Allred's World

Recording "Some Place New" Again

2009-02-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

Revisiting these songs was a trip. It felt really good to go back to each one and add and take out whatever we saw fit. The most appropriate person to engineer/produce our record was Joel Pack. Joel was actually recording a band in the next room over from where we practiced 4 years ago. We wanted him to record "Some Place New" way back then but our schedules conflicted. We would have to wait 4 years to get another chance. Luckily this time around he was available.

The first week of recording was all the acoustic songs. Joel and I ended up tracking in my home studio (Red Room). We recorded 6 songs in 5 days (Lost in July, When You Fall, If I Died Tonight, Clovers, Prince of Pain and Crack One More Smile). Its crazy to hear how different I sing and play in comparison to 4 years ago but the weird thing is that it still sounds very much like the old versions.

Later on I tracked of Jason on cello. He was added on songs that originally had synth and violin. It was really cool to replace them with a more smooth and organic sounding instrument and one we could play live. It brought out a lot more emotion than the initial mixes.

I really noticed some things were missing. So I got Dave to actually record some acoustic lead parts on his own that we imported later on. We kept each version very true to the original recordings....but you may pick up on a few improvements and subtle differences.

The second week of recording commenced and we ended up tracking drums at Nate's house. This was the first time Nate has ever officially been on a Allred recording. It just so happens he joined the band in between records. I met him at Snow College at the first band show back in 2004.

Later that night he actually hung out with us in the studio listening to rough tracks of "Some Place New". He has been there from the birth of these songs so this was a really big deal to finally have him playing them the second time around. He played amazing and really brought a new energy to each one. We were out before lunch.

Colby got to come down and track some bass lines on Golden. I was stoked to get him on this record. It means a lot that all the guys are represented on this one. I think this album will be more true to our live show than any other CD I've released.

Having Dave playing again is a pretty awesome thing. These songs started with him so it's only right to have him play on them the second time around as well. Many of his guitar parts were written years after the original record was released. He was finally able to add all the parts that were not initially recorded but people would always hear at shows. So really some of this record was 4 years in the making.

We did 5 songs in 5 days (Some Place New, Summer is Over, Lucky Scars, Autumn and Golden)

I ended up spending the final days recording vocals. I made sure I had no shows scheduled for a while. My voice was more rested than any other time I've recorded. I think thats something people will notice on this one.

As we spent the remaining days mixing and mastering I couldn't help but think back on everything that has happened in the last 5 years. Good times, bad times...the big moments and some regrets. I feel like rereleasing this thing kind of mends a few wounds for me. I feel like I have a more stable foundation to build upon. I feel like people can finally hear what I was trying to say 4 years ago.

This record really sends out a clear message. It's about how life can be hard but you have to carry on. You have to keep breathing and realize that some of the beauty in the life is brought out by pain and tribulation.

April 18th will be big day for Allred. I can't wait for you guys to hear this. It's going to kill me that I have sit on this record for a while. Some tracks will be added to Facebook and Myspace as the release gets closer. If you're out of state you can preorder the record at www.allredmusic.com

Till then, God bless...

John

Some Place New

2009-01-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever done something in the past and thought "I wish I could go back and change that...if only I knew what I know now"? Well every time I listen to my first record that exact phrase comes to mind.

There seems to be something very special about those songs and that time in my life. The Summer of 2004 was one I will never forget. I moved out West with the clothes on my back and my guitar in hand with an open mind and an open heart. Utah had a profound effect on me. The people and the scenery inspired me greatly.

I wrote a considerable amount of songs in a very, very short amount of time. Starting that July, I would go down to a small studio in Ephraim to record. I started out with acoustic songs and added more and more as I slowly assembled a band.

I had these ideas of the potential of what this record would sound like. I had a very clear vision on how I wanted these songs to sound. But unfortunately at the time I had no money to afford recording at a high end studio to make that happen. So after finishing up 11 songs. That Winter I received the final product on disc. As I listened, each one fell short of the vision I had. It was heartbreaking to listen to because all I heard were the imperfections. More than anything it captured the awkwardness of starting a band, as if it was documented for everyone to hear.

I had spent so much time and energy, I didn't just want to throw it all away. So on February 11th, whether I liked it or not "Some Place New" was released at Muse Music to a sold out crowd. But something extraordinary happened. People looked past the poor quality of the record and payed attention to the songs themselves. They cared more about the words and the melodies, and not the fact that there were sound issues and things were off time.

After 2 years and selling 3 pressings (3,000 copies) I retired "Some Place New". I no longer sold it at shows. Partly because of the quality but also because the band had changed so much. For the next few years the band evolved greatly. The quality of the records became much better. We all became better musicians. But we were a different band than what I originally intended. So last year, I went back to basics and became acoustic again. For the first time in years I would ask people what songs they would like me to play. And surprisingly the majority of songs requested were off the first record.

Recently, I have been asked by many people if I would ever put the record on Itunes or sell it at shows again. And after much contemplation I've decided to rerecord the entire record this Winter. I'm attempting to match that vision I had almost 5 years ago. So I'm going back...

I'm doing the same songs. There will be no drastic changes. Just what I intended all along. Here is the original track listing.

1. Golden

2. Lucky Scars

3. Summer is Over

4. Lost in July

5. When You Fall

6. If I Died Tonight

7. Autumn

8. Crack One More Smile

9. Clovers

10. Some Place New

11. Prince of Pain

Winter Tour '08

2008-12-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

Touring the last year I have truly fallen in love with this country. For the most part every state has a different feel I gotten to meet some amazing people and play some great venues. Heres just a few pics I took with my iphone. I hope to eventually get a really nice camera. Till then I guess I will settle for my phone.

SAN DIEGO

SAN JOSE

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

OREGON

SEATTLE

SALT LAKE

ST GEORGE

Recording in Seattle

2008-12-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

I know I just released a new record but I just wrote a ton this Fall and I was itching to record them. So I got to talking with one of my favorite singers from one of my favorite bands. Dan from "This Providence". We talked about him doing some producing seeing on how he's working with "Anarbor" and "Rocket To The Moon".

So when he offered the chance for me to come up and do a some songs with him up in Seattle I took it. We recorded late at night so we got to do a lot of site seeing during the day. This was honestly the first time I left home to record and sometimes thats just what it takes.

Dan was a blast to work with and he helped me to come out of my shell. He brought a lot of creativity to the table on these songs. I would have to say I have fallen in love with the city of Seattle.

The 10,000 dollar Neuman microphone we used

The Studio

Dan Young

The great city of Seattle

Pikes Market

The first Starbucks..ever

view from the other side of the city

Fall Tour Part 2

2008-10-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

Denny's in Cedar City...I immediatly regret this decision...food poisoning again!

Hanging at the Hotel (Jason is weird)

stopping by In - and - Out in STG

Colby and Nate bored in ST GEORGE

The Electric Theater (one of our favorite venues)

Driving back to Utah through the night (BAD IDEA)

Ronny the Roadie working hard or hardly working packing the van

Watching Nick and Norah in Vegas

Rock and Roll

My mothers first CD RELEASE in Utah

Bringing out some friends for a few songs

Velour (SOLD OUT) THANK YOU ALL!

I Phone Photos (Fall Tour)

2008-09-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

They say pictures can say a thousand words. So here you go:)

Somewhere in Washington

Rexburg

Seattle

Pocatello

Boise

The End

"The Sound" Video Shoot

2008-09-23T20:39:00.001-07:00

Long Week

2008-09-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

The last few shows...

I showed up down in Provo around 9am to load in for the show. It was raining and it was bitter cold outside. It took about 30 minutes outside to eventually retreat to my van and watch some movies and drink some red bulls.

By the time my set came around the sun had come out, it warmed up and it ended up being a beautiful day. Castle Park is a really cool place and I honestly had never seen it before. Who knew Provo had anything cool. It was a park that used to be a mental hospital that looked like a castle. My set went really well and the crowd was awesome. I tried out a bunch of new ones and tried my new set up.

When Augustana hit the stage it felt like time stood still. These guys are seriously one of my favorite bands and I'm so happy we got them to Utah for a show. They played all my favorites and did some awesome sing-a-longs. They even played a awesome Bob Dylan cover. By far one of the best shows I'd seen in a long time. I talked with Dan for a bit he was very shy but a super nice guy. I hope to play with them again soon.

The next night I opened for Meg and Dia at Studio 600 in Salt Lake. Its been such a trip to watch these girls blow up. They are extremely talented and they deserve everything that has happened to them.

I talked to Dia for a while and she seems really stoked about her new record. Even after playing with these guys for 4 years on numerous shows they really haven't changed at all. They are still are friendly and down to earth. This was the best sounding studio show I've ever had. Thanks to Rob (The sound guy)

Thursday and Friday I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Tyrone Wells. This guy has a booming voice and he is a fantastic song writer. The Reef was a really cool venue. It had really great sound and it was a restaurant/bar setting.

I ended up booking a last minute house party with my buddy Mitch and his friend Cassi. I played outside for about 30 kids. That honestly was the highlight of playing in Boise. I will be coming back soon with Sherwood.

The next day we down to Provo....once again. I haven't played Velour since May. I really missed the place. I consider the venue home. The room was filled quite nicely and it was a memorable evening. I saw tons of old friends and familiar faces. I played a bunch of new songs and a few oldies. I got to hang out with Jason Reeves a bit. Such a great little performer. He's an amazing songwriter and I enjoyed his set tremendously.

Thats the update for now....but stay tuned....there is much more updates on their way

Don't Mess with Texas

2008-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

It was a very very long drive from Colorado Springs to Plano Texas. We drove through the night and got there right on time for my set. There ended up being three stages set up at The Plano Centre inside a huge convention area. It was pretty cool to see a mini Warped Tour. This was my first time being in Texas and I couldn't believe how rediculous the weather was. It was insanely humid and it didn't help that I already had a fever. I ended up playing about a 30 minute set. Me and Kris Roe were the only acoustic acts on the bill. So it was kind of cool.

The Entrance way was crammed all day with people buying merch and conversing with other bands. It is the best kind of chaos there is. I really wish they would do something like this in Utah.

I think the best thing about this tour was that every show was catered. Although you might not think so I am a huge fan of food and it always tastes better when its free. I have become a huge fan of wheat bread, swiss cheese, miracle whip (lite) and turkey sandwiches. This place even had tea which was way awesome.

I think the biggest thing about this trip was that the guys from "Mae" invited us to hang out after the show. It was really cool talking recording with Mark and writing with Dave. They told us some very exciting news about their upcoming record and DVD. Its really cool to find out things you never knew before. They are really just some normal guys from virginia with some amazing talent. I hope to come back to Texas when it cools down a bit. When I got dropped off at the Dallas Airport the next morning I ran into Zack before he took off back to Virginia. It was really a surreal experience getting to hang out with one of my favorite bands and one I won't forget.

Colorado Springs

2008-08-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

So I hopped in "We Shot The Moon's" van 4am to play in Colorado Springs. This was my first show ever in Colorado. We pulled up to "The Factore" around 5pm and loaded in our gear. The venue had a very "Muse Music" type setup. There were cool Neon Lights and it had a very DYI feel. They fed us pasta and let us use the free internet. The promoter was a pretty awesome guy and ran the venue simply to help the youth in the area. He let me play an organ he bought for 50 bucks and it was the greatest thing ever. I played it a good 30 minutes and It had electric drums and different crazy functions. I wanted to take it home with me.

Backstage, to pass the time I started showing off my breakdancing/ninja skills. Jonathan and Everybody eventually joined in and we had a few epic dance battles. When it came down to the show...well it wasn't my best but I got through it. I don't think I have been this sick in a a really long time. WSTM sounded tight as usual. Shane ended up finding mexican Coca Cola later that night so it was all worth it.

Back in Utah - Summer Tour Part 1

2008-08-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

So it would be an understatement if I said that I just missed Utah. After spending some time around friends and family on the East coast. I started to really become homesick after a couple months. I loved seeing everyone from my childhood and I know I needed the time away. But I just don't fit in back there anymore. To be honest, I really couldn't wait to come back. What better way to come back than to tour pretty much the whole state with my good friends

We Shot The Moon.

Heres a brief summary of the shows...

Cedar City - The Grind

I've been playing this venue for 3 years. The staff is amazing and I love the lighting they put on. Its my favorite venue to play acoustic shows at. This time around there was over 80 kids there in the dead of summer. Some even drove down three or four hours to come. I got to see some old friends I hadn't seen in almost half a year and also a good friend of my brothers and bought me a pizza. It was a surprisingly fantastic show. Thanks to the promoter JP this turned out great. This was my best Cedar show by far. I'll be back October 1st.

Saint George - The Electric Theater

This is pretty much my favorite venue of all time. It just looks and sounds amazing. Thanks to Amie this was a show to remember. We brought over a hundred people out. The Firm and A Bird A Sparrow were great. WSTM put on a fantastic set as usual. This was probably my best show on tour simply because I hadn't gotten food poisoning yet. I played a lot of rare songs like "If I Died Tonight"(an oldie) and "Always A Woman" by Billy Joel. I will be back in October for sure! It had honestly been way too long. I Love St.George!

Ogden - Union Station

This was the first day I really got sick. I drove all day and came down with a really high fever right as we pulled in to Salt Lake. None the less my buddy Shane took the wheel and got me to Ogden on time. I was actually really amazed by this venue. It was litteraly right next to the tracks. It had a really cool location and had a huge stage. Its always nice to run into my buddy Rich from "BA Sound" was hired to run the show. It sounded great to say the least. I ended up playing a lot of new material at this one and even started beat boxing in "With or Without You". It was so good to see familiar faces and even though I was under the weather the people always make it worth it. Oh and I wore my red jeans for the first time that I bought in Times Square. They just might make a appearance again if you're lucky. I will be back in Ogden September 8th!

Provo - The Olympus

This was by far the biggest Utah show on our tour. There was over 200 people. The Venue was a Dance studio which was behind Fat Cats. It was severely tough to get a good sound out of that room but Taylor Audio did great for what they had to work with. Regardless I think the show went very well and the crowd was so awesome. Thanks to Sam The man for putting on another happening event. Parking was the big issue. Whats with Provo and towing cars? I got my van booted. I was pretty bummed about that. I think I just got through this show vocally. I could barely talk by the end but I was very lucky...people were singing along pretty loud. I got to see tons of people I missed a great deal. I consider Provo my hometown-to play in. I should be playing Velour sometime this September.

I will be back in Utah next week to stay after playing a few out of state shows... I Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm back and I should be here for quite a while!

Back To New Hampshire

2008-06-21T14:26:00.001-07:00

So it has been 4 years since I've been back to where I went to college. I was playing a Starbucks which ironically is the first place that I had my first show in Connecticut 8 years ago. I got to see some old friends and some people that have been waiting almost half a decade to see me play live. I actually had some requests and some people singing along. I hope to come back and play often and thanks to my friends Pete and Dave this was really enjoyable show. I played some really old songs but got to play a few brand new ones live I'd never played before. Good Times!

The Last Show

2008-06-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

So it seems like every big show I've ever had there have been "technical difficulties". Infact, it happens so often I just don't even react to it anymore. Half way through my third song all the power shut down. So for half of the show it was a glorified sing-a-long. Unplugged and having everybody sing. There was even a part of "Seventeen" where we had a little choir ending.

I'm so happy to say people seemed to like it better than the looping and stage antics I usually add to these kind of shows. We took requests at the door and played all the most requested ones with a girl holding a clip board and shouting out the songs. I shared a few stories and we had a few laughs. It was like a big get together amongst friends. It was 2 and a half hours of strait oldies and a few new ones. It was a bittersweet night and it was so good to see familiar faces. It was such a cool venue and it was one of those nights I didn't want to end...hence, the 2 and a half hour set.I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming out my utah shows the last 4 years I've been around. Although I won't be back as often I will always carry a part of this place with me. My fondest memories are of the people I have met through the music. I just hope you won't forget about me. You have all made my life worth living and just know you are all my friends. I won't be back till August and it can't come soon enough.

a surreal night to say the least

2008-06-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

So I got an email from my manager Sam two months ago asking if I would be interested in opening for Secondhand Serenade at Thanksgiving Point. I actually thought he was pulling my leg. The entire day of the show just seemed a bit well...unreal. I was just waiting for someone to say:"Who are you?.." so I could just get back in my van and drive home.

As I got to sound check John Vesley actually hung out and watched. He was really down to earth and this is one of the first times I've met a national act so open and nice. There was a crowd of over 3600 people and they were all very attentive as I took the stage. The loudness of the audience is something you really can't describe. After I finished my set, I was asked to play one more. I was very hesitant but John offered to announce me again. I really couldn't believe he would do that. I've really never been so humbled in my life.

The rest of the night I just hung out at the merch table thanking everyone for coming. We sold out of everything. Thats always a good thing right? If it wasn't for the promoter Tom Atwood none of this would have happened. So thanks man. This was an amazing going away present.

arizona

2008-06-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

This was my first time touring through Arizona and it was an interesting drive to say the least. My friend Jared from a great band Forgotten Charity came along to play and so did our promoters buddy Ford. They both hopped in the van around 7pm and we were on our way. I drove 8 hours through the night getting to Flagstaff around 4 in the morning. Occasionally dodging deer and steep cliffs. Finally we got a hotel room to recharge our batteries. By noon the next day we were already in Mesa. We met up with our Promoter and our friend Darren. I think this photo shows that Jared knows him a little better than I do.

It was around 100 degrees when we got there. Its pretty crazy how much the climate can change in just a few hours drive. We ended up taking frequent cat naps the rest of the day, crashing on the couch and watching "The Count of Monte Cristo"(which is one of the best movies of all time)
As we got too the Freestone Amphitheater later that afternoon, I took the time to admire my surroundings. Hugging palm trees, while drinking mountain dew and watching the sunset. Then we set up for the show. It ended up being a really intimate setting and despite a few technical difficulties it ended up being a great show. I wish they had parks like this in utah. It was awesome to meet new people and share the stage with such amazing guys like Jared, The New Nervous and Mike Moss.

The next day we got up early to experience the awesome deliciousness of Dunk N Donuts. They don't have these in Utah and they should. Its a shame. It had been about a year since I last had some. It had been way too long. Words cannot express the joy I felt sinking my teeth into a luscious glaze donut and consuming a large vanilla coolata.

The next night Jared and I played a house party and it ended up being one of my favorite shows I've ever played. The crowd was beyond welcoming. I would have to say that Arizona might be one of my favorite places I've played on tour. The Barnes girls(including rebecca) had a beautiful backyard and we set up next to their pool. Even the neighbors got into the show. Yelling out from time to time in between songs.

On our way back it got up to 107 degrees. It started to cool off the more we got up North. Oh and of corse we passed through the grand canyon as well. It was beautiful. The scenery was pretty amazing and made the trip go by really fast.

I hope to come back later this Summer to the Arizona area. Hopefully it will cool off a little before then. I highly doubt it though. Thanks to Darren, Ford, The Barnes Family and Jared this was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

recording, recording and oh, more recording...

2008-05-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't written in a while and honestly this nice weather has made me severely lazy. I think its a good thing I'm not online as much anymore. But, today it's cloudy, cold and rainy so I guess it's time to play catch up. Y'all might have been wondering what I've been up to these last few months...or not. But a side from a few gigs here and there. I've been writing and recording a ton. A ton might be a understatement, simply because I have been putting in at least 60 hours a week tracking this thing. This is more than I have ever done in my entire life for just one record. I've been doing a combination of recording at home on my own and with Joel Pack (Aquarius Sound) and Dallan Rees(Db Sound) at their studios.

joel

drew

We tracked drums and bass with Joel for the songs "Without Warning" and "Taken". These are actually going to be the only full band songs we are recording on this record. This album will be primarily acoustic. Drew Fergeson , who also played drums on "Parades" came in and tracked the drums in within 2 hours. Not bad for a guy that hadn't played in 4 months.

I don't mention this guy enough and honestly Drew has stuck with me through the last 4 years through thick and thin. He was the original drummer on "Some Place New". He was there when it all started. I'm so lucky that he's still around to help me out.

three mics and a guitar

joels baby grand

I went in to pick up tracks from Joel at his house one random Saturday and I spontaneously asked if he had a couple of hours to help me demo a few songs before his band "Broke" left on tour. He surprisingly said yes. He went to go grab lunch, while I offered to set up for him. While he was gone I was just doodling on his piano and wrote a song called "One Day" in about 20 minutes. We ended up tracking it when he got back just for fun. I was so happy with the way it came out, its going on the record.

We also hammered out "The Sound", "Maybe" and "On a Sunday Afternoon"(which is a song I wrote for my grandfather who passed last month). These will all be on the record as well. They have a different feel than anything I've done before. These is more of a intimate feel. These sound more singer/songwriter than anything I've ever put out. In stead of pounding on the guitar, there is a quite a bit of finger picking and even playing without a pick. We used no click track and its extremely raw. Just three microphones. Me and my guitar. Just the way they did it in the old days.

dallan

Dallan...well this is the guy behind every record I've done in some way since 2004. He has saved my life on so many occasions I owe him mine. Without him the last 4 records would have never seen the light of day. He is also responsible for getting me on 101.9 The End this year, which I thought would be impossible.

He's co-producing this new record with me and honestly has done almost all the tracking and mixing. We just finished tracking "Look Out", "All I Had", "Without Warning", "Ready or Not","Stay" and "Taken". In the next month we will be mixing and mastering all the songs hopefully for a Fall release at a secret location yet to be announced. I cannot tell you how happy I am with these mixes so far and I really can't wait to show people the final product. I'm trying things I've never tried before. These songs are going places I really never really thought i'd touch. This entire record will be the most versatile thing I've ever done. I'm not going to play the majority of these songs live yet. I want them to be a surprise.

Sorry... this was a pretty hefty update and I'm sure not a lot of you read the whole thing. If you didn't I totally understand. For those of you who did...well...thanks for taking the time.

Some of you may have heard...

2008-04-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

...I'm heading back to the East coast in June. This is absolutely true. I feel it will be a tremendously good thing for me to get back to my roots again and go back to where I came from. I want to be near my family and childhood friends. I want to see the ocean and big city lights. I really haven't been back in four years and it's been way too long. To be honest this place has gotten the best of me. I'm severely heart broken and I need to get out of here while I still have a part of myself left. I'm afraid I've never completely healed from some things.

I cannot tell you how many people have touched me over the last few years that I have lived in Utah. There were times when I felt discouraged and there was always someone there to pick me up when I fell down. I have received so many kind emails in the last few weeks and I honestly don't deserve them. And just knowing that this music meant something to even one person made it all worth it. I will continue to tour and I will be back in Utah before you know it. Just don't forget about me.

I would love to see you all at the last few shows. They will be the last ones for quite a while. Thank you so much everything. I love you all.

John

Velour (solo acoustic)

2008-04-25T16:05:00.001-07:00

Last night was a memorable night to say the least. This was the most people I ever brought to Velour. There were tons of requests and I played for 2 and a half hours.. It was a really fun singalong session. Maybe I should have become a chior teacher. We had some pretty sweet harmonies going on. Because there were so many familiar faces i really felt like I was playing for my friends. There was some talk about Sesame Street, Life and upcoming movies. I was able to tell some people what some songs were about and I could'nt help but smile while I played. It was a really fun night and I want to thank you all that came out to share it with me. I'll keep you all updated on the live recording and DVD.

set list: miss me, autumn, golden, at the seams, my own skin, prince of pain, if i died tonight, clovers, ordinary day, summer is over, sunday afternoon(new song) there she goes, seventeen, promise, parades, when you fall, lost in july, fall back down, colors, right here

opening for Ben Folds at Salt Air

2008-04-24T09:58:00.001-07:00

So last night blew by way too fast. I have never been so nervous in my entire life. I was suprised I didn't faint or vomit before I went on. I did almost trip on my way up.. There were over 3,000 people and this was by far the biggest show I've ever played a main stage on. Once The music started it all went away.

Chris Merritt and Mesa Drive played some awesome sets. Its so great to see bands progress and also nice to be amongst friends. I took the stage around 8pm and the crowd was really responsive. The set was video taped so we should have it up very soon.

Ben Lee was having guitar problems so I let him use mine for the majority of his set. I'm never selling it now. We talked for a bit and he honestly was the nicest guy I've met at that level. so down to earth. I caught him a few times outside just walking around on the Salt flats. taking in the scenery I guess.

Ben Folds was well... Ben Folds. Just possibly the most entertaining guy in show business. I grew up on this guy and getting the chance to share the stage was a dream come true. I hope this won't be the last time I get to play for a crowd this big. I don't know how you could ever get used to that.

Thanks to Sam Salisbury/ Rockstar Shows and The Salt Air Staff for making this possible. And thank you guys for your support. I wouldn't have gotten to this point without your help.

set list: Promise, Medley, Keep Driving, With or Without You

Spring Tour part 1

2008-04-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

So tons of things have been going on lately and I've honestly been too lazy to post anything in a while. This last month has been filled with suprises to say the least. I'm so happy to finally start touring a bit. I think touring is the only thing that keeps me sane right now.

This last weekend I was lucky enough to be accompanied by some extremely talented musicians. Joshua James and Benton Paul played amazingly at The Grind and The Electric Theater. Both I know are going to be very successful in what they do. Its pretty crazy how 3 people can do so many different things with just their voice and a guitar.

The Grind ended up being a pretty "stripped down" show. We all just played acoustic to a crowd of about 80 people or so. This was the biggest cedar city show I have ever headlined. There were some people singing along and making requests. I played a lot of songs I hadn't played in a very very long time. The lighting was spectacular and the sound was even better. I love that venue. Dave Kreitzer opened the show with a three peice(The Embrace) and it really tied together the whole night.

set list: Starlight(Muse Cover), Look Out(new song), Seventeen, the Brightest (Copeland Cover), Clovers, Parades,The Sound (new song)With or Without You, Golden

The Electric Theater was a tough one to play. I received word my grandfather died about 20 minutes before I went on. I have never played a show where I had so many things stirring up inside me. A lot of people said they never have seen me play a show like that before. The whole thing was pretty much a blur to me. I got through it though. We had the same amazing openers and I know people really loved them. The night wasn't over yet. Benton and I drove down to Vegas afterwards. I love it when you come to the point where you first see the lights of Vegas on the horizon...theres nothing quite like it. I slept in the van once we got to Henderson and fell asleep to "Walk The Line" blaring on the tv in the background.

set list: One More Day, Summer is Over, Without Warning (new song), Medley, Keep Driving, With or Without You, Ever So Sweet(Early November Cover), Golden

The Estring was an amazing venue to say the least. Perfect for the type of music we play. It was a combination of a music store, bar and venue. The light and sound were pretty awesome. Benton and I played for a High School Choir earlier in the day and we actually brought over 100 people out that night thanks to the hard work of his family. I am so thankful for that family and for their hospitality. I was happy not to sleep in the van every night. Vegas is kind of hot. I got to play with Benton on a few songs which really made the night for me.

set list: Seventeen, Wonderwall/Boulevard of Broken Dreams(Oasis/Green Day Cover), Promise, Land Slide (Fleetwood Mac Cover), Medley, With or Without You

with Benton: Fields of Gold (Sting Cover), Where are You (Bentons Single)

Benton and I took off yesterday around noon, after getting some In and Out Burgers and a lot of driving we got home around 8pm. Good Times. I have a few big shows before it and I have tons of more news too...I will try to get better at writing on this thing.

An Eventful Weekend

2008-03-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

So I've tried to keep myself pretty busy the last few weeks now that I've been doing music full time. Recording and doing some weekend touring. This past weekend may have been a bit overkill. Two cd releases in two days. One in St.George, The other in Salt Lake City.

I drove down to STG Friday morning, stopping in once in Provo for some "Cafe Rio" and then Cedar City for one of my favorite "FREAL"milk shakes. I showed up to the venue (Jazzy Java) around 530pm. To my suprise it was a really nice venue. They had a great set up and it sounded great. I opened for Dave Krietzer (www.myspace.com/davekreitzermusic ) and it was a really fun show and I was able to meet a lot of new people. There should be some footage up really soon of the show as well. I will be playing many more shows with Dave in the future. I spent the remainder of the night hanging out at Iceberg and consuming chicken fingers,onion rings and even more milkshakes. Even though they weren't really milkshakes...they were ice cream in a cup.

The next morning I took off for Salt lake City after participating in a easter egg hunt. I loaded into the Rose Wagner Theater not knowing what to really expect. It was honestly the nicest venue I have played to date in Salt Lake City. It was a real theater with red curtains, gorgeous design and all the works. I had the pleasure of opening for one of my favorite local artists Josh Rosenthal (www.myspace.com/joshrosenthal). It was an amazing show and this was my favorite SLC show to date. I hope to play with him more in the future. He is an inspiration to me and I look up to him in so many ways.

My buddy Chad Braithewaite (http://www.faces-photo.com/) came by and took some new photos during and after the show and it rounded off a perfect evening. I've never really had pictures capturing Salt lake City so well. I'm so blessed to have such a talented friend. I got back late and just crashed on my couch and watched "Into The Wild". Good Times

Opening for some old friends

2008-03-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

Last night was just one of those sets where everything seemed to go right. I've never seen The Circuit so packed in my entire time here in Utah. (Thank you Sam Salisbury!)It was a sold out show and I was lucky to be a part of it. I have played with 3 out of the 4 bands that I opened for last night and it felt really good to be amongst friends. Jonatahan Jones New Band "We Shot The Moon" played amazing and I sang along to every tune. The Higher always put on a killer show and Seth and the rest of the guys are the nicest band I've ever met. Let me just say Sherwood is better than ever. I think every year they outdo themselves with their recordings and with their live show. Last night was just living proof of that. Houston Calls put on a great set and they even said a few kind words about me. I honestly didn't want the night to end.

I got on stage alittle earlier than expected and I only had a 25 minute set. A lot of people missed it. So I spent a few hours playing for people outside who couldnt get in to the show. Taking requests and a lot of them were suprisingly old songs. Nothing like a good singalong session to end a perfect evening. I should have some photo's up of that real soon. Thank you all for making this music worth playing.

set list: freakish(saves the day cover), seventeen, promise, summer sends its love(sherwood cover), parades, keep driving, with or without you

Another Night in Provo

2008-03-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

So last night I was put right in the middle of a 5 band bill at Velour. Usually this can be quite an awkward situation for an acoustic guy. But it wasnt so bad at all. The first two bands were Great. "Lives of Famous Men" and "The Real You". Then the two bands that followed were some of my good friends. Mury www.myspace.com/murymusic and the one and only Broke www.myspace.com/broke .

Mury is a combination of a 3 bands that I have played with in the past 4 years. They have a great sound and are really starting to come into their own. When I watch Broke shows its like I'm watching my older brothers play. Joel is just a freak of nature and I've never met another musician like him. Dave is one of the coolest guys I've ever met and I tend to ramble on about gear with him from time to time at the House of Guitars where he works. As for Rob, well lets say the guy has some chops and you can see how passionate he is about music. Its inspiring to say the least.

I honestly missed Velour. I would have to say that it feels the most like home to me out of any other place. Corey Fox and Michelle are always a pleasure to talk to when I'm there and I just love the feel of the place.

I've decided to do a headlining show there in April where its just me. it will be a stripped down acoustic show where people can request whatever they want. This should make for an interesting night.

set list: the district sleeps tonight (postal service cover), seventeen, promise, right here, with or without you (u2 cover)

Opening for Benton

2008-03-07T16:53:00.001-08:00

The usual Provo gig consists of a very familiar atmosphere for me. Velour and Muse are two rooms I have gotten very used to over the last few years. But walking into the Covey Center for the Arts was an entirely different experience. Its located off center street. It was a auditorium hall with a fantastic sound and beautiful lighting. The whole night seemed to take on a unfamiliar feel but I think its good to have a change from time to time. It was a huge stage and I was off centered to the left. can you say awkward?

I got to hear a few of Bentons songs during sound check and it honestly felt like I was opening for a national band. It was beyond impressive and he has really come into his own. I've known Benton for the last few years and its been a trip watching him progress. Simply amazing and this is just the beginning for him.

The lighting was so good that there were portions of my set where it was pitch black. I couldnt see my peddles and I was pretty disoriented at times. It was a rough night to say the least but I got through the set and I guess thats all that matters. The crowd was fantastic and cheered during songs and was beyond responsive. I was pleasantly suprised.

I guess the show was recorded and I should have some footage up soon. Well I have a day off tonight and then its back down to Provo tomorrow to play with Broke City and Mury.

set list: seventeen, at the seams, landslide/my own skin, promise, with or without you

First of many...

2008-03-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

So I just posted "Across The Universe" by The Beatles on myspace. I know its pretty unoriginal to do one of their songs simply because I don't think anyone can do them justice and they have all been done a million times before. But I just love the song and it was a lot of fun to do.

I've pretty much locked myself up in my room the last few weeks and recorded over a dozen songs. I'm really excited to show everybody what I've come up with. The whole covers record will contain songs that mean the world to me and I can't wait to share them with everyone.

I'm going to post a new one every week on myspace until I start selling them at shows. So hopefully this gives people something to look forward to. There should be 10 in all.

Back to Ephraim

2008-03-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

I hadn't played Snow College in 3 years. For many reasons. But I actually recorded my first record "Some Place New" underneath Fat Jacks Pizza. Which is actually called Rons now. So me and this place have history. One of my first shows was opening for The Aqua Bats at Snow College.

It was pretty amusing getting off I-15 driving through the canyon/desolate highway, passing numerous amounts of sheep and cows. As we reached main street you still coundn't help but still smell the slight odor of turkeys in the air. Theres nothing like being back! It was also 20 degrees colder than Salt lake was that day. I pulled up to a huge stage setup in the Activities room just like 3 years before.

It was an amazing experience. Just the reaction of everyone there was worth the trip. I couldn't believe that everyone stayed through the whole thing. An awesome Montana band Goodnight Sunrise opened the show. I followed with an hour set. This was my first headliner since Feb 9th so I was a little rusty.

set list: Seventeen, At The Seams, Landslide/My Own Skin, Promise, Name, Right Here, Damnit, Colors, With or Without You, Golden, Parades

After a experience like that I hope to come back often. Even though a show was cancelled this weekend in Cedar this was still a fantastic weekend.

Covers

2008-02-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

So I think its about time I do a covers record. I have a ton that I have been playing live forever and then there are a bunch that no one has ever heard. I think its about time I get them recorded.

This has been in the works for quite some time anyway. Two were almost put on the "Parades" album but I thought I would save them for another time. People tend to ask for songs they know rather than mine at most shows. I went down to Provo last night to record and I discussed it with my buddy Dallan.

So it looks like its official. There should be 10 of them finished by the end of march.

I should have it out by April time. If you have any suggestions on what song I should do let me know. I'll keep you posted.

ja

Southern Utah Rocks!

2008-02-19T20:06:00.000-08:00

This was my third time coming down to play The Electric Theater http://www.theelectrictheater.com/ in St.George. This is honestly my favorite venue in Utah for sure. I have never had a bad show and the people have always been responsive. I have a handful of fans that I know by name and I'm so thankful for all of them. Bucky and the rest of the staff at the venue are honestly the nicest I have ever met.

I got to open up for Lorene Drive, Just Surrender and Farewell. After my set Daniel walked right up to me and asked if I'd be interested in playing in the band (Lorene Drive). I honestly didn't know what to say. I spent a good portion of the night in the back of Lorene Drives van listening to a bunch of their new stuff and talking about what they were looking for. They just wanted a guy that can sing back ups and play pretty decent guitar and help with writing. Part of we would love to be a part of that.

It was a pretty surreal experience simply because I have always loved their music. Its a huge decision and I hope to come up with an answer before the Spring. Just picking up and leaving is a pretty tough thing to do. Even for me and I just released a solo record. Kind of strange timing if you ask me. For now there will be plenty of Allred shows to go around.

All and all it was a great time down there and I'll be back down real soon.

A Night to Remember

2008-02-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

It was so strange pulling up to the venue for a show like this. I was alone and it took me only two trips to unload the van. The sound check only took about 10 minutes. We decided to place the speakers angled so we were playing in the corner so the pole would'nt be in the way. I think this added an element to the whole feel of the show that I've never had at solid ground.

James Belliston, Dave (Spiral Diary) Hunsaker, Josh Rosenthal and Benton Paul all had great and diversified sets. Most shows seem to drag but this one just flew by so fast that I was actually late getting on.

This was by far the best show I have ever played in the ten years I've been doing this. I have never said that before. But the people made this night for me. I asked everyone to sit and all at once they all did it. It was quiet during the new songs and the majority of the time it was a strait out sing-a-long during the oldies. I played a brand new song "Keep Out" which people seemed to enjoy.

There was a moment where I brought a light into the middle of the room and played "summer is over" and "Promise" unplugged. I felt so close to everyone. I didnt feel alone anymore. The show could not have gone any better. It surpassed all my expectations. I wish I could live this night over and over again.

Tennessee...LA and back

2008-02-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

This was probably the most hectic week I've ever had in my life. Aside from a lot of personal stuff that caused me to get very little sleep, I booked a last minute trip to go see my Grandfather in Tennessee who isn't doing very well. We watched the Superbowl together with a bunch of family. I was the only Patriots fan in the room. That was a rough night to say the least.

What was up with all the lip syncing this year by all the artists and even the star spangled banner?...it's so weird to me...I just dont get it.

I was home in Utah for 3 hours to send out the preorders just in time to catch my LA flight.

I realized after touching down at LAX how unprepared I really was. I had nowhere to stay and I was about to get a terribly expensive hotel room until my buddy Sam Salisbiry found me a place to crash last minute.

I got to stay with an amazing Hollywood band called Malbec in Hollywood. www.myspace.com/malbectheband

They let me crash on their couch. I talked alot with their bass player and she had to be one of the coolest girls I've ever met. I will be playing with them soon up here in Salt Lake so keep an eye out for that show. The next morning I spent a little time writing a new song that I'll be recording really soon and I'll be playing a lot. Its called "Look Out".

A few hours later I got a phone call from my buddy Tyler Monk. He just happened to be in LA for the weekend. He took me site seeing simply because it was my first time in LA. We stopped at a nice little greek place to eat and then we drove around to beverly hills and a bunch of other landmarks. We even stopped at guitar center and saw all the vintage guitars. After that we just putzed around watching the results of Super Tuesday till I loaded in at The Knitting Factory.

I played the small room, but it was perfect for what I do. My opener, Lindi Ortega (www.myspace.com/lindimusic.com) was pretty amazing...the girl had one of the strongest voices I've heard in ages.

Even though the crowd was pretty minimal it was good to have familiar faces in Los Angeles. My friends Neon Trees (www.myspace.com/neontrees) came to support me as well as my buddy Andrew and some others from orange county. The sound there was pretty awesome and way better than what I'm used to. The sound guy was digging my stuff, but come to find out it was only because he had just gotten divorced. Go figure. After it was all over Neon Trees took me to In and Out Burger for a delicious double double...I miss that place already.

Thanks to Tyler Monk I got to LAX at 6AM. The flight was delayed this morning because of Snow but I got home around noon. Now its time to sleep, rest up and get ready for the release. It's finally almost here!

Another Great Night at Muse Music

2008-01-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

Tonight was just one of those shows where everything just seemed to fall into place. It was a intimate crowd of about 60 people or so. It had been snowing all afternoon so i didn't expect many people to turn out. They were so quiet inbetween songs and it really set the mood for the evening. Although I do think a few people were dozing off.

Muse Music has become one of my favorite venues. It has a feel to it that no other place has in Utah. I have always had good shows there and this just added to the list. This is the perfect acoustic venue and the people that work there...Jake especially...are awesome to work with. There were so many familiar faces and some I hadn't seen in a long time.

Josh Rosenthal www.myspace.com/joshrosenthal played a amazing set. his lead guitarist did a great job with backing vocals and slide guitar. josh's songs are so well crafted and he has such a memorable sound. katie brandeburg is also something to behold. She put on a great set. She has one of the prettiest voices I can ever remember hearing.

I recorded the show with video and audio so you should be able to find it on youtube eventually. I'm going to start recording all my shows. It will give me alot of time inbetween shows to do something useful.

...so this is where it begins

2008-01-23T21:52:00.001-08:00

I guess I'm starting this thing to document this year. Within the next few months I'll be touring and doing more with my music than I ever have in my entire life. I'd imagine I might have more interesting things to talk about than usual...hopefully. With the new year, brings a new record and a new outlook on my life and music.

I'm determined to live a dream...one that I've had since I was 6 years old. Would you like to join me?

Check back soon ok?

ja