“An Encore In Thomas: Piano jams at the Purple Fiddle and art with Teletubbies”
CURRENT LOCATION: Beckley, WV
LISTENING TO: Lord Nelson & EMay
COFFEE SPOT OF THE DAY: Sunoco Station Starbucks – The Addict’s Quick Fix
DINNER LAST NIGHT: Angel Hair Pasta with marinara sauce and meatballs at Sirianni’s Café in Davis, WV
NOTABLE STUFF: The pepperoni rolls from the Sunoco Station in Thomas, WV are officially the best gas station food on the planet. I stopped to get one on my way out of town upon a recommendation from a local, and it was everything she had raved about and more.
As I mentioned in my last post, I ended up liking Thomas, WV and the lovely people I met there so much that I ended up staying another evening. Sometimes it’s the unplanned that turns into the most epic, and this was a perfect example. One of my new friends happens to also be a musician, a pianist and a songwriter (and likewise started her music career in Suzuki piano lessons… again, what a strange world!) We exchanged info and the next day she gave me a tour of the studio she’s building. Sidenote: She has a harmonium. I want a harmonium. Everyone should play the harmonium. Anyway, check her stuff out at www.erikamay.com. She’s a total badass.
That evening I saw that there was a band playing at the town’s legendary music venue, The Purple Fiddle, so I popped in for the show. The band was Lord Nelson with opener Koda Kerl. Killer musicians, self-described as a “rural rock band from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains” and they sure put on an awesome set. Bonus: One of the band members plays the Pedal Steel. I want a Pedal Steel. Everyone should play the Pedal Steel.
I got to talking to the band afterwards and they informed me that there was a fully in-tune piano at the venue that I was welcome to play, which was all that was needed to entice my road-weary self to stick around for a bit. I ended up banging out a bunch of sing-along tunes for the band during their load out which felt amazing, especially since my new van life isn’t the most conducive to the whole pianist thing. Afterwards they invited me to grab a drink at Gradient Project Space, an installation art gallery with a speakeasy upstairs. The current exhibit is called “Outsized Effects” by artist Chris Combs, who focuses on interactive, electronic art. We had some fun tinkering with the interactive part of the show’s centerpiece, “Allegheny Data Company”, which is a large contraption that compares the harvesting of data to the extraction of coal. It also incorporated Teletubbies. Everyone should incorporate Teletubbies.
I had a drink with the band upstairs, we said our goodbyes and then I headed back to Vana White to get some sleep and plan my departure the next morning. Thank you again, Thomas WV, for a wonderful and forever memorable experience. I promise to be back when the weather is a bit more van-suitable!