at the venue with his mom, he forgot his "uniform", the black button down shirt, black pants and hat.

So, this is one of those rare moments to catch him performing as The Nightwatchman looking like this. Tom didn't miss a beat though... The crowd loved him!

First of two SOLD OUT Nightwatchman Schubas shows, Chicago, IL:

Mary Morello, Maureen Herman, Tom and I after Schubas show:

Chicago was one of the most beautiful cities on our tour schedule. It's the only one that reminded me of San Francisco--good looking downtown skyline, professional, active people, beautiful water (Lake Michigan), nice sunny weather (not too hot) and a vibrant energy in the air... I was so moved, I had to go for a run to soak it all in. It was a good one!

Since this was the start of the second leg, additional merchandise was shipped to Detroit and Chicago. We were also flying the next morning to Minneapolis, MN not driving. This meant that I had to advance the merch--calculate what was needed for the upcoming shows, then box and ship everything in advance of our arrival. Can you hear the rolls of mailing tape late at night and into the wee hours of the morning?!?

I didn't get to sleep until 7:30 a.m. Yes, that's right. Worst part--I had to request a 9:15 a.m. wake up call to make my 10:00 a.m. lobby call and flight to Minneapolis from Chicago at 12:45 p.m. UGH!!!

On to Minneapolis, MN...
Ike jams with Tom at 7th St. Entry, Minneapolis, MN, 7/13/07:

What a fantastic crowd! I remember having goose bumps at least twice during this show. Tom and I talked about it afterwards and both agreed--it was a special night.

Hangin' with Tom and Lori Barbero (drummer, Babes in Toyland) at 7th St. Entry. Not only is Lori a kick ass drummer and close friend to bandmate/bassist, Maureen Herman, but she is so sweet. We had fun at dinner with Tom and friends after the show. Plus, I got a break from having to stay in a hotel, thanks to Lori. Thank you for hosting me at your house, Lori! When are you coming to SF?

The Nightwatchman rocks the Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO, 7/15/07:

Damn right, Morello--you rocked it!

Ike performs for his adoring fans at the Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR, 7/17/07:

Tom and Ike jam at Doug Fir:

On WED, 7/18 I was able to spend the morning with my sister, Beverly and brother-in-law, Larry in Seattle. Perfect timing as they were visiting Seattle at the same time we were touring through. Here we are at the 5 SPOT (best place for breakfast) in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. I had banana/blueberry pancakes... Yummy!

We stopped the car to enjoy the beautiful view of Seattle's Space Needle. At a height of 605', the Space Needle boasts fabulous 360 degree views that include Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, the beautiful city of Seattle and beyond.

A visit to Seattle just isn't complete without a trip to Pike Place Market, "The Soul of Seattle". Here I am in front of Pike Place Fish Co., world famous for entertaining its visitors as fishmongers throw fish and have fun!

They asked if I wanted to catch and throw a fish... I said, "No thanks! I'm getting ready to catch a plane to San Francisco!" Could you imagine?!? I would have smelled wonderful... ;)

On FRI, 7/19 we flew into San Francisco, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Wow, was I happy to be home (even if it was just for two days)! That night we had sushi at Tokyo Go Go with fellow Fuzzies, Jeff Yasuda, Maureen Herman and Arin Sarkissian, as well as Boots Riley (The Coup) and friends. Fun times... Sake was tasty! ;)

The Nightwatchman Swedish Hall show, San Francisco, 7/20/07:

Tom asks San Francisco fans if they are READY!?! And YES, we were!!!

Tom and Boots Riley (The Coup) jam at The Nightwatchman show, Swedish Hall, SF:

The Coup is performing at Rock The Bells with Rage Against The Machine in San Bernardino, 8/11 and San Francisco, 8/18!!! Don't miss it. http://www.rockthebells.net

Ike, Swedish Hall, SF:

Boots, Tom and Ike jam at Swedish Hall, San Francisco, 7/20/07:

SOLD OUT San Francisco show!

Fuzzies, Mike Eldredge, Jeff Yasuda, Maureen Herman and I with Ike:

Jeff, Boots, Tom & I hangin downstairs at Cafe du Nord after the show:

SAT, 7/21 we flew from SFO to LAX for the last show of the tour at the legendary Troubadour club in West Hollywood. Tom and Pete now had the joy of being in their home city!

Two words: Hollywood Hills.

Hangin' with actor, Breckin Meyer and Denise at the VIP After Party:

Ben Richards, guitarist of Porcelain (I LOVE this band), Tom and I at VIP After Party:

Ben kept me company at my Fuzz/Nightwatchman merch table. So sweet! If you're in LA, check these guys out. They're playing at the El Rey Theatre on AUG 17th, 10:15 p.m. Don't miss it. Porcelain BLEW ME AWAY at this year's SXSW! Badass!
Check out ther Fuzz page: http://porcelain.fuzz.com/

The Nightwatchman Touring Team: Abigail, Tom and Pete after the last show of our tour at the Troubadour, West Hollywood, 7/21/07:

Before we said goodbye, Tom gave me this:

What an amazing tour it's been. To have been part of this incredible team and have the opportunity to tour with Tom Morello during his first Nightwatchman Tour has been an honor and a blessing.

Special thanks to Tom's management team, especially Blair at Boom, our very own Maureen Herman (Tom's dear friend and my boss, Fuzz Sr. Director, Business Development) and Jeff Yasuda (Fuzz Founder/CEO) for making this all happen. This was an experience I will never forget--ever.

Do not be saddened my dear Fuzzies... There is more Fuzz and Tom Morello to come! This is just the beginning. Stay tuned.

Hell, Rage is playing in just two weeks here in San Francisco!!! Let's go see Tom shred his shit in front of 70,000+ screaming fans! Who's coming?!?

Fuzz love,

A.

Abigail's Tour Diary, 7/10: Tom Morello's FIRST Headlining Tour; Bruce Springsteen drops by...

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:10:51 -0700

After a short ten day break from the tour, we're back on the road again... :)

I just flew into Detroit at 5:01 a.m. from San Francisco; and am now sitting in my hotel's business center until my room's ready (requested early check-in). Perfect, as I know I am overdue in submitting my diary entry to wrap up the first leg of the tour which ended on June 27th in Cambridge, MA--home of Tom Morello's Alma Mater, Harvard University ('86 graduate with an honors degree in Political Science).

After the incredible performances at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN on June 15th and finishing our tour with Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, we flew to Dallas, TX to begin The Nightwatchman's FIRST show as the headliner with Dustin Kensrue (of Thrice) opening.

We knew it was gonna be a good tour when the first show was not only SOLD OUT, but it was also the first SOLD OUT show of the newly built House of Blues / Cambridge Room! The security and production crew at the HOB were so appreciative, excited and accommodating--thanks everyone!

SUN, 6/17 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues / Cambridge Room

MON, 6/18 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

Special thanks to my cousins, Geoff and Jeremy who helped me at the merch booth--The Nightwatchman generated the most sales/revenue that night in Houston than we did all tour! Place was buzzing! :)

TUE, 6/19 New Orleans, LA @ The Parish

This was my first time visiting New Orleans... I was curious to see how the city adapted to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. Fortunately, we had a few hours of down time which allowed me the opportunity to walk through Jackson Square; the French Market, the oldest open-air market in the nation; Saint Louis Cathedral, focal point of the Crescent City and the oldest church in Louisiana; the Riverwalk which runs along the Mississippi River; and more of the historic French Quarter, Bourbon St., Royal St., and Decatur St. Of course, I had to taste their famous beignet, a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. Wow, they're good; and served in orders of three, perfect for sharing with Pete (tour manager) and Tom! :)

Business was good in New Orleans; people were very friendly and in positive spirits. The city is really starting to thrive again... It's incredible to see it continuing on the way that it is after experiencing such an ordeal--thanks, in large part to the many volunteers who have so generously and unselfishly helped to rebuild New Orleans.

THU, 6/21 Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar

Working my Fuzz/The Nightwatchman Merch Booth:

Opening act, Dustin Kensrue (of Thrice)... So talented!

Hangin' with Dustin after his wonderful performance... What a voice! I love his Thrice song, "Stare At The Sun" which he so graciously dedicated to me during a show--thanks Dustin. ;)

He also does a kick ass cover of "Creep" by Radiohead and "Round Here" by the Counting Crows.

Tom Morello plays in front of SOLD OUT crowd and good friends, Bruce Springsteen and renowned music producer, Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Our Lady Peace, Aerosmith, The Wallflowers, Matthew Sweet, Limp Bizkit, Velvet Revolver, Lifehouse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, KoЯn, Follow For Now, Trey Anastasio, Rage Against the Machine, The Black Crowes, Aimee Mann, Bruce Springsteen, Audioslave, Papa Roach, Train, The Offspring, Phish, Incubus, King's X, Johnny Law, Uncle Green (later known as 3 lb. thrill), and Soundgarden).

Pretty crazy!

We snuck Bruce and Brendan into Smith's Olde Bar through the back door and seated them in a reserved dim section stage right. The audience had no idea they were there! It was totally on the "DL". Employees of Smith's Olde Bar, however, conveniently found their way near the dressing room in hopes of meeting Bruce or getting a sneak peek.

There was discussion that Bruce could potentially join Tom on stage, but no such luck...

Tom shows his Fuzz love at our Fuzz/The Nightwatchman merch booth!

FRI, 6/22 Charlotte, NC @ Casbah at Tremont Music Hall

SAT, 6/23 Vienna, VA (DC) @ Jammin' Java

Many thanks to my sister, Beverly and my brother-in-law, Larry who helped me with my merch sales, taking total inventory of new and existing shirts and CDs, packing and shipping them in advance of our upcoming shows, and helping me with the cash, cashier's check and FedEx to Tom's business manager! As they said, it's exhausting work. You both saved me. I love you! :) What would I do without my family?!?

My good friends, Jen Daniels and Jen Surlas hangin' with me and Tom at Vienna, VA show--thanks for coming, girls! So wonderful to see you--looking lovely as usual!

Dustin Kensrue jams with Tom Morello:

MON, 6/25 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star

TUE, 6/26 New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom

Fuzzie, Yon Styles and Hip-Hop Fuzz label artist, Dashah hangin' with us after the NY show:

This was a fun night--lots of industry folk (label peeps, musicians and artists, including NYC rocker, Queen V who graced us with her presence!) I had no idea a guest-list could go in excess of 70 people... ;)

WED, 6/27 Cambridge, MA @ T.T. Bear's

To celebrate a successful first leg of the tour, Tom's record label, SONY/Epic took us out to a "super star" dinner at Intercontinental Hotel which stayed open just for us (we didn't arrive until after 1:00 a.m.; and we wanted lobster!)

Tom and the SONY team arrived first as Pete and I were a bit delayed after settling with the house (venue)... As soon as I walked up to the table (party of 10), Tom requested everyone's attention and said, "Let's give Abigail a great big round of applause!" They all clapped as Tom introduced me, "This is Abigail. She's done a great job managing my merch sales and is traveling with me and Pete on tour. Now, Abigail doesn't come from a merchandising background, but has stepped up to the plate and filled quite a void for us! She's been wonderful to have on tour..." They clapped again as Tom asked, "But the questions is... Are you going to join us for the second leg of the tour?" I smiled, paused for a quick second, nodded and replied, "Yes." "Good. That's good.", Tom concluded.

It was a fun night--great wine, food and company. We didn't arrive back to the hotel until close to 3:00 a.m... Unfortunately for me, my job was not quite over as I had to take inventory, organize, pack and ship the appropriate merch to specific venues in advance of the second leg. I remember thinking, my poor neighbors. They're probably hearing my rolls of tape, thinking, good gosh, what are you doing and why are you doing it from 3:00 a.m. - 6:45 a.m.?!? Yes, that's right, after balancing my books and packing up all the merch boxes by myself, I saw the sun peeking through my curtains...

Problem--I was meeting Dustin at 7:30 a.m. in the lobby for a ride to the airport. His flight was leaving at 10:00 a.m., mine was at 11:00 a.m. I thought, if I sleep now for 30 minutes, I'm never gonna get up. It's better to just stay awake. So I did. Can we say, exhausted?!? The sun was killing my eyes on the way to the airport. As soon as I closed them to shield them from the sun's rays, I was out.

My flight back home to San Francisco was about 45 minutes delayed, but all in all, a good flight--slept the majority of the time; and was very happy to be home.

As soon as we landed and the captain said it was OK to turn on our cell phones, I powered up and received several beeps alerting me of new text messages. Awww... They were from Tom and Pete. :) Since they were flying home to LA, they were on a different, later flight than I was.

Pete's text, "Hello Abigail. Thank you for all of your hard work on this tour."

Tom's text, "Thanks for everything Abigail! It was great touring with u. U did a great job and it was a pleasure traveling with u. Thanks for all the help you gave Old Man Hurt Back Morello too! See u in about 10 days!"

So sweet...

Well, here we are, those 10 days later, ready to start the second leg of the tour. Here's our upcoming schedule:

7/10 Detroit, MI @ Shelter

7/11 Chicago, IL @ Schubas

7/12 Chicago, IL @ Schubas

7/13 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry

7/15 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

7/17 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

7/18 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café

7/20 San Francisco, CA @ Swedish Hall

7/21 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

I'm going to check with the front desk now. I sure hope my room's ready. I'm sleepy...

Fuzz love,

A.

Abigail's Tour Diary, 6/16: TOM MORELLO Jams With TOOL At BONNAROO Festival!

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:27:52 -0700

One word: PRIVILEGED. There is no other way to describe how I feel about my experiences during this ongoing tour with Tom Morello. Despite the incredibly long days, averaging three hours of sleep a night, traveling to a new city practically every day (forgot my room# three times this week--walked out of the elevator on my floor, but just couldn't remember the #), having zero days off, and constantly working at a pace faster than I have ever worked, I am having the time of my life!

TUE, June 12, 2007:

Flew from St. Louis, MO to Cleveland, OH to play another SOLD OUT show, this time at the House of Blues. The city of Cleveland was buzzing with excitement for not only The Nightwatchman and Ben Harper show, but also Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs. In case you missed the game, Ben performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" on slide guitar before the start of the game at the Cavs Arena!

Cleveland fans had a hard time deciding whether to watch Game 3 on the large television monitors at the House of Blues bar and merch area or the show. Many came in and out to check the score and voice their strong opinions about the game, players, refs, and coaches. Disappointment was felt all around as the Spurs ruined Cleveland's 37-year wait to host the NBA finals, beating the Cavaliers 75-72 to move within one win of a fourth title.

Fans of The Nightwatchman and Ben Harper, however were NOT disappointed!

WED, June 13, 2007

Flew from Cleveland, OH to Asheville, NC to play the SOLD OUT show at the Orange Peel. Sadly, as we were going through security check of our carry on luggage, some how, some way, Tom hurt his lower back lifting his bag. He thought nothing of it at first, other than OK, that didn't feel good... Well, after sitting for the entire flight, it wasn't until he tried to stand up and pull his bag from under the seat in front of him that he felt the excruciating dagger of pain. Still, he said nothing.

I, however noticed something was wrong as I walked behind him in the aisle to deplane. "Are you OK? Let me get your bag..." He looked back and it was then I saw the pain by the look on his face as he said, "Yes, please... thank you."

After taking Advil and Aleeve, he managed to get through his set at The Orange Peel without a soul in the audience knowing that he was not well... I thought dear God, please don't give him too sharp of a pain as he's not going to be able to hide the cringe. Tom thought he might just fall over if the pain became unbearable. The energy of the crowd and his adrenaline got him through, but the performance left his back in even worse condition...

Fans were waiting in line outside...

Sound check and merch set up...

Tom received a very interesting request for his autograph...

Another SOLD OUT show...

THU, June 14, 2007

Despite having only about two hours of down time in the morning before our lobby call, I decided to venture off to take a quick visit to see America's largest home, the Biltmore House at George Vanderbilt's estate, which offers a glimpse into a world of elegance and grandeur.

If you recall, or for those who don't know, I'm also a real estate broker with Pacific Union~Christie's Great Estates in San Francisco: http://www.abigailpicache.com

Winter Garden inside Biltmore House: A glass roof illuminates the center fountain sculpture.

South Terrace of Biltmore House:

Teahouse in South Terrace of Biltmore House

George Vanderbilt commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted, whose designs included New York's Central Park, to create the gardens and grounds for his estate.

I made it back to the hotel just in time for lobby call at 12:30 p.m.

We took a taxi to the Asheville airport, tried to check in, then realized there was a problem. The agent said that Tom, Pete (tour manager) and I were not booked on the 2:15 p.m. flight... What?!?

After reviewing the itinerary, I noticed that we were booked on a 2:15 p.m. flight all right, but from Charlotte, NC to Myrtle Beach, SC. We were in Asheville, NC! Our travel agent at "Travel Like A Rock Star" did not book us a flight from Asheville to Charlotte--UGH!

Meanwhile, without saying it, all three of us were thinking, shit, the show is at 8:00 p.m.; sound check at 7:00 p.m., the next flight to Charlotte is sold out. Still in pain from his lower back injury, Tom said calmly, "I'm gonna go sit down over here..." (which basically means, Pete, fix it!)

He dialed our on-call travel agent, reviewed all of our options (including driving to Charlotte to catch the next flight to Myrtle Beach, SC) and after several phone calls got us on a 3:45 p.m. flight to Charlotte. Now the problem was weather delays in Charlotte…

To help alleviate Tom’s pain and due to our time constraint and the pace we needed to move in, we got him a cane and a wheelchair. Yes, I was pushing Tom Morello in a wheelchair at the airport. It was classic. Finding humor in most things, he laughed and said “Just call me old man Morello!”

3 Dramamine pills later for me, I prayed the bad weather and small plane wouldn't make me nauseous.

Thankfully, we made it safely into Myrtle Beach just after 7:00 p.m. As soon as we arrived, we immediately put Tom in a taxi by himself to head straight to the House of Blues. Pete and I waited for the luggage at baggage claim, which included Tom's two precious guitars. After coordinating via several text messages and calls to Ben Harper's production crew, they were on stand by with Ben's guitar just in case we couldn't get there in time with his. We made it!

Tom Morello joins Ben Harper on stage...

Tom Morello's incredible guitar solo with Ben Harper!

WOW--yes, Tom is playing with his mouth!!!

Ben Harper bows to "The Man", Tom Morello…

Ben Harper singing in the crowd without a mic!

Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals

On the tour bus with Ben Harper after House of Blues show—the last one of our tour with him…

Hangin' on tour bus with guitarist Michael Ward and percussionist Leon Mobley of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals.

"Mike and the Bike" Book and Audio CD by Michael Ward, guitarist for Ben Harper:

FRI, June 15, 2007

It’s time for Bonnaroo!

Exhausted, but excited for our first experience at Bonnaroo, we headed to the airport to fly from Myrtle Beach, SC to Nashville, TN. All three of us were seated together in one row. I traded seats with Tom so he could sit in the aisle seat. I was in the middle; Pete was in the window seat.

Pete went to sleep while Tom and I both pulled out our iPods. With my headphones in my ear, I turned mine on… Tom reached over without saying anything, unplugged my headphones from my iPod, plugged it into his, plugged his headphones into my iPod, looked over nodded and smiled.

OK, I thought to myself, I get to hear what’s on Tom Morello’s iPod! I scrolled through--first one I found was an early, non-released version of "We Want It All," a Zack de la Rocha solo track produced by Reznor that appeared on Songs and Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 911… Fucking amazing!!!

Tom found the band, Built For The Sea, pointed, smiled and nodded. He also checked out my video snippet playing drums with Independent Orange LIVE at the Make Out Room. Surprised, he smiled, watched, listened, moved his head and played air drums to my groove, “Exciting! (Drum) toms sound good…”, he said.

OK, I have to admit. I did have a moment… Is this really happening?!?

We arrived at the Nashville airport to find our Bonnaroo artist relations rep holding up a sign for us. We had our very own driver, Thomas. His sole responsibility--take care of us the entire time we were at Bonnaroo. What a blessing!

Thanks so much for everything, Thomas!!! ;)

Our schedule was incredibly hectic. Every moment in the day was filled. Here’s the text Tom and I received from Pete:

“We land at 1:20pm
1:45ish drive 1 hour to Bonarroo
We have our own van there and back

2:45 – 3:00 – Bonnaroo.com on camera interview with Alan Light backstage. He will call you.

4:30 – 5:45 – set

6:15-6:45 – CD signing in the Newbury Comics tent

7:00 – 8:00 – shoot Danny Clinch piece to track

8:00-8:30 – Radio Bonnaroo – backstage interview AND acoustic performance of two songs. Recorded and taped with host Zac. Syndicated to 25 stations all over the US and on blueroom.com.

9:00 – Tool”

Bonnaroo's "This Tent"

Bonnaroo's "That Tent"

Cooling down at the Bonnaroo "Centeroo Fountain"

Paolo Nutini performing in "That Tent" before Tom Morello's The Nightwatchman show.

Paolo Nutini using Artist Transportation--a true necessity at Bonnaroo.

The Nightwatchman Dressing Room

Tom Morello enjoying Bonnaroo's warm welcome of The Nightwatchman

Video shoot for "Alone Without You". Song can be heard in Michael Moore's documentary, 'SICKO' which opens on June 29th. Moore lists The Nightwatchman under his "Mike Likes" tab on his web site: http://www.michaelmoore.com

The incredible Bonnaroo reception! What a show!

Fans line up at Tom Morello's The Nightwatchman CD signing

Video shoot with Danny Clinch.

Photo shoot.

The Roots photo shoot at Aritst VIP area at Bonnaroo.

At Radio Bonnaroo--interview and three song acoustic performance. Lovely dynamics…

Once-in-a-lifetime jam session: Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, guitarist Ben Harper & drummer ?uestlove at Bonnaroo!!!

The headlining heavy rock band, TOOL drove a massive crowd of 80,000 to the main stage... Frontman, Maynard James Keenan near the end of their set, paused after "Wings" and announced, "Joining us on stage... Tom fucking Morello!" The crowd went absolutely crazy and let out an incredible wave of excitement! Tom walked out on stage, joined in on "Lateralus" and played a kick ass guitar solo that sent the fans at Bonnaroo screaming and jumping with fists raised high in the air!

No Photos Allowed. Sorry... Believe me when I say--it was fucking sick!

My backstage TOOL "Working" credentials. The stage was on serious lock down!

TOOL Set List:

This week we begin The Nightwatchman's first headlining tour with Dustin Kensrue of Thrice opening:

6/17 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues / Cambridge Room

6/18 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

6/19 New Orleans, LA @ The Parish (18+)

6/21 Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar (21+)

6/22 Charlotte, NC @ Casbah at Tremont Music Hall (all ages)

6/23 Vienna, VA (DC) @ Jammin' Java (all ages)

6/25 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star (all ages)

6/26 New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom (16+)

6/27 Cambridge, MA @ T.T. Bear's

6/28 Flying home to San Francisco! :)

Fuzz love,

A.

Abigail's Tour Diary, 6/11: On the road with Tom Morello's The Nightwatchman and Ben Harper

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:56:29 -0700

Wow! What an exciting and hectic first five days on tour!

First stop on THU, 6/7 was a SOLD OUT Tulsa, OK show at Cain's Ballroom. As soon as my flight landed at the Tulsa airport, I received a text message, "Morello here what up". Smiling I sent, "just arrived--on my way to Cain's now". Here we go, I told myself... Here we go!

Pete, our tour manager greeted me as I rolled up to the venue, pressed an ALL ACCESS pass on my left thigh and said, "Come with me!" After several security checks, we entered through the green room and walked behind the stage. It was then, as I walked up the steps, I not only saw Tom Morello and Ben Harper, but the view of the SOLD OUT crowd from the stage! It was an incredible moment.

My roles on tour--manage all merch sales for Tom and promote Fuzz. Interestingly, I have also taken on the role as Tom's production assistant, escorting him through crowds and enforcing order as fans surround him requesting autographs and pictures. Exciting, fast paced, and hectic!

After staying the night in Tulsa, Tom, Pete and I headed to the Wakarusa Music Festival--70+ bands on multiple stages at Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas. Several thousand music lovers were in attendance!

As we're in Tom's dressing room, just minutes before he goes on stage, he says, "I need a hype man! Who wants to be my hype man?" "I do!" I said. Meanwhile I had no idea what a "hype man" was... Tom asked, "Know what a hype man is? Ever been on stage in front of these many people?" "Uh... no", I said. Very calmly, he then replied, "just hold the mic about this close to your lips..." I thought, dear God, what have I agreed to?!? After we rehearsed what I was going to say, I quickly changed into my Fuzz shirt (duh, you know I have to promote), then Tom looked at me and said, "It's now or never, let's go!"

I followed him up the steps to the stage to find Pete checking the mic and Tom's guitars. He gives me the thumbs up and hands me the mic. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous as I walked out on stage, smiled and with my "hype man" enthusiastic voice said:

"Good evening, Kansas!" (crowd cheers)

"Tom Morello IS the guitarist for Rage Against The Machine!" (pause, crowd screams)

"Tom Morello IS the quitarist for Audioslave!" (pause, crowd screams)

"But tonight... Tom Morello IS The Nightwatchman!!!"

The crowd cheers, intro music begins and Tom walks out on stage and sings, "One Man Revolution". It was a moment I'll never forget--what a show!

Afterwards, we drove about an hour to Kansas City, MO stayed the night and headed to Council Bluffs, IA for the SOLD OUT show at Stir Cove/Harrah's Casino. As we drove on the highway, Tom noticed a sign for the Jesse James Museum, "Let's go there!" he says. Pete, being the tour manager that he is says, "I don't know... we're cutting it close on time..." So, we pull over, review the map, number of miles to go, current time, sound check schedule, etc. Yeah, we were definitely cutting it close. Didn't matter to Tom... "OK, we're going here!" as he circles the Jesse James picture on the map. "I've been to thousands of sound checks, but I haven't been to the Jesse James Museum!" I laughed and agreed, "Yeah, let's do it. It'll be fun." Sure enough, we rerouted to visit the house where Jesse James was murdered by Robert Ford in 1882 in St. Joseph, MO.

"And I have the perfect song to prepare us..." Tom said. He puts in Bruce Springsteen's CD and plays "Jesse James". It was classic.

"Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain

Well it was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward
I wonder now how he feels
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave..."

I had a chill and goose bumps when we walked into the actual room Jesse was shot...

Needless to say, we were still on time for the Harrah's Casino show... It was a beautiful, sunny day as we pulled up next to the outdoor stage and heard the sound check of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. Yup, I thought to myself, it's gonna be another good night!

And, that it was! Tom blew me away with his amazing guitar solo when he joined Ben Harper on stage--blew me and the crowd away! Right after he left the stage, more fans came to the merch tent to buy Nightwatchman shirts and CDs... It was awesome.

The next morning, SUN, 6/10, I had an earlier flight booked to St. Louis than Pete and Tom (mine was at 6:30 a.m. because their 12:55 p.m. flight was sold out). I arrived in St. Louis at 7:30 a.m., they weren't supposed to arrive until 2:00 p.m. So, I had to wait... After only 1.5 hours of sleep the night before (doing merch inventory after a show takes a long time, especially since Ben played for close to 3 hours), I was exhausted. After collecting my luggage at baggage claim, I found the closest set of chairs without arm rests to sleep on, huddled my luggage close together next to me, put my cell on vibrate against my stomach and slept (or tried to as I heard announcements and the baggage carousel turn on and off)... Life on the road.

Fortunately, Pete called me at 9:30 a.m. after he realized the travel agent from "travel like a rock star" had to book me on an earlier flight. So sweet, he requested an early check in for me at the hotel. "Go ahead to the hotel and rest", he said. Tom and I will meet you in the lobby at 6:00 p.m. for sound check." I was never so happy to actually sleep in a bed...

As we drove behind the venue of another SOLD OUT show, there were fans waiting in the parking lot for Tom, requesting autographs and asking if they could take a picture with him. Time to go to work!

I invited my favorite bassist and good friend, Eric Grossman http://www.fuzz.com/fan/EricGrossman to the show at The Pagaent. Timing couldn't have been better as he just flew back home to St. Louis from playing a show with Sarah Bettens http://sarahbettens.fuzz.com/ in Arizona--perfect.

Thank you, Eric for helping me with the merch, hosting me at your lovely house tonight and for the ride to the airport in 3 hours! ;)

(It's almost 3:00 a.m. now.)

Flight from St. Louis,MO to Cleveland, OH leaves at 7:55 a.m. TUE, 6/12. I better get at least a couple hours of sleep... I'll write more soon.

This week's schedule:

6/12 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues

6/13 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

6/14 North Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues

6/15 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo

Come see us if we're in your city!

Fuzz love,

A.

Running my first Bay To Breakers 12K, May 20, 2007

Mon, 21 May 2007 22:07:17 -0700

Yesterday, I participated in my first Bay To Breakers! What a truly fun San Francisco experience!

From the Start line to the Finish line they had 16 bands providing the soundtrack and inspiration for our run. Two of the bands are on our Fuzz site, Pebble Theory http://pebbletheory.fuzz.com and Vin Rouge http://vinrouge.fuzz.com

Of course, I had to jog in place, cheer and say, "Hi!" to both bands! :)

I was also very happy to see AJ of Maldroid http://maldroid.fuzz.com running his first Bay To Breakers!

Crazy--with thousands of participants, we still ran into each other. That Fuzz energy just stays with us, doesn't it?!? :)

COURSE DESCRIPTION
ING Bay to Breakers is a 12K (7.46 miles) course. From sea level at the Embarcadero the course rises steeply along Hayes Street Hill. Around the 2.5-mile mark runners climb an 11.15% grade between Fillmore and Steiner, bringing them to the highest point in the race, approximately 215 feet above sea level. The remainder of the course gradually flows alongside the Panhandle and through Golden Gate Park.

START LINE:

Getting ready for the Hayes Street Hill:

Really, if you haven't done it yet, you should!

For those who aren't familiar with Bay to Breakers, here's the history:

"95 YEARS AND COUNTING...

At 5:13am on April 18, 1906, a devastating earthquake – that would become one of history’s most notorious natural disasters - rocked San Francisco. The subsequent fire and destruction were unimaginable, and many feared the City would be gone forever. But San Franciscans, displaying their typical fortitude and innovation, immediately began rebuilding the city and producing events to lift their morale. One of those events, the Cross City Race – known better today as ING Bay to Breakers – was first run in 1912 as a precursor to the world-class athletic events planned for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition on Treasure Island. There were less than 200 participants that first year and Robert Jackson Vlught was the first person to ever cross the finish line, with a finishing time of 44:10.

Since then, Bay to Breakers has prevailed as a testament to San Francisco’s uniqueness and audacity. Each year, the race is a glorious celebration of the human spirit – a giant wave of athleticism, fun, frivolity, and determination flowing across the City from the bay to the ocean. It is one of the largest footraces in the world with 65,000 + participants and 100,000 + spectators annually. As the race grew in size it even set a Guinness Book record, with 110,000 participants, in 1986. The course is challenging and beautiful, and consistently attracts top athletes in the sport. But it isn't just a race for the serious runner.

In the true spirit of San Francisco the race is a celebration for everyone. Thousands of costumed participants join with families, weekend runners and people just out for a stroll. As they make their way through the heart of San Francisco they are cheered by thousands of spectators and live music along the course. They also have to dodge the "spawning salmon" who each year make their way from the Finish line, through the masses, to the Start.

Throughout its long history Bay to Breakers has been a showplace for the City's irrepressible color and its affection for eclectic traditions. Although runners come from across the country and all points of the globe, the race is still quintessential San Francisco and a true reflection of life between the breakers and the Bay."

My day volunteering with Habitat For Humanity San Francisco, May 11, 2007

Thu, 17 May 2007 00:01:08 -0700

Habitat for Humanity San Francisco (HHSF) was established as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International in November 1992. It is a faith-based non-profit organization committed to building decent affordable housing with low-income families and individuals in San Francisco County.

HHSF is currently building twelve single-family homes on De Long Street in San Francisco's Outer Mission neighborhood. The homes are being constructed, in three phases, on surplus land purchased from Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) along the Daly City line.

Like all Habitat for Humanity projects, each home is being built by Habitat volunteers and partner families.

This year, my assignment was to form a grade beam and stem wall for one of the twelve homes on De Long Street:

Using my spirit level...

Quite the task ahead of us! Checkout BART zooming by... Hey, what can we say? Land is scarce in San Francisco!

Using my fiberglass telescoping measuring rod to check desired grade.

Our foundation stem wall and grade beam! Pretty, isn't it? :) Look--you can barely see BART zooming by now!

The Habitat For Humanity SF Coldwell Banker (Lombard) Crew... For those of you who don't know, I'm also a real estate broker. What? Yes, really! See: http://www.abigailpicache.com

Despite the cold weather, it was a lot of fun and a fantastic learning experience. It's incredibly rewarding to know we made a difference by building affordable housing in San Francisco!

To read about my exciting "dirt duty" assignment last year using a one-way vibrator plate compactor and Sarah Bettens' Habitat experience assisting Hurricane Katrina victims, checkout her blog:
http://www.fuzz.com/artist/SarahBettens/blog/Sarah-Bettens-volunteers-with-Habitat-For-Humanity-to-assist-Hurricane-Katrina-victims-New-Orleans

If you'd like to learn more about Habitat and how you can get involved, please visit:
http://www.habitatsf.org/ for San Francisco or

http://www.habitat.org/ to find a local affiliate near you.

Checkout a LIVE VIDEO snippet of "Now" from our (Independent Orange) WomenROCK Benefit Show

Mon, 07 May 2007 00:43:16 -0700

The Making of "Daddy's Gun" Video...

Thu, 03 May 2007 15:44:37 -0700

Check out the behind the scenes footage. Very cool!

Sarah looks amazing--wow!

Video should be completed today. Stay tuned...

Damien Rice at Oakland Paramount Theatre--an absolutely incredible show!

Tue, 01 May 2007 01:41:12 -0700

Hangin' with Joel Shearer, one of my favorite guitarists backstage:

Thanks to my friend, Joel, guitarist for Damien Rice, I had the opportunity to see their incredibly beautiful performance at the historic Oakland Paramount Theatre on SAT night, April 28th up close and personal, and hang at the Aftershow.

My gosh, just walking in and being escorted to my seat, I felt the energy and rich history of past performances.

Backed by a talented four-piece band (Joel, cellist Vyvienne Long, drummer Tom Osander and bassist Shane Fitzsimons), Damien sang and played guitar and piano on a dozen confessional songs taken from his two albums, "0" (critically acclaimed, hugely successful debut in 2003) and "9" (extraordinary follow-up released in NOV 2006).

It was Damien's sensitive lyrics, dynamics--his ability to manipulate the rise and fall of emotional tensions in his songs that moved me most... I closed my eyes to savor the sound of his voice as he created tension and release with such natural ease. I had goose bumps during several songs... the very moving "The Animals Were Gone", the delicate ballad "Accidental Babies" and his haunting obsession "The Blower's Daughter".

A highlight for me was when Joel put his guitar down and sat in on a second drum kit stage left, starting first with a solo on his cajon followed by his mini kit (snare, bass, hi-hat, and crash) with drummer, Tom Osander joining in at the very end. It was fucking awesome!

He said it's actually his dream to play drums... Who knew?!? Amazing guitarist and drummer at heart.

Then there was a very cool surprise when they played a snippet of Rage Against The Machine's "Killing In The Name" at the end of the breakup anthem "Rootless Tree". Joel said it was a test to see if they'd pull it off the following day while performing at Coachella (right before Rage would take the main stage). Not sure yet what they decided to do... I think they were leaning more towards not doing it--just because. It's Rage!

From his "Rootless..."
"FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, LOVE YOU
and all you've been through.
I said leave it, leave it, leave it
it's nothing to you.
And if you hate me, hate me, hate me, hate me so good
that you just let me out
let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out?"

To Rage's "Killing..."
"Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!
Motherfucker!"

It was pretty fuckin' cool!

Later, in an absolutely brilliant move, Damien stepped away from his mic and sang Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with just his guitar. The crowd could not have been quieter--completely captivated.

He ended his set with "Cheers Darlin'" as he puffed on a cigarette and drank several glasses of red wine served by his very own sommelier.

The crowd erupted as we gave him a standing ovation... and we continued to linger in hopes of hearing more.

Watch "Come Over Here" Video (Single on Columbia Records "Revolutions" Compilation CD)

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:23:36 -0700

Awesome!!! Check out the crowd...

MUSIC WITH A TWIST/COLUMBIA RECORDS RELEASES "REVOLUTIONS", April 17, 2007.

"The Soldier Song" Video

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:12:22 -0700

Beautiful... Watch this LIVE performance of "The Soldier Song" from Sarah's SOLD OUT AB show in Brussels on DEC 18, 2006.

This video has been sent to all anti-war protest sites to see if we can start some traction...

Help us make "The Soldier Song" (as said best by TCC) "the defining song of our conflicted times"!

Fuzz BRANDED! Tat found on neck... suprasternal notch. Want one? If so, where?!?

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:39:13 -0700

FIRST Artist to break 10,000 Profile Views on Fuzz!

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 11:55:41 -0700

Today marks the day that an Artist on Fuzz, Sarah Bettens, broke 10,000 profile views!

Congratulations Sarah!!!

Sarah Bettens: FIRST Artist to break 10,000 Profile Views on Fuzz!

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 11:42:53 -0700

Today marks the day that an Artist on Fuzz, Sarah Bettens, broke 10,000 profile views!

Congratulations Sarah!!!

http://www.fuzz.com/artist/SarahBettens

I just shot new Sarah Bettens photos at the Viper Room & Dinah Shore gigs! Click "IMAGES" to view..

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:10:09 -0700

Checkout New Images of Our Fuzz SXSW Adventure!

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 10:10:42 -0700

It was an amazing week for Fuzz and a rockin' week for all of us Fuzzies who attended SXSW!

Special thanks to Maux, Chris and Bill for making this week one I will never forget.

Enjoy...