Day 40-41: International Falls, MN and Back to NYC!

Today was the final concert on my Winter Midwest Tour!

We drove two hours straight north to International Falls, MN, a small town right on the border of Canada.  The concert tonight was lots of fun...as was this entire tour, and also the one I did through the midwest this past October.

I've gotten to meet amazing people all over the country, visit places that I would have never otherwise gotten to see, and share music with kind audiences everywhere. :)

This tour, I gave 37 concerts and student outreaches (whew!) and have driven almost 8000 miles (combined with the 5500 miles from the last tour, making it a round-trip drive from NYC to Seoul)!

Tomorrow, I've got a 5.5 hour drive to do back to Minneapolis to catch at 12:30pm flight (which means I've got to leave at about 4:30am), and then transfer planes in Washington, D.C. before getting in to New York late tomorrow evening.

Now back to New York for some rest, and for the remainder of my 2013-2014 season, which will take me to Vancouver, Illinois, and Ohio. :)

Thank you for following along with me this whole trip, and please continue to follow me on my Facebook Page (FB.com/charliealbrightpianist) where I update very frequently, as well as my website (CharlieAlbright.com).  If you're on Twitter, please follow me there too! (@charliealbright)

Best Wishes,

Charlie

Fall, 2013 Tour (5500 miles on the odometer when I was finished)

2014 Winter Midwest Tour (Part 1)

2014 Winter Midwest Tour (Part 2)

This older man converted the basement of the concert hall (an old high school) into "The Dungeon," a place with moving lights, music, video games, etc. for teenagers to safely spend Friday nights.

This older man converted the basement of the concert hall (an old high school) into "The Dungeon," a place with moving lights, music, video games, etc. for teenagers to safely spend Friday nights.

The converted basement of the concert hall (an old high school)..."The Dungeon," a place with moving lights, music, video games, etc. for teenagers to safely spend Friday nights.

The converted basement of the concert hall (an old high school)..."The Dungeon," a place with moving lights, music, video games, etc. for teenagers to safely spend Friday nights. 

The original boilers of the old high school...still working!

Day 38: Mall of America!

So we walked through pretty much the entirety of the Mall of America, the world's second largest shopping mall.

Whew.  That's all I can say.  It's huge.  I'm pooped out...time for a nap. :)

-Charlie

I bet my mom that this was really made with at least SOME real legos...and I won.  The winning? I could make her ride on a ride in the mall's amusement park.  But I was nice and gave her a pass. :) 

$15 sand.  Wow.  It technically is like a sandy clay, but still...sand for $15. :P

Day 37: Minneapolis Suburbs

Today, I had a performance at the home of the Folins outside of Minneapolis after a 3.5-hour drive.

I've known them now for several years, and they are a wonderful couple who I consider to be good friends.  I still find it amazing how they organize such a large number of concerts of almost every genre throughout the United States...Allied Concert Services really is doing good for the arts in this country. :)

Tomorrow, I've got the day off, so we're heading to the Mall of America!

-Charlie