Ahead of his biggest UK show to date at BST Hyde Park on July 4th opening for Noah Kahan Australian singer songwriter Hazlett shares an exclusive photo diary from his last North American Tour. His new album “last night you said you missed me is” out September 12 via Nettwerk.
Fresh off the long haul flight landed in California and doing my morning dose of introspection/overthinking. I remember sitting here thinking is this really happening? Are people actually going to turn up? I guess only time will tell…
This is the exact moment I got to see the vinyl design I made for my album, Goodbye To The Valley Low for the first time. My tour manager Cameron surprised me and threw it on stage during soundcheck at the first show of the tour in Los Angeles.
There was something about this moment that will stick with me. I remember nervously rambling and looking up to find this one person with their phone up and their face beaming a smile at me that made me feel at home.
I’m a morning person, which is often counterintuitive with touring, but nothing made me happier then this quiet moment driving through the mountains in Utah riding the high of a flat white and a sold out show.
This is Reign. He’s one of many people that came along to these shows and offered to take some photos which has meant alot. For as much as I like the photo he took of me onstage though I prefer this little moment backstage where we got to shoot the breeze for a while.
I think we had just come off the back of 5 shows in 5 cities and it wasn’t just the physical tired that hit but an emotional exhaustion too. I think I just needed a hug. Touring it seems is a lonely endeavour at times but one that’s well worth the occasional blues.
I think mum wanted to know that I was doing okay. I said “…don’t worry I’ve got all my creature comforts for my preshow ritual. My lucky hat, blueberries, a cup of coconut water and I’m about to brush my teeth before I walk on. Love you”
One of the coolest days on tour was in Vermont where we got to nerd out and have a little tour of the Iris guitar factory.
Here I was crossing the boarder into Ontario and I caught this in the mirror. The sunset was a little romantic gesture that felt like both a congratulations and a bittersweet nudge that its time to move onto the next thing…
I did my first TV interview and performance for CBS and honestly had no idea what to do with my hands. I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it just yet….
I realised I probably should include a photo of me playing on stage in this series as proof that it wasn’t just gas stations and feelings. (Taken by the amazing Elise Garcia)
Always had a hard time appreciating the little wins along the way. So decided to slow down, take myself out for a coffee and a croissant and give myself a pat on the back instead of critiquing myself for a change
I died and went to guitar heaven at Carters Vintage Guitars in Nashville. All the things I can’t afford but a bunch of new goals to manifest.
I’m an introvert by nature and my social battery is pretty small. But I’ll gladly throw it away every night for these moments. Getting to have real conversations swap stories and meet people is the most fulfilling part of touring and what makes it all worth while.
I feel like it’s a rite of passage of for every musician to do the great American road trip at some point. To make the trek from California to Canada. To haul through Nebraska and the midwest. To navigate the hustle and the concrete down the east coast and see where it spits you out. Do I miss home? Undoubtedly. Am I tired? Exhausted. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.
