I hope that at this point it isn’t news to you that touring isn’t nearly as glamorous as the rockstar-lifestyle myth has long made it out to be. Especially since COVID, the music industry has seen a concerning procession of developments ranging from absurd ticketing fees at concerts, to cuts in streaming payouts, to AI, all threatening the viability of pursuing music as a hobby, let alone a career.
Yet beyond all of that, there are certain qualities of life on the road that come with the territory. “I’ve been a touring musician for 20 years, playing all over the country and in all kinds of rooms, sometimes with other players but mostly solo,” shares Joseph Allen Beltram, the Dallas-based songwriter who performs as Goodmorning Valentine. “For me, the music and the travel are intrinsically tied to one another: I travel to play songs and I write songs about traveling. While much of that experience has been a great adventure, there are times when things don’t go right, when the shows are less than stellar, the van doesn’t cooperate, or money gets thin. Even in this world of infinite connection, being a long way from the familiar and the comfort of loved ones can feel heavy, especially if you’re alone on stage playing to an empty bar, a thousand miles from home. It’s a unique loneliness that comes with this strange profession.”
This is the subject of his 2022 ballad “Empty Rooms,” which he’s re-releasing today as a duet with his longtime friend Jessica Lea Mayfield, with whom he came up in the Kent, Ohio scene. “I’m a big fan of her writing and singing, and of course she’s well-versed in the trials of being on the road,” he shares, introducing the haunting new version of the track. “It seemed a no-brainer to ask her to sing on this song, and her contribution brought the perfect, ghostly quality that I love so much in her music.”
“I’ve known Joey practically my whole dang life at this point, both of us being northeast Ohioans and all,” Mayfield adds. “He visited me in California and told me he’d written a song about the trials and tribulations of touring and thought it would be appropriate to have me on it. I adore Joey’s unique and captivating songwriting style and am truly honored to be on this track!”
Check out the new recording below, released via Suicide Squeeze Records, along with a list of Beltram’s upcoming tour dates.
JUN 10 - Cottage Grove, OR @ Axe and Fiddle
JUN 11 - Garberville, CA @ Stone Junction
JUN 12 - Davis, CA @ Armadillo Music Store
JUN 13 - Oakland, CA @ Elbo Room
JUN 14 - Long Beach, CA @ Vine
JUN 16 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers (Joey + Jessica will perform “Empty Rooms”)
JUN 18 - Reno, NV @ Pignic Pub and Patio
JUN 19 - Boise, ID @ The Shredder
JUN 20 - Portland, OR @ Kelly’s Olympian
JUN 21 - Seattle, WA @ Rabbit Box
JUN 24 - Longmont, CO @ Helios Public Art House
JUN 25 - Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
JUN 26 - St. Louis, MO @ Tick Tock Lounge
