Florida Successfully Soft Rocked

By JoCo January 18, 2010

1.
Oh man you guys, I forgot how exciting it is to play in a market for the first time. I don’t know why it took me so long to get to Florida, but I’m glad I did. I was sorry to leave, especially since it was just getting warm – I had to wear my winter coat at Disneyworld! (Don’t let anybody tell you it isn’t hard to be a rock star, because it is.)

2.
And not to overlook the kind people of Atlanta who actually bought all available tickets at the Variety Playhouse. That’s 750 people, which is nuts. That’s like Seattle numbers. Well done Atlanta, here is a cookie: O

3.
Twitter followers and obsessive types will already know this, but the tickets have finally gone on sale for Houston February 6th at Zilkha Hall – BUY THEM HERE. There were various problems that kept this from happening until way too close to the show – I’m hoping it’s not going to be a complete disaster. If it is, the 15-20 of us will still have fun, just, I will have to sleep in a box that night.

Comments

a_stoddard says

Well, I have my Houston ticket, somewhere in the second row.
I'll bring a large refrigerator box, so it will feel like home

Meanderthal says

Enjoyed the heck out of the Atlanta show, and I hope you come back soon!

steve says

Loved the Orlando show. I'm actually from Wyoming, just coincidence that I was there the same time You were. 4th time seeing you (2x PAX and 1x Denver)

Foe says

The Atlanta show was amazing! I, for one, would love it if you could make DragonCon (www.dragoncon.org) this year and I bet you'd enjoy it too! Thanks for the cookie and come back often!

Bryan says

Orlando show was great! I know a lot of people that would have come had they known about the show, so make sure you come back soon!

Shawn says

I've been waiting for YEARS for you to finally come to Florida. Thank you sooo much! It was as an amazing experience to see you, Paul and Storm in Orlando.

I took my friend who did know who you were before, and we were both joking how we thought we'd be the only two people in the venue. I think everyone was shocked and marveled by how many people showed. It was such a great time. Please come back soon!

Brandon says

Okay, so are you ever coming to Nashville? You're a musician...wouldn't it make sense to play in Music City at some point? I guess I'll just keep watching the DVD in the meantime. Old technology...like a disc...it's crazy...

Justin says

Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming to St. Pete! It was an awesome show, the best concert I've been to in years. The "Constantinople" cover was better than any of the times I saw TMBG in concert.

Paul and Storm were worth the price of admission by themselves, but seeing JoCo in person rocked my wold. You should visit Sarasota next time, worth it just to visit the toy store on Main St.

Come back soon!

Noah Ramon says

Just bought 12 tickets. WE ARE ROW N.
On the one hand, I was hoping to be closer up. On the other hand, something in the cro-magnon brain likes saying "WE ARE ROW N."
And if after four days, orchestra center is full up that far back, you should be able to rest a bit easier. And not on cardboard.

(Unless you wanted to, or something like that.)

Kate P says

I second what Justin said: the St. Pete show was AMAZING. I was totally blown away by Paul and Storm, and you hadn't even taken the stage yet! Best. Show. Ever. Thank you so much, you've made my little geek heart reach maximum capacity of fun!

Justin says

Forgot: in regards to Paul's shenanigans with that woman's iPhone at the St. Pete show, has anyone seen that video posted anywhere?

Nikki says

What obsessive types? We don't know what you're talking about.

Paul R. Potts says

At least you will have a box. When I was in Houston I had to sleep in a pothole!

rozwarren says

Atlanta was awesome. Again. When are you coming back? And will you do a Constantinopol cover in Alexandria. Please??

photosinensis says

When I was in Houston, I had my own place. Alas, that was aeons ago...wait, no, that was last week. Since it's a Saturday show, I don't know whether to see you in Dallas on Thursday or just drive down and see my family that weekend.

Jenni says

Loved the Orlando (AAARRGH-lando?) show! I brought some friends, one of which was only familiar with the "song [you] wrote for a video game," and we all agreed it was one of the best concerts we've seen. Thaks for introducing us to Paul & Storm; you have a great opening act. We were even seriously considering following you to St. Pete (we're all from there anyway). I'll definitely be back next time you're in Florida!

Oh, and thanks for the guitar pick (maybe I should be thanking Storm...).

dave says

Finally! You made it to Florida. We've been waiting for years. Fortunately it was worth the wait. You rocked. And Paul and Storm rocked. That was the most fun I've had at a show in eons. Absolute eons.

Thanks for visiting! We all hope you can make it back soon.

Wilson says

Hey, that means you're going to have just as much fun in Vancouver at the end of February! Awesome!

sevinPackage says

"That’s like Seattle numbers."
That phrase brings such pride for my region. Good job, Atlanta!

My wife and I have already seen the show at the Moore, so we're going to try to see the show at the Aladdin, which we hear is an amazing venue.

Ed says

Drove two hours, from Gainesville to Orlando to see you guys. Years of waiting culminated in ULTIMATE WIN! Thank you and Paul and Storm for such a great show.

Next time, fill the O'Dome! http://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/ ;)

Andi says

We were at the Atlanta show. It was hands down one of the best performances I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot. I second the comment on coming to DragonCon, might be because we're going for the first time this year. :)

George says

Years of hoping for a Florida show were fulfilled last weekend, up to and beyond my expectations, especially after my friend's request for Istanbul was gratified with a response. He was up in Chicago when you and TMBG did Flood shows on the same day and chose to attend TMBG's; about ten minutes after walking in to St. Pete's lovely Nova 535, he told me, "I think I went to the wrong show!"
You and Paul and Storm should come back real soon,and thanks again!

"Forgot: in regards to Paul’s shenanigans with that woman’s iPhone at the St. Pete show, has anyone seen that video posted anywhere?"

Not yet, but I'm on constant lookout. Gotta get a look at that close-up, after all.

Jon says

Atlanta packed the house ... I said to my wife "hey let's get there a little early, maybe we can sit down front!"

No way in hell, we were there at 8 and it was standing room only. Stood the entire time with a fractured kneecap, and was totally worth it.

You're obviously drawing good numbers ... why not think about playing the Tabernacle next time? It's Atlanta's best venue, and a little bigger than Variety Playhouse (around 2500 seats if I remember right). It will make Paul and Storm happy during their Nun Fight song - it's a converted church!

Anyway, thanks for an awesome time. Atlanta loves Joco!

Kelsey says

Come to New Orleans!! Please please please please please!!

Tyler says

St. Pete show was great can't wait for your next visit. You have some amazing skills playing a zendrum with no hands and im glad you could ruin Paul and Storms plans to do the fire joke like in Chicago though the door one was pretty good.

rozwarren says

Do you know when you're scheduled to play at Pax East yet?

Ben says

1 more for New Orleans!

Dan, ad nauseam says

The $64 question is whether JoCo was invited to join in the show at Disney World.

flcodemonkey says

The Orlando show was UN-BE-LIEVABLE! I don't know how many people we had in there (Paul said 900?), but there was barely room to breathe. However, an amazing time was had by all, and my 12-year old son, whom I dragged 1.5 hrs each way, on a school night (!), has been playing your songs non-stop. Thank you again for coming to our neck o' the woods - next time, BIGGER venue :)

Steve Dembo says

Just happened to be in Orlando for a conference and dragged a couple colleagues with me that had never heard of you before. We ALL had a blast! Great set, fantastic atmosphere, and loved the changes you made to Mr. Fancy Pants. Oh yeah, and Soft Rocked -> You've Got a Friend -> Hand in My Pocket -> American Pie slew me! Fantastic show!

Wife couldn't make it, so I brought her home some stickers.

Mmmm..... Cake!

Christine says

Thank you for playing St. Petersburg! I waited a couple years for you to play FL, and then you played just blocks from my house. Very cool. It was an amazing show. We were definitely soft rocked. I'm now Paul and Storm's newest fan. Thanks!

DNL says

The St. Pete show was amazing! I had to rush out of work, drive 1.5hours to get there, and (I kid you not) picked up chicken nuggets for dinner (not sure if I'll eat those again after hearing Paul and Storm's song), but it was worth it! I eagerly await your next visit.

DNL says

Oh, I almost forgot. You might want to learn the words to the song for next time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Row_the_Boat_Ashore

HeatherAnne says

Maybe we're a little sensitive, but we don't like being referred to as a "market," Mr. Jonathancoulton.com. Is that all we are to you???

Marci says

The Orlando show was absolutely GREAT! I can't remember ever having had that much fun at a show before. Paul and Storm were great too. I'm so glad the place was packed for your first visit here. Next time we'll try to provide some warmer weather!

Auryn Grigori says

Thank you for coming to Valencia! We were all really thrilled to hear you play!

Dan, ad nauseam says

@HeatherAnne:

Wrong side of bed this morning?

Jeff says

Couldn't make it that far north right after work. Wish you were able to make it down to South Florida [West Palm (?) / Delray Beach (City Limits) / Ft. Lauderdale (Culture Room)]. I would've loved to see you.

Justin says

@George: re St. Pete show & Timbuktu, that was you guys? Awesome! Also, if you find that video please post the url here, I'll do the same if I find it. I kind of have the feeling she may have forgotten to tap "record" before Paul took her iPhone away: this century's version of leaving the lens cap on.

I live in Sarasota, and I'm finding out that a lot of students from Ringling and New College went to see the St. Pete show. JoCo, come back soon!

ZSandmann says

Alright I see I'm not alone. A Third for New Orleans!!!

Spring says

What Jeff said. If you play Ft. Lauderdale, you'll get people from from West Palm and Miami easy. Folks from South Florida drove 3 to 5 hours to see the Orlando show.

I am so glad you got this close, though. Fantastic show, and I hope we impressed you with our geek density. I never heard a recursive -R joke going over so well anywhere else.

Charles says

When I saw that you were finally coming to Florida I totally geeked out, and I got tickets for the Orlando and St. Pete shows despite not living in either city (I'm in Gainesville.) I drove down to Orlando, and then back up for a class on Friday before driving down to St. Pete for the show there. Totally worth it.

Going impromptu roadie at the St. Pete show and saving Storm's mic from falling was one of the coolest experiences I've had at a concert.

Please come to Gainesville.

I still can't believe that woman with the iPhone. I was right at the front, so she was creeping in right in front of me in her conspicuous attempt to be inconspicuous.

rolls20s says

My girlfriend and I live in Tallahassee, so we're about halfway between St. Pete and Atlanta. We have good friends in both St. Pete and Atlanta, so choosing between the two options was hard. In the end, Nova 535 in St. Pete was the winner, and it was awesome.

Preston says

Really upset I didn't get to see you when you came to Florida (I live a few hours south of Orlando), but it just didn't work out for me schedule wise. :\

Sounds like you really enjoyed it, so PLEASE come back soon! Although I am moving up to Portland, Oregon in the fall...okay, STILL come visit for those poor saps I'm leaving behind. :)

Justin says

Wow, people leaving new comments (steadily) for over a month after a new market visit. Not too shabby.

A lot of temporary-locals (students), local-locals (resident geeks), and friends I've talked to recently have expressed jealousy and envy, almost to the point of physical violence, that I was able to go to the St. Pete show and they weren't.

With all the pop culture geeks at both New College and Ringling Art School in Sarasota, and residual geek runoff from UF in Gainesville and the USF research school in Tampa... we are Rich for Exploitation! Rich, I tell you!

Of course, it's not outside the realm of possibility that I'm just lurking on this board to get JoCo back here so I can harvest his pristine stomach-lining cells for their DNA content; but nevertheless, I think Florida was a success.

sam Johnson says

Man I was not able to make it, when will you be coming back to this area?

Any chance that you will make it out west to Montana? Might be there in a couple of weeks!