On Saturday night, Dave Barnes will invade The Duck Room at Blueberry hill to perform songs off his latest album, Me and You and the World, his third, but first record for his new label, Razor and Tie. The Nashville singer-songwriter will be on the road for most of the summer to support his new music, and he’d like you to come out and listen to his tunes while he’s in St. Louis. Barnes recently took some time to answer 12 questions for insideSTL.com.
1. Tell us a little about why you're on tour and the music you're going to be playing.
I'm on tour to get the word about...myself. Wow. That sounds incredibly arrogant, doesn't it? HA!
I call what I do American music, I guess! There are little pieces of everything in there - a little something for everyone!
2. Have you ever been to St. Louis before? If so, what do you know about the city?
I have been there a few times before - although, it's still one of the cities in America I still haven't spent a ton of time in!
I actually don't know much about the city, except that the arch is cool and McDonald’s stole the idea - ha!
3. You were recording without a label for a long time. What's the best thing about having a label?
Help - and lots of it. Before, it was my manager and I doing all the work, and now that work is spread out across a TON of different people!
4. What was it like recording your newest CD, Me and You and the World?
A lot of fun - every time I record a new CD, new things are brought into the mix - new players, I played more electric on this CD - it was really, really great!
5. Who are some of your favorite songwriters?
I love Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls, Tommy Sims, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer...
6. What are some of your favorite venues you have played while touring across the U.S.?
There are SO many. I love the House of Blues rooms. There is a venue in Chicago called Schubas that I love. It's more cities than venues to me - there are a bunch of cities I always love playing in no matter where I play!
7. What's your favorite part about performing?
The immediate gratification of it all - seeing how the songs effect people immediately - it's really cool
8. Take us through a normal day on tour.
It's actually pretty boring! Get up at the hotel around 8 or 9 - hit the road around then also, drive to the venue, hang out there until I play, head to the hotel, go to bed, start the same thing over the next day!
9. If you could tour with anyone right now, who would it be?
I'm actually playing shows with a few of them!! Getting to play with Jonny Lang has been SUCH an honor - he's SO talented. I'm playing a couple of shows with my idol, Bonnie Raitt later this month!
10. What are some of your favorite albums?
Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life; Bonnie Raitt, Greatest Hits; Indigo Girls, Swamp Ophelia; Tommy Sims, Peace and Love; and Marc Cohn, The Rainy Season
11. What's the funniest/craziest thing to ever happen to you while on tour?
It all stays pretty sane, actually, which I never thought would be the truth! Nothing really crazy has happened so far - which kind of makes me nervous!
12. The best way to support my music is to...
Buy it and then tell friends!!