Wednesday, May 5, 2010

European Promo Tour 2010

Wednesday, May 5th

So, I'm relaxing and having a pint at the Goat's Tavern, a traditional English pub in Kensington, having just arrived in London a few hours ago, and I thought maybe I would share a few thoughts about this European promo tour the band is currently on. You see, outside of recording much of our most recent CD right here in Kensington exactly one year ago, we haven't been to Europe since the My Private Nation tour in 2004. The UK and most of Europe knows the band Train for only two songs really - Drops of Jupiter and Hey, Soul Sister. Meet Virginia received very little radio airplay here, and Calling All Angels wasn't the big hit song over here that it was in the States. Cab did nothing at all in Europe. On past tours when we've played those songs in concert here, you can see the faces light up with faint recognition, much like the young kids in America who are just discovering the band through the success of Hey Soul Sister..."Hey, I've heard this song before! That's these guys?!" We see it every night on tour in America, so performing in Europe won't be that much different. What will be different is that this first visit to the UK and Europe is more of a re-acquaintance trip. "Hey everybody, remember us...the Drops of Jupiter guys who are back with another smash hit after all these years?" Unlike America (and Australia really) where we have a fan base that has welcomed us back with open arms, we never really developed a fan base in Europe. And that's why we're here. We need to take advantage of the worldwide success we are once again experiencing thanks to Hey Soul Sister, and do the hard work that it will take to tie the 16-year history of Train together for the rest of the world, so we can keep coming back to these places for many years to come. But that won't be easy for us, given the success we've been experiencing on our most recent tours in the U.S. and Canada. We've gotten kind of used to the sold-out theater shows and festivals we've been playing for the past six months. I mean, we're opening for Bon Jovi at the New Meadowlands Stadium in front of 100,000 people only a few days after we return from Europe! Well, that's then and this is now. And the reality of what's now is that for the next few weeks we will be visiting radio stations and doing lots and lots of interviews all day every day, while playing small 500 seat clubs at night. Then we will travel, by tour bus mostly, to the next city/country, wake up and do it all over again. It'll be fun, if not a little humbling. Then we'll come back in the fall and hopefully move into the larger theaters and do a little less promotion and a lot more dates in many more cities and countries. So, I'm going to finish my pint, and maybe have one more with the guys who just walked in. Then I'm going to get a good nights rest, because tomorrow morning it's time to roll up the sleeves and go to work. The Train is here, Europe, and we're here to stay!
Peace,
Jimmy

12 comments:

Dani said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dani said...

Yay!!! I hope you have an absolutely splendid time. I loved England, it's so much fun.

Glad you finally updated this thing!

xxDani

Ben Maisey said...

Europe..well yes you have such hard road to tow their. With singers of the calibre of Kylie Minoge, and Robbie Williams. (totally facitious comment there). Good luck.

Dani said...

Oh Ben.....don't you know Kylie Minogue is Australian???


Now, if you had said something about the British Commonwealth, that would be a different story.

But, I suppose, in essence, you are right.

Unknown said...

Hi Jimmy,
Thanx for your show in Paris, it was nice to listen to you and really great to talk to you after !
As we said I've jut added your page on facebook, so I hope you'll give me some news next time you come to France.
I've tried to get tickets to come to see you at the french tv show Taratata, but it might be complete cause I can't get to the page to subscribe... so I think I'll to wait for october ;)
I hope you enjoyed your short time in Paris.
C U
Bisous
Eloïse

Unknown said...

Your just amazing and I knew Europe would love you! I still can hardly wait to read your book! Hugs!

jocalyn said...

jimmy! one of my blog friends directed me to yours...can't believe i haven't visited before.

hope you guys have a great show tonight. so exciting.

you deserve all this success! you are so talented and your energy on stage is contagious.

oh, and I too am eagerly awaiting your book :)

take care.

~jocalyn

Unknown said...

Thanks for a great show in Melbourne Australia last Friday :o) I hope the rest of your goes just as well, if not better.

CarolynArtist said...

Hello, if this is really you then I'd like to say you guys did an outstanding job last night in Northern Virginia to a sold out crowd at Wolf Trap! We were blessed with 3rd row seats and loved every second of your show!

Pam said...

Hi Jimmy, Boy, did I pick the right day to search for your blog! I just typed your name in google and here I am! Did you know when pat posted the I (heart) Pat photo on twitter a few days ago, I asked him where are all of the I LOVE & HEART Jimmy shirts? fliers? etc... Would love to see more love your way! Pat is hogging all of the spotlight! JK! Honestly, TRAIN wouldn't be TRAIN without you! You are the best! Everything I look at for the past few years, you are working hard and sounding great!

lotsofmoxie said...

casheydawg@hotmail.com

Taus said...

From your very small, but nonetheless dedicated fan base in India: hey!!
After listening to the last two albums, I just have two words for you Jimmy: "More Solos!"
I still trip on the solo from Meet Virginia (Alive At Last, of course. You guys just take it to another level when you're live)