sundays at the post office
One evening, in the middle of one of our ordinary Tone Bent rehearsals, Robin asked Bill if he had ever noticed how the acoustics in Post Offices were always amazingly great?” She was wondering if this had something to do with the materials used in the P.O. boxes and so on. “Always?” Bill wanted to know? And it became immediately apparent that we were facing your basic proof-is-in-the-pudding kind of moment. Suddenly we were packing up our guitars and heading out the door to test the theory.
Our first visit was to our hometown post office in Forestville. Acoustics were fair there, not remarkable, certainly – and one could easily say that the theory had been instantly rendered bogus. But now our curiosity was piqued… and so we continued on over to the Sebastopol P.O. to experience first-hand the stellar acoustical properties that Robin had noted. Indeed the sound here was rolling ‘round the room and coming back and expanding again – a lovely treat to the ear.
Concerned that perhaps this was not such a treat for the postal patrons who were coming in at 11:00 at night to retrieve mail, yet wishing to continue our quest, we opted for Sundays at the Post Office. Most Sundays these days Tone Bent plays in at least one new Post Office – noting the acoustics and ambience and encounters.
Bill came up with the idea of leaving a “Tonebent was here” card at each P.O. This eventually lead to the creation of a one-page “calling card” that we slide under the door when we’ve finished playing. You can see likeness of this, below. Some friends have asked ”if you’re going to be playing at our post office would you let us know ahead of time so we can come listen?” We’re pondering this one.
Forestville • first PO, hometown
Sebastopol • third-best sound (formerly first-best)
Boulder City, Nevada • best view of a raptor
Marshall • best view
Tomales • best audience
Nicasio • second-to-the-smallest
Occidental • most likely place to run into another choir member
Healdsburg • worst vibe, most soulless
Valley Ford • coldest, most bovine-odorous
Jenner • smallest, barely room for both of us and two guitar cases
Duncan's Mills • most charming, third-best sound
Morro Bay • first performance for postal emplyoyees through a mail slot
Cayucos • best sound, first communication with a postal worker
(sorting mail in back behind PO boxes) and we quote, "right on!"
Harmony • least believable as an actual post office
Philo • newest
Inverness • thinnest walls, second-best sound (except for traffic noise)
Monte Rio • first inaccessible PO on a Sunday
Guerneville • longest corrider, great sound — best for a new PO
Rio Nido • second inaccessible PO on a Sunday
Santa Rosa Main P.O. • most enthusiastic audience member, Mika the very small dog
Beginning in early June, 2008, Tone Bent, sadly, had to take a nearly 5-month hiatus from Sundays at the Post Office due to a couple of car accidents. First we were rear-ended as we headed home from the Strawberry Music Festival last May 26th . . . then unbelievably -- Robin was rear-ended again on June 19th. This second accident totaled her car and hurt her neck and shoulder to the point she was unable to play guitar for quite awhile. Physical therapy and a few tons of ice and Advil have gradually been bringing her along and the good news is that we have now resumed our Sunday P.O. excursions in the late fall as follows:
Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa • Sounded like someone was motoring by in a Boston Whaler powered by a large Evinrude. Second lowest rating for lack of atmosphere (topped only by Healdsburg). The comedic moment presented itself immediately as we observed the "most impressive display of Plumber's arse" by a postal patron leaning over as he busily sorted through his pile of mail . . . we supposed.
Tone Bent plays the brand new Geyserville Post Office. This is even newer than the Guerneville Post Office - big blue and white checker board floor design and stark white walls displaying a colorful collection of children's drawings that had been entered in a contest to come up with a new design for a postage stamp. Acoustics were best up against the glass doors, fairly unremarkable overall . . . but the feeling of this P.O. is very cheery and light
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