Summer of Music

This morning, Derrick sadly reminded me that this time last year, we were heading down to Gulf Shores, Alabama for the Hangout Music Fest. It was our first long road trip together and I always thought if we could survive 16 hours in a car together, then our marriage could withstand anything. We're solid.

Well, we survived and had a great time. Our condo was just a two-minute walk to the beach. The weather was gorgeous and the company was amazing. Each day we got to see acts like Foo Fighters, Paul Simon, The Black Keys, The Avett Brothers, Cee-Lo Green, My Morning Jacket, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Amos Lee, Trombone Shorty, Michael Franti & Spearhead and many more. It was four days of non-stop music right on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.

Last year we had grand plans to make this year’s trip even more awesome. We were going to fly instead of drive, get a beach house, get a bunch of people to tag along and enjoy another great weekend in one of my new favorite vacation spots. Alas, life got in the way. As we get older, it’s tough to realize that we can’t just grab our friends and pick up and go whenever and wherever we want. There are now work and family obligations we have to contend with and, unfortunately, we couldn’t make it happen this year.

However, leave it to Derrick to make the most of the situation, especially when it comes to music. He has devised a way to get his music fix this summer by reinstating the D&A Music Tour. The D&A Music Tour is something Derrick and I started before we got married. We would just go to random concerts and shows around the Kansas City area. They weren't even big acts. If a bar was having live music, we were there. Since we didn't make it to the Hangout this year, Derrick put together a schedule of all the shows we are going to see or want to see this summer. He literally said he wants this summer to be "the Summer of Music."

Well all right! The tour kicks off May 31 with The Devil Makes Three, May 31 at the Crossroads. See below for clips and other tour dates. 

The Devil Makes Three

Patrick Sweany, Czar Bar, June 9


Trampled Under Foot, Frontier Park, June 15


Wolf Creek, The Boobie Trap (Topeka), June 16




Fitz and the Tantrums, Crossroads, July 5


Sam Bush, Frontier Park, July 6


The Avett Brothers, Crossroads, July 26


My Morning Jacket, Starlight Theater, August 6


Buzz Under the Stars, Riverfront Berkley Park, August 8