North America Guitar Tour
Orlando 2 Days
July 18-19, 2014
As I was heading north without any plans for the first day in Orlando, I got a call from Chuck, who had helped me out in Berthoud, Colorado, asking if I had plans for Orlando. I told him that I had plans for the next day, but nothing for that day. A little while later, he called me again and told me that there was a place called Olivia's Cafe in a town named Eustis about 50 kilometers north of Orlando, and that they were having an open mic there today. Since I was starting to get a bit hungry for performance, I decided to head there for the time being. Interestingly, Mr. D from New Jersey, who told me about the terrace in Miami, and Chuck from Colorado, who told me about the place for that day, didn't know each other, and they had no connection between them. However, after this, they all ended up connecting in an unexpected place. Of course, I had no idea about this at this point. After thanking Chuck, I followed the directions on the navigation system to the address he had given me.
On the way, I got a call from Mrs. O, who I was supposed to meet the next day, saying that I would be able to play at a Japanese restaurant. I was expecting just tea, so this was good news. However, I had worked at a Japanese restaurant in Seattle for a few years, so I knew the general atmosphere, and at this point I had no idea what it would be like. I hadn't yet secured a place to stay for the night, so I memorized all the cheap motels I had seen along the way, arrived at the place, and signed up for the open mic first. At this point, I was a complete stranger and felt completely out of place, but I didn't care about that, and while warming up my fingers, I waited for my turn and continued playing for the allotted 15 minutes. After that, I was planning to go to a cheap-looking hotel I had my eye on, but when I got off the stage, the feeling of being out of place had completely disappeared, and one of the employee asked me, "What are you going to do now?" and "Do you still have time?" When I answered, "I'm just going back to the motel I might staying tonight," she asked, "Where is the hotel?" When I told her the motels I had my eye on, she told me, "That area is not safe, so stay here," and showed me the pretty expensive-looking hotel that wasn't on my list. She also said, "Come back and play after you check in," and was in a completely welcoming mood, so I decided to just do as she said and went to the motel, which was as close to the hotel as possible, and was relieved that the price was not as much as I had expected.
After checking in and carrying all my luggage except for my guitar to my room, I returned to the cafe and everyone greeted me with a smile. The power of music is amazing. I experienced this feeling of being out of place suddenly changing into a welcoming mood several times after this. It gave me a lot of confidence to see my playing recognized so clearly. It means that people who don't have preconceived notions such as titles or fame can understand it.
I returned to the hotel-like motel in a good mood and slept well that night. The next day, I met Mrs. O's family at a music store in Orlando in the afternoon, and then we had lunch together at the food court. Mrs. O and I had only been involved in the same play for a short period of time in 80's before, but we had never done anything together, I was in the band and she was an actress. In Japan, I would never have asked for such a reunion. I realized how brazen I was to be able to do something like this overseas.
In the evening, we went to the Japanese restaurant RANGETSU where I was going to play that day. It was a genuine Japanese restaurant run by a Japanese man named Mr. K. The restaurant was quite spacious, so the AER really showed its value here too. Despite the announcement the day before, several people who said they were fans of me came, and some people became fans after hearing me there for the first time. I can't thank Mrs. O enough for setting up such a venue just the day before. When Mr. K said, "I'm impressed not only by your guitar, but also by your actions of traveling around the United States and interacting with local people using music as a weapon," I felt like I had suddenly realized something. After all, guitar and music are just a trigger, and I found myself enjoying communicating through them. Of course, you need the skills to play for others, but I feel a sense of emptiness in talking only about how good you are. There are even more wonderful things waiting for you beyond that.
According to the navigation system, it was 8 hours to my next destination, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, so I planned to leave after the performance. Mrs. O and her family had left a little while ago, but Mr. K came out to the front of the store to see me off and handed me a paper bag. I could easily guess what was inside: a bento lunch box. They treated me so well, even though I had only met them a few hours earlier and didn't know where I was from. I was close to tears when I thanked them. It's a big mistake to think that the "omotenashi" used in the presentation to host the Olympics is a Japanese exclusive. The Japanese hospitality is merely a style and formality, and is on a completely different level from something that comes from the heart.
Thus, my tour of the Florida peninsula, which started off leisurely in Tampa, became a bit miserable in Miami, then turned the tables on the first day in Orlando, and ended on a moving moment.
*The people mentioned in this article are written using their initials until their identities can be confirmed.
Contents
Introduction
Until Departure
Seattle
To California
Day Off
Sunnyvale
To La
LA 2 Days
To Tucson
Albuquerque
To Colorado (beginning of Miracle)
Berthoud
Denver
to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City 2 days
To Texas
San Antonio
Georgetown
Dallas
Houston 2 Days
Benton
Nashville (CAAS)
Roswell
Tampa 2 Days
Miami
Orland 2 Days
Myrtle Beach
Chapel Hill 3 Days
Kingsport
To Indiana
Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival
To Staten Island
Manhattan
Phillipsburg
Nazareth (Martin Guitar Factory)
To Massachusetts (end of Miracle)
Methuen
To Montreal
To Buffalo
Meadvill A Day Before
Meadvill Ghost Hotel
Detroit
Chicago
Minneapolice
Spin Off #1
Spin Off #2 "EU Tour IN 2008 / Until Departure
Czech 1
Czech 2
London
Liverpool
Chesham
To Germany
Lemgo
Ingolstadt
Bregenz
To Italy
Florence
The Last Gig
Going Home