Phoenix, Arizona - Day 1

On the way to Phoenix we stopped in Sedona, the home of "New Age", you know, power crystals, John Tesh, the good stuff. This type of upper middle class pseudo hippie spirituality is forgiven when you witness the inspiration, the red rocks of the surrounding area. Native tribes flourished in the area hundreds of years ago, fueling the mystique of the region. The first explorers laid eyes on the astonishing rock wall dwellings long after the original inhabitants had mysteriously up and moved. A wonderful reminder that not only has the Southwest changed hands in the last 200 years, but that many people called this area home before the Europeans.

Upon reaching Phoenix it was more than obvious that the city is big. It took us 30 minutes to reach downtown Phoenix from the city line, that was without traffic. The sprawl of the city goes on forever in all directions, repeating landscapes comprised of strip malls and palm trees. Towns run together creating a huge collective city over 3 million strong. Phoenix’s booming economy and relatively cheap living expenses have drawn many to the area, including Gordon’s brother Jerry and his family, whom came out to see the show at an art gallery slash coffee shop. This was not an ideal venue for a rock show, but we did our best and played to a small crowd while sipping tea and coffee, a nice change of beverages.

That evening, Jerry welcomed us all into his family’s home to swim, party, and eat like kings. After a few rounds, he told us stories about his brother Panama Red Potter, whom we have known simply as Gordon these last few months. Gordon has been traveling with us documenting the tour with plans to make a movie about Colin and the working band experience. The stories of Panama’s youth are not fit for print here, but have certainly left and indelible mark on us. Gordon has been reborn, long live Panama!