tour blog 11

February 12
The 503
Iowa Falls, Iowa

 The last week of the tour started in Iowa Falls at one of my favorite bars I've been to with the band, The 503. They are some of the friendliest people I have ever met and they LOVE Fifth on the Floor.

The trip to Iowa Falls was long and hard, all the way from the middle Colorado, across the entire length of Nebraska, and then half of Iowa.

Biodome?

Windmills. They still terrify me

Tonight at the merch table, speacial guest Jason Aldean! (I knew this would be trouble from the beginning)

I am 25 years old and incapable of braiding my own hair. And it must be braided cause lord knows it aint been washed.

Braid accomplished. Bright red lips attempted. Ok, Iowa Falls. Lets move some merch.

Mardi gras!

Fifth on the Floor at the 503

Fifth on the Floor fans. They love me.

Thirsty?

Love it :)

Sideways smile. Why I thought this was such a good look for me that night, I do not know.

February 13
Sandy Hook Tavern
Hazel Green, Wisconsin

The next night we traveled back to The Sandy Hook Tavern, the venue that we had played on Halloween. On the way, though, we had to make a pit stop at the site where Field of Dreams was filmed. Anddddd I've never even seen Field of Dreams so the allure of this was lost on me.

The Field of Dreams from the Movie Field of Dreams. Very fieldy. Not so much dreamy. (I've been in this van for way too long...)

My merch table was around the corner from the stage under a projector screen...

It looks like Justin and Parsons are standing on mama kelli's merch table.

CD release promo video, hashtag Papow.

Graffiting the ceiling

And this is the moment where Mama Kelli let things go awry....

Burning toothpicks in the band's foreheads. A real tour manager wouldn't have allowed this, would they?

 A real tour manager sure as heck would not have allowed this next series of events, let alone participated...

 

Also, fyi, I made all these videos using Vine, which is a really cool app. It's like Instagram but for videos. Very, very cool. 

February 14
Reggie's Music Joint
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago tonight for the last stop of the tour. I'm ready to sleep in my bed, but not quite ready to get back to real life 

The frozen Mississippi

Happy vday to me. In the back of the van, with a cookie and a diet coke from my true love (aka myself). I'm such a lucky girl

"I wonder what billy gibbons' beard smells like..." #tourlife #thingsihearinthevan

Seriously. How did I not invent this website?!

If the kid in this opening band isn't Lance Bass, then he must be his brother. I'm gonna sing some nsync and see if he responds #byebyebye

Awesome reggae show in the club next door!

February 15
Home!

Three weeks and 5000 miles later, I'm happy to be back in my old Kentucky home

February 16
Buster's
Lexington, Kentucky
Ashes & Angels CD Release Party

 This show was a long time coming, and I was so happy to get to work with the guys and see how all their hard work paid off. I've never worked so hard as a merch lady and never has my hard work paid off as much. Who would have thought that I would be working the merch table at one of the places that I really developed my dream of wanting to be a merch girl?! So, so cool. Such a great night in a million ways.

 All of my past 6 months of touring in one room. Not sure if that's good or bad

An absolutely packed house at Busters. I couldn't be a prouder mama kelli merch lady :)

I'm a hoarder.

Fifth, Shooter, Rachel, and all the musicians from the album

 So after the show there wasn't enough room for me to stand behind the merch table while the band signed autographs, so I just took a rest in the merch tubs.

My view from the merch. So cool!

Sometimes I sell the merch, sometimes I sit in the merch. #plasticpants #merchgirlprobs 

So it's one thing to have your name in your boyfriend's local band's cd, but to have it in a nationally released album is another thing completely.

New album cover! So badass.

. 

Love it!!

 I'm so proud of Fifth on the Floor! It's been an honor to work with them and I am so thankful that they have given me the chance of a lifetime. If you don't have it yet, be sure to pick up your copy of Ashes and Angels, produced by Shooter Jennings. Pre-orders available now with the album being released nationally on March 12.