WALDEN, the four-piece alternative rock band known for their soothing melodies and atmospheric grooves based out of Nashville, TN, is setting off on their most ambitious tour yet. Starting on September 10th, the band will embark on the “Where’s Walden Tour” – traveling through all 50 states starting with a 50 dollar budget. Today, we’re giving their creative minds a nod with a special list of their handpicked tracks that inspired them to embark on this tour.
While they have graced legendary stages at Bonnaroo, Sloss Fest, and Summerfest, and opened for headliners Moon Taxi and Twiddle, this tour will be different. They haven’t released the full tour route yet – and that’s intentional. They will be playing in a variety of venues along their nationwide journey, ranging from traditional clubs like the Mercury Lounge in NY and Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, along with private parties, pop up acoustic shows, festivals, and everything in between.
“Our band’s dream has always been to travel the world, share our music, see amazing places, and meet great people along the way. But when the 2020 pandemic struck, this dream began to feel further away than ever. We were out of money and out of hope. Then a crazy idea came: we would attempt to plan a 50-state tour with a budget of $50. We would put our faith in the simple idea that by wholeheartedly chasing this dream, we could manifest it with the help of others. Will we pull it off? We have no idea. But isn’t that what makes it fun?” – comments Walden
They would love to play a show in a city near you, and are taking requests at their tour website here.
Tour Dates announced so far:
SEP 10 – Atlanta, GA • The Loft @ Center Stage
SEP 11 – Charleston, SC • Tobin’s Market
SEP 18 – Hamilton, NJ • Mom’s House
SEP 22 – New York, NY • Mercury Lounge
SEP 26 – Boston MA • O Brien’s Pub
Oct 4 – Oak Hill, WV • Private Event
OCT 7 – Chicago, IL • Golden Dagger
NOV 6 – Los Angeles, CA • The Hotel Cafe
NOV 14 – Denver, CO • Lost Lake
Songs that inspired WALDEN to embark on “Where’s Walden Tour”:
La Ritournelle – Sebastien Tellier:
This is one of my favorite songs, and inspires in me a yearning for travel and adventure. Instrumentally, it is beautifully symphonic and melancholic, yet upbeat and hopeful. To me it represents the ups and downs of being on the road and the deeper, more insightful moments that one experiences during long travel.
Bag Lady – Erykah Badu:
The message of this R&B/Soul staple has resounded with me in preparation for the tour: pack light. Obviously in a literal sense, yes, we all need to pack lightly, but I feel a necessity to shed any emotional or psychological baggage I may be holding on to before I leave on this insane, almost certainly life-changing adventure.
Laundry Room – The Avett Brothers:
One of the first songs I ever saw live that made me fall in love with live music, and even inspired me to tour the world playing music. The Avett Brothers’ ability to bring a crowd together inspires me to give it my all every time we perform. My dream is to have a crowd that feels as passionate and loving as an Avett Bros crowd. Their music will always have a special place in my heart.
Continued below…
Go! – M83:
This song is a concentrated blast of energy. The infectious vibe is everything I want in a song – this feeling that I have get up groove to the music. That’s what I hope for every time we play a show. I want people to be lost in the moment, lost in our music, grooving.
Hard Sun – Eddie Vedder:
Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder is one of the soundtrack pieces to the movie ‘Into the Wild’. With the transcendentalist movement being the inspiration behind our band name, this song and movie encapsulate the adventurous and helter skelter lifestyle of touring and being in a band. Jamming to this song instantly inspires me to experience an ever changing horizon and live a life of new experiences.
Life in Technicolor ii – Coldplay:
What could be more accurate to tour life than a feeling of technicolor? Living a colorful life of new experiences, new faces, new places, and new feelings is our dream in life.As Chris Martin says in this song, “Gravity release me and don’t ever hold me down”.
Byegone – Volcano Choir:
To me, this song feels like the perfect indie band anthem. My favorite lyrics come in the verse: “You know what they’re saying ‘bout us now / He’s a legend, I’m a legend / and we both go tripping through the door.” This juxtaposition of awkward indie musicians and the hero role they sometimes must take on succinctly summates how it feels to be in a band: just a group of imperfect people trying to create something transcendent together. By the time the group vocals shout “Set sail!”, I’m ready to jump in the van with my best friends.
Hahaha Pt. 2 – Kishi Bashi:
One of the first songs that comes to mind when thinking about an epic adventure is this track from fellow Athens artist Kishi Bashi. The colorful arrangement captures the feeling of adventure for me and the lyrics describe the feeling as memories are made along the way. This track has already decorated so many adventures for me and is sure to get plenty of spins in our van this fall.
