The drive from El Paso to Dallas was a long one!  Ten hours and not nearly as scenic as Arizona and New Mexico.  We arrived at Club Dada around 7:15pm, just in time for the sound check.  Elm street, where the club is located, is an eclectic group of clubs, restaurants, and people.  

It was a really fun night and I had to chance to get to know the guys from Rush Midnight and Gold Fields a bit better.  Rush Midnight, Russ Manning and his drummer Aaron Steele, are from NYC.  It was nice to talk with someone who lives there because I do miss it sometimes.  I lived there for almost 5 years, and moved back to Austin in 2010.  They both tour quite a bit and are only half way through their stint with Gold Fields which started in August and ends in October.  Russ's music is smooth and it really makes me move.  Check it out here on his Soundcloud. 

The guys from Gold Fields are great.  Their performance is full of energy and they really work their asses off for the crowd.  They are intense at times and you can tell they are having a blast.  The band is from Australia so I was asking them a lot of questions about life there and how it compares to here.  They have toured the US at least three or four times and have really enjoyed seeing the variety of landscape and different seasons.  Apparently organic food and eating healthy is a big deal over there which I can relate to living in Austin and working on an organic farm.  Living on the road can be a challenge when it comes to food choices.  Being on tour as a band, driving all over the US for months, is a not a life that anyone could handle.  A lot of it is pretty unglamorous but the pay off, from what I have observed, is the chance to perform and see how excited and involved the crowd gets with your music.  I could see it when Mark the lead singer couldn't help but smile big.  You knew all of the hard work it took to get to that stage was worth it.  They love to tour but I know they are looking forward to getting home and relaxing.  Here is their Soundcloud.

And of course Rodney and Brandon from Night Drive are the best.  They have come a long way in a short amount of time and I am very happy for their success.  Take a listen to their new album below.  I'm really enjoying it and seeing them live has made it even better for me.  After the show was over last night we drove back to Austin and got in about 4am.  It was nice to sleep in my own bed.  I got a small taste of what it is like to be on the road with a band and I thank Night Drive for that opportunity.  I'm editing the photos from the trip now and will be sharing them very soon.