TESSA USA TOUR DIARY – LAS VEGAS, LA, PHEONIX AND BLACKWATER EP (Part 2)
SOUNDTRACK TO VEGAS: Pillowtalk by Zayn
Immediately after our performance we hit the road back to Dallas to catch our flight to Las Vegas. When we arrive, the city is LIT, and it is still warm, so I am a happy gal. Vegas definitely takes the cake for most interesting characters ever. If you have been there, I am sure I need say no more. The views of the mountains are also so beautiful.
During our time in Vegas, our amazing friend Matt Murray was there to be our guide to the very good times along with his wonderful brother Stirling. It is nice to have guidance on where to go when you’re in such a touristy city, and Vegas can be a little overwhelming. Especially when in extreme fatigue mode.
(View from the balcony at the Palm. Left to right: Stirling Murray, Karma Khan, Matt Murray).
Unfortunately, there are some gaps in time with our photos as some things were lost on the trip including memory cards for cameras. This lost me my performance footage for the tour from here on. Is it heartbreaking? Yes, as this was my first tour. Am I at peace with he situation? Yes, because I am so grateful for the experience, that nothing beats being there in the flesh. I am thrilled at the experience to work in a place where countless amazing artists have taken the stage, and may have taken the stage on the same night we did! So we’re moving on!
SOUNDTRACK TO LA: White Iverson by Post Malone
We were in Las Vegas for two nights before heading to Los Angeles by car. What should have been a three hour drive, ended up being an eight hour drive due to traffic (you know what Drake says about LA traffic ;)…) But the sunset on the mountains is one of the most beautiful things I have seen yet, so it’s still a good night.
We settle in for the night at Matt’s place in Hollywood as he has been so gracious to take us in for the week. It’s bedtime for all of these creatives, as we have recording set up for the next day as well as our performance.
Getting to work the next day writing while, Karma Khan takes his turn recording. Here is where I really start to reflect. Is this real life? I could really get used to this.
Performance time comes up, so we head to the venue, El Cid. A cozy, cool performance space/Spanish tapas restaurant. I am all over the decor and the menu. They have music and comedy this evening. I did manage to get a cell phone shot of Karma Khan’s performance! The house is packed and the crowd is warm. I now realize this is our last performance of the tour and it starts to sink in. The most life changing journey I have been on so far is almost at a close. I’m really not wanting to ever leave LA at this point…
The rest of the week is spent mostly writing and recording, some days even with local musicians we have found to come and jam with us! ‘GG’ pictured here on the guitar is one of them. We basically set up our gear wherever we could :). Work work work, as Rihanna says (over and over and over).
We also got to go support our talented friend Shamier Anderson on the red carpet for his new TV show Wynonna Earp the evening before we left LA. Yay for the glam!
SOUNDTRACK TO PHOENIX: Do What We Do by Chauncey Jones
Finally Alexandrea and I say goodbye to the squad and head to Phoenix for a few days to cool off and take it all in with our old friend Jennifer from Sudbury who is out there studying natural medicine. We squeeze fresh juice every morning from her orange and grapefruit tree, play with her two dogs and go hiking in the mountains in Sedona. I also meet a local musician, Chauncey Jones, who is gracious enough to take me to a studio (because I can never resist getting some work in). It is truly the best ending to such an insane trip!
It has been a truly wild ride. The most amazing thing I’ve ever done but also the most difficult. The growth has been painful and beautiful (as growth usually is). I want to give a huge thanks to all of you who supported this journey, especially on the GoFundMe Campaign. You have no idea of the opportunities you have opened up for this girl from Sudbury! All of the connections made and new relationships built are astounding in such a short period of time. It is now really time to get to work! I have never been more determined to have this be my reality forever. Making a change and a living through art. And from this journey I realize it is so possible and I am so hopeful for so many people who feel the same way as I do.
All of the writing inspired me to pick up my boot straps and really focus on getting this EP out to you guys! So that is exactly what I’m doing. My new EP ‘Black Water’ was just released April 20th! I released the very first physical copies at my release party in Toronto (WaBar on Isabella and Yonge) and streaming on Soundcloud. You can purchase a digital copy of my EP Blackwater here or hear my first single ‘BadBlood’ on Soundcloud! ‘Black Water’ will also be available to purchase on iTunes very soon!
UNTIL NEXT TIME (hopefully soon, as I now how the travel bug!). xx
Tessa
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