how soon is NOW?

so, i've taken a week to let it soak in. the gravity of it all. last sunday we played at bartram park [in the late afternoon] & sluggo's [later that night]. and now we're about to embark on our recording journey in athens, GA. it's all happening in such a short period of time--everything is progressing incredibly quickly. like water through a funnel. i'm not complaining, i'm just a little overwhelmed. haha.

both shows were brilliant. we sounded the best we've ever sounded live. different crowds, different dynamics. bartram park was a more laid back atmosphere. playing outdoors in the sunlight brought a wistful, summer vibe to the set. this, of course, was balanced out by chad's subversive comments. the crowd laughed because they thought it was just between song banter. i laughed because i knew that it wasn't. haha. sluggo's was amazing for a completely different reason. we were in full "rock your face off" mode. we brought it. we were playing with all levels in the red, with all systems go! and we were having so much fun. we were completely at home on the stage. we walked it like we talked it. and the kids in the crowd tapped into our energy. i think we won them over [though i'm sure our musical operandi might have been a little over their heads for the most part]. what mattered was the moment that we were all sharing in that room. at the same time. it's such an intangible thing. that, my friends--is magic.

chase park. david barbe. athens, GA. monday morning. it's actually happening. it's not entirely real to me just yet. though the butterflies are starting to arrive. [1] one band + [10] ten songs = escapist vs. exit. our debut album. and to think that the rocketpack has only been together with all members installed since march. craziness. chad. ronnie. taylor. brandon. bob. aaron. [and samuel] all present & accounted for.

prepare for lift off in 5, 4, 3, 2...

love,
ronnie

ps : thanks again to the gills for having us on the roster for their EP release party. they are such a tight musical unit! and even more thanks go out to nathan dillaha for lending me his amp & tuning pedal. without either, i wouldn't have sounded as good. call me crazy, but there's just something about playing fender through fender... :)

pss : thank you brandon for making "in search of the nugget" an adventure to remember! i can't believe we walked that entire distance! those salty snacks tasted so much better to me because of the fact. haha.