Payson AZ

This is my last concert of the Tour! Will i be sad or relieved? Who knows.

While i was driving from Pheonix to Payson i was kind of numb. Driving is my routine. What else could impress me. Nature? I think i've seen all. However i didn't get over the cactuses yet. They are my favorite plants. I think that Arizona has the most character as a state. The cactuses

and red rocks

made my trip not boring at all.

During the drive i tried to engage myself into a special and spiritual state because it was my last concert. It didn't work. I think that i became a robot. I was doing my routine: driving, checking in at the hotel and looking for a restaurant that was still open @ 8 pm.

The hotel was a big surprise because it had the most beautiful alpine backyard and smelled like pine trees.

Next morning i encountered a big problem. I had a pimple on my forehead like a horn and there was no way that it will go away till the evening. The worst thing was that it was on the side of the audience.

Psychologically it was very hard. The only cure i could use it was my confidence. That was the plan for the day.

I was looking forward to the outreach concert however it was interrupted by technical malfunction and that broke the flow. After that children (who barely can sustain their attention) were on the loose. I have put a lot of energy and got ... not enough result.

I needed to refocus and recharge myself for the evening show.

Nature is the best for that.

I stayed there and stared at the rocks like samurai before the battle.

My chemicals were restored but it didn't help to the pimple. Actually it got even "juicier". Che vergogna! Besides the confidence it needed physical help. I decided to use powder ( i also felt like putting some eyeliner as well but left it for the next time). The hall was almost full. I could feel the energy of the people. They didn't know what is happening in my head. I was not a robot at that time. I wanted to give them the best show in their lives. I don't know if it was their best but i felt quite strong response from them. I played really really well. Good piano helped too. I was free and i didn't care about anything but ... the moment that i was in. It was my last.

Paradise CA

Have you ever been in Paradise?

The nature there is soooooooo lush.

Analiese (whom i just met and who just picked me up from the Chico airport) lost her way to her friend's house. I actually enjoyed it because i just landed from dusty Arizona deserts and was absorbing the nature.

Finally we found it!

Daria was cooking up the storm and making fashion statements.

Also she told me that if i won't behave she will dunk me in the dog's pool. GRO-SE! I behaved.

Dan was not sure how to deal with ladies.

Good choice. Get'em drunk!

Dan takes his dances seriously before dinners.

Full and happy faces.

Even if i was very tired from the travels that night i really enjoyed the company of the people that never met before. That's why i love my life. Its full of strangers ; )

Next day i played concert and went back to Arizona. It was very quick and interesting visit in North California. They definitely have a character.

Bullhead City AZ day 2

Great outreach concert. Students were fantastic. Very expressive.

Even Julie forgot that she is a president of the concert association.

Later that day we went for lunch to the hillbillie's town. The road was full of surprises. Wild burros ( or donkeys). They were left there in the mountains in 1930-40 when they closed the mines. Now they are wild and often create a big traffic but everyone respects them. You are not supposed to be in a hurry in a hillbilly town anyway.

I had to take action and try to clear the road but ... instead i was just spreading them all over the road. They couldn't care less about my efforts.

I decided to take another approach. To befriend a little burrito.

But it took a pro donkey whisperer to achieve the goal.

The town was friendly

classy

and safe.

The walls of the restaurant were covered with real dollar bills.

Dollars were everywhere.

The family of musicians were entertaining for tips only.

Sometimes their little daughter would come out for a dance. Soon she will sing blues too.

We had our buffalo burger and headed back. I needed to rest before the concert but we were stopped again. "Your license and registration or ... maybe a carrot"

Is it the end of the month?

Somebody is not in the good mood.

The concert association in Bullhead gave me very VIP treatment. Including the parking.

The audience was great. I very was hyper and had fun with them.

Next day i had a fly out to California to play a concert and then to come back to Arizona for another one. Good bye Laughlin! I had a really good stay!

I still can't forget those musicians and the little dancing girl.

Bullhead City AZ day 1

In order to get to Laughlin/Bullhead City AZ i had to fly through Las Vegas. Vegas has special vibes. Its the freedom. This is the place where people go to embrace their instincts. Everyone there become one tribe with one goal. I love Vegas.

I rented a car and left for Laughlin/Bullhead.

Laughlin is a gambling town on the border of Nevada and Arizona. Bullhead City is in Arizona just across the river.

My accommodations where in Laughlin

but the concert was in Bullhead. My suite was on the top flour of the hotel/casino and had two balconies. You can choose either one for jumping if you loose big. I wasn't there to lose.

Julie (a president of the concert association) organized a gig for me just for fun at the lounge in one of the casinos.

Who is real there?

Tips started to come in. I didn't know how to act because i work for ... food ; ) Wouldn't you? It was lobster, shrimp and scallops rounded by mashed potatoes.

Even the chef came out to see who the new "lounge act" was.

At midnight we roamed around the casino looking for Mr.Laughlin himself. The man who built this town. We found him! He was in the corner of the club having a business meeting. We caught him at the end of the meeting and took historic shots.

I had to force myself to go to sleep because ... this town doesn't sleep and i don't want to miss anything.

EL Paso TX day 2

Today was the most fun day of the tour. However it started with a little tragedies. I lost my phone. I was distracted by too many events and had too little time. I am almost finished with the tour and there goes my phone. In the last weeks! It was bound to happen and i hated that phone anyway.

That made me a little upset but when i saw the hall and the piano ...

everything was back on track. I knew that the show will be good. And it was! because i had an amazing audience and many new friends in it.

Before the concert i was taking pics of the venue.

The evening was very warm and many people were out enjoying it.

Gladys (a representative of the area for the concert associations) came out to enjoy the evening too. While we were talking a young couple approached us and asked if i was Rudolf. Surprisingly I was. They were very friendly. People with confidence always make life interesting. Look at Dustin. He is ready to take Gladys (in red) home too ; )

Honestly i didn't expect my new Mexican friends (Maria, Fernanda and Cesar) whom i met last night to come to the show.

I was very happy because they did and also brought even more friends. Here we are after the concert at the starting line. Ready to party.

Trendy bars had waiting lists for 30 min. It was way too long! We just posed for a couple of pictures there and left to another one.

We landed in a dive bar where we felt quite ... comfortable.

the DJ kept an ambience with good music

Cesar had very unrealistic dreams ; )

Dustin didn't look as perky as before and Kate couldn't stop smiling even though there was no reason.

Sofie was very alert and was telling something important in Spanglish or Dutch. I don't remember. She is a big fan of Amsterdam as you can see.

Fernanda made sure that everyone had a little somethin' somethin' on the table. Actually she was the one who invited me to the table yesterday at the club. We didn't know each other then. say "Queso" or "Jalapeno"!!!

There was more friends from Juarez (Mexico). They cross the border just to come to El Paso in order the party or to visit friends. This time was both.

I was having the best time with these people. No wonder that i am married to a latina ; ) Their blood temperature fits mine even i am a pale gringo from Lithuania. Not Transylvania! Please!