You may recall a post earlier this year on plans by soulful folk musician Ben Sollee to embark on a second, two-wheeled tour. That is, a tour on a bike, towing a cello (since he's a cellist). I remarked back then that he'd have to park his "clunky old van" after a road show, and pedal his music for a while. Well, the tour dates have now been announced. And just in time, because his van broke down.
To refresh, Ben is from Kentucky, his newest CD is "Inclusions," and his bicycle trek is officially called the "2011 Ditch the Van Tour." The tour was planned for the summer, but you know how that goes. It's already fall here in the U.S.
The Ditch the Van Tour dates run from Oct. 27 in New Orleans to Nov. 13 in Florida:
- Oct. 27 - New Orleans, LA, Preservation Hall
- Oct. 30 - Gulf Port, MS, The Lynn Discovery Center
- Nov. 1 - Mobile, AL, Saenger Theatre
- Nov. 2 - Gulf Shores, AL, The Hangout
- Nov. 3 - Pensacola, FL, Vinyl Music Hall
- Nov. 5 - Panama City, FL, A&M Theatre
- Nov. 13 - Orlando, FL, Orlando Calling Music Festival.
As the tour name suggests, Ben and his band will be moving by bike from show-to-show, pulling their instruments and gear behind them. Why? Do they just need the exercise?
"Sollees goal is not a novelty, or a nod to the green trend," according to a rep, "but a chance to gain a deeper connection to his fans and surrounding communities," which is the inspiration behind his latest musical release.
As for the van, a story at NPR notes that Ben and his crew stopped by to play a Tiny Desk Concert in July. They arrived "after a particularly frustrating couple of days on the road. Their van broke down, forcing them to get towed to their next gig" in Burlington, Vermont.
The first Ditch The Van Tour was in 2010. Besides biking, Ben also will be traveling conventionally. See the tour section on Sollee's site for more info.
More on Music and Biking
Boulder Says Yes to Bikes, No to Cars on Park(ing) Spaces Day
Play a Saw, Save a Tree
Can Bikes Change the World? An Epic Adventure Points to Yes (Interview)