On The Road Again: The Joy Formidable, Part One

March 16, 2012

THE JOY FORMIDABLE is currently on their first headlining tour of the US in support of their acclaimed 2011 full-length The Big Roar. The band will be sending us brief, periodic updates from the road as they traverse the States. Here's the first installment, from guitarist Ritzy Bryan.

Eleven and a half hours later thanks to commercial aviation & we arrive in LA. Palm trees and a turquoise pool; always a pleasure.

Start the tour as we always do with a martini and a side of pickled ginger. Meet Stephanie our harpist for this tour. She is lovely and plays divinely. Become acquainted with our bus for this tour. It's surprisingly well decorated in red leather and marbled wood.

Set up studio in back lounge. This is where the second album will be completely finished. Drive to San Francisco = seven hours. Very restless first night. End up on floor of back lounge with industrial earplugs. Wake up, or am still awake, can't quite decide, just as we're crossing one of San Fran's beautiful bridges. Get a glimpse of Alcatraz in the morning mist. Debate whether you could swim from there to shore. Decide that if a life of incarceration awaited, be worth a shot, but don't fancy the odds against currents and great whites. Happy to be back in the city that knows how.

(Photo: Celeste Noche)

Two nights at The Independent. Stroll Alamo Square Park, enjoy the Cypress trees and the Painted Ladies. A Place To Bury Strangers and Big Black Delta are both superb. Very happy that they could join us.

Tell the crowd on Monday that it's our last tour in support of The Big Roar. They mishear and think I've announced the last tour ever and the breaking up of the band–not yet, peeps. Touched by how worried they look.

Who ordered Tequila on our rider?

Debut a new track. Meet the world's funniest cab driver–think Mr. Miyagi crossed with the Tasmanian Devil.

Look forward to seeing you again, SF. You are always a pleasure.