This month, Headstash photographer Jordan August is on tour with reggae Beatles cover band Yellow Dubmarine as they promote their recent release, “Abbey Dub.”
Stay tuned for weekly updates and pictures from the road and be sure to check them out at a city near you. Headstash T-shirts are available at their merch table –just ask for Jordan.
For more information, follow Yellow Dubmarine on Facebook and check out our recent feature story interview with percussionist Jonathan Drye.
Photo Credit: Jordan August
Feb. 2 – Clementine Café – Harrisonburg, VA
As I wake up and clear the crust from my eyes, I stumble over a pile of luggage, camera gear and granola bars – tour is upon me. The boys in Yellow Dub have worked hard to put together an East to Midwest tour, including some very large and prestigious clubs.
The first stop was the Clementine Café near James Madison University home to some wild riots and house parties. The "Café" was more then hospitable to us with friendly bar tenders and an easygoing staff.
When starting off a tour, it’s hard to decide what sort of energy to come out with. The natural excitement of spending the next 26 days on the road can create momentum or make you play a bit sloppy, but YD held it together in a professional manner and completed “Abbey Dub” with style and finesse.
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| Photo Credit: Jordan August |
Feb. 3 – The V Club – Huntington, WV
An early wake-up for continental breakfast has never been such a necessity. A bagel, two cups of coffee and a hardboiled egg was exactly what I needed to get me through the five-and-a-half hour drive we had ahead of us.
Winding through the hills of West Virginia is always a blast no matter what your vessel may be. The van and trailer champed the three-mile hill climbs and put us in Huntington two hours early meaning we had some downtime before the show.
The V Club has had some amazing acts come through in the past few months and a dedicated group of jam fans hit the floor. With hoopers, hippies and older heads alike, the energy in the room was palpable.
After the opening band (Coyotes in Boxes), YD took the stage in their vintage suits, looking the part, yet being unique and true to themselves. This was their first time in Huntington and damn were we pleased with the turnout.
It truly was a dance party. As “Abbey Dub” came to an end, the crowd had no intention of letting the band go home just yet – the boys kept at it for another 20 minutes.
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| Photo Credit: Jordan August |
Feb. 4 – Buster’s B&B – Lexington, KY
We woke up to rain – a foggy, cold and visually depressing morning. The upside was that we only had a two-hour drive to Lexington. Traveling in the rain always makes all the little things that much harder, from pumping gas to going to have a cig outside the van.
We arrived to the club on time, but there was no one there just yet. An employee pulled up and said, "No one’s here yet? Man, they must have gotten fuckin' drunk last night." Luckily, the owner showed up a few minutes later.
This room was huge. The Wailers, The Disco Biscuits, Michael Franti and many others had graced that stage only a few weeks prior to us and that felt good.
The boys did something a little different tonight. They started out the show with some random Beatles songs, took a short break, and completed the night with “Abbey Dub.” The album really shined and took on a much more epic and transcendent feeling being played at the end of the night.
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| Photo Credit: Jordan August |
Feb. 6 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
The temperature has dropped and the snow rolled in, but that didn't stop us at all. Even as our travel days get longer, we always find ourselves having the same amount of fun.
Grand Rapids is known as a college town with a lot of character and old charm. Just off the East Coast of Lake Michigan, we arrived at The Intersection. Big Gigantic, Lotus, and Bone Thugs and Harmony were all booked to play in the upcoming weeks.
The front lounge was the perfect size to put on this intimate performance. Just before the set took off, a slew of people came and grabbed the table closest to the stage, sitting patiently in anticipation for the set. They were rowdy, boozing and full of charm.
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| Photo Credit: Jordan August |
Feb. 7 – DAY OFF – Chicago, IL
The Windy City lived up to its name on our day off. With temperatures of about 20 degrees, it was hard to motivate ourselves to get out of the room.
As a photographer, I love cityscapes, so I went to the 96th Floor Lounge of the John Hancock building. The panoramic view of the entire city was breathtaking. We also stopped by Gino’s East for some of that famous, Travel Channel-featured deep-dish pizza.
When we were seated, we gazed upon the walls and celebrity autographs that adorned them. Who was just above us? None other than Sir Paul McCartney.
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| Photo Credit: Jordan August |
Feb. 8 – The Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL
The cold had started to take its toll on all of us. Our faces were frozen stiff. The roads were icy and the flat lands of Illinois were dusted with old snow that doesn’t seem to go away.
With a quick load-in, and a solid sound check, the doors were open, merch booth set up and people came in. The crowd was diverse yet again running the full spectrum of twirling hippies to the old Beatles heads who actually saw the real thing.
The precise motions of this band are what the people really fall for. The energy is contagious with a strong sativa of melody and groove for everyone to enjoy.
We learned a lot from this show including double checking equipment and not doubting the veracity and dedication of a small-town crowd.
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For a complete list of dates, check out Yellow Dubmarine's official website.
