Performing is one of the most exciting and fun parts of being in a band, at least for me. I love writing songs, recording and releasing new material, but being able to share that with our fans and those who aren't fans yet is really really special! Of course, it takes two to tango, as the say, and finding a dance partner isn't always easy.

Looking at a (mostly) blank gig calendar can be really intimidating, when it comes to keeping a band together and creative. We would practice and jam together for the love of the project even if we didn't have shows lined up, but having a gig on the horizon is very motivating. Many of the festivals and events we like to play for haven't yet announced their line-up, some are still evaluating our submissions and we won't know for months. Other events are still so early in the planning stages they may not even know how desperately they need Cowboy Andy and The Salamanders to entertain and enchant their crowd (can you imagine that?).

Come July, of course, we'll wonder where all the gigs came from, but in the heart of December, being able to plan our mini-tours and commit personal vacation times around those glorious big events can be a head scratcher.

So here is a shout-out to those awesome organized folks who have already reached out to us to make sure we are all set to perform for their special event!

And here is a gentle nudge to others who are still planning but haven't gotten around to securing music for their folks, our dance card it open, but will likely fill up before March!

Finally, here is “howdy” too the rest of you for coming out and being the most important part of the show!