Happy New Year, Friends!
I hope 2016 has been good to you so far. I’ve been feeling especially grateful lately, and before I get into the “me me me” portion of this update, I just want to give a heartfelt thanks to all of you for continuing to go on this journey with me. It’s not lost on me what a privilege it is to make music for a living and to have people on the other end of these letters who continue to follow along and support what I do. Thanks y’all!
Okay good talk. Back to me.
NEW LIVE MUSIC VIDEO: “Maybe When You’re Older”
Songs for the new record have been slowly but surely starting to emerge from their hiding places, and I wanted to share one of them with you. Here’s an acoustic version of a brand new song called “Maybe When You’re Older” co-written with my buddy (and amazing artist) Elise Hayes, and recorded live in one take at Angelhouse South studios (camera work by Patryk Larney). There’s been a lot of baby-having among my friends recently, and getting to observe this beautiful and strange phenomenon has caused me to wonder, “where do babies come from?” (yeah but, like, where do they reeeeeaaaallly come from?) This song is an attempt to ask a baby directly, in the form of a lullaby.
FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL 2016
I was invited to be an official showcasing artist at this year’s Folk Alliance International Festival in Kansas City, MO! Some of my absolute favorite musicians will be performing in the festival and I’m excited to play alongside them/get my mind blown by their sets. If you’re planning to attend, please check the tour dates for updates over the next several weeks.
This festival will also mark the beginning of a month-long tour with the talented Megan Slankard and Korby Lenker, better known as…
THE DOERS AND DREAMERS TOUR
The DOERS AND DREAMERS TOUR is meant to embody the spirit of modern independent creativity. As artists who have each carved out individual paths to sustainability, we want to give audiences a perspective from the front lines, and enable them to tap into their own creative spirit. We want to challengethe traditional notion of experiencing live music and giving audiences a more immersive, interactive, and enjoyable experience. What does all that mean even?? You’ll have to come to a show to find out.
Here are the confirmed dates so far**:
FEB 17, KANSAS CITY MO - FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL
FEB 18, KANSAS CITY MO - FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL
FEB 18, KANSAS CITY MO – TEDx KANSAS CITY (ALEX WONG SOLO, WITH AMBER RUBARTH)
FEB 19, KANSAS CITY MO - FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL
FEB 20, KANSAS CITY MO - FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL
FEB 21, DES MOINES IA - GRAVEL ROAD CONCERT SERIES
FEB 23, CHICAGO IL - THE SPACE
FEB 24, SPRING LAKE MI - SEVEN STEPS UP
FEB 26, FALLS CHURCH VA - STONE ROOM CONCERTS
FEB 27, PHILADELPHIA PA - WORLD CAFE LIVE
FEB 29, NEW YORK NY - ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL STAGE 3
MAR 2, BOSTON MA - CLUB PASSIM
MAR 5, GREENSBORO NC – HOUSE CONCERT
MAR 6, ATLANTA GA - RED LIGHT CAFE
MAR 9, NASHVILLE TN – TBA
** If you’re interested in hosting a house concert and live within driving distance of any of the above cities, let us know! We have some open days on our tour schedule which we would love to fill with more music and lovely people. Drop us a line and we’ll do our best to make it happen!
ALEX WONG and JESSE TERRY DUO EP
I’m also working on a duo album with one of my favorite artists and a source of boundless musical energy, Jesse Terry. We got together last Fall to do some casual writing, and somehow it ballooned into a full-on concept album! Without giving away too much, I will say it was one of the most intense and rewarding creative experiences of my year. I’m really proud of the songs and I’m excited for you all to hear them. More on this soon!
As always, I’d love to be in touch with you. Feel free to email me here or find me on the social media places.
Enjoy the new beginnings, and thank you for listening.
Much love,
Alex Wong