I have decided (within hours) to not go to Philadelphia tomorrow. As I write that I feel sad. I wanted to make the trip and now have another state on the poster I did not/am not visiting. Oh well. I need to save money here. I want to definitely visit/play Philly in the future. I will do just that…sooner than later.

Good night!

ABT

Hi friends,
I sit here writing to you at my friend’s apartment in Brooklyn, New York. They are all watching the newest Star Trek which I am finding not much interest in. Tomorrow is our third to last show. We’ll be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Rox Box, the music venue section of Coyle’s Cafe. Hopefully it will be a good time. The show is at 830pm.

This touring thing has been quite a ride. Fortunately we have had a lot of ups, met lots of wonderful people, reunited with some really great, old friends and have felt like I really gained some great friends/fans on this trip. With the ups there were downs that were tiring and defeating feeling but so comes with this territory.

Doing this has made me really have to think how much I like to do this. On most days that feeling is still there when I get up on a stage, corner with the sound system or street corner with an open guitar case. The feeling that I am expressing myself in the best way I can, through song and that people are listening. But what to do/how to better react when they aren’t listening, when they just talk louder, when they just walk on by. I feel like my shell should be a lot thicker sometime for the down times. But I still want this life. So onward I shall go.

Thank you to everyone we (Flora, Geoff and I) have met along the way these past couple of weeks. From Lexington, KY to here in New York, you all have made this trip special. Thanks for listening. I really mean it.

Here’s a picture with a new friend from Lynchburg, Virginia. Her name is Kaitlyn. She came to the show with her mom. They were both so nice! Kaitlyn told me she has had “Way up in that tree” on her myspace page for awhile. How cool! Was so nice to meet her! Thanks again, Kaitlyn.

We had a few days off here in NYC. It’s been lovely. I could definitely live here. We’ll see..

What’s left:
May 30th (tomorrow/Sunday) 830pm ROX BOX
June 1st (Tuesday) THE LIVING ROOM
June 2nd (Wednesday) house show/last show in Ithaca, New York

I wish you the best and thank you for reading my blog, for being a fan:)

Ashley Brooke Toussant

Hi friends,
I am a bit behind on starting my diary of this tour. I have been writing in the car. I feel the need to write a good deal while in the car. So hopefully that transpires into some new songs..

We are currently on day 2!

Yesterday we drove to Lexington, Kentucky and had a really fun time at Crucial Funhouse. It was a house show, Flora and I played tunes for a group of really cool, music lovers.

crucial funhouse

We hung around the house after our set and ate some delicious food with the people that live at the Funhouse. We had some wonderful vegan grilled cheese and lentil soup!
After dinner we (Geoff, Flora and I) were super tired from the first day of driving. We decided to sleep in the car for the night. It was better than you think. And now our tour story is that more interesting.
This morning we woke up in the Denny’s parking lot and had breakfast then made our way to WRFL, a student run radio station at the University of Kentucky campus. We had a really enjoyable interview and performance with Don at the station. I’ll post a video of our 1hr set soon! Thanks again, Don. (am going to post a separate tour blog, I promise)
Then we made the 6 hour drive to here…Decatur, Georgia. It’s wonderful. If you’re unfamiliar with Decatur, it’s down the road from Atlanta. We are loving the city and its people. We are sitting here at Eddie’s Attic, a really great, famous venue that concentrates on performing and touring musicians and acoustic musicians..that would be us.
It’s really fancy and professional. Flora and I will play at 1020pm. There is a contest too..don’t want to even talk about it to jinx my chances.
Talk to you all soon.
Tour life is good so far.

before eddie's attic

-abt

Hi friends,

Lining up some good promotion for the upcoming tour.

so far…
-Lexington,Ky radio station (in studio) 10am May 17th @ wrfl

-Washington, Dc radio station (in studio) afternoon @ georgetown radio

-Asheville, Nc tv station (interview and performance) 7am May 25th on WMYA

…hopefully more to come.

My first show will be Sunday night in Lexington, KY at Crucial Funhouse. Here is more info on the night:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125738187440101&index=1

in other news, we had a great turnout at Professor’s Pub in Kent last night. thanks again to all my friends and new friends. and Kelly and Anna. you both were wonderful!

*I leave on Sunday!! ahh! I have one more Ohio show till then. Saturday May 15th. I’ll be at Vine & Bean Cafe in Cleveland, Ohio.

They wrote a really nice write up on me for the show in their newsletter…
Ashley Brooke Toussant
Saturday May 15, 8PM
http://ashleybrooketoussant.com/
This is our first chance to present super sweet songstress Ashley Brooke Toussant to Cleveland. She is on tour supporting her most recent release, All Songs in English, warming up for a trip through the south and East Coast. You can follow her blog of the tour here: http://ashleybrooketoussant.com/blog/
Her voice is quite extraordinary and charming. Prepare to fall in love.

vineandbeancafe.com

Hope to see you in Cleveland if you’re around..or on tour..or tell your friends we’re (Flora, Geoff and I) coming their way:)

BEST,
Ashley Brooke Toussant

Hi friends,

I can’t believe we leave in less than 2 weeks! I’m really excited and scared! I hope this is a great experience. Though I know they’ll be both ups and downs. I hope of course for more ups and may the ups be so good that they cancel out the downs.

Here’s what the line up looks like so far:

May 16th -House show in Lexington, KY

May 18th- Sentient Bean -Savannah, GA

May 19th- Jack Sprat’s Cafe- Chapel Hill, NC

May 20th- The Mudhouse- Crozet, VA

May 21st- Bottega Art & Wine- Wilmington, NC

May 22nd- Midcity Caffe- Washington, DC

May 24th- The White Hart Cafe- Lynchburg, VA

May 25th- Firestorm Cafe & books- Asheville, NC

May 26th-during the day we’ll be playing for my sister’s 3rd grade class in Arlington, VA

at night we’ll be at St. Elmos Coffee Pub- Alexandria, VA

May 27th- National Underground- New York, NY

May 30th- Rox Box- Philadelphia, PA

June 1st- The Living Room- New York, NY

June 2nd- House concert in Ithaca, NY

*before I leave, I have a string of shows around Northeastern Ohio:

This Saturday- May 8th: at 4pm I’ll be in Oberlin Ohio, playing their folk festival. then later at 9pm, I’ll be playing with the band (maybe our last show as the band I have been playing with for awhile now..sad!) at Rehab Vintage in Kent.

May 12th: I’ll be playing with two other great, singer-songwriters Plug in Reindeer (Kelly Reidy) and Anna Vogelzang (on tour from Chicago) we’ll be at Professor’s Pub in downtown Kent at 9pm-1145pm

May 15th: I’ll be playing in Cleveland at Vine & Bean Cafe

Here is a preview of what the Eastern states tour poster looks like. created by Christian Woltman, screenprinted by Christian and J. Annie Williams. They are both fantastic friends/artists! I love them both! and also the May 12th Professor’s Pub show poster..designed by Annie and Christian again. I feel so lucky knowing them! They are so wonderful!

see you soon. best to you. -abt

eastern states 2010 tour poster

professor pub may 12th show

Hi there,

It’s been awhile since I have written. I am underway planning this tour that I am taking next month. I leave in almost a month!! excited! nervous! excited! Flora and I will be playing shows for a solid two weeks all over the Eastern States.

Till then I am working with my friend Christian Woltman on posters, buttons, and t-shirts. Last night we started the first batch of buttons. They look so good and pretty! I almost don’t want to part with them:) but hopefully people like them (and me for that matter).

I am working with Stunt Publicity to help me book some shows, Dreamstate is helping me too and I am finding some gigs on my own. Looking forward to expanding.

Tomorrow morning I’ll be in Shaker Square in Cleveland, Ohio playing their Farmer’s Market from 8am-12pm. The weather is supposed to be super cold and rainy. Hope there are people out despite an hope my hands don’t fall off. Then tomorrow night I’ll be singing a couple of songs with Kent, prolific singer-songwriter Hal Walker. I’ll be joining several other musicians who will also play/sing alongside Hal. The show is at the Kent Stage in downtown at 730pm. Tickets are $5.

I other news I am in the market to buy a new guitar and I think I will be officially parting ways with my Seagull, parlor sized guitar. I think we are growing away from each other. Sad I know. I am ready for a new, different sound..will hopefully find that special something in the next couple of weeks before the tour.

Hope this blog finds you well and enjoying Spring.

Best,

Ashley Brooke Toussant

ps: a preview of one of the 4 kinds of buttons..

ABT

Hi friends,

This post will be a break from updating you on shows, recordings,tour, etc. All of that is still happening. Just wanted to show you another side of my life here..for a second.

If you haven’t heard of Etsy.com. Please do check it out. I am beyond obsessed with its wonder, discovering new art, classic vintage, everything you can imagine on this site. There is no middle man. Support is direct. Buy from the creator.

I have been wanting a new backpack. After moving back to Kent I realized I was still lugging around my American Apparel backpack I have had for the past few years. Not still a college student, I felt it wasn’t helping my “not a college student/not a 12 year old” look. But then I thought..I actually love carrying a backpack and it is most convenient for me. So the heck with caring about what my image is projecting.

After looking for a fun, new bag, I decided I wanted one totally unique. I had liked the shop Elylow on etsy for quite sometime. Long story short Ashley Mourn (creator of Elylow) made me my very own backpack/messenger bag. Perfect for riding my bike around town, which I do  a lot.

Check out her creations! They are fantastic!

That’s all.

Hope you are doing well!

-ABT

Hi friends,

Me again. Just wanted to tell/remind you of some lovely shows coming up this week. Friday night, April 2nd. My friend/amazing violinist Flora Nevarez will be playing the Canton Club in downtown Canton from 9-11pm. You can call and make reservations. The weather is supposed to be wonderful, so we’ll most likely be playing outside on their patio! fun!

Saturday night I’ll be playing the Unitarian Church

of Canton with Chris Wise (on bass) from 7-9pm. There will be $5 donations at the bar. Should be a great night there as well.

So come on out. I might even sing some Easter related songs..such as “Peter Cottontail”. Probably not but still..will be great!

Also I am in the process of (possibly) signing to a Record label out of Akron. They are called DreamStateRecords. Check them out. They have some great artists on their label and now I am honored to be among them…will tell you more soon. I am really excited for this next step.

The tour is coming along…Posters are done. Buttons are next, then t-shirts, then hopefully a cd..then the road.

Happy Spring. Happy Rainy (hopefully productive) Monday!

Ashley

Hi friends,

A couple weekends ago I went and shot some pictures with a new friend of mine, Shannon Sullivan. He is a great photographer studying here in Kent. It was the most structured set I have been a part of. I am super pleased with the results.

*Shannon Sullivan March 2010

Here’s his website. other stuff he’s working on. how to contact him. etc.

I have mentioned touring. It’s a done deal/work in progress. I’ll be hitting the road, heading east with my boyfriend Geoff and my friend/violinist (from way back.and back again) Flora. May 18th-June 2nd, we will be traveling from GA, the Carolinas, VA, MD, PA and NY. So exciting!

I have a lot to do before then. It’s a great process though because I have a list of incredibly talented people helping me out. One being Shannon (mentioned above) on pictures, Christian Woltman a fantastic Graphic Designer I met (at the Bethesda CD release at Musica, back in January). He made their poster and I loved it! Now he’s making mine. The rough drafts look so good! Along with posters, we’ll be making buttons together, he’ll help me design t-shirts and I have a new idea on how I am making covers for a cd I’ll have out by the tour…also my friend Casara Lyn will be helping me make up some new business cards. Can’t wait till this all comes together.

Till then, I’ll be returning back to my hometown, Canton for an intimate performance next Friday at the Canton Club in Downtown. I’ll be playing 9pm-11pm on April 2nd. The following night I’ll still be in Canton, but down the road at the Unitarian church at 3530 Easton St, NE Canton, Oh. at 8pm.

*I have had the wrong date up for the Unitarian date. It is Saturday April 3rd. Not Tuesday April 6th.

See you soon!

Ashley