Tour Day 4 – Mansfield, OH to Baker Memorial UMC in East Aurora NY

If there is a “routine” day on tour today, was it. Up in the morning to get picked up from our host families, scrambling to get all the suitcases and sleeping bags loaded up, and rolling out of Mansfield, OH on our way to Buffalo, NY. But, of course, no day on tour is truly routine.

For example, I am a grown man of 42 years, and today I left my phone in a Kroger’s bathroom. The singers should be thanking me for that.  When the equipment truck had to make a U-turn to retrieve my phone (which had my driver’s license, insurance card and three credit cards in the case) the buses made a pit stop at a truck stop that had a STARBUCKS!!!!! A rare treat for a singer on tour.

On day four of tour, it is likely that your singer has left something somewhere. They have almost certainly begun to feel the stress of having to make it somewhere in a limited time frame. I know this because I am often one of those annoying adults saying, “alright guys, let’s hurry up” or, “pay attention to your surroundings, friends”. So, to be the guy who causes the group to lose 30 minutes on a tight schedule because I made a rookie mistake was humbling to say the least.

It was a potent reminder that we are all in this together, and we are all simply humans learning through our goof-ups. Truth be told, it’s such an honor to be able to help your singer work through some of those important life-lessons they are possibly being exposed to for the first time here on tour. So, if your singer calls home sad because they messed something up, feel free to remind them about Joseph’s “phone in the bathroom” incident.

All of that said, tonight’s set up at Baker Methodist Church in East Aurora, NY went super smooth as everyone is settling into what it means to do their part of pulling the wagon quickly and efficiently – and it wasn’t an easy set up. It was a gorgeous church that was built in 1878 and has original Tiffany stained glass windows that are priceless works of art. But being such an old building I’m sure it goes without saying that it wasn’t built with New G’s modern sound equipment in mind. You can rest assured our singers made it look easy.

Tonight, we are all in the hotel here together in Buffalo. Fortunately, Sam left Emily and me off the room check roster, so I get to spend my time with you. Tomorrow everyone is pumped to get SOAKED at the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls. Fun fact: your singer will technically make their first trip to Canada tomorrow because the Maid of the Mist briefly crosses to the Canada side of the falls!