It’s the final countdown!! We launch for our 2017 US/CANADA TOUR on JUNE 9! Dates below…
Craig has been working like mad to get our bus in good working order for our six-month trek around the US and Canada! He’s been dealing with all the mechanical issues, installing under cabinet lighting, a new Air/Con system (which we’ve waited nearly six years for), and giving the bathroom a facelift. Plus rehearsing and writing music, helping my parents with odds and ends and working a part-time job building stuff for other people, the man is an absolute machine!
Anyway, we have a pretty amazing route set before us, which will take us approximately 8000 miles. We’ve got loads of stops and we can not wait to see so many of you kinfolk!!
If you see yourself on our route and would like to connect with us, we’d be delighted! Just send us a message at thehollands @ thehollands.org
Our routing will be as follows:
June 9-11 Los Cerrillos, NM
June 12-13 Taos, NM
June 14 Colorado Springs, CO
June 15 Wellfleet, NE
June 16 Omaha, NE
June 17 Des Moines, IA
June 18-21 Mt. Vernon, IA
June 22-25 Green Bay, WI
June 26-29 Sturgeon Bay, WI
June 29-July 2 Urbana, IL
July 3-14 Muskegon, MI
July 15-16 Chicago, IL
July 17-26 Sturgeon Bay, WI
July 27 Milwaukee, WI
July 28 Elkhart, IN
July 29-31 St. Louis, MO
Aug 1-2 Kansas City, MO
Aug 3 Hays, KS
Aug 4-6 Denver, CO
Aug 7-10 Timberline, Frasier, CO
Aug 11 Heber City, UT
Aug 12-20 Salt Lake City, UT
Aug 21-25 Yellowstone, MT
Aug 26-31 Bozeman, MT
Sept 1 Somewhere between Bozeman and Calgary?
Sept 2- 5 Calgary
Sept 6-7 Banff
Sept 9-10 Kelowna
Sept 10-13 Vancouver and surrounding areas
Sept 14-20 Mossyrock, WA
Sept 21-22 Portland, OR
Sept 23-28 Bend, Or
Sept 29 Somewhere between Bend, OR and Redding, CA
Sept 30-Oct 1 Redding, CA
Oct 2-8 Oakland, CA
Oct 9-15 Carmel/Monterey, CA
Oct 16-17 Los Angelos area
Oct 18-25 Phoenix, AZ
Of course, we’ll be merrymaking all along the way and our tour dates are up at www.thehollands.org
Look forward to seeing y’all out on the open road!!
The Hollands! We are obviously more than just a band, we are a family. However, as we celebrate our five year anniversary of full-time travel, we thought it would be fun to take a look at all of the merrymaking our little family has made.
Our children, Graciana and Banjo were 14 and 10 when we hit the road full-time but began performing with us well before. I can’t even imagine how many total shows they have already played at their young age, but the list below showcases approximately 90 shows a year since 2011, and displays the hard work of touring through the whole of the US, Canada, Australia, and SE Asia. Even more than that, every single one of these performances we had the honor of teaching and leading our favorite song “Old Man’s Town.”
If you haven’t heard “Old Man’s Town” have a listen here. Video was recorded in 2014 at the Habanero Collective in Phoenix, AZ
The song was written in 2010 and originally appeared on our album Ashes to Beauty. However, the song quickly became our families heart song and appeared again as a more rollicking version on our 2013 release, Over Land and Leas. We are currently laying down tracks for a new project and the hope is to add another version of the song to that album.
“Old Man’s Town” is based on the Banjo Patterson Poem, ‘The Road to Old Man’s Town.’
The fields of youth are filled with flowers,
The wine of youth is strong:
What need have we to count the hours?
The summer days are long.
But soon we find to our dismay
That we are drifting down
The barren slopes that fall away
Towards the foothills grim and grey
That lead to Old Man's Town.
And marching with us on the track
Full many friends we find:
We see them looking sadly back
For those who've dropped behind
But God forfend a fate so dread --
Alone to travel down
The dreary road we all must tread,
With faltering steps and whitening head,
The road to Old Man's Town!
We had been doing an Australian folklore workshop and found the verse in one of Banjo Patterson’s books of poetry. The poem really struck a cord at the time as I had been working in nursing homes doing music therapy and was really taken by how important community was in our understanding of meaning and quality of life. At the same time, Craig and I were journeying thought a reconciliation process in our marriage and the poem just really hit home. The song showcases a sing along chorus that encourages our audience to see the value in each other, to push through the storms of relationship, to find the beauty in community, believing the ancient words, ‘that when one falls, we all fall and when one is honored, we are all honored.’
Sing my woes, sing my joys
Sing my friends, now don't be coy
Sing my sad and pretty song
Sing oh sing, oh sing along
We have lead this song at festivals and in more intimate gatherings to handfuls of kinfolk all willing to bellow out the chorus with us. Whether a large or small group, hearing others heartfelt voices in one accord has brought more joy than anything else on this musical journey.
Of course, we’ve had a few cherished moments that stand out including leading the song in our hometown venue, Kavarna, which we performed at the night before we left in the bus. We were covered in sweat from packing and getting the bus ready, and rushed over to Kavarna, set up the stage and together with all of our kinfolk we sang with bittersweet voices as the last note rang out.
Another of our favorites was in Chuck Parson’s basement in St. Louis MO. The crowd of kinfolk packed in and stood about two feet from us in a simi-circle. They danced and danced and sang their hearts out. Another would be at the last ever Cornerstone Festival in 2012 where 1000 or more kinfolk sang along, while our friends and former members of Seeds and Ballydowse joined us on stage. Then there was that time in Jesse and Janae’s backyard in Austin TX, under all of the twinkle lights and another time at the Fox Valley House in Appleton, WI when all the counselors from Camp Tekawitha came up on stage and sang with us. Speaking of Camp Tek, some of our fondest memories are of our Wednesday night sing-alongs. And, even that summer when we couldn’t make it, the campers still sang the song and our friend Eric sent us the video.
Teaching the song to our first French speaking crowd in Vann and Chantels barn in Quebec, CA was a blast and prepared us to teach it to all of our kinfolk in SE Asia. In fact, on of our favorite memories was leading the song in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). We were playing on our hosts front porch, which opened to the busy street and many gathered around. We asked for a translator and a beautiful young woman stepped forward. She translated the lyrics and those standing there began to sing along with gusto. Then there were all the folk festivals in Australia, boy do folkies down under like to sing! And our kinfolk in Glenrowan, such a fun, rowdy bunch. Whew! Honestly, the list could go on and on!!
I reckon, even if touring comes to a close, even if we never make another album, our family will keep singing this song, with whomever, and where ever the Spirit allows.
And so, here’s a peak at our nearly 500 shows over the past five years. Have a gander, maybe you were at a few?
2016Oct 2 Red Poles Mclaren Vale SA
Sept 30 Metro Mt. Gambier SA
Sept 29 Sianni's House Party Warrnambool VIC
Sept 17 Rhys and Esthers Wedding Yackandandah VIC
Sept 11 Camperdown Rest Memorial Park NSWSept 10 The Factory Kirrawee, NSWSept 3 Kihilla, Lawson, NSWSept 1 House Concert Glebe, NSWAug 25 Lazy Bones Lounge Marrickville, NSWAug 14 Live-n-Lounge Macarther NSWAug 6 Hidden Valley Farm Ourimbah NSWJune 24 Selah Farm Mullumbimby NSWJune 10 SeeChange Community Jannalli, NSW
May 14 House Concert Gundaroo, NSWMay 13 Folk Session St Barnabas, Canberra, ACTMay 8 River City Albury, NSWMay 3 House Concert Glenrowan, VICApril 29 Old Church on the Hill Bendigo VICFeb 20 Bonnie Doon Folk Festival Bonnie Doon VICFeb 12 Albert Park Folk Club Melbourne VICFeb 9 House Concert Glenrowan VICFeb 8 Euroa High School Euroa VICFeb 6 St. Leonards Winery VICFeb 5 Cocoa Collective Albury NSWJan 31 Zac's Place Harden NSWJan 29 Smith Alternative Canberra ACT
Jan 22 Humph Hall Sydney NSW
Jan 16 KCC Singapore Jan 10 Muditar Yangon MyanmarJan 2 Art in Chai Pai Thailand 2015Dec 23 Tamar Center Pattaya ThailandDec 11-13 Alongsiders Phnom Penh CambodiaDec 2 Red Apple School Phan Thiet VietnamNov 28 Haven Bar Vung Tau Vietnam
AUSTRALIA TOUR
Nov 5-8 Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival Bendigo VICOct 29 Barb's Kew House Concert Melbourne VICOct 25 Concert in the Park Wodonga VICOct 24 Court House Concert Series Yackandanda VICOct 21 Nethercote Music Factory Nethercote NSWOct16-18 Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival NSW Oct 11 Illawara Folk Club Kiama NSWOct 10 Northern Beaches Music Festival Collaroy NSWOct 9 Kimandi House Concerts Port Maquarie NSWOct 4 Tintenbar Upfront Tintenbar NSWOct 3 The A&I Hall Bangalo NSWOct 1 Treehouse on Belongil Byron Bay NSWSept 25-27 Wallaby Creek Music Festival Rossville QLD
Sept 12 Mountain Vista Music Albuquerque NMSept 7 Golden Grace House Concert Golden COSept 3 Kearney Public Library Kearney NESept 2 5150 House Concert Des Moines IAAug 30 Phoenix Band Shell Delavan WIAug 27 Harbor Park Egg Harbor WIAug 23 GBCC Green Bay WIAug 21 Waukegon Library Waukegon ILAug 13 House Concert Milwaukee WIAug 10 Hackley Library Muskegon MIAug 9 C3 Grandhaven MIAug 7 Concert In The Park East Jordan MIAug 6 Courthouse Concerts Charlotte MIJuly 18 Delorey Barn Severin De Beauce QC, CA July 14 Music on the Green Calais MEJuly 9 Old Town Library Old Town MEJuly 5 Community House Hamilton MAJuly 3 Dover Free Library Dover VTJune 28 Grace and Truth Chapel Boston MAJune 26 Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center Middletown CTJune 23 Roots Cafe Brooklyn NYJune 20 Caffe Vivaldi Greenwich Village NYJune 17 Allentown Library Allentown PAJune 12 Harrisburg Improv Theatre Harrisburg PAJune 1 Music on the Steps Fredericksburg VAMay 30 Dante's Bar Frostburg MDMay 25 Savage River Farm Lonaconing MDMay 17 Chatham County Community Church Chaple Hill, NCMay 16 Hayes House Concerts Pittsboro NCMay 10 Feed and Seed Fletcher NCMay 9 Crooked Door Marion NCApril 19 Satellite Bar Bluegrass Jam Wilmington NC April 9 Dukes Wilmington NCApril 4 One Life Camp Winnabow NCMarch 30 NTMH Sanford FLMarch 28 Spring Beach Fest Melbourne FLMarch 8 The Beach Church Pensacola FLMarch 4 Music Camp Gulf Breeze FLFeb 13 Island Folk Concerts South Padre Island TXFeb 4 Zeplins Creative Gathering Austin TXJan 6 Fort Stockton Library Fort Stockton TXJan 4 Monterey Court Tuscon AZ 2014Dec 29 House Concert Phoenix AZDec 21 Foothills Albuquerque NMDec 20 Burton House Concert Albuquerque NMDec 13 Jones Wedding Lafayette LANov 24 MLF Thanksgiving Feast for the Homeless Austin TXNov 21 House Concert Round Rock TXNov 19 Vespers Service ARCH Austin TXOct 24 New World Deli Austin TXOct 4 St. Francis Celebration New Braunfels TXSept 25-28 SWRFA, Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference Austin TXSept 14 Sweetwater Bar Austin TXSept 6 Listening Session Lafayette LAAug 28 Caney High School Caney KSAug 26 Coffeyville Community College Coffeyville KSAug 19 House Concert Lexington KYAug 15 Waukegon Public Library Waukegon ILAug 13 Benefit Concert Milwaukee WIAug 9 Seaquist Orchards Door County WIAug 1 Gordon Lodge Bailey's Harbor WIJuly 26 Packerland Concert on the Ledge De Pere WIJuly 19 Fox River House Appleton WIJuly 13 GBCC Green Bay WI
June 12-16 Steel Bridge Songfest Sturgeon Bay WIJune 9-11 Construction Zone Writers Camp Sturgeon Bay WIJune 8 Phoenix Band Shell Delavan WIJune 7 UUFD Dubuque IAJune 6 Anderson Barn Concert Mt. Vernon IAJune 6 Burlington Library Concert Series Burlington IAJune 1 Ox Cart Farm Bowling Green KYMay 16 Newell House Concert Austin TXMay 10 Under the Canopy Concert Series Dripping Springs TXMay 3 Two Rocks and a Hub Cap Santa Fe NMApril 27 Foothills Albuquerque NMApril 19 Front Porch Concerts Phoenix AZApril 13 Prescott Public Library Prescott AZAUSTRALIA TOUR April 1 The Old Church on the Hill Bendigo VICMarch 30 Theatre Royal Brickyard Concert Series Castlemaine VICMarch 29 Kelly's Bar Olinda VICMarch 28 Ranges Concert Series Upway VIC
March 25 House Concert Glenrowan VICMarch 21-23 Yackendanda Folk Festival VICMarch 15 Fiddlehead Yinnar VICMarch 14 Surrender Conference Belgrave VICMarch 13 A Quiet Place Concert Series Castlemaine VICMarch 8 House Concert King Lake VICMarch 1 Gibson House Concert Eden NSWFeb 26 Old Kirk House Yamba NSWFeb 25 New Earth Tribe, Cloverdale House, Byron Bay NSWFeb 22 Troubadour Folk Club Woy Woy NSWFeb 16 Norwa Folk Club NSWFeb 15 Illawarra Folk Club Wollongong NSWFeb 14 Humph Hall Allambie Heights NSWFeb 8 Daniels Wedding VIC Jan 16-19 Illawarra Folk Festival NSW 2013 Dec 19 Old Town Library Fort Collins CODec 17 Cowgirl Bar Santa Fe NMDec 15 Foothill Church Albuquerque NMDec 14 Main Library Albuquerque NMDec 12 Erna Fergusson Library Albuquerque NM
Dec 10 Desert Trails Tucson AZDec 7 La Cocina Tucson AZ
Dec 6 Monterey Court Tucson AZ
Nov 8 Habinero Collective Glendale AZNov 3 Kineo Phoenix AZNov 1 Eight Day Coffee Phoenix AZOct 21 House Concert Carlsbad CAOct 13 Gathering by the Bay Monterey CAOct 6 New Hope Oakland CAOct 5 Queen Bean Modesto CASept 25 CSL Concert Roseburg ORSept 21 Kenyon Hall Seattle WASept 19 The Green Frog Bellingham WASept 8 Vast Sisters, ORSept 6 House Concert Boise, IDAug 31 The Branch Park City UTAug 30 Miner Park Park City, UTAug 25 Avogadro's Number Fort Collins COAug 25 Fort Collins Covenant Fort Collins COAug 23 House Concert Golden COAug 21 Hillside Garden Concert Series Colorado Springs COAug 20 Secret Garden Colorado Springs COAug 18 P.C.C.R.S Parker COAug 17 Music on the Mesa Castle Rock COAug 16 Hays Public Library Hays KSAug 14 Fremont Library Mundelein ILAug 4 Black Soil Firehouse Lansing MIAug 3 Cornbread and Jazz Elkhart INAug 2 The Avenue Lansing MIJuly 28 Sun Dog Farm Concert Series Maple Plain MNJuly 25 Concert in the Park Long Prairie MNJuly 24 Fon du Lac Live Fon du Lac WiJuly 23 Knights on the Fox De Pere WIJuly 21 GBCC Green Bay WIJuly 20 Fox River House Appleton WIJuly 15-19 Camp Tekawitha Shawano WIJuly 14 Top Deck Gordon Lodge Bailey's Harbor WIJuly 13 Blackhawk Folk Festival Mt. Morris WIJuly 12 Town Hall Concert in the Park Bailey's Harbor WIJuly 10 Lake Park Wonderful Wednesday Milwaukee WIJuly 8 Ephraim Town Park Ephraim WIJuly 6 Galena Performing Arts Festival Galena ILJuly 3 Sister Bay Concert in the Park Sister Bay WIJune 27 Jackson Square Concert in the Park Green Bay WI
June 25 Hayner Public Library Alton WIJune 22 Bishop Hill Summer Festival Bishop Hill IL
June 16 Summer Concert Series Antioc Library Antioc ILJune 14 Courtyard Concert Series Waukegon Library Waukegon ILJune 6 Music on the Green West Branch IAJune 2 Park Farm Winery Bankston IAMay 31 Two Way Street Coffeehouse Downers Grove ILMay 26 New Hope Greenwood INMay 18 Official Showcase SERFA Montreat NCMay 10 Charles and Myrtles Chattanooga TNApril 27 Doss Barn Concert Evansville INApril 20 Luxemburg High School Luxemburg WIApril 14 Neenah Public Library Neenah WIApril 13 Cup o Joy CD Release Green Bay WIMarch 23 House Concert Lafayette LAMarch 21 Sound Scape Workshop Austin TXMarch 19 House Concert Austin TXMarch 13 Opening Bell Listening Room Dallas TXMarch 10 United Methodist Lubbock TXMarch 9 Dinner and Song Lubbock TXMarch 3 Foothills Church Albuquerque NMMarch 2 Solid Grounds Albuquerque NMMarch 1 Burton House Concert North Foothills, NMFeb 27 Australian Folklore Workshop ECM Albuquerque NMFeb 22 Apple Mountain Music Albuquerque NMFeb 16 Santa Fe Center for Spiritual Living Santa Fe NMFeb 14 Red Sands Mission School Winslow AZFeb 13 Apache Mission School Show Low AZFeb 10 Grace Church Show Low AZFeb 8 Bookman's Flagstaff AZFeb 7 Cornville Mission Cornville AZFeb 3 Center for Spirituality Salt Lake City, UTFeb 2 Folk Songs for Climate Justice Concert Murry UTFeb 2 Sound Scape Workshop Salt Lake City UTJan 26 Artistree Arts Conference Phoenix AZ
Jan 20 Kineo Phoenix AZJan 19 Multicultural Festival Chandler AZJan 18 Quartzsite Bus Rally Quartzsite AZJan 16 Wine and Song Firefly Bistro South Pasadena CAJan 13 New Hope Oakland CAJan 11 House Concert Oakland CAJan 6 Center for Spiritual Living Roseburg ORJan 5 Axe and Fiddle Cottage Grove OR 2012 Dec 30 McMenamins Bend ORDec 30 Antioch Bend ORDec 24 Christmas Eve Service Bend ORDec 23 VAST Sister ORDec 20 Operation Elf Box Celebrate Salem ORDec 19 Operation Elf Box Celebrate Bend ORDec 15 Morford House Concert Bend ORDec 7 First Friday Art Walk Bend ORDec 1 High Note Cafe Boise IDNov 30 Cypress House Concert Salt Lake City UTNov 28 Folk School Workshop Salt Lake City UTNov 25 ECC Fort Collins, CONov 24 Avogadro's Number Fort Collins, CONov 18 1st Pres Colorado Springs CONov 14 Swallow Hill Denver CONov 11-13 Timberline School Winter Park CONov 9 The Urban Farm Denver COOct 22-25 Sedan High School Sedan KSOct 21 Epiphany Episcopal Church Sedan KSOct 15-19 Coffeyville Humanities Program Coffeyville KS
Oct 13 Town & Country House Concert St. Louis MOOct 11-14 Folk Alliance Midwest Conference St. Louis MOOct 7 Snus Hill Winery Madrid IAOct 6 Progressive Voice Concert Series Des Moines IAOct 5 Zekes Ames IaOct 4 Barn Concert Mt. Vernon IASept 26-30 CCDA Reconcile Conference Minneapolis, MNSept 23 GBCC Green Bay WI
Sept 21 Venture Theater De Pere WISept 16 First Methodist Church Sturgeon Bay WI
Sept 15 Appleton Farmers Market Appleton WI
Sept 14 Brummel Haus Concert Green Bay WI
Sept 13 Soul Rebel House Concert Appleton WI
Sept 8 O'Morey House Concert Elkhart IN
Sept 7 Magnolia House Concerts Grand Rapids MI
Sept 6 The DAAC Grand Rapids MI
Aug 30 Zeppelin's Music Hall Lansing MI
Aug 23-24 Back to The Roots Chelsea MI
Aug 16 Brewed Awakenings Grand Rapids MN
Aug 16 Green Scene Farmers Market Walker MN
Aug 13 Baudette Train Depot Concert Series Baudette MN
Aug 12 Concert in the Park Bemidji MN
Aug 10 Legends and Logging Festival Park Rapids MN
Aug 9 Glacial Ridge Winery Spicer MNAug 8 The Local Blend St. Joseph MN
Aug 6 Camp Tekawitha Shawano, WI
Aug 4 "Un-Regatta" Banquet Menominee Park Oshkosh WI
July 29 SBCC Sturgeon Bay WI
July 28 Picnic in The Park Beaver Dam Park, Green Bay WI
July 27 The Fox River House Appleton WI
July 25 Terry Naturally Farmers Market, Green Bay WI
July 24 Concert in the Park Red Smith Park, Green Bay WI
July 22 Gordon Lodge Baileys Harbor WIJuly 21 Parallel 44 Winery Kewaunee WIJuly 20 Fri Private Event Kewaunee WIJuly 19 Brilliant Stranger Fish Creek WIJuly 18 Lunchtime Live Fon du Lac WIJuly 11-15 Lifest Sunnyview Expo Center Oshkosh WIJuly 3-8 Cornerstone Music Festival Bushnell IlJune 23-29 Camp Tekawithia Shawano WI
June 22 Gordon Lodge Baileys Harbor WIJune 20 Terry Naturally Farmers Market, Green Bay WIJune 16 Fyr Bal Festival Ephraim WI
June 14 Summer in the Park Jackson Square Green Bay WIJune 10 Steel Bridge Songfest Sturgeon Bay WI
June 3 Green Bay Botanical Gardens Green Bay WI
May 30 Windhover Center for the Arts Fon du Lac WI
May 20 SBCC Sturgeon Bay WIMay 18 Kavarna Green Bay WI
May 11 Cedar Vally House Concerts Cedar Falls IA
May 9 Barn Dance Mt. Vernon IA
May 5 Benefit Concert Shenandoah IA
May 4 inCOMMON Community Development Omaha NE
May 1 El bait Shop Des Moines IA
April 28 Private Event Kansas City MO
April 27 Starr's Cave Nature Center Burlington IA AUSTRALIA TOUR
April 14 Box Forest Wesleyan Concert Series Glenroy, VIC AUSTApril 10 Ringwood Folk Music Club Ringwood, VIC AUST
April 8 Hickinbotham Winery Dromana, VIC AUST
April 7 Brunswick Hotel Brunswick VIC AUSTApril 6 Wesley Anne Northcote, VIC AUSTApril 1 St Stephens Anglican Church Warrandyte VIC AUSTMarch 24 Private Party Wallan, VIC AUSTMarch 18 St. Martin's Collingwood, VIC AUST
March 17 The Chandelier Room Moorabbin VIC AUST
March 11-12 Burke and Wills Folk Festival Mia Mia VIC AUSTMarch 10 Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen, VIC AUSTMarch 2 Solid Grounds Littleton CO
Feb 26 The Grove Chandler AZFeb 24 Fiddlers Dream Pheonix AZ
Feb 18 Isley House Concert Vacaville CA
Feb 11 RiverRidge House Concert Series West Linn ORFeb 10 Skyway Bar & Grill Zigzag OR
Feb 6 The Record Room Portland ORFeb 4 The Black Dog Snoqualmie WAFeb 3 SoulFood Books Redmond WA
Jan 29 Sisters High School Auditorium Sisters OR
Jan 13 Green Plow Coffee Redmond ORJan 1 New Years Celebration Skyway Bar Zigzag OR2011
Dec 31 NYE Celebration House Concert Bend, OrDec 9 The Beech Party Portland, ORNov 26 Sisters Christmas Parade Sisters, OR
Nov 20 J&J House Concert Series Bend, ORNov 19 Pike Place Market Seattle, WANov 17 Backyard House Concerts Kirkland, WANov 4 Skyway Bar Zigzag, OR
Oct 28-29 MORE Married Conference Sisters, OR
Oct 26 Ella Street Social Club Portland, OR
Oct 22 Whisky Poets Room Far-West Eugene, OR
Oct 22 Bill and Kate Isles Room Far-West Eugene, OR
Oct 21 River Ridge Room Far-West Eugene, OROct 11 Bon Voyage Party! Kavarna Green Bay, WI
Oct 7&8 MORE Married Conference Manitowoc, WIOct 5 Terry Naturally Farmers Market Green Bay, WI
Oct 2 SBCC Sturgeon Bay, WI
Oct 1 Night of Jubilation 1st United Church of Christ Green Bay, WI
Sept 30 Chefusion Green Bay, WI
Sept 18 SBCC Sturgeon Bay, WI
Sept 17 Bus Conversion Fundraiser Green Bay, WISept 11 Wausau Festival of the Arts Wausau, WI
Sept 10 Parallel 44 Harvest Festival Kewaunee, WI
Sept 7 Windhover Center For The Arts Fon du Lac, WI
Sept 4 Gordon Lodge Bailey's Harbor, WI
Sept 3 Appleton Farmers Market, Appleton, WI
Sept 2 Concert in the Park Two Rivers, WI
Aug 31 Mequon Country Club Mequon, WIAug 30 Red Line Tap Chicago, ILAug 24 Hoi Polloi Grand Rapids, MIAug 21 House Concert Crystal, MI
Aug 20 Black Soil Church Lansing, MI
Aug 20 Brighton Farmer's Market Brighton, MIAug 18 Canterbury House Ann Arbor, MI
Aug 12 Legends and Logging Festival Park Rapids, MN
Aug 11 Terrapin Station Nevis, MN
Aug 11 Green Scene Farmers Market Walker, MN
Aug 6 Three Crows Cafe' Delano, MNAug 5 318 Cafe' Excelsior, MN
Aug 4 Glacial Ridge Winery Spicer MN
July 30 Riversong Music Festival Hutchinson, MN
July 29 Private Party St. Joseph, MN
July 28 Sixth Ave Wine and Ale Alexandra, MN
July 25 Ephraim Concert in the Park Ephraim, WI
July 23 Parallel 44 Winery Kewaunee. WI
July 22 Brumder Mansion Milwaukee, WIJuly 20 El bait Shop Des Moinse, IA
July 17 Duffy's Lincoln, NE
July 18 & 19 Camp Nebowa Onawa, IAJuly 17 City Church Omaha, NE
July 16 Barley Street Tavern Omaha, NEJuly 9 Ledge Stone Vineyard Greenleaf, WIJuly 8 Cranky Pats Neenah, WI
July 6 Windhover Center for the Arts Fon du Lac, WI
June 29- July 3 Cornerstone Music Festival Bushnell, IL
June 22 Mequon Country Club Mequon, WI
June 18 & 19 Thistledown Faerie Festival Bonduel, WI
June 17 Cup O Joy Green Bay, WIJune 8 Terry Naturally Farmers Market Green Bay, WI
June 5 Green Bay Botanical Gardens Green Bay, WI
May 21 Chives School House Suamico, WIApril 21 Hinterland Green Bay, WI
April 16 Glas Sturgeon Bay, WI
April 9 Boarders Oak Park, ILApril 8 Molly's Cafe' Chicago ILMarch 26 318 Restaurant Excelsior, MN
March 25 Red Rooster Aberdeen, SD
March 24 Sturgis Center for the Arts; Writers Workshop Sturgis, SD
March 22 House Concert Spokane, WAMarch 20 SCC Sisters, OR
March 19 Harmony House Sisters, OR
March 18 Mississippi Pizza Company Portland OR
March 17 Maes House Concert Portland OR
March 15 Ides of March Folk Festival The Linen Building Boise, ID
March 13 The Laughing Goat Boulder, CO
March 12 Stella's Denver, CO
March 12 Edgewater Coffee Denver, CO
March 11 Da Buzz Coffeehouse North Platte, NE
March 10 Family Fun Night, River of Life Ceder Rapids, IA
March 7 "Reflections" Workshop, Gibralter HS, Fish Creek WI
Feb 25 Parallel 44 Winery Tundra Fest, Kewaunee, WI
Feb 23 Writers Workshop The Appleton Public Library
Feb 13 The Appleton Public Library Concert Appleton, WI
Feb 12 Sweetwater Sea Concert Series Manitowoc, WI
Jan 1- Feb 10 Recording "Ashes To Beauty"
We’ve had a blast reminiscing, remembering your sweet smiles, and gusto as you sang along. Thanks for all you’ve done to keep us folkies going! We couldn’t keep rolling without you!!
Sept 25-27 Wallaby Creek Music Festival, Rossville QLD
Oct 1 Treehouse Cafe, Byron Bay NSW
Oct 4 Tintenbar Upfront Club, Tintenbar NSW
Oct 9 Kimandi House Concerts, Port MacQuarie NSW
Oct 10 Northern Beaches Music Festival, Collaroy NSW
Oct 11 Illawarra Folk Club, Wollongong NSW
Oct 16-18 Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, Kangaroo Valley NSW
Oct 23 Nethercote Music Factory Nethercote VIC
Oct 24 Arts Yackandanda, Yackandanda VIC
Oct 29 Barb’s Kew House Concerts Kew VIC
Nov 5-8 Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival, Bendigo VIC
From Nov 18-Jan 5 we will be taking a goodwill learning expedition, backpacking through the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. We will be each bringing one instrument and our hope musically, is to find opportunities to sit with locals sharing and swapping folk traditions. Read more about that adventure HERE.
When we return to Australia we will be merrymaking through April at more of our favorite festivals and venues. Stay tuned on 2016 dates.
Yep, you read right, we’re ditching the bus. Well, at least for a little while, or maybe longer, who knows.
It all started when we decided to book another music tour to Australia. While in the planning stages we had lots of conversations as a family about all we’ve learned in the past four years about ourselves and our creator through full-time travel. We recognized that our family is built to come alongside and encourage. We also realized that we are “learners” and we thrive when our theology and understanding of the world is rocked to the core and deconstructed. And, boy have we been rocked!
And so, over the past few months of conversations we’ve started feeling a stirring in our souls. That same longing that first invoked us to dream and take the leap of faith, giving our possessions away and hitting the road began to roar and we began to ask, was there something more?
Over the past two years we have been meeting and nurturing relationships with people from all over the world but mostly in Southeast Asia and those interactions inspired conversation about potential visits. And, so as we were planning our very practical musical tour, we found that the question of how long we would stay over and when we would return was open for debate. And so, we did what we alway do when we don’t have the full picture, we moved forward.
We bought a one way ticket!
I mean, why not, we already live gas tank to gas tank, what’s the difference if it’s a bus tank or an airplane, train or van tank that need filling.
As soon as we bought that one way ticket, we knew we were entering a new chapter in our journey of faith, community and creativity.
Photo by Kara Counard; Bloom Photography
We don’t know how long or exactly where the road, sky or water will take us but we do have a light outline.
We will be flying out of Albuquerque Sept 15 and landing in Melbourne Australia the morning of Sept 17. We will stay for a week in Melbourne before flying up to Cairns for the Wallaby Creek Music Festival. From there we will fly down to Brisbane where we will try to source a vehicle (preferably a small bus or van) that we will travel/tour up and down the east coast in until November. (tour dates at http://www.thehollands.org)
November 18, we will fly to Manilla, Philippines where we will come alongside our friends the Hommels and learn/serve at JAZ Home, a residential home for young girls, offering solace and security in a hostile world. From there we will visit with filmmaker and musician, Tinh Mahoney in Vietnam to see life through his eyes, learning about a school he founded in his hometown and playing music. And, by early December we’ll be in Cambodia where we will connect with our friend Craig Greenfield at Alongsiders International and participate in a roundtable discussion on The Heart of God for Justice and our response through Worship. We are also in early conversations with folks about possible visit to Indonesia and Thailand.
Jan 5, we know we’ll be flying back to Australia for another two month music tour, and from there we are open to possibilities continuing on in Australia or heading north again to Southeast Asia or going even further up into China or west towards India. We also have aspirations to connect with kinfolk in Europe. So, we’ll be waiting to see it all unfold as you are.
So, stay tuned! And if you feel inclined you can partner with us at MODERN DAY.
We are excited to announce our East Coast Spring/Summer Tour!
This will be our first time on the East Coast as a family band and we are really looking forward to meeting all you kinfolk! Huge thanks to all of the venues who have graciously offered to partner with us. If you are in any of these areas, please come out and support your local venues and say “Howdy!”
If you see an open date and would like to host a house, barn or back yard concert, please contact Jana at thehollands@thehollands.org
One of our favorite things on tour is to park in someones drive way and neighbor alongside, so if you see an open date and are in the surrounding area please let us know.
We’re rolling on down to Texas over the next month. We’ll have two new friends riding the bus with us.
Rhys Duursma, whom we met while visiting God Squad in Glenrowan, Vic, AUST. He’s the son of our host family and drummer in the rock and roll band, The Quick and The Dead. During our short time with them, we found a commonality in our faith and music. Rhys is a contemplative and thoughtful person with a great sense of humor. He began to dialogue with us about coming on board for a time back in April. The timing worked out and he’ll be riding with us from Chicago through to Austin.
Sylvia Christensen is a native of Green Bay, WI and a starting her second year at UWGB. We’ve known Sylvia and her family for the last ten years and have watched her blossom into a beautiful woman. She’s gifted in music, compassion and has a deep desire to use her gifts and talents to impact others. Last summer when Sylvia was contemplating what to do with her future, we offered her an open door to ride and learn with us. This summer the timing worked out and she’ll be on board from Chicago through to Hot Springs, AR.
Our itinerary is as follows:
Aug 13 Milwaukee WI, Benefit concert for dear friends who are adopting a child
Aug 15 Waukegon Public Library concert Waukegon, IL
Aug 16 We pick up Rhys at Chicago O’hare, who will be riding with us through to Austin, TX
Aug 17 Music at Risen Savior, and later that afternoon Sylvia Christianson for her two weeks on the bus)
Aug 18 Indy, IN (visit with dear friends)
Aug 19 Lexington, KY Listening Session hosted by the Wayfaring Family. (We met Annie through Twitter. She and her family traveled the world for one year, and she writes a travel blog about their time on the road. It will be our first time meeting them in person) Also connecting with Sean Gladding and the rest of the Communality kinfolk.
Aug 20-22 Nashville, TN, connecting with new and old muso friends
Aug 23 Travel day, possible stop to visit the Hedlund family.
Aug 24-29 Coffeyville, KS, Humanities program with Coffeyville Community College, workshop on Australian Bush Songs. Super excited about this as Rhys is from the same town as one of Australia’s best known outlaws, Ned Kelly. (Coffeyville is where the Dalton gang was taken down.)
Aug 30-Sept 1 Hot Springs, AR Connecting with the Rogers family, like-minded kinfolk who we met through a music festival called Cornerstone. House concert on the 30th.
Sept 2 Monroe, LA Meeting for the first time, share a meal with staff and parking with New Life Community Church
Sept 3-5 Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans, LA. (a few days of rest and exploration)
Sept 6-8 Lafayette, LA House concert, Stoked to visit with our former bus rider, Chaz Jones and his Masters Commission community.
Sept 9 Arriving in Austin TX and setting up life for a four-month stay. After three years full time on the road we are looking forward to this extended stay. We are hoping to use our time connecting with friends from past stop overs, and our main desire is to create and record a third album. On a side note, we are hoping to finish off some of our bus conversion, namely our bathroom shower and hot water heater.
So far 2014 has been an intense year, touring Australia, a two month trek across the country with fellow travelers, Greg and Jeffery, working at camp all summer long and now a one month trip down to Austin, TX. We have experienced the lows and highs of life, seen hope in the midst of hard times, met some of the most inspiring folks along the way, and found that through it all, as each day comes, we have just what we need, when we need it, sometimes to share and sometimes just for ourselves.
As we go into the mystery of the rest of this year, we would be so delighted if you would consider partnering with us. Your help on this leg of the journey would be affirming and appreciated. You can do so through our Modern Day Missions Fund.
Bendigo. One of our favorite stops on our tour in Australia hands down! In fact, if it had been located nearer the beach, we might have just stayed there and never come home.
It’s a major regional city with a population of about 100K and growing. It sits 2 hours just northwest of Melbourne. The original land owners are the Jaara people and in the 1880’s it was the hub for the gold rush. Bendigo has loads of cycling and walking trails, parklands and nature reserves. It is also the home of a La Trobe University and so the city has a youthful, artsy, festive vibe with plenty of little boutiques, cafes, and art exhibits.
Our host family, The Vincents, have lived in Bendigo for about 5 years and are actively involved in creating connection through the arts and faith. They live common purse in a sort of Monastic community called Cornerstone. The community began 40 years ago and functions as a wonderful training ground for those interested in learning and participating in “Intentional Community.” You can learn more about Cornerstone here.
We met the Vincent’s at Surrender Conference a few weeks prior. We were performing in the Salvos tent and out of the corner of my eye I saw a beautiful dark-haired woman waltz over. She stood on the edge of the tent for a bit, smiling at us and swaying to the music. Our eyes met and I knew we’d be friends. Later, I approached her and introduced myself and my family. We each shared a quick version of our story with the intention of connecting again. On the last night of the festival we caught up and she invited our family to her home in Bendigo.
We arrived to the Vincent’s darling Victorian home on the last leg of our trip. We were pretty weary by this point but excited to hear about this families commitment to community, faith and the arts. They welcomed us with one of the best hand made meals we’d had in three months.
During dinner a conversation about heritage ensued and we learned that Rose was half Mexican. We were so surprised to hear this as Australia is quite void of the Mexican culture. And, to tell you the truth, besides family, friends and our bus, it was the thing we missed most while overseas. Hearing her mother (Mexican) and fathers (Australian) love story was inspiring and although, they have lived in Australia for the last 40 years or so, we could still sense the cultural impact of her Mexican heritage.
Our day was filled with thrifting or going to Op Shops (opportunity shops) as they are called in Australia and in the evening we performed our final farewell show at The Old Church on the Hill. The former Uniting church was purchased and donated to Cornerstone Community and they use the building as a sort of community center. They host a Yarn club, and let me tell you, those folks know how to knit! In fact, they are currently in the process of creating a “Yarn Bomb” for a tram that runs through out the city. That’s a big endeavor! They also host Hip Hop dance classes, karate classes, and have a thrift store on site. They are in the process of putting together a community garden and are host to many events, including concerts.
After traveling over 3,000 km through out Victoria and New South Wales, performing in 35 venues over a three month period, this was the perfect last show for our family. What a joy to sing in this old historic building, that had been shown so much love by the community, to a handful of listening and attentive ears.
We invited the young Wilis, a fellow folkie muso, to delight us with a few of his beautiful pieces. And, during our set he and his band mate, Marshall, joined us on the last song, Wayfaring Stranger.
A fitting chorus for our final song in Australia.
I’m going home to see my Saviour
I’m going home no more to roam
I’m just going over Jordan
I’m just going over home.
Tucson, Arizona was once just a dot on the map for us, but after this past weekend, it’s quickly becoming a favorite. With its breathtaking Catalina mountains, darling historical district just adjacent to a thriving downtown and home to the University of Arizona, Tucson has a fantastic mix of arts, music, food, and sport. It’s a small enough city that the local endeavors stand out but large enough to find your own niche subculture. If there is one word to describe Tucson, it would be artisan.
We had a few performances in Tucson, including an evening at Monterey Court. A formerly an old run down motel, owners Kelly McLear and Greg Haver redeveloped Monterey Court into an artisan enclave.
The stage was lovely, the food was amazing, specially for a reuben fanatic like me, and Greg was a very gracious host. We had a small but kind crowd come out despite the cold temperatures. And the icing on the cake was a little treasure of a vintage camper Christmas ornament that one of the local venders left behind.
We also performed at La Cocina, Tucson’s venue with a menu. La Cocina sits in the heart of the historic district and has a warm, festive, communal feel. In fact, the reason we wrote them about a performance was because of their self-proclaimed sense of community.
Liz, our server and bar tender for the night was especially welcoming and made us feel like part of the family. A few more faces came out, as it was a little bit warmer than the night before. One kind face stayed through the whole show and introduced herself after. She had heard of us through our friend and comrade, Seth Martin! I immediately hugged her and invited her to dinner at our campsite the next night. What a pleasant surprise to find kinfolk in this fantastic city.
We parked at the Catalina State Park for three nights. We paid $27 a night and had water and 50 amp electricity. The park was well cared for, with friendly guides/officers, hiking trails, and the bathrooms were pristine.
Our friends Jamie and Max stayed with us for the weekend, as Max joined us on bass/guitar at our shows. It was truly the highlight of the weekend having guests on the bus again. We actually met Max two years ago our first time through Bird City. He was living at the Kineo Community House and jammed with us during our impromptu performance at the house. Max married Jamie 10 months ago and it was so refreshing having newlyweds on the bus. Two hands are better than one and the Perry’s work well together. They added a sense of balance to our first weekend back in the saddle, so to speak. We shared story, meals, hikes, a fierce game of Settlers of Catan, Ticket to ride and made music.
A second highlight to the weekend was our hike in the spectacular Saguaro National Park. We actually started in the State Park and hiked on the border of the National Park, but the Saguaro Cactus were everywhere. The beauty of this area was found in breathtaking mountain range with its the subtle greens and browns, and an occasional orange hue thrown in. There were horse trails as well, which made the hiking even more romantic.
At one point the sun was wafting between the clouds when I noticed a large Saguaro at the base of a massive rock wall, above that was the mountain range. As the clouds moved the sun would cast a light rolling up towards the large cactus and hold like a spot light for just a moment, and I imagined a tenor singing a ballad of love and passion. The sun would continue to elevate up the rock face and a golden hue would shine, continuing on the sun beams rose up into the mountain where a choir of smaller Saguaro sang the final verse. I sat and watched about three rounds of this movement, before our group lead on. I’ll take that memory to the grave as it was a little taste of heaven.
Have you ever had one of those moments in life where you met someone you really admired and dreamed of collaborating with them in some way, whether musically, artistically, etc…?
Well, when I met flutist/vocalist Colleen in 1999, I thought, I want to be friends and I hope someday we can play music together. Over the years we did become friends, dear friends and in 2011 Colleen contributed flute and tin whistle to our album, “Ashes to Beauty.” It was pure joy to have her participate in the creative process of that album and over the years she would join us for live performances whenever we’d come through Chicago.
Fast track to our request for muso’s to join us on the bus and Colleen sends me an inbox letting me know she’s really considering it. You can imagine how excited I was, our whole family was! It would be a big commitment for her, with a husband, son, job and community in Chicago, and yet, where there is a will there is a way. So we began conversations about what it would look like, how long and what her role would be. And on August 14 she got on the bus. She rode with us through Kansas and into Colorado, offering antidotes and comic relief, beautiful photographs and performed 9 shows with us. Her final performance with us was on August 25th, at one of our all time favorite venues, Avogadros’ Number in Fort Collins, CO.
It’s the final countdown!! We launch for our 2017 US/CANADA TOUR on JUNE 9! Dates below…
We have lead this song at festivals and in more intimate gatherings to handfuls of kinfolk all willing to bellow out the chorus with us. Whether a large or small group, hearing others heartfelt voices in one accord has brought more joy than anything else on this musical journey. 
Another of our favorites was in Chuck Parson’s basement in St. Louis MO. The crowd of kinfolk packed in and stood about two feet from us in a simi-circle. They danced and danced and sang their hearts out. Another would be at the last ever Cornerstone Festival in 2012 where 1000 or more kinfolk sang along, while our friends and former members of Seeds and Ballydowse joined us on stage. Then there was that time in Jesse and Janae’s backyard in Austin TX, under all of the twinkle lights and another time at the Fox Valley House in Appleton, WI when all the counselors from Camp Tekawitha came up on stage and sang with us. Speaking of Camp Tek, some of our fondest memories are of our Wednesday night sing-alongs. And, even that summer when we couldn’t make it, the campers still sang the song and our friend Eric sent us the video. 
Tillers & Travelers 