15. New Intro by the Band, Meet & Greets, & NEW SONGS??!

0:01 Hello, we are Lovejoy and you are listening to the Lovejoy podcast. Hello Lovejoy Nation podcast. Hello Love and Joyers. Facts are coming. Welcome to the Lovejoy Nation podcast. You may have noticed our intros a little different this time around and going forward. What do you all think? We're definitely keeping that. That was amazing, woke up to that. You're using that every time. Yeah, woke up to you sending me that and it was like, Oh my God, that is fantastic. I love how I asked you, I asked your daughter to record your reaction to it and your face did not change. You just.

0:50 Just mouth open. Yeah, and you just turned around? Oh chuffed up nuts with that. I know, got to think, got to thank Joe for saying. Facts are coming, Yeah, we need to separate that. So instead of having a new section, we've got a facts are coming section. Yeah, so instead of Lovejoy band news like the old days. Yeah, yeah, acts are coming. And then we do our news. I like it. I like it. Let's do it.

1:32 It was so great because. We we were so nervous to ask that was in Philly at the meet and greet and Angie and I were so nervous to ask them to do this thinking it was like such a huge ask. I even said to them you can say no if you want if this is like too big an ass. I exactly what I would have said. Any chance of a little you can say no, Yeah. No hesitation, grabbed the phone. I went right into it. No one take. They didn't even. Look at each other. Yeah, there was no question. It was it was so kind to them. I'm so grateful. It's amazing. We. Were so chuffed. Yes, we were. We were so chuffed that apparently we totally did not notice that stealth birthday greeting that came right after. That that's something else that we'll insert here into the podcast.

2:27 And you would you like to tell the story behind our. Yeah. Birthday to when you would So my daughter was also at the VIP in Philly and right after Leslie and I were done getting our plug for the pod from the band, we were apparently so excited that we completely missed the fact that Pebble had the band record a birthday wish for Leslie and I because of course we share the same birthday and I I don't know how she did it, but she told them who it was for. They're like, OK, OK, so we're going to wait until they leave the room. So we left the room and they're like, all right, OK, let's go. And then Joe was like, all stamped up, trying to pretend like, you know, so we couldn't see what was going on. But best birthday present ever?

3:14 Oh my God, yeah. I hope you've been for birth. It's. The 2nd of December right now and we want to say happy birthday to to both. I hope, I hope you're you're birthed. Yes. For birth and that face, of course face. I don't think we've ever seen that face for a moment before. Yeah. Excited about the intro for the pod. The birthday greeting was freaking amazing. I'd like to have them both up on the Love Join Nation TikTok. But yeah, we'll pop up in this podcast episode as well.

3:56 Absolutely. Just amazing. Just absolutely chuffed. Really, really, really was. Very exciting and it's better than just hearing my voice at the beginning of each episode. So I love it. Can't, can't love it anymore. So there's that, and Spotify Rap came out this week everyone's very excited to see. Are there any surprises? Did you find anything a surprise on yours? Oh, Dave, you don't have Spotify? Rap. I don't use Spotify, I use Amazon. I was in the 1% club from Amazon. Yeah, I don't really go for this racks thing.

4:37 I really don't, but I was disappointed in the pair of you. Pointed to I was the top, I was #33 in top global listeners of Lovejoy. And I was like really just 33. I really got to walk in for next year. You know, I was I wasn't that good. I was what, .0003 It was whatever you were. I had a three instead of a 1. So I would say you did pretty amazing. Well you. Were in the top 100 I think. Yes, I squeaked in the top 100. I was like 90 something. 93 Was it you? Know I was happy with that, yeah. 7 Was it just kidding?

5:19 Just kidding. It's very clear. No. It's too easy. Yeah. So that was fun to see. And it was fun that we made it on some people's top podcast. Yeah. Absolutely. I was. I must admit I was more interested in the podcast results for that for for us. On whatever platform you're listening on, if you were a top listener, let us know because we're curious to see who's been been listening. Yeah, let us know. We're at it loud and proud. Come on. Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, you know, the results we had, I was, oh, for literally, well, eleven months, just under a year, we've been going 15 episodes and we're in the top 25% of our genre.

6:12 Yeah, Spotify videos top 20 within the top 25%. And we haven't even doing videos that long. That's true only like the time or less. 55 countries worldwide. Wow. That's. Insane I. Couldn't. Even. Name that thing. I know. Bonjour, Sava. V Gates. Yeah, no, I didn't even know there were 55 countries. So let Wilbur hear you say. I'm just kidding. Well, he's not listening.

6:53 I didn't say that. Well, we don't know. We don't know. Now he might. Be Oh yeah, I guess he could be. That's a little scary. Anyway, yes, that we our stats were pretty cool. So thanks guys. We appreciate you listening. We really do. Really rarely do. Really do. It's like. Mind blowing. Leave a comment. Crazy. And if we're talking about Spotify Wrapped, how about that Lovejoy video? Guys? Man, freaking tastic. It's been 60 weeks. If you are seeing this, I am dead. Hi there everyone.

7:33 Thank you. Well, not everyone. Hello, the best people. Yeah, thank you for if you're watching this video right now, you have listened many and you have listened great. The entity and quality things we like in return. The secret new songs to come. Wow. New songs If we fail to bring you new songs, get Mark. Well, and as Dave is shown with his four Fingers for you audio listeners, he is mimicking what Ash did in the video. 4 new songs are coming this way or our way. So what do we all speculate those four new songs might be? Do you know what?

8:17 I don't care because they're going to play one of them at a gig at least. He's, oh, he's like beaming right now that he's going to get an exclusive on us over on the other side of the pond. I see. I see. That just means that once they're done over on your side of the pond, Dave, that they'll have to come back here so they can play those songs here. So yes, I mean, hey. The thing is, sounds terribly known as they will. They will. I think they'll be back here in 2026. I really do, actually. Yeah. What do we think is going to be on it? Obviously wasted summer, right? I've been hearing alphabet as a possibility. Yeah, because originally Ash said to me, 13 tracks, obviously.

9:07 Ash said to me. When are you going? To run out of content from that meeting. Never the answer. He's never going to run out. There was supposed to be 13, So what, two were removed, whether that's, I'm going to say working title on Alphabet because we don't know the full title and Wasted Summer and two new songs, Yeah. I'm psyched, Will. Alluded to snake oil in a TikTok video. So I don't know. And I believe Ash has said that that's one of his favorite songs that's been scrapped over the years. So we'll see. And we've heard that there was, I think we've heard, I don't know some, I've heard some gossip on the tour on the queue from People deluxe album. I think that also may have been mentioned on the Reddit. Well, this, this is what I've kind of said all all along and I think we've we've certainly discussed it off the pod. You know, the first release was always going to be a limited run.

10:11 So then to come back and re release it, they needed something else new, single new this new that whatever it was. So clearly it's going to be a deluxe version and hopefully it's going to be promoted, pushed out really, really well, a lot lot better than it's dropping on our website. You know what? I. Mean right. It was like baby steps. Yeah. Dipping their toes into it. Yeah. Yeah. But deluxe album, I've always thought all the way along, ever since Ash said it was going to be.

10:58 He didn't say it to me. He said it on the. Oh, OK. On the Reddit. He keeps referring to it with that asterisk, but he keeps using. Exactly. And that, that goes for we have plans to bring out more formats of the album. People have been asking for CDs. And stuff and. That was a few months ago. So the Asterix album Asterix equals Deluxe, extended, whatever you want to call it. Yeah. Yep. Absolutely. I just was thinking before I lose the thought. I've been noticing a trend on TikTok with the whole rap thing.

11:41 Just quickly going back. I don't know if you've caught it, Andrew Dave. I think it's cool because it seems to be going a little bit viral is kids will be posting video footage from their show of a song and it'll still say according to Rapt Spotify Rapt. I've only listened to the Fall 116 times, but I could swear it was 117. And then they play the video of the fall from their gig. I haven't. Seen that, but that's cool, I like it. Yeah, it's all as I scroll through, that's like all I'm seeing. And I've. I've been reposting because I think that's cool. And I just like, that's fun. Keep spreading the word about the shows, you know, like putting it out in the universe about how much fun they were.

12:27 And yeah, just loud and proud. And I'm loving this stage rat. It's it's gratifying and I'm sure it is for the band as well. So I just want to give a shout out to that. Yeah. To maybe you do posts like that and sort of get try to get that going because I like that. I like that idea. It's you know, it's easy content. It's A and it's a great year to do it for love joint we're. Absolutely. To this year with with all of that so great stuff. Just want to recap the one simple tour that has just wrapped up as well. Speaking of wrapped it. Wrapped Did you have a good time? Did you have the best time? I like not really.

13:09 October 18th to November 26th the tour ran and you can actually check out the setlist from all the gigs at Setlist dot FM. And I had the privilege of being at their last show, the New York show, where they surprised the audience by saying they were were going to perform the most songs they've ever performed in a show and that, yeah. So I was lucky for that. So you can see that setlist up there as well. So I felt bad because Mark was sick. He was so sick that he didn't do the meet and greet for that that gig or that show. And I just looked over at his face. As soon as Will's made the announcement, we're going to do the most songs we've ever. Played at a game.

13:52 Oh, he's probably like, why? Why we decide to do this today? I don't know how you make it even. You would not know he was sick. Yeah, it was amazing. It was a blast. But wasn't Will sick at some point as well? He was, yeah. And then my daughter got a cold and she's like, I bet I got it from Will. That's what he's never standing at the front. He says something slur and his germs all over you. You're screaming now with your mouth open, touching all these. Oh. Come on. Right, right. Right. Right, right. Well, when, when they played the Bottom Lounge in summer of 23, Ash, Ash told us that he had food poisoning.

14:36 I cannot imagine playing a show with food poisoning. I, I I don't know how they do it but. And not have like a feeding bag around your mountain case, yeah. That just sounds miserable, but I guess can we talk about the openers though for a second? The two bands that they had? I don't know who got these guys, the Criticals and the Montanes, but holy cow, big up to whoever got these bands because they were both fantastic, weren't they? I thought they were great, so good. And you saw the criticals 2 times I think, right?

15:17 I saw the criticals twice and the Montanes twice. They're so good. And the Montanes had this great song called Prague and I was trying to find it on Spotify to come to find out it's like so new. It's not even recorded yet. So oh, wow. Have to wait a while for that. But yeah, it's they were really good. And both fun to watch. It was fun to watch, fun and entertaining the whole time. And you could tell from their socials that they were super excited to be on the tour, which it's a lot, I think to all of us really, really does. And it seems like. They both have solid fan bases as well that were, yes, excited.

16:00 Yeah. And it was neat to see, especially for me, the Montanes, to see them three times, you know, especially by the the third show, like songs are familiar and you're like you maybe you don't know the words, but you like know the harp, the melody. And yeah, it was like fun to. Hear like, oh, that one, I love that one, you know, So yeah, definitely going on on Spotify. Yeah, yeah. I mean, these are bands, if they came around to my local area, I would definitely go see them, you know, on their own. So fantastic job whoever lined them up. They were perfect, a way to get the crowds amped up prior to yes coming out as well.

16:41 And it yeah. Absolutely. A perfect fit, a really great. Fit, absolutely. I wonder if the singer from the criticals, though, gets really tired of being compared to Mick Jagger. I mean, it's like all, it's all I could see and here was Mick Jagger. I mean, I guess if you're going to be a front man, it's not the worst person you get compared to, but. Right. No, absolutely not. Yeah. Yeah. But anyway, openers, fantastic. I love them. I also want to quick mention the new member then, well the accompanying members or musicians to Lovejoy on this tour, Kevin Bernstein on keyboards and Alan Osmatzen, who we've known from before with trumpet, but he also played guitar on this tour.

17:35 And so that was fun to see and to see their joy and the interactions during the shows was a lot of fun. It's good to see. Good to see them in a lot of the photos as well. You know, when the the group have gone out somewhere, they've all gone along. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they. Were poor. It was nice, cool. I had heard Alan had his own band, I think in LA called Fax Trod Trod like a play on tax fraud. So I don't know if that's still cooking, but he's so he's so multi talented and I know Kevin is too. So I'm I'm hoping to see Kevin back on the next tour. He's obviously he's, you know, musically great and he seemed to fit in really well with the whole vibe of the group so. Right.

18:26 And now an integral part with this new sound of love. Yeah, they need all that. Can Allen play the keyboard I. Thought he could. Yeah, yeah, he's played keyboard before. Yeah. Because it just makes me wonder whether he's going to take a flight to the UK or not. Oh, Oh well, you mean. Allen and Kev both. You mean because they can't. You can't do all the parts. No. Because you've been a native guitarist. Kevin had just returned from the UK. I'd saw on his Instagram stories he was playing with somebody who's playing with the band. And yeah, London, I think it was. So who knows, Maybe, maybe they'll both go over there. It'd be great for you guys, yeah. Did they have?

19:22 Wait, who played at the London gig then? Did you have no extra? Yeah, no one. It was just the no trumpet, no trumpet because we had we had to do the trumpet. Nice. Oh, but you didn't know this, but what did they do some old songs to? Yeah, because you didn't know the song to do the trumpet on the new song. No. So a couple of the old songs. I couldn't remember what the if they played him. Yeah, he stood there, he said. You all know this, but I need to do the trumpet. Oh, that's cool. OK, you probably said that that last episode, but it's been quite a whirlwind, so busy. And a little kiddie.

20:03 You also had the amazing visuals of Misha, otherwise known as Yovazal. They. Look. From an outsider's point of view, they look amazing. Like clips, sections, whatever. They look amazing and I can't wait. It really helped with the story of the songs and just the imagery, you know, with the words that are being supposed sung. Mind blowing. Like, yeah, I look, it's exciting when you get to know the visuals so you know the song when you start seeing them pop up like white shark at me. Yeah, I guess if you see them more than once, so the first time you see them you might be watching Ash or or whoever and and you miss, it's like watching a film and and you miss a particular visual.

20:57 So the next time you go and see them, you're looking at the visuals more rather than the band. Maybe. So you pick it up maybe? Yeah, I. Know that's where you get so exhausted after a show because you're jumping, you're singing, you're watching the musicians and you're watching the visuals and you're trying to take pictures and videos now and then. There were a few that I thought were really like, that really, really stood out for me in monochrome. That black and white scene when you're in a room and then you start going down the hallway and it has those, it's like a, a cross and a square, maybe in a circle, like in frames on the walls.

21:39 And then there's, and I think there's two chairs. One of them is standing upright and the other one is tipped over. It reminds me of this really weird video game that I've watched Pebble play before. I think it's called subliminal. And it's just this weird kind of creepy. It's not like like traditionally creepy, but it's just kind of an odd sort of video game. And then the way everything just bursts. Yes, yes. And the way everything just bursts into color at one point and come and touch haven't touched is so cute, Right. You've got the bee and the flower in the cemetery. Then all the Venus flytraps come and they're, like trying to trying to get the bee.

22:22 Super cute. Yeah. And. Then fatal love it, the man with the pet paddles on his chest trying to revive. Yes, yes. And in White Shark Cafe, the laptop, the laptop with the popcorn, you know, it's like that phrase. It's like that phrase that people use on the Internet. If something is something juicy is going down in the comments. Wait, let me get my popcorn. Yeah. Yeah. And then you like, let's. It's totally what that song is about. And Joe says something at the end there when that's. Going down the laptop, Yeah, yeah. You got to see it yourself, Dave, to understand. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

23:03 I'm I'm. It's great. It's. Really looking forward. So good. A shout out to it looks like his name is Socks on Instagram SOCXS He did lighting and visuals for the show's guessing he worked closely with Misha and actually his post had a lot of like the bright lights like were art, you know, work on the stage. So I believe he had his hand in that. He wrote a very nice post on Instagram. I just want to read really quick because I thought it was sweet, dare I say brought a tear to my eye. This person wrote. And just like that, the tour with Lovejoy is over.

23:44 We did 27 shows in 19 States and parts of Canada, traveling with a family of 13 in a fourty 5 foot tour bus. They met so many great people and Lovejoy has one of the best fan bases I've ever worked with. I'm thankful to be a part of a talented team, each giving their all to making every show a memorable experience for the fans we help put on the show with sleepless nights, near impossible turnarounds, tight deadlines, sickness, missed meals, constant work. But what we get in return is smiles, laughter, tears, bonds, and memories will be fondly remembered and make it all worth it. Every show was somehow better than the last, yet so unique. I'm not sure I could pick a favorite. I can't wait for what's next.

24:28 I. Never heard of this guy, didn't know anything about him until you mentioned him just before we recorded. I honestly thought it said Red socks down there. I've just sat there and listened to that. Wonderful. Actually, yes, and I forgot Christian. Christian who worked as the back line, He which be the one to hand Wilbur his guitars when he needed to switch out for different songs. He wrote a lovely message as well. If you don't mind, I would like to share this as well because I've just found it. Because I feel like these things will get buried and no one will see them and I think they're worth hearing and maybe having it read helps it absorb better. So he wrote this.

25:15 Love is an engine. I have spent a large chunk of time with some incredible people in the past few months and made countless memories. My senses were overwhelmed in the most beautiful way so many times. I truly felt lucky every day of my life during this entire stretch. Travel is a passion fueled endeavor and my passion burns for extraordinary people. Mesmerizing sights, excessively indulgent tastes, and jarring sounds. I have experienced an abundance of each that would satisfy a lifetime for most in the past month alone. I have adoration for every single human in these photographs that would do anything in my ability to sustain their dreams as they have made mine possible. He continues on further and further. But I thought that that was just worth a mention. And Christian, you are amazing because that's a tough job. That's a kind of like and you know, as the time goes by and you get used to the order of things. I don't know, but it just seems like perhaps even a thankless job.

26:12 But getting to know him and his account, I feel like, yeah, you know him as a person, not just like some crew guy, you know, like. He was always on his toes. I mean, you like he was always right there. One thing that has me flabbergasted, how in the hell do you fit 13 people on that bus? How is it like Jenga? Do they like this way and that way? How? An Ella, be the only girl, God bless her. Oh, no kidding. Oh, she deserves a medal for that. Oh my gosh. Actually commented on that, this post. I said what a ragtag group of people you're on bus with. Yeah, because that is wild. And they didn't know each other before, a lot of them, right? Yeah, absolutely.

26:54 Yeah. I googled the bus make and I wanted to have a look at the layout because I thought there was going to be about 8 or 9 people. Right. Yeah. But but 13 and it's just. Where do they go? Bottom bunk. Middle bunk. Top bunk. You can't tell me Will sleeps in there. I mean, it was his long ass, I mean. Where does he sleep? He does not sleep in a regular book bed. How can he? What do they do? Cut holsters? Feet. Well, isn't there like. One bigger bed, like in the back of those usually. Well, that's. That's like the sofa, isn't it? That's where they all sit and they just sit around the sofa. So whether he kicked there or, or whether he, you know, whether he just.

27:44 Call me parasocial all they want, I wasn't looking up the tour bus in the sleeping range. No, I would see this is the sort of things I I like. I was so intrigued. Yeah, Dave, we're just taking the piss. I know. Oh look, you're using. English. Colloquialisms. Now. Me, mouse. Yes. OK. Tell us about this boss, please. I'm listening. We're listening. And I was just looking, looking it up because I was so intrigued as to the size of these things. I mean, you're at a trailer on the back as well. Yeah, maybe. Maybe we'll slept in the trailer. No windows?

28:27 What the heck? You don't need windows when you're asleep. But no. Better treatment than that, yeah. The buses look amazing but it it's so cramped. Must be. I don't know how they do it. I mean one maybe one toilet between 13 I 14 if you with. Like illness and stuff, right? 14 if you include the bus driver. And again, why Elodie deserves a gold medal. Can you imagine sharing bathroom facilities with 12 guys? Leslie, I would die.

29:11 Real for two months. Yeah, anyway. Can you imagine all like the times they stop at rest stops and stuff of people have no idea that they just see this group walk in. Oh my gosh. While they're still like, you know, sort of semi starting out and maybe not recognize their where they go yet. I wanted to enlist you and your English accent to read Wilbur's story, Wilbur's story post tour because it was heartfelt and and it had some a bit of news at the end as well. Facts are coming, but I would like to hear it in your voice, Dave, since you've got that English accent so you can it'll sound best coming from you. So long was the tour and now we are LED back to where we began. It never feels right, it's always abrupt and jarring, going from months of living on a bus, meeting 10s of thousands of amazing people who have connected over our music and then blinking and it's time to go home. The plaster is never peeled, torn off aggressively by a small gremlin I call Grabo.

30:31 Suddenly I have to go from being around a daily party of creatives and adrenaline, then back to my old high octine activities like thoughtfulness and sitting still. I used to really struggle with it. Touring was frequently something I had to emotionally reckon with, but this time it's different. The audiences we met, the people we got to speak to face to face, I've never quite connected in the same way. This wasn't an accident or something, something catalyzed by the band. It was entirely you, the people at our shows. America was different this time.

31:17 It was more substantial, and it was deeper. I'd never really cared about people filming Netgeeks on their phones before, but I was still blown away by how many few people were filming instead, how many people were dancing and singing. America wasn't a backdrop for a performance this time. It felt like a super high energy space we were permitted to share with you, if only for an hour or two. If you came to any of the shows on this tour, then you directly help build something I will never forget. Thank you.

32:01 Thank you bozos. Thank you for coming to see our debut album performed in full and thank you for hungrily demanding more. You will get more. Anyway, enough with the SAP back to work. 2 new videos in December. Yeah. Dave, you're reading that. I mean, that'd big difference. Actually. I do think when you read these things out loud, you capture. Them. Yeah, I do. When you read the two from there's the support and artists. I'd never heard them before and they were really nice, so there's some absolute fantastic feedback from supporting artists and Will himself.

32:49 Well, I remember Will's saying a couple of years ago that they'd always felt like America was a place where they were performing. It was more of a performance and the UK was more of like a party, like the show was a party, right? And here they were just standing up there performing for people. So I was really, really thrilled to see that that had kind of changed for him. You know, obviously as an American, like that's fantastic. I'm, I'm, I'm so glad. Does that make you want to come back more? Perfect.

33:29 Exactly. No. But yeah, I get you. Great sentiments. Yeah, you know, we can have two more videos before Christmas. Well these videos are like his Wilbur Soot videos I'm imagining, not music videos. Yeah, it's either going to be a behind the scenes or a Wilbur or something like, do you know what I mean One. Of each. I hadn't even thought it. Could be, it could be, could be two behind the scenes, it could be, you know, I mean, Elodie's got a lot of work to do to get 2 videos out before Christmas. Well, I was thinking more like his Wilbur Soot geography sort of things. Yeah, but maybe like one of each sort of thing. Could be.

34:13 We're always just speculating here, so we don't always have facts coming you'd guesses. No, yeah, they'll definitely be back in the US next year sometime. I love that. I love that optimism. I'm, I'm calling it every single time that they've come here and they've left, I'm like, oh, they won't be back for so long. This is so sad. And then they're back so much sooner than I'd ever expected. I'm going to summer or fall. I really. I wouldn't be surprised, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if they fly across for a festival or two. Yeah, that's what our friend on the cue. He was saying.

35:04 They've got to do festivals because they've got to get exposure. They got to get this album out there. They need to expose to more people and new audiences. And yeah, I agree with that as well. So I've already been, like, scoping out every time there's a new lineup announcement for, you know, summer shows that they're already being dropped. But they can always have it later, too. It's true, I personally do not like festivals but it makes so much sense for them to do festivals and if they are at a festival I will go to a festival despite the fact that I hate it so. But it's where they need to be, truly. Yeah, need more ears listening for sure, yeah. Absolutely.

35:50 Absolutely. Needs to become more of a household name, yeah. So yes. I hear you. You know what, it's, it's funny where I feel like we're going to get back to that point where we were in, you know, a year or two ago, maybe two years ago, where we had concerns about our silly little band was going to get too big. And we were selfishly worried about that. And now it's like, I feel like we're like proud Mama, like let's push him out of the nest. We need to. We'll be so proud from the sidelines if they get big, you know what I mean? So yeah, they definitely have what it takes. I mean, they do. I know you guys know that too. There is no doubt they have exactly what it takes.

36:35 They do, it just depends on whether people will take them on board. Yeah, but it's and it's not, you know what's so lovely, What's so great is that they are so great. Each one of them is so awesome in their own way. And so you feel really happy for. All. Of them just as people, you know, it's not just wow, they have great music. They're just great human beings that you've had the pleasure to meet several times over this tour. I need to tell you, I've one of the venues, Leslie, I don't know if you were at this one or if it was Minnesota, I can't remember. At one of the venues, one of the bartenders was asking us about them because she had said that most of the VIP things that they do, there was just the band going and hi click, hi click, hi click. And she was commenting on how Lovejoy seems to be like genuinely invested and engaged in talking with her fans. And she's like, they just seem really nice. She's like, are they like, really like that? I'm like, yeah, they are.

37:43 They are really just down to earth carrying kind people, truly. And they really did spend a lot of time with each person or group that came up to them. And you know, you forget, I, I didn't think of this so recently, just reflecting back that the time and attention and kindness, you know, spend with each person in that those long VIP lines because they all sold out, I believe then they still had to put a show on after that. You know, like it's kind of wild that they still had the whole show ahead of them and yet their attention was fully, fully on the people they were spending time with. They.

38:24 Don't need to get up till 2O clock in the afternoon. Steve, don't belittle. It oh, they were often about long before that. Because it's if it was and you know, any of us is just people to be on like that, to be fully on and engage with people, it's tiring. I'm sure they were like pretty wiped after those meet and greets. It was good they had those opening bands to sort of then take a breather because those were must have been exhausting nights, worth every second of the exhaustion and illness that came along with it. But yeah, there's no, we shouldn't discount that.

39:06 Just, you know, it's funny, I was thinking about that too. I was thinking about that too a few nights ago, about the meet and greets. And obviously as fans, we got something out of the meet and greets. We got a lot out of the meet and greets, right? And I hope that they got something out of it too. I mean, when you think about it, for me, it sounds terrifying and exhausting to tell somebody or for somebody to tell me, OK, like 27 nights out of like a month and a half, you're gonna meet 50 new people every night. I'd be, like, crying in the corner, right? I mean. To pose with them and do all anything they ask. Basically sign anything they wanted to buy. Do crazy pauses. Make videos. Right. Unless you're unless you're a true, true extrovert, which I am not.

39:51 I I would think that would be draining for just about anybody. But when you watch the videos of like, well, you know, our experiences and watching other people's like meet and greets like you don't like I said, they really seem to enjoy being with the fans. So I hope, I hope that that was, you know, I hope they got something back from that. And what I really hope too is I hope that it. Help them realize and kind of cemented the fact that there are so many people that love them and support them. So I hope just seeing that tangible support with all of those people being there, wanting to talk to them really just, you know, made them feel good.

40:35 Yeah, like he's like Wilbur said. Real people, real faces. Yeah, yeah. Not just screen names Like. Yeah, exactly his name. Exactly like, OK, let's be real, 90% of the teenage girls out there, Will, Will, Will can't wait to meet Will can't wait to meet Will. And I get some of the boys are like this one's here for Will, but from what I've seen, they've all interacted, whether it's just for Will or not. They've all the interaction that I've seen from various people's meet and greets has been fabulous, really, really fabulous. All the rest of the boys.

41:22 You don't have to say, though, I have to say my favorite new genre of Ash photos is Ash photography. A girl taking a selfie with Wilbur and he's in the background giving the finger. Yeah, exactly that, exactly that it's. Just it's awesome. And he's like, he doesn't mean anything by it, but it's just like, it's not, it's just, it's just so tongue and cheek. So Ash. Yeah, exactly. You just brought another thought to mind. What tongue and cheek? How about the fact that we have Ash, formerly non speaking Ash, now speaking to everybody and on our intro acting Wilbur with the name of the podcast.

42:09 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I I've even seen people on TikTok like wait Ash talks because they haven't seen the movies yet. So they're like what? So it's easier and more special that he talks on our. Video, it really is. And I, well, I I know I was. I'm sure you guys too, when we first heard his voice, you know, in person or whatever. His voice doesn't quite fit the way he looks. Such a you know what I mean? You. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. It's a gravelly kind of rock star voice. Right. Yeah, I first heard him talk in Brooklyn when we met him outside one of the gigs stop for a split second before they had to get into an Uber.

42:50 I was he had the soft spoken like higher pitched voice. I was like, what? Yeah, yeah, It's so cool. I just love his whole persona and then there's this, this voice behind it. It's good. Cool. Unexpected if you look up. Yeah, if you look up. Cool. In the Webster dictionary, his picture has to be there. Has to be there, I mean. There's no way it's not. Also, talking about our experiences at the shows we had, I brought out some of the goodies that people handed me. I thought I can't individually show them all, but I got some awesome new bracelets from people. So I just wanted to share. Look at that.

43:33 And I said like I really appreciate these 'cause I wear bracelets every day. So I got a whole assortment of very colorful, fun new bracelets as well as I got a little cute little cat sticker, this little pin. And in New York, someone was very organized and thoughtful and made these adorable little like goodie bags. Oh, that's so cute. I haven't opened it yet because I wanted to be Christine for the show. Presentation value because super impressive. Just met a lot of great people. I had fun handing out the trading cards, the chicken Nuggets.

44:14 What else do we hand out? Stickers. And it was neat because a lot of people used the trading cards we handed out using photos from that we've taken at shows. A lot of them use them at the meet and greet to have the band signed because they realized, oh, I didn't bring anything for the band to sign. And one of our meet and greets, Wilbur said. You've been handing out your cards, haven't you? It's like we've been seeing a lot of them. That was so cool. I mean, two things there from my point of view, the fact that people have got something extra out of your cards by having them signed so fantastic. And the fact that the band are saying, oh, we can tell you're in the queue as such, you know what I mean? Because your cards are coming through, you know, fantastic yet again.

45:10 And it all costs money. And I appreciate you doing it for the love of it, to make people smile. Absolutely. Oh my God, it was amazing. I had a dad absolutely like find me at New York. They sort of split the line and went around a corner and a father like stopped me. He goes, my 3 girls went to use a bathroom and they'd kill me if I didn't stop you for cards. I was like, it was like a known thing. Another girl asked if I would take a selfie with her. And her mom? Like her mom took her things out of her hand. She's. Like no, no, let me take it. It was so much fun.

45:51 I had just the absolute best time and best time waiting in a line. When you say Angie, of all the lines to wait in? That's honestly, it's one of Dave's going to think I'm crazy, but that's one of my favorite parts of the whole thing is is waiting in queue because you meet so many great people. Oh, I I. Absolutely agree with that. You know the London show, We spoke to a fair few people and. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like in Philly, I met a really nice person who was also from Wisconsin that had driven like 18 hours to get there. Was it from the show? So yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh. He. Started tearing up. I know he was so sweet, like so nice and just, and all of this, all the people that we got to meet were just so cool. And I'm, I feel like, really grateful that we were able to meet so many great people And thank you to everybody that took the time, you know, to chat with us for a little bit. And I know sometimes I'm I'm truly make my day beginning like I feel like funny, like talking.

47:00 But it's that moment when we finally go, OK, let's do it. Let's hand out our things then. Yeah, yeah, it's it's really a blast as you go down the line doing that and just bring the smiles, feels, faces. I remember one of the gigs, a girl came up to me and said, are there stickers in your bag? And I said, yeah, she goes, I'll buy them from you. I was like, no, no, no, no. So I really enjoyed that. And I look forward to doing it again. And I know, Dave, you have some Nuggets and stickers. Yes, I've still got some Nuggets and stickers left. Yeah, I'm saving them for some gigs, but so tell me. Appreciate you saw a lot of gigs together but forget who you were was with. Out of all the gigs you've seen, which was your favorite gig? Yeah, it's hard to not be tainted by who you're with. Yeah, I absolutely agree for your meet and. Greet from that.

47:54 Particular gig? Yeah, I absolutely agree. So take it all in. What was one of the best gigs for you folks? I'd say New York had to be because it was just special being the last one, the longest one. You know, it felt like that because it was that that episode, it was that show where Wilbur named everybody, thanked them, brought them out. Ash dragged out Elodie. They took that picture on the stage. That acknowledgement was fun. And yeah, with people. I was with my daughter and we were with our friend that's been going to all the gigs. The three of us were together and just had a freaking the best time of our lives, jumping as high as we could, all three of us and singing along with I. I really enjoyed the time spent with with them as well, just getting to know them and talk to them as well. And they said that the band, because they were at so many of the meet and greets and shows that the Wilbur actually said they really appreciated his presence because to know their speed, they'd see a familiar face at each meet and greet was like a comfort thing to them, like it does of all the strangers to know that there was like a constant that they would be there was cool and.

49:19 I was so glad to see that and it's like picking a favorite child but. Managed to me one. I've only got 1. Child ha ha ha. Yeah, if you made me pick, I would say even though, even though there were a few little snags in the audience, I'd have to say Chicago because it was the first show seeing them on this tour. And that makes sense. You know, just hearing the album live for the first time and seeing Welcome just, you know, barreling down on the stage like like a crazy person and jumping all over and seeing that newfound energy that they all had was just absolutely mind blowing. And it was like I was seeing them for the first time. I couldn't believe it.

50:15 That's. True. My head was floating a new experience, yeah are different than resources for teaching Yeah. And you can't relive the first time seeing that and seeing the hearing those songs played the yeah. No. And I remember thinking that too, actually, during that show. I'm like, Oh my gosh, I wish I could like relive this over and over because there will be, there will never be another first time hearing this. But yeah, I would have to say that. And then I just want to bring up, you know, funny like, or interesting, crazy, different things that happened during shows, like a crowd surfer. Never before have I seen a crowd surfer. Sorry, you've never, ever seen a crowd. Lovejoy Show.

51:05 I I'm disappointed because I wanted to be the first. Oh gosh, you might break a hip or something. Sorry, which? Which city was that? And you were that was the you two? Were you there too? Yeah, I was there. Oh. You must have been there. Yeah, man, What? It was either Philly or DCI. Guess was it Philly? Then in New York, Ash laying on stage for like the longest time he was laying on stage and playing on stage. I don't know if you saw any pictures or video of that. Yes, I did. That was. Amusing. And Joe was talking to the drum set. Joe fell into the drum set at the end of New York City, like the big finale, of course, where they're going crazy playing or whatever they're doing. He like fell backwards into the drum set, like not knock the bass drum over on Mark.

51:55 It was how many people actually noticed that happening. That was crazy. I love all that fun, like unexpected stuff. You know, there's a lot of unexpected death box moments made for shows that we weren't at. Well, I'm glad they had a crowd search. I used to love doing that, really love doing that. You really did that well. Yes. Holy smokes, no way. But back back in the day, you could virtually clamber up at the front of the stage. There was none of this barrier. You were at the stage, you had your elbows on the stage. So you get one of your mates, give your leg up. You're literally springboarded off the stage into the crowd.

52:39 But not going to lie, it's gone wrong quite a few times, you know? Yeah. Nobody catches you. Not. Enough people can. Check Dave's dropping lore. Yeah, but there's been times when I've gone halfway across the crowd and it's fantastic. No one's like grabbing you weird or like inappropriate and stuff. No, I. Guess it's your. Kind anyway does it, you know? Yeah, right. Well Dave, you could be the first person to do it in the UK at a Lovejoy show. I'll give it a shot. I'm going to have to do a lot of limbering up though. Better wear a disguise so they don't know it's you. Start training.

53:23 I never wanted to do that because then you like you don't get your good spot back. Like what the heck right? Crowd surfing. Then you get a crappy spot. Forget it, it's not worth it even if I would have wanted to. But back in the 90s, you just pushed your way back to where you were. All right, chickens used to cover a lot of ground here today. Yeah, we did. It's getting to be Christmas time, holiday time, so I'm not sure what our next episode might be about. I do know I would love to do a YouTube video. Dave reacts to Wilbur Sutt songs. Heck yeah. Come on, Dave, it doesn't. Have to be a pod. It could be a YouTube vid. OK.

54:05 We'll, we'll, we'll look at that. Search that I think that would be fun and that's almost seems like a good holiday vacation you know that quiet time to do something fun and silly like that get the subscriber count up get Dave I like it yeah that viral for. Good, yeah. Oh, everybody, check out Dave's How to Make Your Own Pastor Gold Lego minifigure. I believe you're putting it up on the website, Dave. No, not the actual video, but the bits and pieces of what you really need. How to sort of thing? Yeah. OK. How to run it's? Very cool. Did you notice the auto captioning on your video?

54:49 Said Pasta Gold. What like passed away? Passed away? No. Yeah, see. Passed away. Yeah, so I have two of them. Oh, they're twinning. Yeah, and there's MASH. So everybody, thanks for listening and we you probably hear from us in the New Year 2026. Yeah, happy Christmas, Happy New Year, happy whatever you celebrate. Yes and yes. If you don't celebrate, have a good time. Yes. All good. Thanks for listening. All right. Thanks guys. Do we know? Thanks in 55 languages.